Power supply??

Mythbusters actually tested the hairdryer in the tub electrocution, and if I recall they did get lethal amount of current through their test rig. 120V isnt usually enough to kill you, lessen you're wet and your bodys resistance is lower than normal. I've actually passed several hundred thousand volts through my body demonstrating high frequency tesla coils (not that that is related to the topic at hand).
 
Its not voltage that kills is the amperage. Static electricity is in the thousands of volts, but it won't kill you. Same thing if you've ever shocked yourself by touching a spark plug wire on a running engine.

For the sake of the thread, like stated its a disclaimer so they are not liable. Defiantly use a GFI plug. It could save your life.

Also you can chain power strips together without a problem. Just make sure not to exceed the current rating of the lowest rated power strip in the series.
 
No, do not chain power strips together. Bad idea.
 
Yes current is what kills you, but it requires voltage for that current to flow. For example the car battery in my truck is rated at 1,000 cranking amps. But at only 12V you can grab right on to it no prob. Voltage sets the stage, current finishes the job.

As long as you dont chain more than a couple its fine to chain them, thats an old myth.
 
rbishop said:
No, do not chain power strips together. Bad idea.
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Why is this a bad idea? Lets say the first power strip is rated at 10amps, as long as you don't exceed this with the devices you plug into the first power strip and what you plug into the power strip chained to this one there is no problem. The power strip is meant to handle a max of 10 amps and it will function just fine.

What do you think outlets are around your room. They are all chained together. You start at the breaker box and run wire to the first outlet, goes to the next and so on. Everything is rated for lets say 15 amps (common household circuit) and there is no hazard. Its when you exceed this rating that the problem occurs.
 
rsw686 said:
Why is this a bad idea? Lets say the first power strip is rated at 10amps, as long as you don't exceed this with the devices you plug into the first power strip and what you plug into the power strip chained to this one there is no problem. The power strip is meant to handle a max of 10 amps and it will function just fine.

What do you think outlets are around your room. They are all chained together. You start at the breaker box and run wire to the first outlet, goes to the next and so on. Everything is rated for lets say 15 amps (common household circuit) and there is no hazard. Its when you exceed this rating that the problem occurs.
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The difference between your house outlets and a daisy chain of power strips is that the former is wired in parallel and the latter is in series. So while the load of things plugged into your wall outlet loads the whole circuit, stuff plugged into a series of power strips is loading every power strip before it in series. So it's easier to overload the first strip in the series past its rating very easily.

There isn't a manufacturer of power strips that recommends daisy chaining and most industry and offices discourage this practice as it's a fire hazard. As do most fire departments.

So in daisy chained power strips, it's possible to overload the wiring of the first strip so much the insulation will melt and allow arcing, which can start a fire. I'd much rather be safe than sorry.
 
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Soulcoffr said:
The difference between your house outlets and a daisy chain of power strips is that the former is wired in parallel and the latter is in series. So while the load of things plugged into your wall outlet loads the whole circuit, stuff plugged into a series of power strips is loading every power strip before it in series. So it's easier to overload the first strip in the series past its rating very easily.

There isn't a manufacturer of power strips that recommends daisy chaining and most industry and offices discourage this practice as it's a fire hazard. As do most fire departments.

So in daisy chained power strips, it's possible to overload the wiring of the first strip so much the insulation will melt and allow arcing, which can start a fire. I'd much rather be safe than sorry.
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When you plug something into one outlet you load all the wiring and every outlet before it. They don't run a wire from the breaker to each outlet, it is chained by wire caps or by hooking multiple wires onto one outlet as you go down the circuit. You can easily overload the circuit by exceeding the rating of the breaker and wiring. This is your job to pay attention to what you run on a circuit. A circuit breaker is there for protection, but will not trip unless you exceed the rating long enough for the bi metal strip to heat up and break connection. You can still have the potential to burn your house down if you overload your house circuit, breakers wear out over time as well. Not to mention copper wire used over the rated capacity will break down over time.

Power strips are wired in parallel. Hot and neutral never cross in chaining a power strip together. The lowest rated powerstrip (based on the wire and components used in it) is the max capacity you can run through the device. You can easily add the amperage ratings of your aquarium devices and determine if you are under this capacity or not. Its up to the individual, thats why manufactures don't recommend this as the major of power strips do not have built in circuit breakers.

However if you plugged two high current devices into one power strip you could overload that strip as well. I could have 5 power strips chained together running clock radios and be way under the current rating. Manufactures figure this will be less of a problem if you only use one power strip. There is a power strip on the market that is two chained together and is sold. I will post the link in a few.

Heres the link http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006HRT1/ref=nosim/veryclever-20 This is no different than hooking multiple power strips together. I have one of these and it works great.

If you buy quality power strips this isn't even a problem. If the power strip is rated the same as your household circuit there is no way to overload it as you would technically trip the house circuit breaker.

Just stating my opinion. Anybody reading this thread and choose to do what he/she feels is right.
 
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rsw686 said:
If you buy quality power strips this isn't even a problem. If the power strip is rated the same as your household circuit there is no way to overload it as you would technically trip the house circuit breaker.

Just stating my opinion. Anybody reading this thread and choose to do what he/she feels is right.
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Daisy chaining outlet strips is still discouraged by fire officials and building designers, and the reason is, some people aren't as cautious as you might be. While many clock radios connected to a daisy chain might not be a hazard, several pumps, lights, heaters and the like could be.

Also, house wiring tends to be more robust than that in an outlet strip. In general... although older houses can be an exception.

All I'm saying is that it's a dangerous practice. People can easily overload the strips without realizing what they're doing. While you have every right to express your opinion, I'm exercising mine to disagree. And you are correct that everyone can choose what is right for themselves. Differing opinions can help them do that.
 
Plecosterone said:
An easy way to solve the problem is to put a GFI breaker in the panel itself then everything on the ciruit is protected.
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Yep thats the easiest, but its hard to retrofit. You need both hot and neutral wires running to the breaker. The breaker will have another netural wire coming out to terminate. In most cases the existing neutral probably won't be long enough unless you rearrange breakers as the neutral and ground normally terminate in the neutral ground bar and are put at where is convenient for the electrician. In sub panels they terminate on separated neutral and ground bars on opposite sides of the breaker panel so you don't have current flowing down the ground back to the main panel. Hopefully some of this makes sense.
 
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