I've been putting my amp meter on a few, I haven't found much. It did occur to me that heat pumps and electric air handlers which are usually paired with heat pumps usually have a 60va transformer. More importantly the reversing valve solenoid is always energized depending on the season. Blue wire 'b' terminals energize for heating, orange 'o' terminal units energize for cooling. Most/all thermostats keep the valve energized as long as your system mode is switched to the appropriate heat or cool. I haven't amped one but I know the solenoid coils can get crazy hot. This loss could be prevented with a relay activated by the y terminal.
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