Energy Education

Power strip: Difference between revisions

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[[File:PowerBar.jpg|300px|thumb|Figure 1: A [[power strip]] with its master switch.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Socket_5.jpg</ref>]]
[[File:PowerBar.jpg|300px|thumb|Figure 1: A [[power strip]] with its master switch.<ref>Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Socket_5.jpg</ref>]]
<onlyinclude>A '''power strip''' is a block of [[electrical outlet]]s that provide [[AC]] power to [[appliance]]s, computers, or any other electrical device.</onlyinclude><ref>TrippLite. (September 11, 2015). ''Power Strip Buying Guide'' [Online], Available: http://www.tripplite.com/products/powerStrip-Buying-Guide</ref> They are often used when multiple devices must be connected to a source of [[electricity]], and are used anywhere from casual home-entertainment to being depended on for vital hospital machines.  
<onlyinclude>A '''power strip''' is a block of [[electrical outlet]]s that provide [[AC]] power to any electrical device such as [[appliance]]s or computers.</onlyinclude><ref>TrippLite. (September 11, 2015). ''Power Strip Buying Guide'' [Online], Available: http://www.tripplite.com/products/powerStrip-Buying-Guide</ref> They are often used when multiple devices must be connected to a source of [[electricity]], and are used anywhere from casual home-entertainment to being depended on for vital hospital machines. They contain a master switch (Figure 1) which can be manually turned off when devices aren't in use.  


Power strips are useful for [[energy saving]], since they are able to prevent [[standby power]] being used by the devices connected to it. They contain a master switch (Figure 1) which can be manually turned off when devices aren't in use, and some are advanced enough to detect when devices are in standby mode.<ref>Collin Dunn. (September 11, 2015). ''"Smart" Power Strips: Helping to Stop Idle Current Now!'' [Online], Available: http://www.treehugger.com/gadgets/smart-power-strips-helping-to-stop-idle-current-now.html</ref> This reduces the [[energy]] used in a person's home, as measured by the home's [[electric meter]], and in turn can save money on the electricity bill.  
Power strips used to be useful for reducing 'vampire power', which was power wasted while electronics were turned off. This problem has been largely solved with improved electronics.


The power used by devices in standby mode can equate to nearly 10 percent of a home's total electricity use, although some newer household electronics are actually getting better about this. Worldwide, standby power is estimated to contribute to about 1 percent of total [[carbon dioxide]] [[emissions]].<Ref name=hsw>How Stuff Works. (September 11, 2015). ''How Smart Power Strips Work'' [Online], Available: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/smart-power-strip.htm</ref>
==For Further Reading==
 
* [[Electrical outlet]]
==Smart Strips==
* [[Electricity]]
 
* [[AC]]
Smart power strips are a smart alternative to normal power strips, as they can automatically cut the power to devices. There are many types that vary in how they accomplish this. The general idea is that once a device goes into standby mode, its power usage drops and is detected by the power strip, which correspondingly cuts power to only that device. There are typically 2 always-on outlets, which are used to plug in devices that rely on constant power.<ref name=hsw/>
* [[Energy saving]]
 
* [[Electrical load]]
For more information on smart strips, visit [http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-tech/sustainable/smart-power-strip1.htm HowStuffWorks].
* Or explore a [[Special:Random|random page]]


==References==
==References==
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Latest revision as of 20:55, 2 July 2026

Figure 1: A power strip with its master switch.[1]

A power strip is a block of electrical outlets that provide AC power to any electrical device such as appliances or computers.[2] They are often used when multiple devices must be connected to a source of electricity, and are used anywhere from casual home-entertainment to being depended on for vital hospital machines. They contain a master switch (Figure 1) which can be manually turned off when devices aren't in use.

Power strips used to be useful for reducing 'vampire power', which was power wasted while electronics were turned off. This problem has been largely solved with improved electronics.

For Further Reading

References

  1. ↑ Wikimedia Commons [Online], Available: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Socket_5.jpg
  2. ↑ TrippLite. (September 11, 2015). Power Strip Buying Guide [Online], Available: http://www.tripplite.com/products/powerStrip-Buying-Guide
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