Dynamic Power Management Techniques
- Managing a building's power the same way a computer does can save power.circuit board image by Michael Shake from Fotolia.com
In the face of rising energy prices, taking a smart approach to home energy use will ease the strain on your pocket book. There are two main ways to increase home power efficiency, the first being expensive upgrades into new energy saving equipment. The alternative is dynamic power management, a system of power conservation first used in the computer hardware industry. Dynamic power management using the breaker box reduces the cost of home electricity by overcoming the problem of phantom power loss. The concept of breaker management is called dynamic since it requires active intervention. - Phantom power loss occurs when someone leaves an electrical device plugged into the wall while turned off. According to Collin Dunn in his November 2005 article for "Planet Green," this drain can total up to 10 percent of a home's energy consumption. There are a few conventional ways to fight the problem such as unplugging individual devices or attaching them to power-strips and using the strip's master switch. The downside of the conventional approach is that by unplugging devices constantly you risk bending or even breaking the plug's prongs, not to mention the overall annoyance of managing devices individually. Investing in power strips, as a method of preventing phantom power loss, you will find yourself adding needless expense when using them excessively on low-tech equipment.s
- The first step in dynamic breaker panel management is learning about your breaker box. If you are lucky, you will find each switch to be clearly marked. However, if each switch is not clearly marked, you will need to do some experimenting and label each circuit yourself. It is hugely important to identify and clearly mark the "always on" circuits. An "always on" circuit is one with a critical system attached to it like the power for the furnace, air conditioner, hot water heater and food refrigeration units. These are the sorts of things that you will only turn off while on vacation.
- The next step is to identify modes based on your routine. Record each circuit breaker mode in a notebook and leave it near your breaker box for easy reference. Each mode should deactivate certain areas of your home based on what you are doing. An example of a "bedtime" mode would be to shut down all of the breakers with the exception of the "always on" circuits for your bedroom and master bathroom. This puts your home into a low-power mode similar to one used on a laptop. Building a list of "usually off" circuits can be helpful as well, when used to deactivate guest rooms or exterior outlets that get used infrequently. Switching modes a few times a day can seem time consuming, but the savings can be quite rewarding and you can conserve the environment. Just be sure to have your complex electronics such as computers and audio visual gear safely behind a surge protector.
