I need more power!

[yuandrew]

I'm sure everyone has one of these by their computer desk

Anyway, I have about 13 AC Adaptors (a.k.a Wall Warts) all over my house (including the 4 shown here). As you can see, it only has three AC adaptor spaced outlets and I already used up all of them plus a regular outlet for the fourth one, As soon as I get my DSL modem, I'm going to have to add another adaptor

Is there a good surge protector/powerstrip that anyone can recommend? I'm planning to stick with some better quality brands now like APC or Tripp Lite rather than some no name or generic brand.

Also, how many AC adaptors do you have?

 

[bjn70]

I saw electric cords in a catalog made to ease this type of crowding. They were only about 12" long, but you could plug one cord into each outlet of the strip, then plug a power brick into the cord, that way you can use all of the outlets on the strip.

I've also seen strips with the outlets spaced out such that you can fit more bricks onto them without the bricks interfering with each other.

 

[AJ_Dual]

You might want to look into one of those "Squid" or "Octopus" style power strips. Like bjn70's suggestion but they're made with built in flexible dongles for each outlet, so there's room for all your AC brick adaptors.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1887952,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532

I just googled the first hit that had a good representitive of the breed, I'm not espousing this particular one. There's several makers, and you could just search for the one with the best surge and EFI ratings….

 

[wmirag]

If you have power problems also, you may want to consider a UPS (Uniterrupted Power Supply). It's basically a big battery, an inverter, and some line monitoring circuitry in a neat little box. Many have telephone surge protection too.

(One would never spend this extra dough for the purpose of getting extra transformer space, but there happens to be a fair amount of space in the back of the larger ones specifically for transformers.)

We get a lot of short power hits around here. Usually they are a few seconds, sometimes a minute, and occasionally there will be a half dozen sub-second shots in rapid succession. One hit can at least cause your computer to reboot. I suppose some hits could actually damage the machine.

The better UPS models monitor the line voltage for problems in a more spohisticated way than the cheaper units. When they encounter a problem, they switch to battery faster and with less bad effect on the computer. I recommend that you get a "line interactive" model (see link below for "types of UPS"). I had a lesser model once and it was unable to detect when a short duration hit came back -- so it would leave the unit in battery mode and then simply run it down! The better models retail for about $150.

This page explains the different types of UPS:
http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/SADE-5TNM3Y_R5_EN.pdf

This page helps you select a model by load and protect time:
http://www.apc.com/tools/ups_selector/index.cfm

Buy it at a discounter like compusa, for instance:
http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=298348&pfp=cat3

If you do buy one, I hope you will insist an a "line interactive" model. The retailer will have to do some research to be sure that's what he's selling you.

W.

 

[drizzle]

Cool Idea AJ! I had one of those "Why didn't I think of that!" moments.

I currently use two power strips where each one has two specially spaced outlets for wall-warts. The problem is that the warts are too big so I still can't use all the outlets.

I'm gonna look around for those "squid" types.

 

[iNDiGLo]

A UPS is a good idea, a power stip with more outlets is a good idea too, but please remember that whatever wall socket you're plugging it into is probably on a 20/30 amp breaker. Don't overload the circuit.

 

[MoonRise]

The warning about "Don't overload the circuit" is certainly correct.

Add up the amp draw of all the devices you have on the circuit and make sure you aren't over the current limit. Watch out for outlets in another room that may be on the same circuit you are trying to use, and watch out for the surge current that motors will draw on start-up (like a fridge).

30 amp breaker on a standard wall outlet? Nope.

20 amp breaker on a standard wall outlet? Again, nope. But there are 20 amp 115 volt lines, the receptacles will have one vertical blade slot and one horizontal blade slot (plus the D-shaped ground slot/hole).

A standard US wall outlet is 15 amps and 115-120 volts. The receptacle is two parallel blade slots and the D-shaped ground slot/hole.

Could you have a UPS being fed by a 30 amp 240 volt circuit that has downstream 'standard' 115 volt outlets? Sure, but that's not typical in a house.

The 'squid' type extension cords bypass the usual power-strip problem of the wall-warts blocking off outlets in the strip.

 

[AJ_Dual]

If I ever have the luxury of building my own house, I'm going to try and see to it that each room has it's own 20 Amp breaker. The kitchen, and large spaces will have 1 20 Amp circuit per wall.

I am sick and tired of my current re-re-remodled 1939 bunglaow. The wiring was done by drunken monkeys who outsourced the work to some blind chipmunks when the owner's back was turned… I've got 20 circuits in the house, but two of them cover 3/4ths of it.

 

[MoonRise]

Without going into all the NEC (National Electrical Code) requirements (USA only, YMMV, etc, etc), kitchens now are supposed to have 2 separate 20 amp 'appliance' circuits feeding the countertop outlets only. Dedicated appliances or tools are supposed to be on their own branch circuits. Etc, etc, etc.

Yup, wiring is often hodge-podge, especially in a remodeling situation. The original wiring in older homes couldn't have known how power hungry our modern homes are, with electric gadgets and appliances everywhere. Heck, some of those older homes might have originally had a 30 amp fuse feeding the entire house, with two(!) 15 amp fuses splitting the needs of the entire house. Nowadays, we often want (or need) multiple 20 amp branch circuits in one room. And that doesn't even take into account the big dedicated appliances.

More power!

 

[drizzle]

I have an old house with old wiring but I have put in a dedicated 20 amp circuit just for my computer. I have no worries.

 

[zespectre]

I think these are the extenders you are looking for
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?T1=121+2550
I've also seen exactly the same thing in Radio Shack.

I live in a c1940 apartment building so load balancing all the outlets is a MUST (we must never plug a hair dryer and toaster into the same circuit or POP!

 

[AJ_Dual]

My house is somewhat OK, all the other runs are dedicated for individual appliances like the HVAC, microwave outlet, etc.

It's just that as you say, one half the "general purpose" wiring, lights and outlets on each floor is on one run. And the runs are a mix of BX, cloth with metal cladding, bare cloth twin pair, and modern romex.

Whadda pain...