Looking for a Load Sensing Switched Power Strip

Mysterae_

Mysterae_

Mysterae_

Soldato
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15 Sep 2008
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The key word here is "sensing" rather than monitoring.

In particular I am looking for a power strip with at least 4 sockets where the first one is the "master" and the other three are "slaves" that are turned on when the load on the master exceeds a set amount, 200W for example.

I know these devices exist but either my searching skills fail me or they've stopped making them. You'd think this would be a great functionality to incorporate in to the slew of smart power strips available but it seems like a missing feature.

Does anyone know where to I can get such a device?
 
They were generally known as Master/Slave power strips, but following the PC brigade that terminology has now largely been removed, and instead replaced with terms like "Main/Follow" :rolleyes:

You can also try looking for Autoswitching or Power Saving extension leads. Generally I don't know that they would let you specify a minimum current draw, more just that there is any real draw on the "Master" outlet turns on the "Slave" outlets.
 
alphaomega16 said:
Cannot help with product but I can't help but ask why?
Click to expand...

Certainly. It's for my latest PC build (shameless link here) where the radiator, pump and fans are external to the PC and will be on their own PSU. I only want the PSU for the radiator and such to be on when the PC is on. The PC would be in the master socket, the radiator on a slave socket. So when the PC is switched on and exceeds 100W on it's master socket, the other socket(s) are switched on and powers the radiator stuff. The opposite to occur when the PC is off and draws <100mA.
 
Armageus said:
They were generally known as Master/Slave power strips, but following the PC brigade that terminology has now largely been removed, and instead replaced with terms like "Main/Follow" :rolleyes:

You can also try looking for Autoswitching or Power Saving extension leads. Generally I don't know that they would let you specify a minimum current draw, more just that there is any real draw on the "Master" outlet turns on the "Slave" outlets.
Click to expand...

That's how I've always know it as, I'll try searching using more PC friendly terminology!
 
Mysterae_ said:
Certainly. It's for my latest PC build (shameless link here) where the radiator, pump and fans are external to the PC and will be on their own PSU. I only want the PSU for the radiator and such to be on when the PC is on. The PC would be in the master socket, the radiator on a slave socket. So when the PC is switched on and exceeds 100W on it's master socket, the other socket(s) are switched on and powers the radiator stuff. The opposite to occur when the PC is off and draws <100mA.
Click to expand...
oohhhhhh, I can see how that would be useful. Wouldn't it always be above 100w though with that beefy card, if not it would be borderline and other plugs would be constantly going on and off, surprised you wanted to fit that monster computer in such a tiny case.

Hope you manage to find what you are looking for :)
 
alphaomega16 said:
oohhhhhh, I can see how that would be useful. Wouldn't it always be above 100w though with that beefy card, if not it would be borderline and other plugs would be constantly going on and off, surprised you wanted to fit that monster computer in such a tiny case.

Hope you manage to find what you are looking for :)
Click to expand...

A bit of a typo in my post, should have said less than 100W, when the PC is off it should draw a lot less power than that.

@samcat made a post in the thread I found suggesting the very thing I need and cheap too.

samcat said:
I use a couple of 'OneClick' power strips for exactly this.
One socket is master (PC plugged in), others switch on/off based on the master socket.
So Monitor, printer, Powered USB hub, DAC, Power amp all are hard OFF with the pc. No parasitic loads.
I also use one with my hifi in the living room, so when dac (which acts as a preamp) is off the sub, brace of class D amps and streamer all power off too.

Reduces parasitic loads, saves me having to remember to switch things on/off and saves training the other half/boy in switching things on and off.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ELECTRIUM-Oneclick-Intelligent-Mains-Panel/dp/B0007SQK54
Click to expand...
 
just a quick question to folk that have them . do you have to physically switch the main item off or is it standby.
reason i have 3 monitors and a printer linked to the computer and at the moment have them on remote switches , problem is sometimes when i switch the power on ,the computer, it forgets the monitors and i have to manually power them off and on with there own switches?.
so i guess what im asking is will the monitor powers turn off and the computer goes to standby.

sorry to be confusing...
 
Just another option as I’ve had three different master/slave power saving plugs, they all started being flaky and not quite working as intended after a period of time And we’re not that flexible as in determing if the pc is off or in standby..

I now use SmartThings sockets which allow you to set routines based off power consumption..
I do have 1 socket with just the pc, and 1 with an extension lead plugged in.. Its very flexible since I set the routines how I want via the app, all nice and easy., and you can more sockets and expand the granularity, so maybe you keep monitors on whilst the pc is in standby, but off when the PC is completely powered off..
 
Demon said:
Just another option as I’ve had three different master/slave power saving plugs, they all started being flaky and not quite working as intended after a period of time And we’re not that flexible as in determing if the pc is off or in standby..

I now use SmartThings sockets which allow you to set routines based off power consumption..
I do have 1 socket with just the pc, and 1 with an extension lead plugged in.. Its very flexible since I set the routines how I want via the app, all nice and easy., and you can more sockets and expand the granularity, so maybe you keep monitors on whilst the pc is in standby, but off when the PC is completely powered off..
Click to expand...

Thanks. Can you elaborate on what sockets you used?

I've had a look at my existing smart switches (TP-Link Kasa) and they have the function that when one socket is turned on then another can too, with a delay if desired. However this isn't ideal as that means turning the computer off at the socket (manually or through the app) after turning off the computer as normal. It has to no configurable power level at which a switch action should occur.

There are so many smart switches on the market but I've not found one that has power level as a actionable event.

Also, are the SmartThings a Samsung thing and does it require their hub?
 
Demon said:
Just another option as I’ve had three different master/slave power saving plugs, they all started being flaky and not quite working as intended after a period of time And we’re not that flexible as in determing if the pc is off or in standby..

I now use SmartThings sockets which allow you to set routines based off power consumption..
I do have 1 socket with just the pc, and 1 with an extension lead plugged in.. Its very flexible since I set the routines how I want via the app, all nice and easy., and you can more sockets and expand the granularity, so maybe you keep monitors on whilst the pc is in standby, but off when the PC is completely powered off..
Click to expand...

I had the exact same experience with the my plugbar. It started to become unreliable and wouldn't always turn on the slave devices.

There's no way I'd trust one to reliably do the cooling of my PC. What happens if you've left your PC running and the sensing fails and turns the slave plugs off?
 
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Mysterae_ said:
Thanks. Can you elaborate on what sockets you used?

I've had a look at my existing smart switches (TP-Link Kasa) and they have the function that when one socket is turned on then another can too, with a delay if desired. However this isn't ideal as that means turning the computer off at the socket (manually or through the app) after turning off the computer as normal. It has to no configurable power level at which a switch action should occur.

There are so many smart switches on the market but I've not found one that has power level as a actionable event.

Also, are the SmartThings a Samsung thing and does it require their hub?
Click to expand...

There are a lot more 'smartthings' so, the samsung hub, or the Aeotec Smart Home hub will work, and the same for sockets.

They key is getting it in a sale, might be one Boxing day, but I got a Hub + Smart Sockets for £75..

I like their middle ground routines, plenty of IF this, THEN that stuff, enough for a few simple jobs, and no need to run Home Assistant or anything too complicated.. I originally got them simply as we have a couple of Samsung appliances but have found them quite useful!
 
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