Stand By is the term we use when we talk about a device that we leave at rest. It doesn’t turn off completely, but it doesn’t work either. A very clear example is the television, when we leave it with the red LED on. It is not in operation, but we do not have it disconnected from electricity either. What’s up with this? First of all, it will have a small power consumption. But, in addition, it also has possible problems that we are going to mention.
Although television is the clearest example, really in Stand By we can leave many devices. Any device that we have connected to electricity and we are not using it, we can include it here. For example, the microwave with the clock always on, a mobile charger, a video player…
Standby problems
But, what problems can there be for leaving devices of this type connected? Beyond the fact that they are going to consume electricity, there are certain risks that you should be aware of. Some of them, as you will see, is to put ourselves in an extreme situation but that could happen. The more we lower the risk, the better.
increased wear
Something that can happen is that this device will have greater wear. It is not the same to have it completely disconnected, than to always keep it on Stand By. Although they are devices that are designed to be able to remain like this for many days or weeks, it is not without additional wear.
You are going to have certain components running permanently, which can cause you to have a problem. For example, a small light bulb or something similar might stop working.
Short circuit risks
There is also the risk that there is a more serious problem that could even cause a fire at home. It is still a device that you have connected to electricity. There may be an electrical accident, which is basically a short circuit, and that seriously damages the television or the device that you have connected. In the worst case, it can even cause a fire.
To avoid this risk, it is as simple as turning off all electricity. The fewer appliances you have plugged in, the better. This way you will save energy, but also avoid complications and damage to the components.
May affect other devices
In addition, it could negatively affect other devices. Having a device plugged into the current all the time can cause it to overheat. That can affect other devices you have nearby. For example, if you always leave a VCR on, even when you’re not using it, it can cause your TV or anything else nearby to overheat.
Therefore, it will not only affect the specific device, but it could lead to problems for other devices. Once again, having everything turned off is the best option to avoid complications of this type.
Visual or auditory discomfort
By having devices on, we can have certain discomforts. In some cases they can cause noise, as well as visual disturbances. They may have some light, even if it is small, always on. Especially at night, when you have it in the room where we are going to sleep, we can notice this discomfort.
It is yet another reason to avoid always having things like a television, a power strip that we do not need, etc. connected to electricity. Surely you have a device with these characteristics that you always keep on.
In short, as you see the Stand By, or leaving appliances plugged in to electricity, it is not only negative in terms of energy saving; It can also have certain consequences in your useful life or in your day to day. If you use home automation, for example if you have an access point to connect devices, you can always turn them off remotely.
