Domestic wiring: is a power socket using power when "On"?

Hello.

In a domestic UK home, 240V, if I have the socket switch in the "On" position, is it drawing current and thus costing me money even though nothing is plugged into the socket?

If I recall some physics, is this to do with transformers or am I off-track?

Thanks in anticipation.

Off track!! If nothing is plugged in, nothing is being used..

john..

Okay, but I had a guy here yesterday adamant that the nature of AC current and the fact that there's a transistor within (?) then even in an "On" setting there is power being   created regardless of whether there's an appliance or not attached.

It was the nature of transistors that had him so enlivened.

With a diagram he was most persuasive and now I am looking to counter that argument, with "your" assistance.

Google has too many "unqualified" posts and threads to really be of much use, hence me being here.

Thanks

Might be interesting to see his diagram. 

And why was he actually there? Switched socket police? 

It went in the bin last night but was about how a transistor was never fully "off".

In fact the more I have enquired the more the waters have been muddied HERE - you see what I mean?

Thanks.

Hi Fata,

You will also remember from your physics in school that you cannot destroy energy, only transform it from one state to another. For example, you put the brakes on, on your car, and the kinetic energy stored in the car [by virtue of its motion] is converted to heat by the brakes. So, when your socket has nothing connected to it, how can it be using power???.. Is there any heat, or light, or motion being created?? no.. It is not consuming any power then..

john...

Fata Morgana said:

It went in the bin last night but was about how a transistor was never fully "off".

In fact the more I have enquired the more the waters have been muddied HERE - you see what I mean?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Yes, that link is correct.. as the man says, when there is nothing connected, no power is used. BUT, in his example of the "device" plugged in but switched off, he is correct. This is because the swtich is in the secondary winding of the transformer, the primary is still connected across the mains.

Likewise, i am led to believe, that when a television is switched off by the remote control, that it is still using power [I have not got a telly and do not want one and know nothing of such devices] This is obvious, [that it still uses power] because its circuitry is still operational, "waiting" for a signal from the remote..

BUT, you are on about when there is NOTHING even plugged in, that is completely different..

Is this bloke trying to sell you something??

john..

Not selling, discussing.

Is either of these sockets losing power as-is?

yes, they will all use power even when switched off. its a big conspiracy between energy suppliers & manufacturers

Fata Morgana said:

Not selling, discussing.

Is either of these sockets losing power as-is?

View attachment 7999

Click to expand...

Absolutely not, and tell anyone that asserts that they are, to come on here, and give US an explanation as to how and why...

[Cannot see they will agree to that one!!!!]

john...

Fata Morgana said:

Is either of these sockets losing power as-is?

Click to expand...

No.

/thread

Fata, you mention transformer, then you mention transistor.

Where is said transformer or said transistor? (There isn't either in a normal socket like you have)

Now I know why I keep out of DIY stuff.

Fata , I'm just looking to see if we have a wind up emoticon but we don't so I'll persevere.

Sockets with nothing plugged in them use no power .

As with lights that are not switched on .

TVs on standby do use power. 

Evans Electric said:

Fata , I'm just looking to see if we have a wind up emoticon but we don't so I'll persevere.

Sockets with nothing plugged in them use no power .

As with lights that are not switched on .

TVs on standby do use power. 

Click to expand...

youre wrong. if the switch is on, the electricity leaks out. same as with a tap if you leave it on and disconnect the hose

Is that what those stains are on the wallpaper then ?

Andy™ said:

youre wrong. if the switch is on, the electricity leaks out. same as with a tap if you leave it on and disconnect the hose

Click to expand...

No, that can't be right, its the earth that leaks, that's why the Earth Leakage Circuit breaker was invented.

:facepalm:

I’ll grantee there will be no leakage from these plugs and sockets in a domestic application. A bad back comes as part of the package.

The socket



The plug

I think I have seen them before lol.

From one site: "Though I'm not a worthy engineer ,but my common sense tells that ,the load on any circuit determines the voltage and power of the path of the current.

IMAGE 
the circuit ( very badly drawn,my apologies ) shows a circuit coming with a power supply (a.c in this case) flows through a network ( 3 phase network or the socket or what not) that ends with the terminal 'a' and 'b' ,which could be assumed to be the plug point.a load of variable resistance is depicted onefich the power supply is acting.
now when the switch is not pressed ON 

IMAGE

it has no defined path ,thus no current passes through it .although a voltage is still present. this state is called open circuit.thus the circuit path itself is not complete ,o no current flows .
power: i²r (load) W
since i=0 ,P=0 W.
Now ,when the switch is turned ON  it acts as a key and defines the path for the load . But, suppose we remove the load from the  circuit i.e R=0 ohms. the path now becomes short circuited.Where there is no drop of voltage although the same current in the branch is present.
P=0W (theoretically),

IMAGE

 but remember the instruments have non ideal components, along with faulty parts.Thus,due to heating effects and other losses there are some power losses ,so exactly the same power doesn't returns to the original source.so YES, there are some power consumed even when the switch is ON with no appliances connected to it.The quantity is uncertain but negligible.
Thanks for asking,thanks for making me realise how important it is to switch off things.