(Submitted by Chip Turner)

The answer to the question of how much energy a copier uses is determined by so many variables but there are six basic costs that make up the electricity costs for operating a copier. The information provided in this blog post is based on a newer BP-70C45 (45 page per minute) Sharp color copier. However, these costs would likely be similar to other comparable ENERYSTAR 3 compliant copiers.

6 Basic Copier Energy Costs:

  1. The power costs when in use = 1500 watts
    (This refers to the copier’s maximum power consumption when it is producing copies and prints, with the fusing unit energized.)
  2. The power cost when in ready mode = 95 watts
    (This refers to when the start key on the copier is green indicating that the device is ready for use. This current power usage represents a nearly 70% reduction when compared to the MX-4071 model.)
  3. The power cost when in pre-heat mode = 53 watts
    (At this point, the fusing temperature is lowered putting the device in a low-consumption state).
  4. The power cost in sleep mode = .20 watts
    (In sleep mode, typically the device’s touchscreen panel will be turned off or will be darkened and the fuser heating will be minimized or shut off.)
  5. The power cost while the device is plugged into an outlet, but turned off = .20 watts
  6. The final power cost
    (This final cost is determined by the affect of the heat generated by the device(s) on the customers AC system. For more detailed data, a customer may wish to contact an HVAC professional to conduct a heat load calculation for their office space.)

To our clients, we recommend maximizing the adjustable energy-save settings on their device(s) while still making their office efficient. Although there is little that can be done by the end-user to save energy when the copier is in use and making copies, the real energy savings can be capitalized on by shifting how swiftly the machine can go into preheat and sleep modes and the duration of the recovery from the sleep mode. From a power savings perspective, having the device set to fall asleep the quickest and then elongating the recovery time will maximize power savings. These settings are customizable based on the customer’s preferences.

Another desirable power-saving feature that some copiers have is what is sometimes referred to as a “walk-up” or human sensor. This sensor will begin the warmup process as soon as it detects someone walking up to the copier. On the BP-70C45 Sharp device, the maximum recovery time is 18 seconds. With the human sensor, that time shrinks as the user walks up as opposed to the device having to wait for a user to strike a key to wake.

The final power savings can come from the reduced amount of heat produced by the device. Many newer devices have reformulated toner that has a much lower melt temperature and, along with redesigned fusing methods that allow for a much faster temperature recovery, produce much less heat that previously possible. Because of the lower melting point of the toner, all modes from ready to sleep mode have significantly less heat generated which equates to less demand on the customers air conditioning system.  As a secondary benefit, the reduced heat improves reliability and extends part life.

All these little changes can save you money and have a positive environmental impact. Feel free to ask your service representative what your options are and together you can come up with the perfect balance between costs savings and office efficiency.

RITE Technology is committed to providing products that support our customer’s environmental sustainability goals. Download this informative PDF to learn more about how Sharp products not only save you money by being more energy-efficient, but also help to preserve the environment.

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