WhyNot?

Charger

Category: Mobile Services
Responses: 2 (2 in support, 0 neutral, 0 in opposition)
Number of views: 262
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Cell phone chargers, and many other devices, have little transformers that plug into wall outlets. If you leave them plugged in when you are not not using them, they continue to draw a little power. The manufacturers tell you to unplug them when not in use. Why not put an on/off rocker switch on the the little black transformer box? It would be easier than unplugging and replugging all the time. Also, when I unplug the box for my cell phone, I don't have a really convenient place to put it. I would rather just leave it in the wall and just switch it off.

I think that some of the newer chargers have built in off switches that automatically disconnect the power when you unplug the phone. That would be even better, but even a manual switch would be better than having to unplug it all the time and it would be cheap to make. Of course you would need to remember to turn it on each time, but as it is I have to remember to plug it in, so it's not any different.

Dwane Anderson, Oct 15 2009

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Comments from other members:

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A rocker type inline on-off switch with an LED indicator is a good idea but it is such a simple procedure to install one I wonder why people don't do it themselves.

sand, Oct 16 2009

It's really sort-of misleading about them 'drawing' power. When they're not actively charging, they may be wasting something like 1 watt of power. But if you go to bed and leave the yard lights on, you're wasting (my yard) 600 watts for 8 hours. But still only a few cents. So three orders of magnitude. Just leave it plugged in.

If you still feel guilty, then put it in a power strip and turn that off. I think in one person I know's home, the TV runs 24/7. I leave the computer on too long myself.

hrench, Oct 16 2009

Just averages, but...

A phone charger with no phone attached uses ~4 kWh a year. Average cost of a kWh ~$.10. If you had one plugged in without a phone on it for your entire life, say 85 years, you would have thrown away a whopping $34. Which would pay for that power strip, which will only last 5-10 years.

charms, Nov 11 2009

I realize the power loss is inconsequential, but it just bothers me that the manufacturer would recommend that you unplug the charger instead of having the decency to put a switch on it. It's just the principle of the thing.

Dwane Anderson, Nov 12 2009