Fact check: Will phone charger left in a socket, but with no charging device connected, drain any electricity?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, phone chargers do consume electricity when plugged in without a device, but the amount is extremely minimal. Multiple sources confirm that the power consumption ranges from:

• 0.05W to 0.1W according to some measurements ^{[1] [1]}
• Up to 0.5W to 2W in some cases ^[2]

This phenomenon is known as "vampire power" or "phantom load" ^{[3] [4]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points were not addressed in the original question:

• Scale of Consumption: The power draw is so minimal that it would take approximately 100 chargers to equal the power consumption of a single LED bulb ^[1]
• Financial Impact: It would take over a decade of unplugging a single charger to save just one dollar in electricity costs ^[1]
• Broader Impact: Phone chargers left plugged in account for less than 1% of total residential electricity consumption in the United States, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ^[5]
• Annual Consumption: A single charger might consume around 8.76 kilowatt-hours per year ^[2], which is less energy than charging a phone for one hour ^[5]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself could lead to unnecessary concern about energy waste. While multiple sources recommend unplugging chargers when not in use as good practice ^{[4] [5]}, it's important to note that:

• Modern chargers are specifically designed to be energy-efficient ^[6]
• The impact on overall household energy consumption is negligible, representing only a fraction of a percentage of monthly electricity usage ^{[3] [3]}
• Energy conservation efforts might be better focused on other household appliances that consume significantly more power in standby mode

This context helps avoid disproportionate concern over what is ultimately a very minor source of energy consumption.