# Power Strip/Extension Board



## insaneYLN (Feb 2, 2015)

Hello everyone.


I am looking to purchase a power strip/extension board; without spike/surge protection functionality, manufactured by a reliable brand and offering a decent warranty; preferably of one year, and sporting four to six universal sockets with individual switches, similar to the image posted below.
The power strip/extension board will be connected to a UPS.


Presently, I have three units of _MX MDR Electronics' MX-2727_, depicted in the image below. However unfortunately, the plastic body of one unit has cracked; on one of its sides, and a switch of a particular socket; of another unit has malfunctioned. Hence, I am reluctant to buy the aforementioned type of product from MX MDR Electronics, again.
*i.imgur.com/xuc5ULE.jpg


I await your valuable responses.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 2, 2015)

any specific reason that you don't want the surge protection utility? i've been 2 belkin ones and 2 nutronic ones, all working well. one of them is a wall-hanging unit.


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## insaneYLN (Feb 3, 2015)

insaneYLN said:


> The power strip/extension board will be connected to a UPS.





GhorMaanas said:


> any specific reason that you don't want the surge protection utility? i've been 2 belkin ones and 2 nutronic ones, all working well. one of them is a wall-hanging unit.


  @GhorMaanas, I have been under the impression that it is inadvisable to connect a surge protector to a UPS and vice versa.


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## topgear (Feb 3, 2015)

connect the surge protector to the wall socket, connect the UPS to it and connect any other non mission critical pc components like speaker to the spike guard. All the rest with the ups like monitor, psu and modem. Otherwise you can use this :
GM 3045-SQUARE 3 PIN FLEX BOX 4 mtr. (with handle, indicator & international socket): Amazon.in: Home & Kitchen


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## insaneYLN (Feb 3, 2015)

topgear said:


> connect the surge protector to the wall socket, connect the UPS to it and connect any other non mission critical pc components like speaker to the spike guard. All the rest with the ups like monitor, psu and modem. Otherwise you can use this :
> GM 3045-SQUARE 3 PIN FLEX BOX 4 mtr. (with handle, indicator & international socket): Amazon.in: Home & Kitchen


  @topgear, I believe it is inadvisable to connect a surge protector to a UPS, and a UPS to a surge protector.


Presently, I am not using a desktop system, but contrarily, laptop(s). I have a 650VA UPS with three outlet sockets (the standard norm), as such on to which, I intend to connect three individual power strip boards; sporting multiple universal sockets with individual/dedicated switches. It is on these universal sockets; of the power strip boards, that I will eventually connect the AC adapters of - laptop(s), router, phone(s), desktop hub, HDD enclosures, etcetera, but assuredly, not mission critical PC components. I am aware, I must not overload the UPS. However, if such a circumstance occurs, I will certainly purchase a UPS; sporting a higher capacity and output ratings.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 3, 2015)

AFAIK, it may not be really needed to connect a spike-guard to a good UPS, but its also not said to be inadvisable rigidly. a good UPS alone should be able to handle some spikes, as well as a spike-guard; though i think both would fail if the surge was really high. i have connected my TV directly to a 'spike-protected' outlet on my APC UPS, while i use a spike-guard to connect an amp, the STB, and a media player. for my PC, i have a large Belkin spike-guard connected to a Microtek UPS, which then powers various devices like the CPU, monitor, printer, speakers, a gaming console, etc. also, at the power inlet to the house, we have an inverter. the PC, TV, fans, etc. are handled by it. so i don't think that its imperative not to connect a spike-guard to a UPS, but perhaps redundant, esp. since in my case i have an inverter, but i didn't want to take any chances, plus was getting the spike-guard in an offer, so didn't think much of it. and yes, my inverter is connected to the mains via a spike-guard again.

regarding my PC, i haven't yet encountered any battery-issues with the UPS, due to connecting a spike-guard to it. may be if i face any, would then think about it, but won't fiddle with it if it ain't broke! check these 2 links. might help you to decide (the 2nd one has what you are suspecting; however, not sure if the same can be said for other brands' UPS units):

How to connect TV, Surge protector, UPS?

Frequently Asked Questions


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## insaneYLN (Feb 4, 2015)

*Appropriate Surge Protector/Spike Guard*



GhorMaanas said:


> AFAIK, it may not be really needed to connect a spike-guard to a good UPS, but its also not said to be inadvisable rigidly. a good UPS alone should be able to handle some spikes, as well as a spike-guard; though i think both would fail if the surge was really high. i have connected my TV directly to a 'spike-protected' outlet on my APC UPS, while i use a spike-guard to connect an amp, the STB, and a media player. for my PC, i have a large Belkin spike-guard connected to a Microtek UPS, which then powers various devices like the CPU, monitor, printer, speakers, a gaming console, etc. also, at the power inlet to the house, we have an inverter. the PC, TV, fans, etc. are handled by it. so i don't think that its imperative not to connect a spike-guard to a UPS, but perhaps redundant, esp. since in my case i have an inverter, but i didn't want to take any chances, plus was getting the spike-guard in an offer, so didn't think much of it. and yes, my inverter is connected to the mains via a spike-guard again.
> 
> regarding my PC, i haven't yet encountered any battery-issues with the UPS, due to connecting a spike-guard to it. may be if i face any, would then think about it, but won't fiddle with it if it ain't broke! check these 2 links. might help you to decide (the 2nd one has what you are suspecting; however, not sure if the same can be said for other brands' UPS units):
> 
> ...


  @GhorMaanas, thank you very much for the informative links, and addressing my queries.


The UPS I currently have, is a *Numeric Digital 600 EX*. I reckon, I will perhaps try with a dedicated surge protector/spike guard unit. I looked at the ones made by Belkin, but the universal sockets do not sport individual/dedicated switches. I am looking for something identical to the _iBall SP-4005_; depicted in the image posted below.
*i.imgur.com/FrRaISb.png
  

I await your suggestions/recommendations.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 4, 2015)

welcome!
for such strips, iball/nutronic should be fine. i have been using a strip from the latter since quite some time (having individual switches). although the build quality is not at par with the belkin one, but since its placed undisturbed and inconspicuously at one corner of my desk, i don't get concerned about it. if you are not in an urgency to have all the 3 strips together immediately, i would suggest to buy 1 such surge-protector first, attach it to the UPS, and see for a few days if the UPS-battery suffers due to it on power-outage, or if there's any (noticeable) difference between the MX strip you had and the new spike-guard in relation to the UP supply's performance. if none found, order 2 more guards. but if yes, then get just regular power-strips, and either sell off the spike-guard then on the forums, or use it elsewhere in your home. several regular strips are available online, atleast on ebay, though apart from MX, none of them seem to be from regular brands. the strips from reputed brands like huntkey, belkin, havells, etc., more-or-less all have surge-protection built in them for some reason or the other.

you may also visit your local market for the regular strips/extension cords. am sure you will find them in hoardes there, cheaper than what they are available on ebay for.


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## insaneYLN (Feb 4, 2015)

*Appropriate Surge Protector/Spike Guard*



GhorMaanas said:


> welcome!
> for such strips, iball/nutronic should be fine. i have been using a strip from the latter since quite some time (having individual switches). although the build quality is not at par with the belkin one, but since its placed undisturbed and inconspicuously at one corner of my desk, i don't get concerned about it. if you are not in an urgency to have all the 3 strips together immediately, i would suggest to buy 1 such surge-protector first, attach it to the UPS, and see for a few days if the UPS-battery suffers due to it on power-outage, or if there's any (noticeable) difference between the MX strip you had and the new spike-guard in relation to the UP supply's performance. if none found, order 2 more guards. but if yes, then get just regular power-strips, and either sell off the spike-guard then on the forums, or use it elsewhere in your home. several regular strips are available online, atleast on ebay, though apart from MX, none of them seem to be from regular brands. the strips from reputed brands like huntkey, belkin, havells, etc., more-or-less all have surge-protection built in them for some reason or the other.
> 
> you may also visit your local market for the regular strips/extension cords. am sure you will find them in hoardes there, cheaper than what they are available on ebay for.


  @GhorMaanas, once again, thank you very much for your advise and suggestions.


Unfortunately, the *iBall SP-4005* spike guard/surge protector is presently out of stock, on majority of the online stores. I called my local iBall authorised service centre, requested for the number of the iBall authorised store and consequently enquired with the latter, but to no avail. The local iBall authorised store too, does not have the aforementioned product in stock.
Albeit, there is one online store that seems to have it in stock, which is _100bestbuy_, IBall SP-4005 4 Port Surge And Spike Protector for Sale | Buy IBall SP-4005 4 Port Surge And Spike Protector | IBall SP-4005 4 Port Surge And Spike Protector on 100BestBuy.com. However, since I have no prior purchasing experience with the said online store, I am unable to vouch for its credential and/or authenticity.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 4, 2015)

mention not!
don't bother about 100bestbuy. more-or-less scam-site. get a pinnacle or nutronic one then.


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## topgear (Feb 5, 2015)

IMO it's better to avoid brands like i-ball, frontech and all other such cheap spike guards as the quality [ mostly the metal parts inside ] is not good enough. Better get Belkin, APC, or Luminous spike guards.


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 5, 2015)

huntkey is also a well-known brand in that, and older than belkin.


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## topgear (Feb 5, 2015)

yep, huntkey ain't bad but I prefer belkin over every others


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## Nerevarine (Feb 5, 2015)

Whatever you buy check ground pins first with a tester before pluggin in..


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## GhorMaanas (Feb 5, 2015)

topgear said:


> yep, huntkey ain't bad but I prefer belkin over every others



hehe. even i have never used huntkey, but belkin.


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## icebags (Feb 6, 2015)

just buy urself some good quality thick electrical wires, anchor or havells branded plugs, socket and a plastic extension box from an electrical shop. screw them all together, test it with line tester and u r good to go.

if want some protection, then add a 5A MCB. much better than most of those power strips.


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