[domesticity, tech] How much am I increasing the risk to my electronics? My building?

[siderea]

I have found my digital floor-plan of my apartment

Comments

[jadia]

I think it's okay provided you have a beefy enough extension cord to handle all the current you are planning to draw. If your power strip is rated to 15A and you can run everything okay through that, and you make sure to get a 15A or higher extension cord, then you should be good.

The risk comes when you are running 15A through an extension cord only rated to 10A. Then your extension cord can melt.

[siderea]

AHA! Thanks!

[londo]

Having just done some research on this - plugging extension cord A into extension cord B is not the end of the world

[siderea]

Cool beans! Thanks!

[sauergeek]

I have access to -- through work -- a clamp meter that can make a pretty good estimate of power going through a cable without unplugging anything. Send me email directly or indirectly (any email addy you have for me is likely still in operation) and we can arrange timing.

[boxofdelights]

I cannot answer your actual question, but if your bookcases have those cardboard backs, you could cut out a hole to access the outlet (once you are certain you have settled on the layout!) and plug the power strip directly into that.

[siderea]

!! Hadn't thought of that. Hmmm!

[ckd]

There are also flat-plug power strips available, like this one.

[chenoameg]

I believe she said she had some of those.

[siderea]

No, it's the flat-head extension cords I have, into which to plug the standing-head power-strips I have; he was suggesting I cut out the middleman, as it were, forgoing the extension cords altogether and just buying new power-strips, that are flat-headed. Which is definitely an option I hadn't been aware of.

[siderea]

! Thanks, I hadn't known about that. That may totally work.

Commercial versus consumer

[thetimesink]

I'm not going to quote code and such, just give you a potential "get out of jail free" card: In a commercial/business setting, "extension cords" are a big no-no (fire hazard due to wear and tear, overload, accidental weight placed on them); the easy solution is to use a "power strip". By definition, this will have a three-prong connector, a wrapped cord (sleeve around the wires for additional protection), and a circuit breaker on the connector block end. Amazon, the local office supply store, Best Bait-and-Switch come to mind.

If your outlets are only two-prong (no u-shaped ground below the prongs), that's when the landlord and a contractor come into play.

Questions welcomed.
cv: fire service, plant manager, IT. I use these at home exclusively. (I also don't use the surge protector versions where I have UPSssss installed).

[paradoox]

I believe the NEC (National Electric Code) allows two prong outlets to be replaced with three prong GFCI outlets which is pretty easy. Of course if those outlets wind up behind bookcases, you now have a different problem.

I like the idea of cutting holes in the backs of bookcases or flat extension cords. Sadly I don't think I've ever seen a 12 or even 14 gauge flat plug extension cord.