D
dterrors
Someone told me long ago that you shouldn't plug one power strip into
another. Is that true?
another. Is that true?
P
professorpaul
The issue is that the first one in the string (one that plugs into the
wall) has to handle the load of whatever is connected at the end.
Years back, in an industrial research environment, we had power strips
that had one outlet on the "far" end, specifically for daisy chaining
the next outlet strip. Used them primarily in rack mounting systems.
Each strip was fused. If I was worried about total load issues, I put
a 4 outlet box and cable amidships, and then plugged 4 outlet strips
into that.
Examine/calculate the loads involved, and go from there.
If you are doing something like a workbench, there is some stuff
called "plugmold" that has a series of outlets every 8" or so, for
just this purpose. You then have the "wiremold" system to use.
C
Conor
Yes and no.
As long as the total connected to BOTH powerstrips doesn't exceed the
load capacity of the first and the load on the second doesn't exceed
the load capacity of the single socket it's plugged into on the first,
you're OK.
For example:
Two 4 way strips with any combo in any socket of:
Phone charger
iPod Cradle
PDA cradle
PC
Modem Router
Monitor
Printer
(socket reserved for plug of second 4 way strip)
Even if oyu put all of those on plugged in to either strip, you'd be
OK.
J
John Doe
I think it doesn't hurt, unless you are actually talking about an
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Those probably must be placed
after a surge suppressor, probably immediately before the power
supply in your computer.
B
Blinky the Shark
John said:
Although I can't find its documentation, I'm pretty sure my Belkin UPS
is supposed to be connected directly to the wall. When I set it up I
presumed that that is because its own surge protection (along with its
voltage regulation) is a heckuva lot better than that provided by a
ten-buck power/surge strip.
T
thomas
I do this all the time, never had a problem. Of course it's just
small electronics stuff. You would not want to do this for power
tools or large appliances. As long as the house is wired well, your
15A or 20A breaker will blow if it overloads no matter how many things
are plugged in. These days, those black transformers waste half the
outlets anyhow, so you almost have to use several power strips. If it
makes you feel better, plug one power strip into each of the wall
outlets on a duplex outlet (top and bottom one). Either way, you
should be ok as long as the power strips have at least #14 cords, and
I'd avoid the really cheap ones. You can also buy things that replace
the outlet cover and turn a standard duplex wall outlet into a 6
outlet unit. Thats another option. Computer stuff is all low
amperage, and I assume that is your use. I wish they would make
strips that could handle 10 or more devices and had space between each
outlet for those transformers.
E
Ed Medlin
It shouldn't be a problem as long as it doesn't exceed the current
limitations of your wall socket. I do it all the time and plug them into
my APC 1500 UPS and let it handle it. My house outlets are all on 30a
circuits, but many homes may have as low as 15a-20a circuits. Check your
breaker box and see how your house outlets are configured just to be
safe about how much to plug into them.
Ed
J
John Doe
Blinky the Shark said:
I meant if you are using a surge suppressor in the same line, then the
UPS goes after the surge suppressor.
When you find the documentation, post again.
R
redtoolbox
Holy shit...... 30A outlets ??????
Where do you live? We never see 30A circuits here in the Midwest US.
It used to be 15 was standard except in kitchens where 20 was often
found. These days 20 is more common except lights which are mostly
still 15. I worked as an electrician for years and to be honest, I'd
hate to have to run #10 wire for standard wall outlets, and the
outlets themselves would be difficult to even find here. 30A is
generally only used for 220 circuits.
Just to be sure things are safe, you are wired to handle 30A correct?
When fuses were still common, many people put 30A fuses in boxes where
the wiring was only intended to handle 15A or 20A. (usually 15, with
#14 wire, which is dangerous as hell). At least the average idiot
homeowner is incapable of changing breakers these days so the risk is
lower, except in old homes that still have fuses.
W
w_tom
When you plug a UPS into a power strip protector, then that UPS
connects directly to an AC wall receptacle. There is no voltage
regulation inside that power strip. Between the Belkin and that wall
receptacle is maybe a fuse (absolutely essential) and a switch.
Protection between UPS and wall receptacle is mythical.
So where is the protector circuit? That circuit could be removed
from a power strip and plugged separately into the wall receptacle.
Nothing electrically changed. None of that surge protector circuit is
between the Belkin and wall receptacle. Yes, that should have you
asking some damning questions such as "Why does the power strip
protector not even claim to protect from a type of surge that
typically damages electronics?"
A 15 amp circuit breaker is necessary on every power strip - which
has no relationship to surge protection or Belkin operation. Power
strip protector connects a Belkin UPS directly to AC wall receptacle.
Not well known because that power strip protector sells widely on
myths - such as mythical protection circuits between Belkin and AC
receptacle.
Why should a power strip protector not be on the Belkin output?
Because computer grade UPSes output some of the 'dirtiest' electricity
when in battery backup mode. For example, this 120 volt UPS outputs
two 200 volt square waves with a spike of up to 270 volts between
those square waves. It is a modified sine wave. Electricity so
'dirty' as to harm some small electric motors. But since computers
already contain internal protection, then 'dirty' electricity from the
UPS does not harm computers.
That same dirty electricity can be harmful to power strip
protectors. Protectors being grossly undersized are adversely
affected by 'dirty' electricity output by a UPS. Manufacturers
quietly recommend no power strip protectors on a UPS output. Power
strip on a UPS input would be a direct connection to an AC wall
receptacle (via fuse and switch).
W
w_tom
30 amp circuit breakers to standard duplex outlets is not code
legal. Code states style outlets can be on which size circuit
breaker. NEMA1-15, NEMA5-15, NEMA1-20 and NEMA5-20 not permitted on
30 amp circuits. Plugs and receptacles for 30 amp circuits must be
NEMA5-30:
http://www.stayonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=4788
W
w_tom
Search for a product called PowerSquid such as:
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Sentry-5-Outlet-PowerSquid-Multiplier/dp/B000ACGE3U
B
Blinky the Shark
John said:
You betcha.
"Plug in the AC power cord to a wall outlet."
http://www.belkin.com/support/artic...scid=0&fid=3571&fn=614-07166-00_UPSmanual.pdf
J
John Doe
Blinky the Shark said:
[see link at bottom]
That's correct, otherwise it wouldn't work.
From the same document:
"Do not plug surge protectors or power strips into
the battery-backup outlets."
That's what I'm talking about. I guess it has something to do with a
surge suppressor being unable to handle the output waveform from the
UPS.
They cannot tell you everything that's okay to do. If there were
something wrong with plugging a UPS into a surge suppressor (not the
other way around), they would warn you against that.
http://www.belkin.com/support/artic...scid=0&fid=3571&fn=614-07166-00_UPSmanual.pdf
J
John Doe
w_tom <w_tom1 usa.net> wrote:
....
w_tom has some perverse dislike for surge suppressors. He searches the
USENET archives looking for keywords like surge suppressor, power
supply, and UPS. There are details in his reply that could be
questioned, but that will only get you knee-deep in his garbage.
....
w_tom has some perverse dislike for surge suppressors. He searches the
USENET archives looking for keywords like surge suppressor, power
supply, and UPS. There are details in his reply that could be
questioned, but that will only get you knee-deep in his garbage.
B
Blinky the Shark
John said:
Yes, I know.
Different topic. The original topic was me saying that the manual for
the UPS said to plug that unit in directly. You challenged that. I
quoted the manual saying to plug it in directly.
Apparently that's what you're changing the topic to now.
I dunno. My only input was to mention what the manual said about
plugging in the UPS unit itself.
Telling me to plug it into the wall says to me that that's where it
should go.
The manual also says to look for a (parphrase) "bad power indication"
from the UPS when you plug it in. You probably wouldn't have a shot at
that being a reliable test if the UPS was plugged into some $8 "surge
strip" from the drug store.
B
Blinky the Shark
John said:
That doesn't make him wrong. That said, while his first two sentences
parse, about the output side of a UPS, I can't get the last sentence,
about the input side of the UPS, to parse. Can you?
<useless header quoting snipped>
J
John Doe
Blinky the Shark said:
Is that the way I was supposed to respond to you, troll?
The original topic was about plugging a power strip into another power
strip.
Unless maybe you think you are the origin of everything?
That's what I challenged. The manual does not use the word "directly".
The order of a UPS versus surge suppressor was the subject of my post
that you replied to.
And because you don't know, you will remain ignorant?
That was a misquote.
That doesn't mean the wall is the only place it should go.
Even if that were true, nobody is recommending a cheap power strip in
front of a UPS.
--
Blinky RLU 297263
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html
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From: Blinky the Shark <no.spam box.invalid>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt
Subject: Re: Is it ok to plug a power strip into another powerstrip?
Date: 10 Jul 2007 05:18:56 GMT
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W
w_tom
Since use of the verb 'parse' makes no sense, then I cannot rectify
the confusion.
Meanwhile, a UPS connects electrically directly to an AC wall
receptacle; whether connected directly, via a power strip, or via a
power strip protector.
The original quote said:
As noted, it is whether the connection is via power strip or
directly to wall receptacle.
Don't presume. As noted in the previous post, that protector has no
protection between UPS and power strip. But don't stop there. The
protection provided by the UPS is electrically same as the protection
inside that UPS. If in doubt, well, the only manufacturer claims
worthy of your attention are the manufacturer numerical specs. Notice
there is no claim of protection for each type of surge - just like the
power strip also does not claim.
They both have the electrically same protector circuit. Confirm
that with the numbers. And both protector circuits would be
electrically unchanged if removed from the unit and plugged into the
other outlet of that duplex wall receptacle.
How does a light bulb and a UPS both connect to AC mains? Well
protector circuit and UPS connect to AC mains the same way. With or
without protection inside or outside; a UPS makes a direct connection
to AC wall receptacle. Protection circuit inside UPS is electrically
the same circuit inside a power strip protector. Don't take my word
for it. Post those numerical specs.
J
John Doe
Blinky the Shark <no.spam box.invalid> wrote:
....
Would that be part of your Usenet Improvement Project? No sentence
left unparsed?
....
Would that be part of your Usenet Improvement Project? No sentence
left unparsed?