How much electricity does a TV box use when it's off?
A TV box or set-top box that looks off can still draw power around the clock. One measured unit pulled fourteen watts continuously, roughly twenty-four euros a year for doing nothing. Plug a watt-meter into it to read the real cost, then cut it with a switched power strip.
How to do it
- Plug a watt-meter into a device you assume is offPick something you think is asleep, like your TV box, and insert a watt-meter between it and the wall socket.
- Read what "off" actually drawsCheck the wattage while the device sits in its off or standby state. One measured box read fourteen watts around the clock.
- Estimate the yearly costFourteen watts running continuously works out to roughly twenty-four euros a year spent doing nothing.
- Cut the standby draw with a switched power stripIf the reading is high like this, put the device on a switched power strip so you can fully close off its power when it's not in use.
Questions that come up
Which devices are the worst offenders for this?
Set-top boxes and consoles are the usual offenders. They often keep drawing meaningful power in their off or standby state, so they're the first devices worth metering if you want to find where a continuous draw is hiding in your home.
Why does a switched power strip fix it rather than just turning the device off?
The device already looks off yet still draws power, meaning its own off state isn't truly cutting the current. A switched power strip physically breaks the supply, so the fourteen-watt draw drops to zero when you flip the switch instead of continuing around the clock.
Will cutting the power cause any problems for the box?
The script doesn't cover this. In practice some set-top boxes need to re-sync or update after a full power cut, which can add a short delay next time you switch them on, so weigh that convenience against the yearly saving for devices you use daily.
Full transcript
Some devices only look off. Your TV box is probably one of them, right now. Plug a watt-meter into a device you assume is asleep, and read what "off" actually costs. Mine sat at fourteen watts, around the clock. Set-top boxes and consoles are the usual offenders. Fourteen watts is roughly twenty-four euros a year, doing nothing. Meter one "off" device tonight. If it reads like mine, a switched power strip closes it. Tell me your number.