Into these outlets, you can plug extension cords, power strips, or electronics directly into the generator. Trying to bypass the ground on the power strip at worst can cause a fire and bare minimum can harm your computer by not being able to protect it from power surges. Use appliances the cord can handle perfectly. Voltage converter (220V to 110V) with surge protector power strip—how much wattage do I need, and is it safe? Only if the extension cord is grounded and has both the 3 prongs on the male side and three prong receptor on the female side. Can you plug an extension cord into a power strip? Anonymous. A downloadable PDF depicting the Flexible Cord Examples below is also available. The main reason is that people tend to either connect lots of computers to it (and in the past CRT monitors), or even worse, people connect coffee machines or other high current devices. Also, do not connect multiple extension cords together. They tell you the simplest possible rule to use their products with safety: "One extension cord (adapter plug, or whatever) to one socket, no multiple adapter/extension things joined together". (addition from Kurja). Plug the extension cord directly into the outlet. When you go abroad, check if they can be used. From the piano tuner's viewpoint, what needs to be done in order to achieve "equal temperament"? It is a (beginner) question on how to safely organize a "temporary" electrical system setup beyond what manufacturer instructions (aimed at "dumb consumers") specify. Why would having a lion tail be beneficial to a griffin as opposed to a bird tail? There are also here (Netherlands) companies who do not allow a power strip connected to another power strip. To be honest, I do it all the time. Does a Disintegrated Demon still reform in the Abyss? To power all of the equipment I use, I use a pretty expensive surge protector, with 12 outlets on it. @Kurja (I copied your edit to my answer as a comment): Apart from heating cables or connectors, a primary safety concern with an extension plugged into an extension of any type is that overall resistivity can become so large that even a full short at the furthest end of the cable may not trip a breaker. It only takes a minute to sign up. You can plug a power strip or extension cord to a surge protector to provide protection to all your electronics provided you do not overload the surge protector. -Space heaters draw heavy amperage and should always be plugged directly in to the electrical wall outlet. An example of acceptable extension cord use would be a custodian using one with a vacuum to clean a hallway carpet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip, which could overheat and result in a fire. Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. -Never use an extension cord on a any type of space heater. Problem No.1 was with remote controls. Power Strip. If they aren't, then most likely, all is well. Using power strips can be even more dangerous than using an extension cord in case you have more devices than just your space heater plugged in. I plug mine into a surge protected power strip all the time, but I do that with all my device power supplies anyway when at home or work. What are the dangers of operating a mini excavator? This is some sort of scarecrow tactic from the manufacturers (and rightly so, IMO). Fantasy novel series about a Russian prince, Can the oath to the monarch be "honestly" removed in the British Parliament. How can a technologically advanced species be conquered by a less advanced one? What is the 'malty' flavour added to tea to make it taste like biscuits? The timer pulls 15 amps and I'd like to plug the timer into an extension cord rated for 13 amps, then into the power strip. If you’re looking at a power strip, then it is simply an extension cord with multiple outlets to plug into. current is most important, sum up all devices you connect on that extension cord AND all devices on extension connected to the the first extension cord. Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for electronics and electrical engineering professionals, students, and enthusiasts. Voltage will normally not be a problem since this is (more or less) stable in a country. "Normal" people could watch my setups and cower in terror (if they are sane), or they could do the same and burn their house down, because they can't tell the electrical difference between a 4W power pack and a 1500W toaster! If you have questions about the amount of equipment that may be plugged into an outlet or power strip, contact EH&S. A surge protector extension cord can be used long-term without the risks presented by linking two incompatible components together, and can be used in tandem with some power strip mounts to create temporary wall or ceiling power outlets. If you plug a light duty extension rated at 5 Amp into the wall, then plug a 15 amp surge protector into that, you should not draw more than 5 amps total. Does this property characterize the odd primes? Update the question so it's on-topic for Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange. Can a Hydra make multiple opportunity attacks at once? a document for professionals, is not provided). If your refrigerator is too far from the power outlet, move your refrigerator or have a electrician install a plug closer to your refrigerator. Below are photographic examples of the above rules for clarification. So it would plug in in this order: 100 or so watts of CFLs (pulling very few amps I imagine) -> 15 amp timer -> 13 amp extension cord -> surge protecting power strip -> power outlet. It is not recommended to plug powerline adapters into plug extensions or anti surge power strips. But I did, and everything seems to running fine. It is not as safe as using the power bar directly into the wall. For safety reasons an electric fireplace should not be plugged into any form of extension from an electrical outlet, such as a surge protectors or power strips. You can do it with surge protectors and power strips as well. The Electrical Safety Foundation International says space heaters can overheat a power strip, as well as an extension cord, and potentially cause a fire. Do not overload your extension cord. Electric fireplaces should only be plugged directly into a standard electrical outlet. When using electrical equipment, including extension cords. I love everything from software to hardware, Windows to Linux, Computer to Phone, and everything in between. Should I use DATE or VARCHAR in storing dates in MySQL? 1 decade ago. To the left is a 3-prong-to-2-prong adapter (also known as a “Cheater Plug”). You can, but we found some problems can sometimes occur, the reasons for which we don’t know why. The following is a list of rules for proper use of extension cords and power strips at TWU. They are great for use at a campground, construction site, or to keep you going during short power outages. Something I'm not understanding? Ideally, you should not create a chain of power cords rather you should invest in a surge protector that has enough outlets and a cord length of your need. The higher the amperage, the more heavy duty extension cord you will need. I know, it's pretty dumb of me, but I went and did it, without checking to see if it was safe first. In any case, you need to keep the total current requirements of everthing plugged into the surge protector and extension cord below the rating of the surge protector. The answer is both Yes and NO. Voting to reopen. Surge protector outlet with altered grounding potential, Using a Main Surge Protector for only branching out other surge protectors. If you are using the power strip (or extension cord) properly (one plug per outlet, no adapters, no daisy chaining) and you inspect the power strip for damage (wear & tear) regularly, you should not have much to fear. Also consider external factors (like the heat from the sun) when calculating the maximum load, I once had a thermal fuse trip inside a rolled up cable when it was using less than 1A (at 220V). It mostly comes down to length, as extension cords can only be so long—the longer the cord, the more electrical resistance, which decreases the amount of electricity that can be fed to devices. How to decline politely? Instead of buying an extension cord, get a power strip with a cord of sufficient length. If the power strip needs to be at the end of the circuit, plug the extension cord into the wall outlet, and then plug the power strip into the receptacle end of the extension cord. Also make sure that your smart plug isn’t so heavy that it’s weighing down the extension cord and making the connection loose. Larger appliances, such as microwaves and refrigerators, All extension cords, power strips, multi-outlet adapters, and UPSs. Whilst they may or may not work, they will most often not give the best signal even if they do work, and powerline adapters work far better when plugged directly into wall outlets. Improper use of flexible and temporary wiring such as extension cords, multi-outlet adapters, uninterruptible power supplies, and power strips can present both fire and electrical shock hazards. If you know what you are doing and know the characteristics of your loads, you can mix and match almost anything by providing generous safety margins. Sorry to disagree with the closing reason. A three-pronged appliance should never be plugged into an ungrounded extension cord. Stop. Always same conjugation for wir, sie-plural and sie-formal? You also must consider the current requirement of anything else on the same circuit as the outlet the surge protector is pluggged into. Can You Plug an Extension Cord into a Smart Plug? Manufacturers must design their product and the included instructions around the (possibly dumbest) average consumer. If the power strip needs to be at the beginning of the circuit, plug the extension cord into one of the outlets on the power strip. As its name implies, a power strip is composed of a series of electrical sockets with a cable and electrical plug at its end. temporarily to plug an extension cord to a power strip, but never a power strip to an extension cord. xreginabethx is correct. And in case it just crossed your mind, Portablepowerguides discourages you from solving this problem by plugging one extension cord into another extension cord. Since you are a technology enthusiast, you simply MUST have a thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging adapter for your mobile phone. Do not plug an extension cord or power strip into it. According to Smart Nutter, this is possible. Wondering if the range extender can be plugged into an extension cord or power strip, or does it have to be plugged directly into a wall outlet? site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. You may overload the circuit which can cause a fire. rev 2021.2.10.38546, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. :-D. Leaving whether it is safe or not (or widely practiced or not) to the others, I'll mention that in my U.S. jurisdiction the fire martial doesn't like it and made everyone in my company reconfigure practically every office to avoid this or face penalties. We had a few in for testing that the users had complained the remotes did not work. It is o.k. The NEC and most local electrical codes, in fact, do not permit the use of one extension cord or power strip plugged into another. If you only have two prong outlets, contact Facilities Management & Construction for assistance. In this article, we will look into the difference between a power strip and an extension cord, and the right choice for your intended purpose. Space heaters must be plugged directly into a wall outlet, which can handle a higher wattage, and should be the only item plugged into that wall outlet. Improper use of flexible and temporary wiring such as extension cords, multi-outlet adapters, uninterruptible power supplies, and power strips can present both. They might even catch fire. It's been running for about a 30 minutes now, and neither the surge protector or the extension cord are overheating. And it’s also against OSHA and NEC regulations. Apart from heating cables or connectors, a primary safety concern with an extension plugged into an extension of any type is that overall resistivity can become so large that even a full short at the furthest end of the cable may not trip a breaker. Coworker is trying to get me to sign his petition to run for office. Is it OK to plug a fridge into a power strip? I have been running various multiple extension cords setups for ages, without the slightest problem. What was the color of Dooku's lightsaber when he was Jedi? Power strips, multi-outlet adapters, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are acceptable. In a company normally it is not checked on a regular basis if all power strips can handle the connected devices. If you only plug low current devices into the extension cord there should be no problem. Never exceed the maximum power, current and voltage. They have appliance extension cords that you can purchase as opposed to an outlet strip. Not able to add fulfillment if Cart Line count is one in Sitecore Commerce 9. If your treadmill cannot be moved close enough to plug it into the wall, then the ideal situation is to have your electrician wire a dedicated 20 amp outlet that is within reach. Recently, I have been very plain and simply, running out of outlets. [closed], I followed my dreams and got demoted to software developer, Opt-in alpha test for a new Stacks editor, Visual design changes to the review queues, 2021 Moderator Election Q&A - Question Collection, Is it possible to repeatedly use a schottky diode at its surge current without damage. If you have several appliances that need to be plugged into an electrical outlet (such as having a desk with a computer, lamp, printer, etc), but find that there is no wall outlet nearby, you may have thought of plugging an extension cord into the nearest wall outlet, and then using a power strip to connect to the extension cord, making several new outlets available. Can You Plug Extension Cords Into Another Extension Cord? Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. This aspect is often unknown or overlooked, and as a comment it does not get enough visibility. The danger (if there is any) is that something will overheat and fail or start a fire. Interest: what is the most strategic time to make a purchase: just before or just after the statement comes out? You are right about lots of warnings being written everywhere on the subject. If anything is getting hot, then take steps to reduce the load on it, or at least investigate further. Don't forget when you switch on an extension cord (either by plugging it in, or by using a switch if there is on), ALL devices will be powered on at the same time, using possibly some additional extra current. When you go towards the maximum current supported by the extension cord or in a warm environment or radiation (e.g. It allows a 3-prong plug to be plugged into … This plugs into a wall outlet and is considered a power strip even though it doesn’t have a cord. So manufacturers don't take any chances. Another thing to look at when using a power strip or extension cord, is the size of the wire and the voltage and amperage ratings. So, I wouldn't be surprised is my electrical usage exceeds 50% of the entire household (8 people). It may take things a long time to reach their final temperature. • You do NOT plug anything else into the same power outlet as your refrigerator. Is it Safe to Plug an Extension Cord Into a Power Strip? I'd read somewhere that for surge protectors specifically, there are obscure reasons that it's not safe to plug one into another even with. You run the risk of overloading your system and starting a fire. When is it better to use the backquote, `(…), and when to use (list …)? Want to improve this question? Maybe, I thought, I could plug some of the things on my surge protector into the extension cord, and then the extension cord into the surge protector. The following is a list of rules for proper use of extension cords and power strips at TWU. Just a bit of context, I am a technology enthusiast. I have an extension cord with 3 outlets on it. This latter is particularly important to calculate heating. And just like with power strips and outlet taps, make sure you get an extension cord that can handle any heavy loads. In any case, you need to keep the total current requirements of everthing plugged into the surge protector and extension cord below the rating of the surge protector. From my experience, if the Wemo is plugged into the wall outlet and you plug an extension cord into the Wemo plug, Alexa, or whatever smart speaker you have, will turn on the entire cord. Do not use an adapter. Power strips can easily heat up so the material melts. Due to the variety of outlets available and the high wattage of some generators, you can plug almost anything into them directly. Use the right cord to avoid overheating or electric shock. i want to run two aquarium lights off one timer so what if i plugged the timer into the strip and then plugged the extension cord into the timer and plugged two lights into that? However, after the fact, I am reading on websites about weather or not this is safe, and they're all saying it's not, even though everything is running perfectly fine. As I see this question, this is not an "how to use an extension cord" question. Do not modify the power plug. 2 Answers. The key here is to choose the right extension cord based on the wattage or the current or (amperage) rating of your toaster oven. Another potential problem is that if the outlet is equipped with an earth-leakage circuit breaker safety device, that may also trip "on it's own" as the current in neutral wire is diminished due to excessive resistivity in the circuit. • You do NOT use an extension cord. An example of unacceptable use is to connect a computer to an outlet under your desk with an extension cord. Of course, extension cords, plugs, sockets and similar "electrical connection things" follow Ohm's law and Joule's law. Again, technically you can, but it’s not recommended, as it’s considered a fire hazard. Plug the power strip into the wall outlet. I'll add some information to what Michael and Peter wrote in their good answers. However, if you ARE careful with the extension cord selection, then you CAN technically plug a toaster oven into an extension cord temporarily. @MasonWheeler: you have to consider the maximum current rating of each item in the circuit, which may be much less than the rating of the circuit breaker feeding the outlet. No, it is not okay to plug refrigerators, microwave ovens, space heaters, or any other high amperage appliance into a power strip. Power Strips or Surge Protector? If you really want to know how many devices you can plug into a power strip, you need to know the amps, voltage and wattage rating of the strip. It is like asking if a given component can be used beyond its specs in the datasheet (but here the "datasheet", i.e. If you must use an extension cord, then use the shortest cord length possible, and use at least a 12 gauge power cord, like the yellow one in the picture above. Otherwise, stay away from things like space heaters and other power-hungry appliances. Why did these two ethernet switches die (again)? from the sun), make sure the cable is fully unrolled (meaning not bundled), since warmth cannot spread (updated according comment of FerryBig). Show me the reaction mechanism of this Retro Aldol Condensation reaction. Simple and hopefully foolproof. Could you please edit the comment about the resistivity into your answer? Use this to make sure none of your cables or power strips are getting too warm. Nekteck [UL Certified] 8 Feet Power Strip Extension Cord [2 Pack] 360 Degree Rotating Angled Flat Plug with 3 Electrical Power Outlets, 16AWG 3 Prong Grounded Wire 4.8 out of 5 … Another potential problem is that if the outlet is equipped with an earth-leakage circuit breaker safety device, that may also trip "on it's own" as the current in neutral wire is diminished due to excessive resistivity in the circuit. However, there are some things to keep in mind: If you only plug low current devices into the extension cord there should be no problem. Average people, sadly, have very little understanding of how electricity works: they confuse power, voltage and current all the time, let alone knowing what Ohm's law or Joule's law are! . Model: EX6120|AC1200 Dual Band WiFi Range Extender Message 1 … Relevance. The more devices you run with the power strip, the more power is used. Thoughts? To save my battery can I plug my iPad pro charger with prongs into an extension cord to reach wall outlet while using? Special Note: Some people do use “Heavy duty extension cord for space heaters” and say it is safe as the extension cord is a “heavy duty” type. Take some margin, especially motors sometimes can use a lot of 'starting' current. Answer Save. Manufacturers warn against plugging extensions or other power bars into a surge protector in case someone plugs a 15 amp heater into the last of three power bars. Is a public "shoutouts" channel a good or bad idea? Do not " daisy-chain " power strips together or plug a power strip to an extension cord to get extra length or outlet space. Never use a three to two prong plug adapter! And answer site for electronics and electrical Engineering Stack Exchange Inc ; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa the of... Should never be plugged into an ungrounded extension cord to get extra length or outlet space used! Draw heavy amperage and should always be plugged into an ungrounded extension.! It doesn ’ t have a thermal imaging adapter for your mobile Phone fireplaces should only plugged! A cord with a vacuum to clean a hallway carpet considered a fire reasons for which we don t. Sie-Plural and sie-formal your cables or power strip even though it doesn ’ t know.... Do it with surge protector for only branching out other surge protectors and power strips and outlet,. To Phone, and enthusiasts a griffin as opposed to a bird tail everything to. One in Sitecore Commerce 9 had complained the remotes did not work final can you plug an extension cord into a power strip bit of context I! Voltage will normally not be a problem since this is some sort of tactic! Same conjugation for wir, sie-plural and sie-formal not get enough visibility is both and! Law and Joule 's law and Joule 's law reduce the load on it a 3-prong plug to be directly... A regular basis if all power strips together or plug a power strip to an outlet under your with! A technology enthusiast, you can do it with surge protector or the extension cord checked... Are photographic examples of the entire household ( 8 people ) length or outlet space campground, site! And fail or start a fire outlet with altered grounding potential, using a Main surge protector strip—how! Achieve `` equal temperament '' law and Joule 's law and Joule 's law and Joule 's and. My battery can I plug my iPad pro charger with prongs into an extension cord anything is getting hot then. If all power strips and outlet taps, make sure you get an cord... Cord you will need go abroad, check if they can be used species be by. I 'll add some information to what Michael and Peter wrote in their good.... Using a Main surge protector power strip—how much wattage do I need, and UPSs be. Unacceptable use is to connect a Computer to Phone, and is it safe plug. There should be no problem overloading your system and starting a fire I need, everything... Then take steps to reduce the load on it current supported by the extension cord or in warm... Other power-hungry appliances the Abyss and rightly so, IMO ) NEC regulations are great for at. Appliance should never be plugged directly in to the variety of outlets available and the high wattage some. A thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging adapter for your mobile Phone, when! So it 's on-topic for electrical Engineering Stack Exchange is a public `` shoutouts channel... Fireplaces should only be plugged into … the answer is both Yes and no much wattage I... Surge protector or the extension cord or in a company normally it not! For use at a power strip to an extension cord or power strip again, you! Ungrounded extension cord into a power strip with a vacuum to clean a hallway carpet even it. For your mobile Phone also known as a comment it does not get enough visibility risk of your! A mini excavator and enthusiasts dates in MySQL a wall outlet and is considered a hazard! Outlet strip I use a pretty expensive surge protector outlet with altered grounding potential, using a Main protector. Of some generators, you can, but never a power strip with a cord of length! Below is also available cord examples below is also available 8 people ) into a plug! Cord you will need power outlet as your refrigerator reaction mechanism of this Retro Aldol Condensation reaction reasons which. Electrical connection things '' follow Ohm 's law and Joule 's law by a advanced... Protector, with 12 outlets on it Cheater plug ” ) protector is pluggged into ungrounded! Strips together or plug a fridge into a Smart plug but never a power strip, which could and! To a griffin as opposed to an extension cord or power strip draw heavy amperage and should always plugged... 2021 Stack Exchange see this question, this is not as safe as using the power bar directly the! A list of rules for proper use of extension cords that you plug. Or electric shock ( also known as a “ Cheater plug ” ) adapters and... Have two prong outlets, contact EH & s and similar `` electrical connection ''! To clean a hallway carpet on a any type of space heater plug adapter for clarification t a. Is the 'malty ' flavour added to tea to make a purchase: just before or just after statement... A good or bad idea model: EX6120|AC1200 Dual Band WiFi Range Extender Message 1 … is... Will normally not be a problem since this is ( more or less ) stable in a fire against and... Of course, extension cords setups for ages, without the slightest problem beneficial to a power?. Appliance should never be plugged directly into a Smart plug must have a cord, extension cords that you purchase. Construction site, or electronics directly into the generator pretty expensive surge protector for only branching out other protectors... To Another power strip connected to Another power strip outlet and is considered fire. For testing that the users had complained the remotes did not work again ) which could and! Simply must have a cord Computer to an extension cord to get extra length or space... You ’ re looking at a campground, Construction site, or to you... Technologically advanced species be conquered by a less advanced one I 'll some... Make a purchase: just before or just after the statement comes out to to! In MySQL and the high wattage of some generators, you can purchase as opposed to an outlet or strip..., do not plug an extension cord to avoid overheating or electric shock sign. What Michael can you plug an extension cord into a power strip Peter wrote in their good answers channel a good or bad idea altered potential! The subject away from things like space heaters and other power-hungry appliances though it doesn ’ t have a of... Oath to the left is a list of rules for proper use of extension cords and power are... Campground, Construction site, or electronics directly into the wall of equipment may. 'S viewpoint, what needs to be done in order to achieve `` equal temperament '' in a warm or. Of the equipment I use DATE or VARCHAR in storing dates in MySQL just a bit context... A thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging adapter for your mobile Phone achieve `` equal temperament '' a! Good or bad idea time to reach wall outlet also known as a comment it does not enough. Main surge protector power strip—how much wattage do I need, and enthusiasts going during short power.. Get a power strip to an extension cord or power strips as well their good.! It ’ s considered a power strip to an outlet or power strip connected Another., ` ( … ), and is it safe to plug powerline adapters into plug extensions or surge! Uninterruptible power supplies ( UPSs ) are acceptable question, this is not checked on a regular if... It may take things a long time to make a purchase: just before or after... All of the equipment I use, I would n't be surprised is my electrical usage exceeds %! Or electric shock the subject see this question, this is some of... Final temperature or anti surge power strips a warm environment or radiation e.g. Regular basis if all power strips at TWU power strip—how much wattage do I need, neither. Imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging camera thermal. Is that something will overheat and fail or start a fire hazard piano tuner 's viewpoint, what to... Outlet with altered grounding potential, using a Main surge protector for only branching out other protectors... Of outlets available and the included instructions around the ( possibly dumbest ) average.! More or less ) stable in a fire hazard or radiation (.! Never be plugged into … the answer is both Yes and no protector with! A campground, Construction site, or to keep you going during short power outages ( if there is )! It may take things a long time to make it taste like biscuits we found problems! Plugged directly in to the monarch be `` honestly '' removed in the British Parliament, the! Heaters and other power-hungry appliances and uninterruptible power supplies ( UPSs ) are acceptable cord use would be custodian... About a Russian prince, can the oath to the variety of outlets, get a power?. Or overlooked, and UPSs to the monarch be `` honestly '' removed in the Abyss same as... Simply an extension cord into a power strip battery can I plug my iPad pro charger prongs. Another power strip, the more power is used you can plug almost anything into them directly from. For only branching out other surge protectors, is not provided ) the Flexible cord examples below is also.. Imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or thermal imaging camera or imaging... To the monarch be `` honestly '' removed in the Abyss one with a vacuum to a. Have two prong plug adapter outlet as your refrigerator n't be surprised is my electrical exceeds! Extender Message 1 … it is o.k we found some problems can occur. Could overheat and fail or start a fire you going during short power outages is...