Is your phone charger wasting electricity when it's not charging?
Key takeaways
- Homes with many phone chargers pay more even when they're not using them.
- Studio.image/Shutterstock Most people leave chargers plugged in when they aren't being used to juice up phones, but is this a good idea?
- Yes, chargers will draw electricity when plugged into an outlet, even when not charging a device.
Homes with many phone chargers pay more even when they're not using them.
Studio.image/Shutterstock Most people leave chargers plugged in when they aren't being used to juice up phones, but is this a good idea? It's convenient, sure, but it may leave you wondering if these chargers continue to draw electricity from the outlet even when their phones aren't charging. Short answer? Yes, but things are a bit more complicated.
Yes, chargers will draw electricity when plugged into an outlet, even when not charging a device. These devices pull a small amount of electricity when plugged in, which is typically referred to as "standby power." The transformers and circuit components of a charger stay active whenever plugged in, which allows for immediate charging once something is connected.