Hi all.
Without getting an electrician to install too many extra sockets, does anyone have suggestions for alternative power distribution systems in a studio? Maybe something along the lines of a conditioner?
…or am I stuck with having to find an electrician?
Ta!
Loads of shops sell this kinda thing:
Audio suppliers and server system supplies both stock similar ones. The audio shops tend to be the ones catering to venue installation rather than musicians and synth nerds. The server shop people tend to have longer ones for mounting vertically at the back of a tall rack, as well as 19” horizontal mount ones. You can get them with your country’s standard sockets on the front, or IEC spec device connectors (e.g. euro kettle leads).
I haven’t got around to buying one yet so I have no recommendation for shops or suppliers.
Units with per-socket switches are much harder to find, if you want such a thing. Many of them have some amount of surge protection and/or power conditioning. I don’t understand that stuff enough to make recommendations.
Search for “rack power distributer” and variations.
I use something very similar to this, and nothing has blown up yet
Depends on your power needs but like above I’m using standard extensions (with surge protection). I don’t use a conditioner and haven’t noticed any issues.
In the UK each individual socket (if wired properly) can provide 13amps - so any number of sockets attached to that, even chaining, is fine as long as it doesn’t exceed that load. Keep in mind also that most of your devices will use less than what their adapters can provide, so your load is probably lower than it might seem.
If you have a proper studio you might be hitting your limits pretty quick - for that I’d want more sockets in the wall because anything you do past the socket can’t increase your yield anyway.
Edit: I just noticed the power strip posted above has a 10A rating, so you might need to pay attention to that acually, especially if you wanted to chain strips, as that becomes your new weakest link.
Hadn’t noticed that, shouldn’t have posted that link probably!
This is the actual one but no longer for sale it seems
Just be sure not to plug a surge strip into another surge strip. Not good, and unfortunately, I see it all the time. Also, if using extension cords, go with a heavier gauge on longer distances.
Ah not heard that before, what’s the issue there? Not sure how surge circuitry works.
I use a couple of these 12ways.
Good quality german brand - https://cpc.farnell.com/brennenstuhl/1951523600/extension-socket-12-way-3m/dp/PL14407
Not entirely sure to be honest. I was told by a very large firefighter when I was a kid. That, and I’ve seen the warning on the surge strips as well.
haha fair enough.
My understanding is that the general advice for not chaining extension leads is due to the fact that it can become easy to overload the socket - not due to the chaining but due to the fact you’re plugging more things in. This was especially an issue in the past when electrical devices were much less efficient.
Unless there’s something specific about surge protection it should be the same there. But it’s still good advice.
That said if you’re buying a 10 gang extension you could just as easily overload the socket so I think it’s much more prudent to be wary of the amperage in use than anything else.
Yes just pay attention to the power your devices use and try split the loads between a few 12 way extensions(each plugged into own socket on wall).
A power meter is quite a handy tool to be sure your ok. - UK Plug-in Electricity Power Consumption Meter Energy Monitor Watt Kwh Analyzer | eBay
All I know, or at least I think I know. Longer runs and chaining extensions create resistance. It’s why they can feel hot to the touch. Heavier gauge extension cords can help reduce this.
Someone way smarter than I can hopefully correct my thinking.
That probably makes sense - I don’t think chaining itself will cause that though, that would be a byproduct of the additional length created.
I feel like chaining itself is fine, it’s the problems you can create by chaining that are the issue.
That’s splitting hairs though isn’t it 
I think it’s best to avoid either way, especially these days you don’t need more than 12 sockets on an extension, fire isn’t fun.
This could be a good signature for all of my posts
That strip is all wrong. The holes should be facing in a different direction so when you plug in something bulky the bulky part goes over the nearby holes so dust doesn’t go inside those holes.
sounds like it could be one of three possible issues: 1) the outlets in your room aren’t spaced well enough throughout the room to get power to everything you want to without using extension cords or daisy-chaining outlet strips (or both!). or 2) you’re concerned that you’re attempting to draw too much power for the circuit. or 3) you’ve got issues with the quality of the power in the room.
case #1: yes it may be worth your while to speak with an electrician to get more outlets installed. you could possibly use outlet strips with longer cables (e.g. I have some ten-outlet strips, each with 15ft cables). but as mentioned, avoid daisy-chaining these or using extension cords.
case #2: purchase a device to measure how much current you’re pulling. if it’s at/over/near the limit of the circuit, you should speak with an electrician about giving your space a dedicated circuit, if possible. or move something else that’s on that circuit (e.g. a power hungry home appliance) to another circuit.
case #3: likely bad grounding or interference. a conditioner could help. if not: electrician.
How many sockets on your walls?
How many things do you want to power?
Alternative strategy
Firefighters told me that plugging a surge strip into another overloads the strips. A four sockets strip, for example, is made to feed four devices, if you plug another four sockets strip into it you make it feed seven devices and it can overload and became too hot.
This doesn’t really make sense though because any given device has different power needs, both in terms of amperage and voltage.
You can overload a power strip with 1 device if it needs enough wattage, or you could have four 5v USB devices plugged into it and it won’t even know you’re home - there’s not really such a thing as a device limit, and the wires inside the adapter don’t know the difference between a solder joint and a plug socket.
Edit: I found something potentially interesting
The trouble is that not every fuse will blow. Sometimes, they’re such low quality in a low-budget multiway extension that the fuse fails to trip and then the extension is running too many amps. With low-quality sockets on inferior extensions, the sockets themselves can become faulty. A circuit overloads and ultimately, an electrical fire can be created due to the amps exceeding the capability of the components to handle it.
This makes sense - so it’s about the socket itself being a point of failure, and you’re essentially adding more points of failure - you want to keep that as ‘flat’ as possible, so more gangs on a single extension is safer.
Yes, but: