Today I got a newsletter in the mail that spoke about “phantom power.” It said to beware of phantom power because it costs you a lot of money every year.

What is Phantom Power?

Phantom power is the power that your electronics use when they are turned off. For instance, your VCR is likely never fully off. Instead it goes into a low power mode so that it can turn itself on to record a show as well as show the clock. You likely have several items in your home that have this functionality built into them. They are all drawing power on a regular basis. This newsletter I got (Loundon County: Clarion) claimed that phantom power usually costs a homeowner more than when they are actually using the electronics.

How do I avoid phantom electronics?

Thankfully, this is quite simple. Just unplug your electronics when you are finished using them and have previously turned them off. I used to have my entire computer (back when I had a desktop) plugged into one surge breaker which has a switch on it that I could use to turn off the entire machine. This was great because it turned off my monitor and PC and speakers all at once without having to turn off each piece of the machine one at a time. I could just shutdown the computer and when it was off I would just flip the switch saving tons of money from phantom power.

You can do this too. It is good for the environment and it is good for your pocket book!

God Bless,
-Daniel Kolansky