THEATREGUARD POWERBOARD

ENERGY • TIME • MONEY • THE PLANET

The PowerShield Theatreguard is unlike any other device. Including its excellent surge protection (3672 joules) it has the ability to indicate exactly how much energy is being consumed by way of LCD display.

When it senses a dramatic load drop on anything plugged into the Green Mode sockets, it will automatically turn all equipment off as if the outlet on the wall was being switched off taking it off of standby mode. As you know, "standby" does not mean "off" because the equipment continues to run and cost you money. Theatreguard will protect your equipment from spikes and surges coming from the cable box, aerial or telephone line. To turn it on, simply point any remote control at the unit - simple and effective.

The Queensland Government's Climate Smart Home Service is currently offering a wireless energy monitor. Most of us by now would have seen the ads on TV. After an electrician wires a link into your normal tariff meter (power and lights), you can use the wireless monitor to see what is known as real-time energy use. Real time because you can see the power usage instantaneously.

PeMS is now offering environmentally wise consumers the opportunity to purchase the Powershield Theatreguard ® which not only monitors power usage but switches off devices in standby mode that consume power without offering any features as well as protecting against power surges.

Why are standby power losses a problem?

While individual device standby losses may seem insignificant, when you multiply the number of households, by the number of devices in a household and the amount of time each spends in standby, the problem adds up quickly. It is estimated by International Energy Agency that 5 to 15% of household electricity consumption worldwide is wasted in standby mode. This can add up to well over $100 per year. Altogether, standby power use is roughly responsible for 1% of global CO2 emissions. Up to 90% of standby power is wasted energy consumed by inefficient power supply designs and unnecessarily energized components.

Devices and functions that can consume standby power, power supplies, transformers and inefficient electronic devices.

VCRs, DVD players and some audio systems.

TVs and Set-top boxes

Microwave ovens

Computers, digital monitors and printers

Air conditioning systems with remote control.

Devices with "Instant on" functions, with remote control receivers, or waiting for the user to interact.

Devices with a stand-by light or clock.

Power adapters, whether they are powering a device or not.

Some home video game consoles (e.g. Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360 & Sony PlayStation 3)

As the popularity of home electronics and number of new appliances with electronic controls and features increase, this problem will continue to grow.

Fire risks

The subject of fire risk due to leaving a device in standby mode is a popular debate. There are reported cases where televisions have caught on fire in stand-by mode.

The contributing factors for such fires include: Humid environments, Lightning storms, & Age of the appliance.