The Safest Power Strip!

derekleffew

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Wet Circuits - The Safest Power Strip
 
100% money back guarantee? Does that include rebuilding your venue after it burns down from the subsequent electrical fire? Or the sizable out-of-court settlements with the 3 people injured by an electrified pool of water they stepped into?
 
Sounds like another way to rip people off?

"patented" this and that.
"no blue sparks", and other things said are very vague in how they are achieved.

In Canada arc-fault circuit breakers are mandatory (for new installs) in sleeping areas of a residential occupancy. This prevents pretty much any of the things they talk about.
And most power-strips are made of insulating materials for the majority now-a-days anyways.

I'd rather just use a GFCI and have done with it. A good cheap effective solution, and if you throw in an AFCI you protect against arcs too (however sometimes switches and other things such as motors will set these off).
 
Sounds like another way to rip people off?

"patented" this and that.
"no blue sparks", and other things said are very vague in how they are achieved.

In Canada arc-fault circuit breakers are mandatory (for new installs) in sleeping areas of a residential occupancy. This prevents pretty much any of the things they talk about.
And most power-strips are made of insulating materials for the majority now-a-days anyways.

I'd rather just use a GFCI and have done with it. A good cheap effective solution, and if you throw in an AFCI you protect against arcs too (however sometimes switches and other things such as motors will set these off).
I believe the NEC requires AFCI in bedrooms also.
 
I like the last bit: If you unplug 3 times a day, it will last 18 years. Now lets get real, how many of you have actually had the same power strip not get damaged in a more permanent way (run over by a forklift/pallet jack/name your heavy object, dropped from a catwalk/balcony, stepped on by an overly large person, painted by some dude with a spray can and no masking tape) for 18 years?
 
I have never seen any power strip or outlet at least in my area that has arc protection. and the only time I've ever seen water fault breakers is when its within 2 feet from a water source.

Im pretty sure GFCIS are pretty standard in garages, kitchens, bathrooms, pool areas, outdoor outlets, and maybe basements where im from, and since GFCI protection usually only requires one outlet to have the device in it, and most rooms have several connected outlets for one circuit, my guess is most new installs just go GFCI for the entire house. Doesnt really cost that much more and its a bit safer.
 
Im pretty sure GFCIS are pretty standard in garages, kitchens, bathrooms, pool areas, outdoor outlets, and maybe basements where im from, and since GFCI protection usually only requires one outlet to have the device in it, and most rooms have several connected outlets for one circuit, my guess is most new installs just go GFCI for the entire house. Doesnt really cost that much more and its a bit safer.

Not 100% for the NEC, but I know the CEC requirements. GFCIs are required in kitchens/bathrooms/laundry areas where within 1m of a sink/tub. In general all outside receptacles must be GFCI (except for example, those mounted face down in eves). Won't get into specific rules for pools, etc because you get into a fair number with some "not withstanding"s.

In general in a kitchen most receptacles are 15a splits, save for those within 1m of the sink which are required to be 20a t-slot GFCIs. Garages are not required to be GFCI protected in general.

I've never seen a whole building GFCI protected, and I've wired a lot of houses. I've installed surge protection in the main panel however (which only offers limited serge protection really, should still use further protection on big-ticket electronics).

GFCI protection works by measuring the current on the "hot" and "identified" conductors and comparing them. If there is a discrepancy of a particular amount (enough to hurt someone) the breaker will then trip, cutting all power.
This is either achieved with a GFCI circuit breaker in the panel, feeding the circuit to be protected. Or with a receptacle(s) with a built-in GFCI "cut-off", which when wired correctly allows for protection on the rest of the receptacles down-circuit of the device (there are separate connection points for this, I guess you could think of them as "outputs" as opposed to "thrus").
 
You guys really are behind the times aren't you...
RCDs have been mandatory on final subcircuits feeding socket outlets and lighting points in domestic installations since at least the 2000 edition of the Wiring Rules. The 2007 rules extended the old rules of "increased risk of electrical shock" to the same blanket coverage in non residential installations.

In NSW we have just had OH&S legislation changes that will require all socket outlets in workplaces to become protected by RCD within 4 years, 12 months for higher risk equipment. Mandatory RCDs in homes came in a few years back...
 
New AFCI and GFCI regulations are in the 2008 edition of the NEC.
It is up to each state as to when (or if) they adopt it.
Top 10 Changes in NEC 2008 | 2008 NEC

Thats really interesting read. In the last revision of the CEC they added the mandatory 'tamper-proof receptacles' in residential occupancies, however we did not get mandatory GFCI/AFCI protection home-wide, it is still as it was before.

I remember when AFCIs first became mandatory in the CEC, some electricians hooked them on the bedroom lighting circuits (as they used to usually keep them together) and sometimes when you threw the switch it would set it off plunging you into darkness. Switches, especially as they age, can arc when thrown. The newer AFCIs do this much less however.
Thankfully now however electricians commonly keep lighting circuits and receptacles on different branch-circuits, not only for this fact but for future home automation and various lighting control systems (well some of) require it. I know I always run lighting separate from receptacles (save for small basement bathrooms and such).
 
Not really behind the times, I just didn't want to say it was absolutely required when I wasn't 100% sure. I know it was being done when I was still building houses, haven't banged a nail in four or five years, so I hedged my bets just a little. :) I have never allowed my electricians to do lighting/receptacle combo circuits.
 
New AFCI and GFCI regulations are in the 2008 edition of the NEC.
It is up to each state as to when (or if) they adopt it.
Top 10 Changes in NEC 2008 | 2008 NEC

I can confirm this, and confirm that Massachusetts has adopted it. I am moving into a brand new condo next weekend (Yay I'm a homeowner now!) just completed construction yesterday actually and I am the first tenant. My unit has AFCI breakers for every room including the Living Room and the Bathrooms and Kitchen have GFCI breakers.
 

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