Wednesday 13 January 2010

vampire devices be gone...

We all know that keeping video players, TVs, DVD players and the like on standby saps energy and ultimately raises our bills and our carbon footprints.

You are literally bleeding energy and cash, hence the wonderfully apt 'vampire device' phrase (which I love).

But some find it harder than others to remember to remove a plug and flick the switch. Sometimes we just forget.

So some bright spark (ha ha) at Logicor have devised a device which will take all of the effort and thought from remembering to turn it off at the wall.

The Green Plug Wall Socket looks very much like a standard socket front, and can either be fitted new, or retro fitted to 47mm deep back boxes.

But here comes the clever bit...an air driven power timer switch can be set to turn off the entire supply to the socket after the set period of time. So even if you forget to turn a socket off, it will turn itself off automatically after the set time has ticked away and any connected appliances will consume ZERO electricity.

Each socket can be adjusted separately for period from 15mins to 24 hours and can also be disabled, if you want the power switching back in your own forgetful hands.

The nice thing about this item is that it is very easy to fit, and could save you a great deal of carbon and cash. One of the major gripes with people is that a lot of 'eco' provisions are difficult, expensive or almost impossible to retro fit into an existing property - this is a simple little thing that you could change that could add up to big savings.

So - vampire devices be gone (and no need for the garlic)

2 comments:

  1. Why is there no enormous and loud campaign to make offices turn off their lights when people go home?
    An illuminated skyscraper may look prettier but it does seem a bit wasteful.
    I bet they all leave their computers on as well.
    I expect to see you marching on Downing Street carrying a banner and wearing your biggest boots.
    My father always unplugged the television at the end of the evening but I think that was because he feared that the plug would explode and we would all be burnt to the ground overnight.
    Rather than for any smiley, before-its-time eco reason.

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  2. James, I quite agree. The tremendous amount of light which pour into the night sky from empty (save for a few cleaners) offices is truly disgraceful. When I worked in an office we were given an absolute blasting if we left anything on standby or on overnight. Surely companies should understand that turning off lights etc SAVES MONEY? And surely this M word is the one on many city big wig's lips?
    In a similar vein to your father, my Nan always unplugs the TV and telephone if there is a thunderstorm - just in case the lightning jumps down the line. I scoffed at this until I heard that she was blown across the room by such and event whilst on the telephone one moody night.
    Shows that it pays to be prudent.

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