quiescent power draw

[davidwf]

I am in the UK and have a smart UPS (SMC1500i) running the PC /NAS/CCTV etc and another one running  the home TV & AV units.

With all the hype over smart meters and the ever increasing cost of electricity I am gradually trawling through what each device in the house draws on standing load and note that the UPS's alone (i.e. with no load) take just over 20 Watts each and get quite warm

Whilst I appreciate that 40W is not a great amount it still equates to around £10 a month un-necessarily and with electric prices ever increasing it wont get any cheaper.

The main culprit seems to be the huge transformer which is maintaining the battery charge....is it feasible to somehow use a switch mode PSU to keep the batteries charged therefore bypassing the inefficient transformer?

I am quite apt with electricals / electronics and have already increased the battery capacity with two 38AH external batteries to give a decent runtime during power cuts