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Always On: What Is It?

Most homes have devices that stay plugged in but not "on," contributing 20–30% of energy costs. Think smart home gadgets, TVs, and gaming consoles. These “vampire loads” might be sipping energy, and the costs can stack up.

The Cost of Always On

In Sense homes, the average Always On load is 251W, but it varies—a few homes even hit five-digit levels! These sneaky devices can cost $165–$308 or more annually.

Common Always On Energy Users (Average Watt Usage):

  • Desktop computer: 21W
  • Set-top box: 43W
  • Game console: 23W

Reducing Always On could mean real savings for your wallet and the planet.

 

alwaysOn_entertainmentCenter

 

Note: Because Always On is calculated in the Sense Home app as an average over a 24-48 hour period, it can occasionally include consumption from devices that you may not typically consider as “vampire” loads, like a space heater left running during a cold spell.

How to Track Always On Devices

A little detective work can help make a list of what is always on and what it is costing. You can start to understand what is Always On in a number of ways:

    • Check the manufacturer's specs for standby power estimates and add that to your list. The specs may have been packaged with the product, and are often available online.
    • Use Watt Check to measure the wattage used by suspected "vampire" devices when they are inactive, then add that info to your tracking list.
    • Use smart plugs to monitor individual device consumption. With smart plugs (and dedicated circuits when available), Sense can detect a device's Always On load automatically. 

Once you know how much power a device consumes in its inactive state, estimate how much time it spends in that inactive state, considering day, week, or month increments, as you wish. 

Now multiple Cost x Time and you can estimate how much the devices (or a sum of many devices) adds to the Always On estimate in your Sense app for a similar time period.

So, for example:

Cost to run while inactive

x Length of time inactive

= Informed estimate of amount contributed to Always On for the time period

This information lets you see which devices to unplug and to track savings based on that action.

 

Cut Down Always On—Here’s How

Reducing your Always On load isn’t hard, and it delivers big results—lower bills, smarter homes, and a more sustainable future. Ready to make the change? Sense can guide the way.

  • Use power strips: Turn off devices easily when not in use.
  • Smart plugs: Control devices from the Sense app. Integrations with some Kasa and Wemo smart plugs can make managing Always On simpler than ever.
  • Set savings goals: Use Sense to track and report savings over time, including seasonal variations.

 

 

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