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Watch Your Phantom Loads
By Solar energy | April 20, 2009
Watch Your Phantom Loads
Before you purchase that solar power system, you need to know how many panels you need to support your home energy use.
Soon after you begin the energy discovery process you learn about invisible critters called “phantom loads” that haunt your home.
It’s hard to see evidence of these little devils but here’s a way to get visual evidence.
Make sure all the heavy electric energy users are off, like your heater or air conditioner and hot water heater and all your lights. Then go take a look at your electric meter.
I did this the other day while enjoying some free weather. The windows were open, our hot water heater was off, and I didn’t hear the refrigerator running. The house had this moment of unusual quietness.
So I went outside to take a look at the electric meter. And it was spinning! While it seemed all was off inside the house, the electric meter still indicated the house was using energy!
It was a visual reminder that those little phantoms were alive and well inside even though I couldn’t hear them.
The computer, (even when switched off), the microwave, the coffee pot (with its digital clock), all the digital clocks in the house, my sewing machine, etc, were all running as quietly as ever.
If you need evidence, watch your own electric meter.
Then go get yourself a few power strips!
Topics: home energy bills, Home Energy Use, home solar energy | No Comments »