Do coffee makers etc. use electricity when off?

[Chris]

My girlfriend watched some show, I don't know which, & heard that
thing like coffee makers & cordless kettles use electricity if they
are plugged in, even if they're turned off.
I know things like stereos need power for memory, or some coffee
makers with timers need power for internal clocks, but do appliances
like kettles & toasters still use electricity if they are off?

Chris

 

[James Sweet]

My girlfriend watched some show, I don't know which, & heard that
thing like coffee makers & cordless kettles use electricity if they
are plugged in, even if they're turned off.
I know things like stereos need power for memory, or some coffee
makers with timers need power for internal clocks, but do appliances
like kettles & toasters still use electricity if they are off?

Chris

Not unless they have a clock or timer or some electronic control. If
they have a standard rocker or toggle switch then turning the switch off
turns it completely off.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

My girlfriend watched some show, I don't know which, & heard that
thing like coffee makers & cordless kettles use electricity if they
are plugged in, even if they're turned off.
I know things like stereos need power for memory, or some coffee
makers with timers need power for internal clocks, but do appliances
like kettles & toasters still use electricity if they are off?

Not unless they have somekind of timmer or clock in them. Then they will
use a very small ammount to keep the clock going.

 

[Arfa Daily]

Not unless they have somekind of timmer or clock in them. Then they will
use a very small ammount to keep the clock going.

All electronic / electrical equipment will draw tiny amounts of current when
plugged in, irrespective of whether they have timers or clocks or double
pole isolating switches in them. This is due to leakage in suppression
components connected across the supply, insulation leakage, and capacitive
leakage, which any AC powered equipment will exhibit.

Obviously, we're not talking anything that your household electricity
consumption meter is going to " see ", but never-the-less, enough to be
measurable with sensitive test equipment.

Arfa

 

[Ralph Mowery]

All electronic / electrical equipment will draw tiny amounts of current when
plugged in, irrespective of whether they have timers or clocks or double
pole isolating switches in them. This is due to leakage in suppression
components connected across the supply, insulation leakage, and capacitive
leakage, which any AC powered equipment will exhibit.

Obviously, we're not talking anything that your household electricity
consumption meter is going to " see ", but never-the-less, enough to be
measurable with sensitive test equipment.

Arfa

Sure they will. There is always some current being used. The resistance
between the wires going from the wall socket to the device and across the
switch insulation will use some current. Maybe a tenth to one microamp.
Not really enough to call using electricity in a normal sense.

Now for your next answer, tell us how many rat droppings are in a 5 lb bag
of flour.
They are there , that is why most of it is bleached.

 

[Andrew Rossmann]

My girlfriend watched some show, I don't know which, & heard that
thing like coffee makers & cordless kettles use electricity if they
are plugged in, even if they're turned off.
I know things like stereos need power for memory, or some coffee
makers with timers need power for internal clocks, but do appliances
like kettles & toasters still use electricity if they are off?

It depends on how it's turned on and off. I assume many newer ones use
a relay and timer to shut it off after a certain amoutn of time so it
doesn't start a fire. It depends on if the power switch directly
switches the power or just tells some electronics to turn a relay on and
off. You may need to take it apart to tell!