Surge Protected Power Strips... Has anyone actually properly solved this problem?

Chopper · 28 Jan 2021 at 10:33

So is it just me, i’m sure it can’t be, that has too many power strips, that aren’t mounted properly, are overloaded, or have several wasted plugs because there is always that one manufacturer who has the plug backwords and covers up the slot that would be used across from it, or is too wide and i can’t use the sockets to the side of it...

Please please please someone show me an extension that is:
• easily screwed to wall
• supports 8/10 plugs
• has decent gap between sockets
• is a long single strip, no doubles across from each other
• is actually a surge protector
• made by a reputable manufacturer and is not some wideboy drop shipping from china

when i lived in the states my boss ordered me a couple that done all of this and he used in his home server racks and media centre, but for the life of me i cant find anything in the UK...

montymint · 28 Jan 2021 at 10:36

Can't speak for the brand but this looks liek it'd tick some of the boxes:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extension-...ount+Power+Strips&qid=1611830134&sr=8-18&th=1

stockhausen · 28 Jan 2021 at 10:56

I use something called the "Onlywin Tower" - it has ten power outlets, various USB sockets and a mobile phone charger on the top (which I have never actually used). I think that it costs less than £50. I do have it on top of my desktop but from my point of view a big advantage is that you can switch off individual sockets.

Chopper · 28 Jan 2021 at 11:03

See that seems alright, but its a brand ive never heard of and has a paltry 17 reviews. Just seems to be a real lack of a killer product? I cant be the only one with 16/20 devices around my main desk and only 2 wall sockets?

clv101 · 28 Jan 2021 at 11:08

montymint said:
Can't speak for the brand but this looks liek it'd tick some of the boxes:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extension-Vertical-Mountable-RGB-Networks-black/dp/B07C2W2DP2/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=Rack+Mount+Power+Strips&qid=1611830134&sr=8-18&th=1

That looks good, I've been after something like this to mount under my desk.

montymint · 28 Jan 2021 at 11:14

clv101 said:
That looks good, I've been after something like this to mount under my desk.

just search for rack mount power strips, they'll all be similar to that, sturdy as all hell. I use one in my room that my dad got given to him years ago.

Minstadave · 28 Jan 2021 at 11:15

I like the vertical ones as they leave plenty of space for the sockets and can be tucked away much easier.

Agent_Smith357 · 28 Jan 2021 at 13:48

https://www.brennenstuhl.co.uk/en-GB/products/extension-leads Got some older versions of these at work.

sovietspybob · 28 Jan 2021 at 15:41

I'd go for server rack mount type stuff like listed above, i have no need for that at home but we use several in work for their intended purpose and they're always good quality and up to the job but they almost always have a commando socket on the end to support the power draw.

I think the main reason you don't see stuff with more than 5 or 6 sockets like this is it's super easy to overload the 13amp plug and start a fire. Generally a far better idea to have a few more smaller ones into different sockets, in fact not sure on the electrical regs regarding extentions but that may indeed be the reason you don't see them other than shady imports or enterprise stuff when people know what they're doing.

clv101 · 28 Jan 2021 at 15:48

sovietspybob said:
...it's super easy to overload the 13amp plug and start a fire.

Overload, yes, if you're a bit of a numpty, but the fuse in the plug should protect the plug and cable from fire risk.

sovietspybob · 28 Jan 2021 at 15:51

clv101 said:
Overload, yes, if you're a bit of a numpty, but the fuse in the plug should protect the plug and cable from fire risk.

That's true in theory, but due to the number of times we've had briefings in work during winter cos of daisy chained power cables with fan heaters plugged in found melted and singed i'm not so sure in reality

A 13a fuse does seem to allow for a fair bit more current to be drawn sometimes and over a sustained period especially if the cables is coiled up it can easily start a fire.

Quoted from a website "The actual current, where a BS 1362 fuse will blow, is about 1.66 times the rated value, so for a 13A fuse this will be 21.6A."

https://www.pat-testing-training.net/articles/fuse-operation-characteristics.php

TheVoice · 29 Jan 2021 at 15:53

The older Belkin ones used to be pretty good, the sockets were offset from each other in two rows and they had two sockets that could rotate to accommodate larger power supplies etc. For some reason the new ones did away with both of those design features.

K.C. Leblanc · 31 Jan 2021 at 20:31

sovietspybob said:
.

Quoted from a website "The actual current, where a BS 1362 fuse will blow, is about 1.66 times the rated value, so for a 13A fuse this will be 21.6A."

https://www.pat-testing-training.net/articles/fuse-operation-characteristics.php

A lot of 4 gangs adaptors are only designed to carry 10 amps. Often these will still have 13amp fuses, or if fitted with a lower value will end up being replaced with a 13amp one.

Rroff · 31 Jan 2021 at 20:37

sovietspybob said:
I'd go for server rack mount type stuff like listed above, i have no need for that at home but we use several in work for their intended purpose and they're always good quality and up to the job but they almost always have a commando socket on the end to support the power draw.

I think the main reason you don't see stuff with more than 5 or 6 sockets like this is it's super easy to overload the 13amp plug and start a fire. Generally a far better idea to have a few more smaller ones into different sockets, in fact not sure on the electrical regs regarding extentions but that may indeed be the reason you don't see them other than shady imports or enterprise stuff when people know what they're doing.

Yeah - you can get 19" rack PDUs that are good quality and reasonable price though the good ones only go to 6 mains style sockets and/or the 8s are cramped.

Psycho Sonny · 31 Jan 2021 at 21:45

Surge protection is surely just a scam?

I mean the masses out there don't buy that crap and I'm not seeing houses up in flames on a daily basis.

It's only techy people who pay for it.

If your home has crappy old electrics and your in the middle of nowhere then it might be worth a shout. If you live in a city then probably a complete waste of money.

Just have double gang sockets everywhere. You can get a sparky to fit a socket for peanuts like £200 for the day. Go buy 10 double gang sockets from screwfix and get a sparky to fit them in every room you need them.

Then just put a normal extension lead with 6-12 sockets on it in every hole.

Job done.

I wouldn't bother spending £60 on a 12 way surge protected nonsense. I'd rather give that to a sparky to fix the real issue which is not enough sockets.

Rroff · 31 Jan 2021 at 21:53

Psycho Sonny said:
Surge protection is surely just a scam?

Depends what your expectations are - the protection from a local lightning strike are minimal but if you have expensive electronics it could potentially save them from other conditions - I have a bit of logging of electrical conditions from my NAS setup which is rack mounted with higher end protection as well as UPS, etc. and in almost a decade I've only logged once such condition so it does happen but pretty rare.

EDIT: Can't find it quickly but I posted a screenshot from the UPS logs awhile back - we had like 3 power events of any kind of significance in 10-15 years of living in a big town - moved to a little village in the middle of nowhere and had over a dozen in the first year alone (none of them would have required a surge protector to intervene though).

Psycho Sonny · 31 Jan 2021 at 22:32

Rroff said:
Depends what your expectations are - the protection from a local lightning strike are minimal but if you have expensive electronics it could potentially save them from other conditions - I have a bit of logging of electrical conditions from my NAS setup which is rack mounted with higher end protection as well as UPS, etc. and in almost a decade I've only logged once such condition so it does happen but pretty rare.

EDIT: Can't find it quickly but I posted a screenshot from the UPS logs awhile back - we had like 3 power events of any kind of significance in 10-15 years of living in a big town - moved to a little village in the middle of nowhere and had over a dozen in the first year alone (none of them would have required a surge protector to intervene though).

Surely all my expensive electronics already have some sort of power regulation in them to stop a surge from frying them?

I mean the top items would be

Gaming pc - has a platinum PSU
Server - has a platinum PSU
Yamaha avr
Washing machine gets turned off at plug when not in use
Fridge freezer
TV's

I would expect my Yamaha avr and PCs to be fine. TV's probably not.

No idea on fridge freezer or washing machine but both were the most expensive available when they were bought and both come with 10 year warranty.

I mean if a surge did happen it's a once in a lifetime event and I'd need to buy one for every socket in the house.

I'd rather just try and claim it on home insurance tbh.

I do have surge protectors belkins but they were literally bought in my teens so probably 2 decades old now.

I just buy those cube style ones now off my memory or Amazon with no protection as they take up less space.

Rroff · 31 Jan 2021 at 22:37

Psycho Sonny said:
Surely all my expensive electronics already have some sort of power regulation in them to stop a surge from frying them?

Only up to a point and in many cases like your PSU will try and sacrifice itself to protect the rest of the system but that likely still means replacing the PSU and isn't foolproof - in some consumer electronics you don't have a distinct PSU (or at least not use accessible in the same way) which makes things trickier.

A more likely outcome is a shortening of the life of those expensive electronics rather than outright killing them but that is harder to quantify.

clv101 · 31 Jan 2021 at 23:05

Psycho Sonny said:
I mean if a surge did happen it's a once in a lifetime event and I'd need to buy one for every socket in the house.

Wouldn't it be easier to put the surge protector in the consumer unit:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-type-2-surge-protection-device-40ka/587JH

That this isn't commonly done suggests it's not a common issue.

Psycho Sonny · 31 Jan 2021 at 23:17

clv101 said:
Wouldn't it be easier to put the surge protector in the consumer unit:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-type-2-surge-protection-device-40ka/587JH

That this isn't commonly done suggests it's not a common issue.

That seems a far cheaper and easier solution.

Next time I ever have to get a sparky to do something I'll need to remember to get these.

Surge Protected Power Strips... Has anyone actually properly solved this problem?

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