When I bought a DAB tuner (Pure 701ES) some months ago I discovered that it
was yet another of those modern items of consumer equipment that didn't
have an actual on/off mains switch. Instead, it goes into 'standby'.

I had encountered the same thing with the Nokia 221T DTTV tuner I bought a
few years ago.

In both cases I actually switch off overnight the entire systems in which
the tuners are used, using a switch on the mains distribution board to
which their mains plugs are connected.

So far as I can seem neither tuner is bothered in the slightest by being
unpowered for many hours at a time. They remember the main settings, etc,
despite this.

Is it now the norm for tuners to not bother with an actual mains switch,
yet be quite happy to be unpowered for reasonably long periods? if so, I
wonder if we should be suggesting either that:

a) The makers spend the vast fortune required and fit a mains switch.

oe

b) people should note that they can buy a 'torpedo' switch to fit to the
mains cable of such units, and be able to switch them off when they aren't
needed. Thus if you have such a tuner, but don't use it most of the time,
being able to leave it unpowered.

Thus saving a little electric power, and a little money... :-)

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

Jim Lesurf wrote:
When I bought a DAB tuner (Pure 701ES) some months ago I discovered that it
was yet another of those modern items of consumer equipment that didn't
have an actual on/off mains switch. Instead, it goes into 'standby'.

I had encountered the same thing with the Nokia 221T DTTV tuner I bought a
few years ago.

In both cases I actually switch off overnight the entire systems in which
the tuners are used, using a switch on the mains distribution board to
which their mains plugs are connected.

So far as I can seem neither tuner is bothered in the slightest by being
unpowered for many hours at a time. They remember the main settings, etc,
despite this.

Is it now the norm for tuners to not bother with an actual mains switch,
yet be quite happy to be unpowered for reasonably long periods? if so, I
wonder if we should be suggesting either that:

a) The makers spend the vast fortune required and fit a mains switch.

oe

b) people should note that they can buy a 'torpedo' switch to fit to the
mains cable of such units, and be able to switch them off when they aren't
needed. Thus if you have such a tuner, but don't use it most of the time,
being able to leave it unpowered.

Thus saving a little electric power, and a little money... :-)

Slainte,

Jim

With the last increase in energy costs, I went round the house working
out what the approximate consumption is of all the stuff left on standby
or on permanently, and I come to something around 400W. That's 3500KWh
per year! Some of the stuff, like fridge, freezer, cooker hob, ovens
etc can't be switched off without risking damaged food or the hassle of
resetting clocks, but other stuff certainly can be. Turning off just the
hi-fi and TV equipment when not being used saves 584KWh a year, more if
I also turn off the wireless router and the computer at night. As you
say, they don't seem to mind being left off even if we're not watching
TV for a day or two, or longer if we're away.

My small contribution to Kyoto.....

S.

Jim Lesurf wrote:

b) people should note that they can buy a 'torpedo' switch to fit to the
mains cable of such units

You can ? I thought they must be illegal by now - I never thought they ever
looked very safe.

Graham

"Jim Lesurf" wrote in message
...
When I bought a DAB tuner (Pure 701ES) some months ago I discovered that
it
was yet another of those modern items of consumer equipment that didn't
have an actual on/off mains switch. Instead, it goes into 'standby'.

I had encountered the same thing with the Nokia 221T DTTV tuner I bought a
few years ago.

In both cases I actually switch off overnight the entire systems in which
the tuners are used, using a switch on the mains distribution board to
which their mains plugs are connected.

snip.
Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics
http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

Remote switch with two plugs and remote control from Maplin. All with timers
on one, all without on the other. Bedtime - all go off of one channel

--
John the West Ham fan

In article , housetrained
wrote:

Remote switch with two plugs and remote control from Maplin. All with
timers on one, all without on the other. Bedtime - all go off of one
channel

Must admit the above made me wonder if the timer and the 'remote
controllable' switch implied that *these* would be drawing some power when
the items they controlled are 'off'... :-)

What I had in mind was somewhat lower-tech. Just old-fashioned, "You
operate the switch and it opens/closes the contacts by mechanical means".

Slainte,

Jim

--
Electronics http://www.st-and.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scot...o/electron.htm
Audio Misc http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/AudioMisc/index.html
Armstrong Audio http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/Audio/armstrong.html
Barbirolli Soc. http://www.st-and.demon.co.uk/JBSoc/JBSoc.html

On Fri, 07 Jul 2006 17:22:16 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:


What I had in mind was somewhat lower-tech. Just old-fashioned, "You
operate the switch and it opens/closes the contacts by mechanical means".

Do your wall outlets REALLY not have switches?

Laurence Payne wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jul 2006 17:22:16 +0100, Jim Lesurf
wrote:

What I had in mind was somewhat lower-tech. Just old-fashioned, "You
operate the switch and it opens/closes the contacts by mechanical means".

Do your wall outlets REALLY not have switches?

Well, the point is to save energy. My home was rewired maybe 3 years
ago, and about a quarter of the Volex wall switches don't work - stuck
in the on position. Walk across the room, grope behind/below, flip a
switch, maybe. But pull the whole plug out? Too much.

Rob

In article ,
Rob wrote:
My home was rewired maybe 3 years
ago, and about a quarter of the Volex wall switches don't work - stuck
in the on position.

That's weird. Even the cheapest BS fittings don't have a failure rate like
that. Most of the ones I replace for others have been abused in some way -
usually loose connections causing overheating. Never use Volex, though.
FWIW, MK have a 20 year guarantee - and don't cost that much more if you
shop around. Not that I'm saying they are the only decent make, however.

--
*Failure is not an option. It's bundled with your software.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Sat, 08 Jul 2006 11:00:34 +0100, Rob
wrote:

Do your wall outlets REALLY not have switches?

Well, the point is to save energy. My home was rewired maybe 3 years
ago, and about a quarter of the Volex wall switches don't work - stuck
in the on position. Walk across the room, grope behind/below, flip a
switch, maybe. But pull the whole plug out? Too much.

So replace the faulty outlets. Maybe even under warranty, if they're
failing after only 3 years. If the switches are falling to pieces,
I'd not be too confident of the safety of the rest of it.

In article ,
Laurence Payne lpayne1NOSPAM@dslDOTpipexDOTcom wrote:
What I had in mind was somewhat lower-tech. Just old-fashioned, "You
operate the switch and it opens/closes the contacts by mechanical
means".

Do your wall outlets REALLY not have switches?

Most in the UK do - modern ones double pole.

--
*The modem is the message *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.