Frequently Asked Questions
- How much money and electricity will it save?
Each implementation of the USB EcoStrip 2.0 will save you between $1 and $100 per year per workstation depending on your configuration and down time. The deregulation of the Electric power markets may cause substantial electricity price increases over the next few years creating a larger savings. On average it will cut between 7%-12% off your IT related electric bill.
Consider how many printers, scanners, speakers, monitors, paper shredders, CD burners, DVD burners, backup drives, external hard drives, chargers, space heaters, fans, gaming consoles and any variety of other computer devices or gadgets people have connected to their computer. Also, remember that during hot days your Air Conditioning won't have to work as hard because all the heat emitted from computers and related peripherals will be eliminated.
The implementation of a USB EcoStrip 2.0 corporate wide or even on an individual basis at home will encourage awareness and personal action. Anyone that lives a green lifestyle can confirm that in many cases it was one small action that got them on the road to a drastic eco lifestyle change. These changes occur because people start to feel good about being more environmentally aware and in most cases it leads to even greater change. Wherever possible, we need to promote action to help preserve our environment, conserve energy, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
- Will I see a return on my investment, and if so how soon?
Yes, you will see a return on your investment. How fast is up to you. Often computers and peripherals are running in standby mode whenever they aren’t in use. This means nights, weekends, vacation days, sick days, holidays, etc. Even if you turn your workstation electronics off when you leave they still constantly run in standby mode and that adds up to a lot of waste. Whether it is one LCD monitor that draws a minimal amount of standby power or an entire workstation set-up with printers, speakers, scanners, etc. your devices are wasting power even when they aren’t in use. Cumulatively this waste adds up quick. So, whether you see a return on your investment in six weeks or one year…you will see a return on your investment.
- How do I know for certain what I’m saving?
Obviously, you can monitor your electric bill once you’ve implemented the USB EcoStrip 2.0 but you can easily purchase a Wattage Meter that will allow you to track the watts saved.
- How is the EcoStrip different from other energy saving surge protectors available today?
The USB EcoStrip 2.0 uses award winning patented technology which makes it the most simple and reliable solution available today. All the other products either use older threshold or motion sensing technology to control the powering down of the computer related peripherals. These products are commonly referred to as “Automatic” switching outlets. Automatic means that it can automatically shut down your computer and peripherals even if that’s not what you want. These products can have a mind of their own! The USB EcoStrip 2.0 is 100% reliable 100% of the time. When the computer is turned off the USB EcoStrip 2.0 cuts all power flow to the peripherals eliminating standby power.
- What can I do if there aren’t any USB ports available?
The easiest solution is to purchase a USB hub to make sure you have ample USB connections in the future as you add other devices.
- Won’t the production of this device offset the energy it saves?
The surge protector market is estimated to be a 1-6 billion a year industry, which means that millions of new surge protectors are needed every year to keep up with the growing computer market. The USB EcoStrip 2.0 offers superior surge protection in addition it saves energy and money. It is an innovation on an existing technology. All electronic devices rely on a plug of some sort from which to draw its power. The USB EcoStrip 2.0 literally stops power flow at the source so even when your devices are turned off they don’t continue to use power.
- Does the USB EcoStrip 2.0 work with UPS (Uninterrupted Power Source) devices?
Yes, simply plug your UPS device into the wall first and then plug the USB EcoStrip 2.0 into the UPS device and everything will operate perfectly.
- Does the USB EcoStrip 2.0 work with Laptops?
Yes, it works with a laptop the same way it works with a desktop computer.
- Does the USB EcoStrip 2.0 work with Mac’s?
Yes, it works with Pc’s and Mac’s.
- Does the USB EcoStrip 2.0 require any programming or ongoing monitoring like the “auto switching” surge protectors I’ve seen?
No, the USB EcoStrip 2.0 simply needs to be plugged in one time and then you can forget about it. You don’t have to worry about paying someone to regularly climb under a desk with a screw driver to adjust sensitivity levels to ensure optimum performance. The USB EcoStrip 2.0 utilizes a USB port on the computer to control the powering down off the related peripherals. When you power down at the end of the day…everything goes off every time. This makes it the most reliable energy saving surge protector on the market today.
- Who is using the USB EcoStrip 2.0 today?
A wide variety of people and companies have implemented the USB EcoStrip 2.0. Schools, city’s, small to very large companies spanning all markets, and thousands of individuals are utilizing the USB EcoStrip 2.0. Anyone that has a computer can benefit from using a USB EcoStrip 2.0. Contact sales@ecostrip.com today to learn more.
- My company does network updates at night. Can we still use the USB EcoStrip 2.0?
Yes, because most computers especially at larger companies are “dumb” terminals. The updates can still be run at night at the server level and then when the employee comes in the next day and powers up the updates will cascade through.
- What type of warranty do I get when I purchase the USB EcoStrip 2.0?
The USB EcoStrip 2.0 comes with a full 1 year mfg warranty. There’s also a 30 day money back guarantee. The product must be received back within 30 days from original purchase in new condition in its original undamaged packaging.
- Do computers and monitors use more energy with power management activated due to power surges when cycling on and off?
Many believe that leaving lights, computers, and other appliances on uses less energy than turning them off and also makes them last longer. On the contrary, the small surge of power created when some devices are turned on is vastly smaller than the energy used by running the device when it is not needed. While it used to be the case that cycling appliances and lighting on and off drastically reduced their useful lifetimes, these problems have been largely overcome through better design.
From "Eleven Energy Myths: From Efficient Halogen Lights to Cleaning Refrigerator Coils", Lawrence Berkeley National Labs
- Does shutting off computers and monitors through power management harm computers?
“Modern computers are designed to handle 40,000 on-off cycles before failure, and you’re not likely to approach that number during the average computer’s five- to seven-year life span. In fact, IBM and Hewlett Packard encourage their own employees to turn off idle computers, and some studies indicate it would require on-off cycling every five minutes to harm a hard drive …”
(Source: Rocky Mountain Institute Home Energy Brief #7 Computers and Peripherals.)
Some users still are under the impression that shutting off your computer does more harm than good. Modern computers are designed to withstand frequent shut offs. Please see boxes below. “The belief that frequent shutdowns are harmful persists from the days when hard disks did not automatically park their heads when shut off; frequent on-off cycling could damage such hard disks. Conventional wisdom, however, has not kept pace with the rapid technological change in the computer industry. Modern hard disks are not significantly affected by frequent shutdowns.”
(Source: “User Guide to Power Management for PCs and Monitors”, Bruce Nordman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, January, 1997, LBNL-39466)
For more information about any of our products please e-mail us here: info@ecostrip.com.
