Slightly stupid electricity question

[BroRog]

Do most electronics still draw power when they're "off" but plugged in?
I know anything with a clock or any other LED would draw at least a little, but what about stuff that doesn't... like say a VCR, cable box, or stereo receiver.

Also, are there any good books out there that give a good introduction to electricity. I like to think I'm handy, at least in the mechanical sense, but when it comes to "the juice" it might as well be voodoo magic to me. And y'all know how much I don't like things that don't make sense.

Television sets with picture tubes take a long time to warm up. Therefore, these TV's have a way to keep the tube "warm" while the picture is turned off. These devices and others with this same feature are using power, even when plugged in. I don't know which one's specifically are like this.

[lbeaty1981]

They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field. They store energy in a magnetic field.


Does THAT help?

Got it. Wait, what do they do again?

I guess a better way of putting my question would be, "What's the difference between a capacitor and an inductor?"

[Firefighter]

Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.

[RabbiKnife]

I lack the capacity to understand that.

[IMINXTC]

Charged, circuitous argument, if ever I saw one.

[lbeaty1981]

Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.
Inductors are electromagnetic... Capacitors are electrostatic.

So, why would one choose an inductor over a capacitor, or vice versa?

[HisLeast]

So, why would one choose an inductor over a capacitor, or vice versa?

The alignment of the stars, in addition to the direction of the prevailing wind at the time of incantation.

[JohnDB]

So, why would one choose an inductor over a capacitor, or vice versa?

Because inductors can increase voltage. Your flourescent lights use a high voltage low amperage electric arc to light up. They have a type of inductor in them made to create this type of arc across the gas.

BUT

INductors cause the voltage to lead the current and capacitors cause the current to lead the voltage.

So you can create tank circuits or filter circuits for specific frequencies....like radio frequencies. You can cause a specific frequency in a series type circuit to head straight to an amplifier so that it can be heard in the speaker.

you can also create timing circuits out of capacitors and inductors. (flashing lights...like traffic lights or sirens) The Flash on most cameras uses capacitors to store a charge and then release it upon command.

Capacitors can also level out a dc sine wave to level.
Or make a motor seem to not take any current at all and instead of a 100 amp fuse only require a 10 amp fuse...and a lot cheaper electricity bill.

With the addition of diodes...

A whole world of opportunities opens up to you.

You might even be able to build a computer.

In essence you main processing chip in a computer is nothing more than a whole bunch of diodes that are either on or off. (what semiconductors are great at becoming)

But that is what Electrical engineers are for. They design this sort of stuff.

[lbeaty1981]

And this is why I'm not an electrical engineer. The two EE classes I had to take for my major brutally kicked my hiney, and they were far from complex courses. I'll stick with my Turing machines and finite-state automata, thank you very much.

[Reynolds357]

So I blew a lightbulb in the house this evening and it got me thinking.
Is the "juice still going" on that lightbulb even though its busted? I assume since there's no light, its not conducting, so am I still paying for the electricity to the outlet if its left on?

No electricity is being used. The break in the filament constituted an open circuit. The circuit is just as open as if the switch were turned off.

[JohnDB]

And this is why I'm not an electrical engineer. The two EE classes I had to take for my major brutally kicked my hiney, and they were far from complex courses. I'll stick with my Turing machines and finite-state automata, thank you very much.

I'm not an electrical engineer either...but I play one on the internet.

(Hey it worked for Ginger on Gilligan's Island)
Most of my knowledge of this stuff is rudimentary. The engineers who go to school to study this stuff really know what they are doing in designing this stuff.

I simply work on stuff that is broke and try to fix it or follow a schematic to build it. The way I fix a problem is way different than an engineer will.

IF a series of switches and etc is acting like it has a dropped neutral somewhere I try to find the dropped neutral...but an engineer will install a new transformer and create a new neutral while trying to confuse me as to what he is actually doing.

Engineers may be smart but they have a hard time turning a screwdriver.

[Firefighter]

Sounds like you have a pretty good grasp on it to me...

[napsnsnacks]

So I blew a lightbulb in the house this evening and it got me thinking.
Is the "juice still going" on that lightbulb even though its busted? I assume since there's no light, its not conducting, so am I still paying for the electricity to the outlet if its left on?

You are using both the terms "blew" and "busted".

Blew a bulb is that it burnt out. Busted means the glass bulb was broken.

I hate broken bulbs, you gotta wiggle it out of there with a pair of needle nose pliers.

If the glass bulb was broken then the filament will burn out when it comes into contact with air (the bulb is a vacuum).

Either way, no electricity is being used even though the light switch is on but if the glass bulb is broken the two wires that hold up and feed electricity to the filament are "hot" and they will shock you if you touch them trying to get the broken bulb out.

With the glass busted turn off the light switch because once you get shocked that goes on your power bill, lol.

[Gregg]

And do not confuse the lack of using electricity (within a broken bulb) with your ability to complete the circuit (touching both leads) sending current through your body and hurting or killing you. Always turn off the breaker before changing wires, fixtures, or using a pliers to remove a broken bulb.

The problem with electricity is that it can kill you, burn down things, or both.

[JohnDB]

And do not confuse the lack of using electricity (within a broken bulb) with your ability to complete the circuit (touching both leads) sending current through your body and hurting or killing you. Always turn off the breaker before changing wires, fixtures, or using a pliers to remove a broken bulb.

The problem with electricity is that it can kill you, burn down things, or both.

It is called potential difference.

Which means that you can get shocked off a neutral wire (usually the white one) just as bad (but usually worse) than you ever could or will off of a hot wire. (because most think that it won't shock you...usually those that know a little but no where near enough)

In residential wiring often a neutral is shared off of other circuits and so the return current is in that wire because something else in that house is turned on. The wall switch is usually only switching the hot wire and has nothing to do with the neutral, (regardless of what you see with a three way switch...so many simply use 14-3 or 12-3 for a three way and use the white for the common hot)

So...if you decide for some reason to do it yourself wiring of something in your house....hit the main breaker that turns off everything in your house first. Or...call an electrician. Your chances of surviving the experience will vastly improve.