Is it ok to leave the charger always on power?

[applecultvictim]

...I just got me a dock and was wandering if I can leave it on all the time, of course with other chargers I know there is a warning to not leave it on all the time, but what's the use of a dock if you have to kneel down all the time to plug and unplug...

Btw, I got it off ebay, and it's one of the compact chargers, do you guys know how I can check whether the charger is one of those that apple recalled some months ago due to dangers of explosion or whether I am in the clear?

 

[peteryan7hao]

It is not OK.
1. for safety reasons.
2. for saving energy reasons.
3. for environment reasons.

 

[cmgerber]

Do you mean your phone plugged into it all the time or just the dock plugged in all the time?

 

[applecultvictim]

It is not OK.
1. for safety reasons.
2. for saving energy reasons.
3. for environment reasons.

Hey thanks peter, but

1. can't theay come up with a safe charger, otherwise what's the use of the dock if you have to unplug all the time?

2.-3. I ll lump this too....I don't care about the environment really.... Just kidding. How come a charger consume energy when a device is not docked, it must be minimal, in the same thinking we should never put our macbooks to sleep for energy/environment issues....

Do you mean your phone plugged into it all the time or just the dock plugged in all the time?

Hey cm, mean the dock.

 

[cmgerber]

Outside of the environmental reasons you shouldn't have a problem leaving it plugged in I have had one for about the last year and a half and i don't think I have unplugged it yet in all that time.

 

[applecultvictim]

Outside of the environmental reasons you shouldn't have a problem leaving it plugged in I have had one for about the last year and a half and i don't think I have unplugged it yet in all that time.

hey cm, thanks for the reply there buddy, I really like what you are telling me, I however have read a don't leave on warning on pretty much all the chargers I have had, nokia all of them, so I am kinda worried.

Plus that compact charger gets warm and stays warm, whether it's charging the device or not, so i am kinda worried about that too.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

It is not OK.
1. for safety reasons.
2. for saving energy reasons.
3. for environment reasons.

Numbers 2 and 3 are open to opinion as to whether or not it's okay to leave it on.

 

[Small White Car]

It is not OK.
1. for safety reasons.
2. for saving energy reasons.
3. for environment reasons.

Do you have any proof of that?

I haven't examined the Apple dock's insides, but it seems the logical way to make it would be that no circuit is completed when the phone is not plugged in. Thus, there would be no power drain when it's plugged in.

If you have proof otherwise I'd love to learn more about it, but I can't think of a reason why it would use any power when not in use.

Numbers 2 and 3 are open to opinion as to whether or not it's okay to leave it on.

How is that an opinion? Either it drains power or it doesn't. I don't know the answer either, but there IS an answer out there somewhere. Whatever the answer is, it's a fact, not an opinion.

 

[Drewsky87]

It is not OK.
1. for safety reasons.
2. for saving energy reasons.
3. for environment reasons.

If that's the case then we all need to go and disconnect all of our wall outlets from our house's wiring. Like the guy above said, there's no complete circuit when the phone is not docked so it's more or less just an extension of the outlet without the phone.

 

[applecultvictim]

If that's the case then we all need to go and disconnect all of our wall outlets from our house's wiring. Like the guy above said, there's no complete circuit when the phone is not docked so it's more or less just an extension of the outlet without the phone.

Hey thanks ya all. That was my impression too so I was worried with the first reply......that said apple's compact charger does get warm even if it's not charging the phone, or so it seems to me rather.

 

[Small White Car]

that said apple's compact charger does get warm even if it's not charging the phone, or so it seems to me rather.

This is interesting to me. Does this happen to anyone else?

Simple fact: If it's getting warm it IS using power.

The question is, is that normal, or do you have a faulty unit? Would love to hear from other folks on this.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

If environmental reasons figure into this equation it would just be better environmentally not to own one. Once the phone is charged it probably uses less electricity than the carbon footprint of Al Gores private jet.

i would like to know how a phone that is charged uses horrendous amounts of power when it is plugged in? If the battery is full it switches somehow into capitalist pig mode or something?

 

[ebika]

If environmental reasons figure into this equation it would just be better environmentally not to own one. Once the phone is charged it probably uses less electricity than the carbon footprint of Al Gores private jet.

i would like to know how a phone that is charged uses horrendous amounts of power when it is plugged in? If the battery is full it switches somehow into capitalist pig mode or something?

I think the part you missed is that the OP is asking about the dock when there is no phone in it. Vampire devices consuming power in standby aren't terribly wasteful one by one, but millions of them do add up.

OP, do you have any switched outlets (the outlet turns off when you flip a wall switch)? That would seem like a good way to avoid having to plug/unplug the device. I agree, if the charger gets warm when no phone is in the dock, then yes, the device is consuming power, however little that might be. A true nerd would get out the multimeter and find out.

 

[applecultvictim]

This is interesting to me. Does this happen to anyone else?

Simple fact: If it's getting warm it IS using power.

The question is, is that normal, or do you have a faulty unit? Would love to hear from other folks on this.

That's what I want to find out, got it off ebay as part of a bluetooth dual dock, and I want to know if it's one of these mini chargers that apple withdrew...that wont be nice...

 

[applecultvictim]

OP, do you have any switched outlets (the outlet turns off when you flip a wall switch)? That would seem like a good way to avoid having to plug/unplug the device. I agree, if the charger gets warm when no phone is in the dock, then yes, the device is consuming power, however little that might be. A true nerd would get out the multimeter and find out.

I do buddy, (and where's that multimeter btw...I am studying electronics too...), but I would really like to leave it on as I have a bad back and the doc suggested I should avoid all bending (pun not intended...) and switches are always by the plug down there...I ll have to get back to you about that 'warm when no iphone on " thing with a proper test of it.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

I think the part you missed is that the OP is asking about the dock when there is no phone in it. Vampire devices consuming power in standby aren't terribly wasteful one by one, but millions of them do add up.

OP, do you have any switched outlets (the outlet turns off when you flip a wall switch)? That would seem like a good way to avoid having to plug/unplug the device. I agree, if the charger gets warm when no phone is in the dock, then yes, the device is consuming power, however little that might be. A true nerd would get out the multimeter and find out.

My apologies you could be correct. There is no point in leaving anything plugged in to an empty cord. I should have read it more thoroughly.

Although I also know that an empty cord doesn't constitute an environmental nightmare. The real problem would be the computer being left on with empty cords when it is not in use. If the unused Mac is shut off the USB line is no problem at all. So turn your machine off if you aren't using it.

 

[ebika]

I do buddy, (and where's that multimeter btw...I am studying electronics too...), but I would really like to leave it on as I have a bad back and the doc suggested I should avoid all bending (pun not intended...) and switches are always by the plug down there...I ll have to get back to you about that 'warm when no iphone on " thing with a proper test of it.

lol, "buddy"?

I think you lost me with your "switches are always by the plug down there" description. I was referring to a normal wall switch, about 4' up the wall.

 

[applecultvictim]

lol, "buddy"?

I think you lost me with your "switches are always by the plug down there" description. I was referring to a normal wall switch, about 4' up the wall.

sorry for the buddy bit. As for the switches no, I don't have these, , haven't seen them even.

 

[ebika]

sorry for the buddy bit. As for the switches no, I don't have these, , haven't seen them even.

Not that I don't believe you, but I don't believe you haven't seen them.

This is what I mean:

I do believe that none of the switches are controlling power outlets, probably only overhead lights. In my house, every room has at least one power outlet controlled by a wall switch, but I know it varies.

Plan B: Don't worry about leaving it plugged in.
Plan C: Get a power strip, have the strip itself on a desk with the cord plugged into the wall, plug the dock into that. Then the strip's on/off switch is at desk height and easy to reach.

 

[Drewsky87]

Don't worry about it, mine is slightly warm as well. I'm no electrician but I would say it's because even though no power is being used, there is still power being supplied to it. However I also have a 15V iHome adapter plugged in opposite to it which does get a bit warm so it very well could be referred heat. Anyways, mine has not been unplugged for 7-8 months and it's still fine so no worries.