Do you switch your computer and or other electrical stuff off at night?

[Blondeinlondon]

Do you switch your computer and or other electrical stuff off at night?

Parents have just been to visit and seem deeply concerned about this

We don't, generally. Why would we?

I turn the PC off, always have done. What other stuff? TVs get turned off too, so do lights, obv.

My mother is obsessed by this, everything has to be unplugged, even stuff like the kettle or a PC. I leave loads of plugs in and things on standby, but they are turned off.

Yes, I switch all the plugs except the fridge off

Our vcr, dvd etc all stays on standby. TV is turned off as it tends to switch itself on.

However 6 computers are left on

Parents are concerned about fire / toxic smoke risk as smoke would reach DS before us

All computer stuff, TVs, VCRs etc all switched off at socket here.

Did you know things left on standby use a lot of power as well as being fire hazard?

Message withdrawn

It's not great for computers to power them down and up all the time. The monitor does turn itself off (ok, standby) automatically.

Our tv is old, and doesn't actually turn off - we make sure it's tuned into the DVD thing and turned off, iyswim. We will eventually replace it.

The fire risk with computers isn't high, as long as you don't cover the vents.

Article about standby costs here

Things like phone chargers can also use some electricity even when not connected to a phone (if they feel warm they are using power).

6 computers?

Hmm, JanH, I think phone chargers have gotten better now, and only use electricity when connected to something. The New Scientist did something on this recently, I think. I'm sure you're right about standby using far too much electricity, though.

yes i'm terrified of fire, and i hate the stanby lights on anything like tv etc i suppose i associate this with fire too

NQC, we regularly have to reboot our PC because it refuses to connect to the internet, so if it's not going to be used for a few hours I feel as if I'm giving it a rest by turning it off

PC power off (not unplugged) at night, as are TVs and everything in the kitchen except fridge.

never turn off vcr/dvd at mains, though.