Would it not be living in the world of perpetual bliss to be able to flick a single switch that could turn off your entire house during your hurried morning routine? Well, not the fridge or air conditioner, but just about everything else that's considered non-essential?
Not only would a product like this
save an untold reserve of energy that's being needlessly drained from nearly 99 percent of homes across the world, but it would be the ultimate
green hack. When you get home, just flick the switch again and everything comes on. How proper!
Would the market be interested in something like this? I think so, as the ranks of the eco-conscious continue to grow in the face of incessant global warming and iceberg-melting media coverage. If only electrical system designers would make this an option on new homes, I think many would opt for it. What do you think?
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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
My House was built in the 50's and it DOES have one of these switches. It's called a circut breaker master switch. Shuts down the whole house.
ReplyHi,
ReplyI just saw this on "Living With Ed" - on HGTV. The product is called "GreenSwitch", and more details can be found here: https://www.greenswitch.tv/
I don't have one myself, but I am considering it.
Glenn.
I installed greenswitch in my home. We have kids who always leave lights on. The convenience alone is worth the price. When we go to bed I switch it on. The tv's go off, the lights go off, the stand by power goes off, and the thermostats go to the economy setting, all with one switch. Pretty cool... Same thing when we leave the home. I have a remote in case I forget to hit the switch. You don't put refrigerators, or anything with a clock on the system. My main tv is on it, but the satellite and dvr is not. Even put my garage door opener on it. Great security device. Completely wireless. When we come home at night and turn on the green switch, certain lights in the house automatically come on. I got it in August. My electric bill dropped 20%. Don't know how long it will take to pay back. Don't care. It has taught my kids and wife how to conserve. Compared to solar or wind, money well spent. I'm happy at our first attempt to go green.
Hi,
ReplyI just saw this on "Living With Ed" - on HGTV. The product is called "GreenSwitch", and more details can be found here: https://www.greenswitch.tv/
I don't have one myself, the $1125 price tag seems crazy high. I don't think I would recoup that cost in 1-2 years like their website mentions. Maybe in 10 years.
Glenn.
Interresting concept at some level,
ReplyBut is this really green to turn everything back on rather than on a per need basis... Doesn't sound very green to me...
Having to reset the clocks and the flashing timer on the VCR would annoy the hell out of me as well...
I tend to turn the lights off when I leave a room, the TV when I'm not watching ASO...
As Jonathan Davis said, homes have a main breaker. There are also breakers for different zones (and major appliances) in the house. One could in theory just flip off some of the breakers to be sure their power consumption is nil. The problem most people would have with this though is that the lights for a room are wired to the same circuit as the outlets. You would always be resetting clocks and other things with "settings" (and no battery backup or way to set its own settings). It is just way faster to walk once around the house and make sure things are turned off.
ReplyTo me, a green switch seems like a solution to a non-existent problem. Anyone in the market for a green switch is probably well aware of their power consumption and therefore wouldn't really need the switch at all.
But dude, what about my ice cream!!!
ReplyIt's a good idea for vacation homes where you empty the fridge and open the doors before leaving, and all the usual "shutting up" bits, but why shell out $1125 to put a switch in a convenient location, when you only plan to use it a few times a year? Not to mention the "What's this switch do?" factor with curious kids. And you KNOW that putting up a sign that says "Don't touch this switch!" is only going to get people wanting to find out why ...
As for a primary residence, bad idea. You should never just cut power willy nilly to go to the local Costco. That kind of power surge on a regular basis will cause problems, and you'll wind up ruining your refrigerator with melted Breyers.
If you need to shut down, use the master breaker. If you're concerned about the electricity used by the TV when it's off (YES, CRT style televisions use considerable electricity when powered off), then use a switched powerstrip or surge protector.
Homes use electricity because we have become dependent on appliances that use them. Not because we're wasteful. When we're wasteful, we only use more electricity. The point isn't to go back to the horse and buggy days with candles and fireplaces - that would effectively deforest the planet in a matter of years.
My opinion is pass. Don't bother with gadgets like this. Instead, look for ways to remind yourselves to shut the fan off, kill the lights, unplug the TV - or go get a more efficient TV with that $1125. You can sell your old one at a yard sale and recoup the difference in cost in a few years ...
I think you're really talking about lighting, so why not put motion detectors on the light switches and let them take care of it?
Reply