Mumbai, November 3: What is Vampire Energy? How is it affecting humans? If you're looking for the answers to these questions, then you have come to the right place. Today, November 3, X (formerly Twitter) is abuzz with "Vampire Energy Loss", with people wanting to know more about the concept. Vampire energy loss can be understood as the consumption of electricity by electronic devices and appliances when they are plugged in but turned off or not in use. In simple terms, a mobile charger plugged in without a device being attached can attract a small amount of power, thereby leading to a rise in the electricity bill.

What Is Vampire Energy Loss?

Vampire energy loss is also called standby power or phantom load. The vampire energy loss occurs when electricity is consumed by devices when off or in standby mode, but still plugged in. For example, chargers, TVs, and appliances draw small amounts of electricity even when not in use. This concept is called Vampire energy loss or standby power. As per Stanford tests, a mobile charger draws about 0.26W when it is plugged in but not connected to a device, meaning the plugged-in but disconnected charger is wasting energy. Notably, Vampire energy loss can add five to 10 per cent to your power (electricity) bill. Alien Spacecraft or Cosmic Mystery? Harvard Astrophysicist Avi Loeb Links Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS’s Strange Acceleration and Colour Change to Possible Artificial Origin.

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What Happens When You Leave Your Mobile Charger Plugged In?

"Vampire energy loss" started to trend on X after netizens started asking questions to know what the "Standby Power" or "Phantom Load" concept is. The curiosity began after a user shared a picture which showed a mobile charger plugged in with the switch on. Sharing the picture, the user asked, "Is there any electricity waste here?". Responding to a user, Grok said that the picture shows a small amount of electricity being wasted. Wonder how? Grok added that the plugged-in charger draws standby power (about 0.1-0.5 watts) even without a device connected. This is called Vampire energy loss. "Unplugging it saves that," Grok added.

It's important to understand how Vampire energy works. Modern-day electronics continue to use power as long as they are plugged into an outlet. This means, even if the device is turned off, it will continue to use electricity as they're designed to be convenient. The Standby mode saves consumers from having to wait longer for their devices to turn on, but continues to draw power the whole time. Mobile chargers, televisions, cable boxes, internet routers, printers, game consoles, and electric clocks are some of the common devices which are among the worst offenders of Vampire Power (Vampire Energy). Does Earth Have a Second Moon? Meet ‘Quasi-Moon’ Asteroid 2025 PN7, Earth’s Temporary Cosmic Companion.

How Much Electricity Is Wasted?

According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (BNL), Vampire power (Vampire Energy), also known as idle load or standby loss, accounts for five to 10 per cent of household energy use. It is also responsible for about one per cent of global carbon emissions. Based on 2023 electrical consumption and rates in the United States, it means the average customer in America is paying at least USD 70 or up to USD 220 annually for using power that they are actually not consuming. As mentioned above, a mobile charger left plugged into the wall will draw a small amount of power (often 0.1-5 watts) even without a device being attached, as seen in the image. Notably, a mobile charger when left plugged in can add five to 10 per cent to your electricity bill.

So, how can one stop Vampire energy loss? To reduce Vampire power, one can unplug their devices after it has been used. Another way to stop Vampire energy loss is by using power strips, which makes the unplugging job much easier. Switching off the power strip will disconnect everything plugged into it. Using smart plugs at home, switching off screen savers of desktop and laptop, and minimising digital displays can help to reduce Vampire energy loss.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2025 01:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).