My Power Strip (pictures)

ChrisReid

ChrisReid

Super Soaker Collector / Administrator
I got a new power strip a couple weeks ago. I meant to post pictures, but I forgot. It has fourteen outlets, and most of those can be bulky AC adapters. There's plugs for multiple coax and telephone lines, and it has three different colored lights.

powerstrip1.jpg


powerstrip2.jpg
 
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I understand that most wall plugs have lines that are made to carry more current than they normally do. But how can a single wall outlet handle fourteen connections at once? Isnt that some kind of fire hazard?
 
Not if it's circuit protected. And since they're set up to be paralell circuits, the outlet thinks it's running one thing. If the load for that outlet exceeds it's capacity, the circuit breaker should pop. The biggest fire hazard is running a power cord under a carpet or rug.
 
LeHah said:
I understand that most wall plugs have lines that are made to carry more current than they normally do. But how can a single wall outlet handle fourteen connections at once? Isnt that some kind of fire hazard?
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No, I think you have to think in terms of wattage and stuff like that. I have 1000-watt electric heaters that can work fine off any outlet in the house. Those 14 plugs lead to a few hundred watts for monitors, a few hundred watts for a computer, and a few hundred watts maximum for various sound hardware, printer, scanner, and whatever else is plugged into my computer. It's not a terrible amount of current. It's only my entire room in total that starts to add up. I've got about fourteen more plugs on the other side of the room feeding the tv and game system stuff, but I've never had a problem running whatever I needed to at once.
 
ChrisReid said:
No, I think you have to think in terms of wattage and stuff like that. I have 1000-watt electric heaters that can work fine off any outlet in the house. Those 14 plugs lead to a few hundred watts for monitors, a few hundred watts for a computer, and a few hundred watts maximum for various sound hardware, printer, scanner, and whatever else is plugged into my computer. It's not a terrible amount of current. It's only my entire room in total that starts to add up. I've got about fourteen more plugs on the other side of the room feeding the tv and game system stuff, but I've never had a problem running whatever I needed to at once.
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It's partly the wattage, but more accurately the amperage. A typical north american household circuit is 120 volts run through a 15 amp circuit breaker. If you draw any more than 15 amps, the resistance will heat up and trips the circuit breaker. The entire electrical panel in the house should be rated per amp and there is a master breaker that overrides everything. The exceptions are electric stove, dryer and heating. Usualy stoves and dryers are run on 240 volt circuits and generally have 30 or 45 amp breakers.

Overloading a cicuit could be a problem if the person who built the house put a 30 amp breaker where there should be a 15. That would allow your gazillion connections to draw more current then the wire, outlet, or power bar could safely handle without tripping the breaker. Or like was mentioned, a short circuit from a variety of causes like the aformentioned wear and tear from being walked on under a carpet.

Edit: I just checked my cordless phone. It draws 300mA. So, theoretically I could put up to 50 of them on the same (15A) household circuit provided they were the only things plugged into it. (Not every plug is its own circuit. It wouldnt be un common for all plugs and the ceiling light in a bedroom to be all one 15A circuit. However kitchens and living rooms tend to have more than one circuit)
 
i hope it cost well under 50 bucks.

cause if it was anything over 35, you might as well have gotten a 500va UPS ($50).
+a vanilla $5 strip for just more sockets.

-scheherazade
 
I hope $19.95 is well under 50 bucks.

cause if it was anything over 35, you might as well have gotten a 500va UPS ($50).
+a vanilla $5 strip for just more sockets.
 
Very nice looking, as long as you get past a fundamental law of electronics: No matter how many power points there are you'll still manage to run out of sockets when you need 'em :rolleyes:
 
Does that dark grey thing slide out? And what are those metal nubs on the side?

Man, posting pics of a power strip on the net will get us in trouble with the ethics compliance department in no time...

EDIT: Scratch the question. I guess it's co-ax (but why?).
 
criticalmass said:
Does that dark grey thing slide out?
I guess it's co-ax (but why?).
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Yeah, some of the plugs can hide inside the base. It's a surge protector. It also protects from surges that come through the phone and coax lines.
 
AD said:
It wouldnt be un common for all plugs and the ceiling light in a bedroom to be all one 15A circuit. However kitchens and living rooms tend to have more than one circuit)
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If the person who did the electrical just plain didn't give a crap, it wouldn't be uncommon for an entire half of the house to be loaded on a single 15 amp.
 
t.c.cgi said:
If the person who did the electrical just plain didn't give a crap, it wouldn't be uncommon for an entire half of the house to be loaded on a single 15 amp.
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Hehehe. True enough. My dad's basement was like that before we renovated it. The entire thing was two circuits... for 7 rooms!

Supposedly you cant get an occupancy permit on a new house here without proper inspections by the municipal building inspector. If you dont have your wiring inspected by the electrical inspector they wont pass you. However, if they know the electrician and are comfortable with his methods, they simply dont show up for the electrical inspection. Once the electrician calls for the inspection, after a given amount of time they are legally aloud to cover up all the walls (hiding potential mistakes) if the inspector doesnt come.

This doesnt apply to do-it-yourselfers. And quite often, new homes do not have finished basements. So the homebuyer often finishes the basement themselves. Technicaly they dont need to get non structural stuff inspected as long as it's purely cosmetic (non load-bearing). However I'd be willing to wager that more often than not they do all kinds of wiring and plumbimg and never tell anyone about it.
 
Here's a picture of my new hard drive in action. You can see how the power strip's doing in this shot too. My hard drive kleenex box was full, but fortunately, Seagate includes a handy expansion box to set your new drive on. They're a really super company.

newharddrive.jpg
 
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Wow that tangled jumble of cables makes me not feel so bad about my setup. :) Pretty cool stuff though, Chris, I like the setup.
 
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