Abstract: A zero power standby system for controlling electric appliances is able to wait for switch on instructions without any power consumption. This is done by a remote controller (1) transmitting power in the form of an electromagnetic field, light, or audio signal to a power receiving section (2) of a control signal receiving device (13). The power receiving section will then use the received power to force a multi-switch section (7) to connect between a power supply and a control signal receiving section (9) and a control signal processing section (3) and put the appliance into its usual running mode. When a user desires to turn off the electric appliance, the system stops supplying power to the control signal receiving section (9) and the control signal processing section (3) by turning off multi-switch section (7) and putting the electric appliance back to its zero power standby mode (i.e. consuming no power). Therefore, wasting of electrical energy in the standby mode is reduced to zero.