For most people, the most significant concern is ensuring sufficient energy supplies within the house and using the most affordable and quality devices. The best way to supply energy throughout the house and to power all the devices simultaneously is to use power strips. Power strips are not only needed for connections but are also critical for the device’s safety and for protecting the users from preventing power and fire hazards and accidents.
Selecting the right power strips for your electrical needs can be challenging as there are many brands to choose from and several fake products to distinguish from genuine products. As the market gets flooded by more devices, the selection gets complicated; however, these guidelines should help you select an ideal power strip.
Length and configuration
The next consideration is the length of the power strip cable since you can use the power strip in a different location in the house. You can decide how far you want to use the power strip from the power source; hence, you can increase the power cord length to ensure you can use it in different locations in the house. You can get various configurations, i.e., standards, rear-facing, front-facing, end-mounted and side-facing configurations.
The number of outlets
When selecting the right-angle power strip, you should focus on the number of outlets you need and where you plan to use the power strip. If you use it in the living room, ensure it has more outlets to connect devices such as entertainment devices, charge mobile phones, and for friends. You must ensure the power strip lets you connect as many devices as possible.
The outlets should enable you to connect and plug all the devices into the power strip without affecting the adjacent outlet. While increasing the number of devices to plug, do not connect one power strip to another. Connect the power strip directly to the power socket to prevent hazards such as electrical surges, which can lead to fires and short-circuiting.
Price Factors
Price is significant in various ways, i.e., helping you determine genuine power strips from fake ones. High-priced power strips tend to be high quality and reliable; however, not everyone may afford these, especially for bulk purchases and needs. Cheaper power strips also mean the strips are fake and not genuine hence the need to focus on affordability.
The other factor in ensuring you get genuine power strips is to focus on the brands you plan to buy from. Only select the power strips from genuine and reliable vendors. Also, select those that offer longer warranties, such as two years plus warranties. Other offers, such as money-back and replacement, should be guaranteed by the brand.
The equipment to use
Your equipment will determine the type of power strip you select based on the power and voltage capabilities. The power strip for the living room should differ from the one for the kitchen. The one in the kitchen should have a high voltage capacity and support high-power devices connected to one power strip. The power strips are designed for various needs, such as home and industrial usage hence the need to select carefully.
Due to their energy demands and capacities, you can use industrial power strips for all kitchen items such as fridges, microwaves, cookers, and other machines. You cannot use the home power strip for industrial needs such as garage and driveway repair lest you risk fires or the devices may not function. The power strips are usually marked uniquely; this can help you select which right-angle power strip to buy and use for various needs. Consider the power strip ratings vs. the ratings on the devices you plan to connect to the power strip.
Additional and safety features
When using the power strips, you should focus on the safety features to ensure users are safe from electric shocks and prevent power surges and electrical short-circuiting. The first safety feature is the casing to protect it from external environmental conditions such as extreme heat, humidity, and other environmental factors. The case should be indestructible when someone kicks and steps on the power strip.
The second feature is circuit breakers which can prevent excess power surges, which can easily trigger fires due to power surges. The circuit breakers will be significant to protect the devices so that in case of voltage rise, the circuit breaker will break the connection protecting the devices connected to the power strip. You must also select power strips designed for various environments; you can seek advice from stores and distributors. For example, choose GFCI-labeled power strips for the environment with higher humidity and in the external environment.
Besides the safety features, you should select strips offering additional features, such as USB outlets, to power and charge smaller devices. Besides the safety features, focus on those that are energy efficient and inspect them before use to ensure they are not damaged. For other safety features, focus on the guidelines to use suitable angle power strips accordingly since significant risks arise from human errors when using the strips.
Conclusion
With these factors, selecting a power strip for your industrial and household needs should not be challenging. You should focus on the devices to plug in and the power strip’s energy and voltage ratings to power the devices. Other factors to consider are safety and other additional features.
