is it a bad idea to plug a surge protector into a surge protector?

[ElFenix]

You can get fired for doing that here. So I guess the answer depends on your future job prospects.

what do you need that many power strips for in a cornfield?

 

[Mark R]

There is (or should be) no fire risk from daisy chaining power strips. Power strips are designed to be protected by the main fuse or circuit breaker on that circuit (13A, 15A or whatever is the case in your area).

So, no matter how many you chain, none should overheat because the circuit breaker or fuse will protect it.

However, this only holds for *good quality* strips which meet all regulations and standards, and only for strips with short cables (not coiled cable drums). Cables are rated for current assuming that they are in free air and not heated by neighboring cables. A coiled drum of cable, has a safe capacity of only about 30% of a free cable. So, if you have a power strip with coiled cable, you should limit current to 3-5A or less.

In practice, a lot of cheap power strips are of garbage quality (even expensive surge strips can be of garbage quality) especially if made in China. I've had power strips melt even when loaded at only 50% of their rate capacity, and I've had the reservoir capacitor in a 35W fluorescent lamp ballast weld the switch contacts on a cheap switched power strip.

While these garbage-grade strips are likely to be safe if used on their own, due to relatively low current loads, if daisy chained and when loads are higher can burn out.

At work, they don't allow any power strips at all, except for professionally built metal cased strips fitted with high grade "hospital grade" receptacles (mainly because of the problem of cheap strips spontaneously combusting).

 

[ViviTheMage]

That's ridiculous. A surge protector can't provide power to itself.


You need at least two. Plug #2 into #1 so the second gets power from the first. Then plug the first into the second so the first gets power from the second. THAT'S how you get your infinite power.

You need three

one needs to be black, you know, to ground it.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

http://www.compliance.gov/forms-pubs/eresources/fastfacts_daisychains.pdf

a clear example of runaway government that must be abolished

 

[Dirigible]

You need three

one needs to be black, you know, to ground it.

I knew I shoulda paid more attention to my E-M courses while I was in college.

Thanks for correcting my misinformation! You probably saved some lives here. :thumbsup:

 

[olds]

According to our last fire code inspection our office should be daisy chaining power strips instead of using extension cords.

Ours is just the opposite. They took the protectors and dropped off extension cords.

 

[boomhower]

http://www.frys.com/product/6820336?...H:MAIN_RSLT_PG

I may have to buy one of those.

 

[Red Squirrel]

People often forget why your house has fuses or breakers. Even if you were to plug so many things into one outlet using multiple power strips, you can only draw 15 amps (typical) or 20 amps. The breaker will trip if you draw more power. This is where electrical codes come in where you need to use a specific wire size for a circuit. So all wiring on a 15 amp circuit needs to be 14awg or thicker. When using surge bars or extension cords in a permanent matter, ensure they too, are rated for the full potential of the circuit. Lot of fire related issues are because the surge strips used are not rated as high as the circuit so they are overloading the device but not the breaker.

Personally I just like building my own power bar with 16 outlets and using that.

One side is surge protected, the other side is UPS protected.

I need to do this for my home entertainment setup too. The nice thing about this is it's weight. It's easy to plug/unplug stuff without having to hold on to it much.

 

[natto fire]

i have a surge protector with six outlets, 5 already used. what are the risks of plugging another surge protector in the available space which will enable to add another 6 devices?

i googled but no luck. is this a fire hazard?

It all depends on how much current you intend to draw. You are increasing resistance by plugging one strip into another, but the detriment of doing that depends on how well your branch circuit is landed in the panel. It might already have 4 or more junctions between the panel and that outlet, it might have none. You get extra resistance at each junction, and that is what causes heat.

Judging the rest of this thread, your reputation is too shit here, or others don't know and/or care about electrical safety. I take electricity very seriously because I work with it beyond the basic residential level and have seen how destructive it can be. It is rather simple and mysterious at the same time, but should always be respected.

 

[Number1]

Look, there are no bad ideas. Who are we to judge?

Carry on.

But most importantly, let us know how it turns out. Make sure your monthly insurance premiums are paid up.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Doesn't matter.

What does matter is 1500 watts per circuit (usually). And if you go over it will trip the breaker (assuming you have one).

 

[westom]

are you talking about the surge protecting ability or are you worried about over drawing current?

Discussion applies to all power strips. Surge protector type add additional threats. You may have assumed current consumed by connected appliances is same as current flowing through a power strip. As explained previously - no.

Other factors also apply. For example, if a strip has a 15 amp circuit breaker, will that breaker trip at 17 amps? No. That circuit breaker might conduct 20 amps for up to two hours before tripping. Many only speculate that a circuit breaker will trip at X amps. Applicable is a fundamental 'I squared T' relationship. Many only 'assume' a circuit breaker averts all threats. Other factors apply.

They daisy chained power strips. The resulting fire killed about 20 dogs. Bottom line: daisy chaining power strips has even created fires. Others previously posted that same conclusion.

 

[natto fire]

Doesn't matter.

What does matter is 1500 watts per circuit (usually). And if you go over it will trip the breaker (assuming you have one).

I think that discussion of real or apparent power is probably too in depth for ATOT, but suffice to say, it does matter. Luckily electrical codes are built in with fudge area for this very reason. 1500 watts of load can come from a variety of sources when you are trying to do work with electrons. It can come from heating up a high resistance junction inside a wire nut, or it can run a 2 HP motor at full tilt.