multiple outlet strips

[monekyface]

I seem to be having a lot of issues with my multiple outlet strips. What brand do you use? I thought if I bought the most expensive strip at PowerBuy, I would get a decent unit. But I am going through them left and right. The outlets stop working, or the switches get jammed or just stop working. I prefer the type with a switch for each outlet but maybe I need to re-think this. Also after taking one apart is seems that the copper plates that come in contact with the different prongs on the plugs are very thin and cheap, and they are not designed to handle much power. I am not running a table saw here, just your basics like a rice cooker, hot pot, laptop, etc.

Where can I buy a high quality strip? What brand should I look for? How much should I plan to spend?

[kkerry]

I use, among all the no-name Chinese brands, Huntkey and Belkin. Huntkey have a few different models and are sold internationally (made in China I think) like Belkin but are cheaper. A model with three switched outlets and a couple of USB charging ports goes for around 600 baht. I'm not an electrician so all I know is the ones I have haven't fallen apart or blown anything up yet.

[worgeordie]

You have got to be careful plugging too many things into the socket strip

Rice pots and hot pots draw quite a bit of electricity,i would always unplug

the socket from the wall after use.

regards worgeordie

[Gregory Morozov]

We buy WonPro and Belkin

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[noodle]

If your power boards look anything like the one above in 'kkery' post then it is not surprising they fail. The 'universal' style design is quite demanding on tolerances and material specs.It is common to find that contact blades are flattened/crushed inside these boards. Better to install additional wall outlets. Homeworks/Pro have a selection.

[Pib]

Just make sure you don't have the rice cooker, hot pot, and computer hooked to the same power strip as all three on at once on one strip would draw a good amount of amps.

Power strips in Thailand seem to be cheap and low quality or expensive and low quality. And although they come with on-off switch(s) it seems the switches are not meant to be used a lot. I replaced switches on some of my power strips and the switch was only powering something like a computer printer or monitor...nothing of high amps/power...and the switches failed early on...but after I replaced the switches none of the replacement switches have failed...I figure just cheap switches installed during manufacturer....of course the replacement switches didn't look any better/higher quality.

It does seem the strips with a switch for each outlet is just begging for more frequent switch failure....plus where a person uses a power strip they quite often have all or none of the devices powered up or down versus just one of several devices plugged into the device so buying a multi-switch strip could be wasted money plus more headaches...but each person's setup will be different.

[KittenKong]

I buy the Tesco own-brand strip adaptors. They are reasonably priced, apparently well-made and have individual switches.

[ThaidDown]

I buy the Tesco own-brand strip adaptors. They are reasonably priced, apparently well-made and have individual switches.

If from Tesco suggest that you check that it is wired correctly before use.

Had one that was wired with Earth and neutral reversed.

Previously posted here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/701921-extension-socket-incorrectly-wired/

[Pib]

I buy the Tesco own-brand strip adaptors. They are reasonably priced, apparently well-made and have individual switches.

If from Tesco suggest that you check that it is wired correctly before use.

Had one that was wired with Earth and neutral reversed.

Previously posted here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/701921-extension-socket-incorrectly-wired/

That's assuming he bought one that was a three-wire strip versus the more popular two-wire strip with no Earth/Safety wire.

[Spoonman]

I only use the "Data" brand ones from the 7/11. nothing can kill them.

The one pictured below is from my FishPond. it lives in a sealed container however one afternoon cleaning my pond (i had to turn off the pumps) I accidentally left the top off the container and as it happens it rained over night.

Next morning whilst out in the garden I could hear water boiling...... yep the lidless "sealed" container was full off water.

All pumps still working and fish happily swimming around .

[KittenKong]

I buy the Tesco own-brand strip adaptors. They are reasonably priced, apparently well-made and have individual switches.

If from Tesco suggest that you check that it is wired correctly before use.

Had one that was wired with Earth and neutral reversed.

The ones I get are the regular three-pin three-wire sort with individual switches but no extra surge protection, phone protection etc. I think I paid about 120-150B for a 5-way one.

My "test" is to plug in a table lamp first and see if any sparks fly when it is turned on. My 10 year old condo has no wires connected to the earth pins in the wall sockets anyway!

[Pib]

Sounds like the fuse on your Data power strip was defective, otherwise it would have blown and killed power to the pumps--Yeap, those Data strips are high quality.

In the larger stores where they have many different power strips side by side it's easy to see many of the strips are physically identical with the exception of the name label (i.e., Data) stuck in the area where the name label is applied. And Data is one very commonly sold in most stores. Pretty much companies such as Data will contract with some Chinese company to build them X-thousand, put the Data or whatever company's label on the strip along with some packaging, and the strip gets sold. Other, than the labeling it's probably physically and electrically identical to at least a dozen other company's power strips to include that fuse or circuit breaker that may not blow/trip even when the strip is immersed in water.

For me when I buy a new power strip the first thing I do is open it up to check for proper wiring and add some Varisters/MOVs for better surge protection.

[attrayant]

Although not a guarantee, one thing that can help identify a good power strip is sheer weight. The cheapest ones feel like they're made out of thin plastic and air with tinfoil contacts. The heavier ones will be using higher quality brass spring contacts that don't deform over time.

Plugmold is a good low-profile power strip but it's meant for more permanent situations like workbenches.

http://www.cesco.com/b2c/product/185689

Edited April 17, 2014 by attrayant

[kokesaat]

Like the op, I had a variety of problems with strips here.....so when I went back to the US on a visit, I tried to buy a multiple outlet strip with individual on/off switches for each plug. NO HAVE! And I checked many many stores. All had a single on/off switch controlling everything plugged in.

So that left me wondering.......why? Is there something that prohibits a strip from having multiple on/off switches?

Even here in Thailand, the highest quality strips I've seen (Belkin, I think) have only a single on/off switch.

[attrayant]

Generally speaking, switches are seen by engineers as having a very high mean time between failure rate (a common metric that is tracked by UL Labs, abbreviated 'MTBF'). Therefore, increasing the number of switches in your product generally increases the likelihood that it will fail and need in-warranty service or replacement. A single, high-reliability switch is added to some power strips, but more than one just increases both the manufacturing cost and after-sale liability.

Furthermore, poor-quality switches can fail in such a way that their contacts are still closed (meaning that a plugged-in device is still energized), while giving the consumer the belief that the device is powered off.

In summary, more switches generally means a more expensive and less safe design.