Thinking about how to optimize your home office or study space? A power strip is a great way to add some organization to your desk and optimize the power usage of gadgets. Power strips are devices that allow you to plug multiple devices into one outlet. They come with numerous outlets and have built-in surge protection so that any excess voltage is blocked from damaging your devices. To do this, most power strips come with an ‘on’ switch so you can turn them on when you need them and off when you don’t. But what about surge protectors? Do they work well together? Well, yes, but there are some things you should know before using both together. This article will explain why it’s not safe to plug a power strip into a surge protector and other tips on using them together safely. Keep reading to know more!
Can you plug a power strip into a surge protector?
A power strip is a multiple outlet device that allows you to plug multiple electrical devices into one central location. A surge protector is a device that is designed to protect your electronics from power surges. Power strips do not have this capability and should not be used in place of a surge protector.
Tips For Using A Power Strip In A Surge Protector
- Don’t use them together as an extension cord
If your power strip doesn’t have enough outlets to accommodate all of your devices, then it may be tempting to use it as an extension cord for your computer or other electronics so you can connect more items. But this is never safe to do since if the surge protector has no extra outlets left and you add more items into the circuit by connecting them through an extension cord, then this may cause overloading which may damage some of your electronics or even start a fire!
- Don’t overload your power strip with too many items at once
The idea behind using these two together is that they both provide extra outlets for multiple devices while also protecting against surges and overvoltage. With this in mind, you should never overload either one of these devices with too many items at once. For example, if you plug your computer into a surge protector, you should never connect more than one other device to the surge protector at the same time. If you do this, then you may overload the outlet and cause a fire or electrical shock!
- Don’t plug your power strip into a surge protector
If you want to use these two together, then make sure that you don’t plug your power strip into your surge protector. This will block the devices plugged into your power strip from receiving any electricity and may cause damage to them. If this happens, then it’s best to unplug all of the devices from both items and contact an electrician!
What Is A Surge Protector?
A surge protector is a device that protects your devices from sudden spikes in voltage. These devices are a must-have for protecting your electronics, particularly if you live in an area with frequent storms or surges in voltage. Because voltage spikes happen so quickly, sometimes within just a few seconds, it’s impossible to plug in and then unplug your devices in time to protect them. That’s where surge protectors come in. Surge protectors have different levels of protection, which can be indicated by the Joules rating. The higher the Joules rating, the more protection the surge protector has. An average surge protector has a rating of 680 Joules. Voltage is measured in volts, and a surge protector’s job is to divert excess voltage away from your devices and into the ground. The most common use for surge protectors is to plug in your computer and modem because they are heavy power users and are prone to voltage spikes.
Why It’s Not Safe To Plug A Power Strip Into A Surge Protector
1) Damage to your devices
If you plug a power strip into a surge protector, then all of the devices plugged into the power strip will not be able to get any electricity from the surge protector. This is because the surge protector doesn’t have enough outlets for everything. Because it can’t provide electricity to all of the devices at once, it will choose which ones to give voltage to and which ones not to. So, if you plug a power strip into your surge protector, then you may damage any devices that are plugged into it!
2) Overheating and fire risk
If you overload both items by plugging too many things into them at once, then they may overheat and cause a fire! If this happens, then unplug them immediately. Also, make sure that your home has proper fire extinguishers in case something like this happens while you’re asleep or away from home!
3) Incomplete protection
If you plug a power strip into your surge protector, then the devices plugged into the power strip may not get complete protection from voltage spikes. This is because they will be sharing the protection with all of the other devices plugged into the surge protector. So if you need extra protection, then use a power strip that has its own surge protector built-in!
How To Safely Use A Power Strip And Surge Protector Together
- Use a power strip with its own built-in surge protector
This is the best option because it will provide complete protection for all of the devices plugged into it. It also won’t share its protection with any other devices. These types of power strips are usually more expensive, but they are well worth the extra cost if you need your devices to be protected from voltage spikes!
- Plug one device into a surge protector and the rest into a power strip
This is another safe option, although it may not be as safe as option 1. This is because it’s very important that you choose a surge protector that has enough outlets for everything you want to plug in. If you choose one with too few outlets, then all of your devices won’t have protection from voltage spikes! So make sure that your surge protector has enough outlets to fit all of your devices.
- Plug everything into a power strip and nothing into a surge protector
This is the riskiest option, so don’t do it if you can avoid it. This is because nothing will have any protection from voltage spikes! But some people choose to do this anyway because they don’t feel that they need complete protection. If you choose this option, then make sure to unplug everything when you aren’t using it! Also, make sure that your home has proper fire extinguishers in case your devices overheat and catch on fire!
- Plug a surge protector into a power strip
This is one of the worst options because it will completely defeat the purpose of using a surge protector. A surge protector is supposed to protect your devices from voltage spikes, but it won’t if it’s plugged into another power strip! So don’t do this!
- Plug your computer directly into a wall outlet
This is another bad option because it will bypass any protection that your surge protector provides. So make sure to always use a surge protector instead of plugging your computer directly into the wall outlet!
Conclusion
Surge protectors and power strips protect your devices from sudden voltage spikes, but they work best when they are used separately. You should not plug a power strip into a surge protector, and you should not plug a surge protector into a power strip. Instead, plug the surge protector into the power strip to turn off the surge protector when you don’t need it, and plug your devices directly into the power strip to easily turn them on and off when you need them.
