Cutting Back On Phantom Loads For Solar Power [Video]

Cary Hayes from REC Solar describes phantom loads (also known as idle current or vampire power). For example when you have a wall wart plugged in to charge your cell phone and the phone is not plugged in, the wall wart (power supply) is still pulling a little bit of current.

If you can cut back on your phantom loads in your house you can get more benefit out of your solar panels.

Cary talks about a device call a Kill-A-Watt which measures your electrical consumption for a given device. I was reading some reviews on Amazon for the Kill-A-Watt device and people that are in to stats just love the device. It runs about $24.

Some of the reviews on Amazon people were amazed that some devices like an air purifier can cost them $12 a month to run it 24/7.

I would like to try this out. I see no use in owning one, because after an hour or so of using it around the house I am sure I would never use it again.