Do tvs use a lot of electricity

Electricity costs displayed on your electric bill may make you pause and want to know what is consuming so much electricity. You may even want to use a smart energy monitor to track consumption.

Understanding and reducing the energy consumption of appliances can help you lower your energy bills. In line with that, you may ask: "Do TVs use a lot of electricity?" Read on for an answer to your question.

This post also considers average and smart TVs' comparative energy bills and the power consumption rate of TVs and monitors. In addition, you can read up on factors affecting the energy consumption of TVs, types of TVs and their energy efficiency, and tips to reduce TV running costs.

Energy bill costs: average TVs vs. smart TVs

An average TV costs less to power compared to Wi-Fi-enabled smart TVs. This comparison is even more true if your smart TV comes with ultra-high definition (UHD). Studies show that the cost to power a UHD TV can sometimes increase by up to 47 per cent annually compared to other TVs of similar size and output.

Electric bill saving tips for smart TVs

Enjoying the latest TV technology without a significant increase in your electric bill is possible. Here are some tips to help you do that:

• Your smart TV burns more energy in the background when you set it to turn itself off automatically. Turn off the "quick start" booting option to reduce TV energy costs.

• Set the automatic brightness control (ABC) to ON. It helps to save energy.

• Opt for TVs with an Energy Star rating, as they use less energy than non-Energy Star models.

Energy star ratings system explained

The star ratings range from 2-star to 6-star. Every energy star rating represents a possible 20 per cent savings on energy costs. In other words, it is possible to save as much as $200 on yearly energy usage if you upgrade your device from a 2-star rating to a 4-star rating. Therefore, checking a TV's energy rating makes sense before purchasing it. It is directly related to your cumulative energy savings per year.

Power consumption rate of TVs and monitors

The energy consumption of TVs in average Australian homes can be as high as 9.5 per cent of the entire energy consumption. The different types of TVs include CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), LED (Light-Emitting Diode), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and Plasma TVs.

Contrary to expectation, LCD and plasma TVs may not consume less power than older-style CRT TVs. This is due to increasing screen sizes and the rising number of household televisions.

Meanwhile, picture quality and power consumption tests show that the average plasma TV consumes slightly less power than older-style LCD/CCFL (Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp - a backlighting technology used in some LCDs). Interestingly, the newer LCD/LED type, on average, consumes much fewer watts of power. These LCD/LED TV types are over 30% energy-saving.

Energy rating requirement for imported TVs

New TVs that are imported into Australia need to have a Star label. These energy guide labels indicate ratings ranging from 1 to 10 stars. It displays the expected power consumption for TVs operating up to 10 hours per day.

Factors affecting energy consumption of TVs

Here are the factors you should look out for as you consider TV energy consumption:

• The type of TV: Plasma TVs are usually less energy efficient than LED and LCD TVs.

• Screen sizes: Electricity consumption is higher for larger screens.

• Screen brightness: Brighter screens consume more power.

• Frequency of TV usage: Turning TVs off when they are not being watched is energy-saving.

• Energy consumption in standby mode: different types of TVs' energy consumption rates differ.

• The number of TVs in the household

Types of TVs and their energy efficiency

The cost of running your TV can depend on the type of television. This is even more evident when you consider annual running costs.

LED LCD TV

They operate using a liquid crystal named Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). They are usually the most energy-efficient type of TV.

Plasma TV

They are known for consuming too much power. However, they are not so common anymore in the Australian market. If you still use a plasma TV, consider upgrading it to save energy costs.

OLED TVs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) 

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) TVs typically offer great colouring and deeper shading since they do not need an LED backlight. The energy efficiency of an organic light-emitting diode TV is similar to that of LED/LCD televisions.

TV settings to optimise for better consumption

It is understandable if you want to ensure your TV consumes less energy. Apart from the screen brightness, you should consider the following TV settings:

• Volume: Loud volumes can add up to your TV's electricity consumption.

• Definition/resolution: high-definition televisions can also add to overall energy costs.

• 3-D TV: The image processing requirement of 3-D technology in these TVs makes them work a bit more and increases the energy bill.

• Other energy-saving features include sleep timers and eco-mode settings.

Energy consuming appliances in the home

While you are optimising the power consumption rate of your TV, you may want to do the same for other home appliances that consume a lot of electricity. Here is a list of home appliances to consider:

• Air conditioners

• Fridges and freezers

• Clothes dryers

• Water heater

• Lighting

• Electric oven

• Dishwasher

• TV and cable box

Tips to reduce TV running costs

You can reduce the amount of electricity that your TV uses and, in turn, reduce costs to run your TV by using the following tips:

• For a start, you should look beyond fantastic features like motion and light sensors.

• Opt for an energy-efficient TV during purchase.

• Use the energy rating label to compare star ratings.

• You can compare screen sizes, energy efficiency, and annual energy consumption of different TVs

• Use an energy rating calculator to help you choose the TV model with the highest star rating and to calculate your savings.

• However, remember that the number of stars rates the size and other factors. As such, a 65-inch and 32-inch TV may have the same number of stars.

• Be mindful of the type of television. Plasma TVs are generally less efficient than LEDs and LCDs.

• Try to get a model with an energy-saving mode feature.

• You can compare across models. For instance, you can compare an LG Smart 4k UHD LED LCD TV with a similar Hisense or Samsung model.

• Use an energy-saving power board to help reduce the energy wasted when your TV is turned off and in standby mode (vampire power mode).

• Likewise, get a portable power station to help you reduce TV power consumption. It provides an alternative energy source and reduces your electric bills.

• The cost of running smaller TVs is slightly less than running larger ones.

• Standby electricity contributes to your power bill. You can get information on standby TV wattage from your TV manual or the label joined to the cord.

• While analysing the cost of watching television sets in your home, you can explore alternative electricity providers for better deals.

Contact experts for energy-saving TV solutions

You have now considered various aspects of an answer to the question: "Do TVs Use A Lot of Electricity?" Yes, TVs can use a significant amount of electricity. This is especially so if you leave them on for long, if they are large, or have high resolution.

Specifically, an average TV can use between 60-200 watts per hour. Meanwhile, there are better options than performing DIY TV installations and repairs. You need to call on a professional electrical contractor to perform electrical installations.

They can explain energy price caps, power ratings, and modern electronic devices like LCD and LED TVs. More so, they can implement home energy strategies that are more energy efficient and energy-saving.