But, surge protectors cost much more than a normal power strip because of the specialized circuit used to protect your electronics. There are outlets for you to plug your devices in, and typically an on/off switch as well. It’s worth mentioning that most surge protectors work just like a power strip, many times they look like a really buff power strip. Redirecting this power means your device won’t get fried. You can think of it like a valve that only kicks on when higher than normal electricity is detected. A surge protector is a type of electrical socket that – believe it or not – protects your device from a surge.They use a specialized circuit that redirects spikes of electricity right into the ground without going through the electrical device. The idea of a surge protector might be a little confusing at first. Your outlet doesn’t have infinite energy that it has to offer. It makes sense when you think about it: all of this power is coming out of a single outlet. For reference, floor heaters should never be plugged into a power strip. Your device can also get overloaded if you plug in the wrong kind of device. Putting in too many devices that require too many watts can result in overheating, electrical failure, and even an electrical fire. If you’re not sure, the wattage is printed somewhere on the power strip’s box and on the bottom side of the strip itself.
In a typical 120V home, a standard power strip can handle up to 1800 watts (the same as the wall outlet). Keep in mind, power strips can only handle a certain amount of watts. Who doesn’t love extra outlets? You can think of it like an extension cord on steroids. The purpose of a power strip is to give you extra outlets to plug things into. The cable plugs into an outlet in your wall, and then the strip gives you multiple outlets to power your devices.Įverything you plug into the outlets on the strip will be powered by the outlet it plugs into on the wall. It has a cable on one end, and nothing on the other end. It’s a long strip with a bunch of outlets in it. A power strip is something you might have seen a thousand times already.