This particular power strip has ground pins on the outlets, but they're not connected to anything , making the power strip both dangerous and illegal. OP should notify the seller and relevant authorities.
No, they're suggesting that selling a three pronged extension with disconnected ground is illegal. It is illegal and with good reason. A grounded device with a faulty ground can kill someone.
You can get 2 prong ones... They look similar to Christmas tree wiring. I've never seen them in "power strip" form... Just extension cables with 3 outlets on the end... Some even with a slot so a grounded plug can go in. You can also buy 3->2 prong adapters for "external grounding".
Also, depending on what you plug into it, the device itself might complain about a missing ground connection.
Of course, if you're looking for other issues, you might have to take it apart, but just checking if everything is connected the way it's supposed to can be done non-invasively.
The amount of people I need to explain this to is the mildly infuriating part.
One time when packing up after a LAN party, a friend of mine grabbed my surge protector instead of his power strip. A couple days later I was like "Hey we swapped some gear by mistake. I think you took my surge protector and I have your power strip" and he was was like "Oh well I already set my computer back up at home, so maybe we just keep them because it's the same thing"
Nah, my dude. Mine is an expensive surge protector that I put my expensive computer equipment on. Yours is a $10 power strip from the bargain bin at Home Depot and I would never plug things I care about into it.
He did swap back with me but acted like it was such a bother.
Be sure to use an online type that always powers the output via the batteries, rather than a backup type the switches to battery after the input looks bad.
APC used to be rock solid; I have a unit by my foot that's had the battery changed 3 times, once after a nasty power surge / lightning storm, the other two times after a decade of use. IIRC it's a 2001 model. Replacement battery was $22 last time I changed it, just after covid.
25 Comments
Harvey656@lemmy.world · 32 pts · 14d
NEVER cheap out on these. Get you a good surge protector, it can save your life and home.
CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de · 10 pts · 14d
Amazon, temu, wish etc. are all complicit.
RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 14d
It's a power strip not a surge protector.
reddig33@lemmy.world · 32 pts · 14d
It should still be properly grounded.
RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world · -26 pts · 14d
That's not generally how they are sold. A power strip looks like this. A surge protector is grounded.
klangcola@reddthat.com · 37 pts · 14d
Power strips can be grounded or ungrounded.
This particular power strip has ground pins on the outlets, but they're not connected to anything , making the power strip both dangerous and illegal. OP should notify the seller and relevant authorities.
RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world · -12 pts · 14d
Are you suggesting that a 2 prong power strip/extension cord would be illegal? Because they definitely sell those.
StupidBrotherInLaw@lemmy.world · 34 pts · 14d
No, they're suggesting that selling a three pronged extension with disconnected ground is illegal. It is illegal and with good reason. A grounded device with a faulty ground can kill someone.
reddig33@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 14d
Is that something regional? Because in the US, power strips are often sold as grounded. Examples:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/8-in-1-6-Outlet-5-ft-Power-Strip-with-2-USB-Ports-White-LTS-P02/329675198
https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-6-ft-2-Outlet-Braided-Cord-Power-Strip-with-1-USB-A-and-1-USB-C-White-YL-36C/328532018
Product details: “Grounded outlets” “Power strip”
BlackVenom@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 14d
You can get 2 prong ones... They look similar to Christmas tree wiring. I've never seen them in "power strip" form... Just extension cables with 3 outlets on the end... Some even with a slot so a grounded plug can go in. You can also buy 3->2 prong adapters for "external grounding".
RoidingOldMan@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 14d
If you take them apart like OP, I wonder if they are really grounded.
LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz · 8 pts · 14d
You don't need to take them apart, you can just plug in an outlet tester.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_outlet_tester
Also, depending on what you plug into it, the device itself might complain about a missing ground connection.
Of course, if you're looking for other issues, you might have to take it apart, but just checking if everything is connected the way it's supposed to can be done non-invasively.
Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · -1 pts · 14d
Could go either way.
I think a surge protector needs the ground to detect the surge.
I own many power strips that are grounded, but have zero surge protection. These are commercial-grade units with built in, real circuit breakers.
I have a bunch of cheap ones with ground too.
I don't buy surge protectors. They fail in weird ways.
MIDItheKID@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 14d
The amount of people I need to explain this to is the mildly infuriating part.
One time when packing up after a LAN party, a friend of mine grabbed my surge protector instead of his power strip. A couple days later I was like "Hey we swapped some gear by mistake. I think you took my surge protector and I have your power strip" and he was was like "Oh well I already set my computer back up at home, so maybe we just keep them because it's the same thing"
Nah, my dude. Mine is an expensive surge protector that I put my expensive computer equipment on. Yours is a $10 power strip from the bargain bin at Home Depot and I would never plug things I care about into it.
He did swap back with me but acted like it was such a bother.
mojofrododojo@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 14d
friends like this aren't friends, they're jerks waiting to use people adjacent to them.
M137@lemmy.today · 6 pts · 14d
I recommend IKEA for anything like this on the cheaper end.
reddig33@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 14d
magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 4 pts · 14d
My apartment has fucked wiring, its killed things through decent surge protectors.
At this point all of my computers that I run daily are on APC UPS's.
Good luck nuking shit through one of those.
twkm@programming.dev · 4 pts · 14d
Be sure to use an online type that always powers the output via the batteries, rather than a backup type the switches to battery after the input looks bad.
CubitOom@infosec.pub · 2 pts · 14d
I've gone through a lot of APC products. They don't seem to last in my experience.
But I agree a proper UPS / PDU is important for a computer.
For the cheaper things, I really like Tripp Lite ISOBAR surge protectors.
LodeMike@lemmy.today · 7 pts · 14d
You have to replace the batteries every 2-3 years
CubitOom@infosec.pub · 0 pts · 14d
Yeah, I've honestly have had better luck with battery longevity of other brands like CyberPower
magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 14d
I usually don't buy a ups unless I can off the shelf battery replacements.
LodeMike@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 14d
Which you can do for CyberPower
mojofrododojo@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 14d
APC used to be rock solid; I have a unit by my foot that's had the battery changed 3 times, once after a nasty power surge / lightning storm, the other two times after a decade of use. IIRC it's a 2001 model. Replacement battery was $22 last time I changed it, just after covid.
JelleWho@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 14d
I always buy the ones marked with either 3680W or 2.5mm2