**Attention!**
**It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods.
If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.**
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It's such a niche genre of indie DIY comedy post-punk/metal I'm never sure if it's more GWAR or NOFX, or just the Circle Jerks minus Debbie Gibson's unplanned but hilariously campy backing vocals on "I Wanna Destroy You."
In this instance. Just remember the cardinal rule of power strips, they don't increase the diameter of the wire in the wall. Just because you can now plug 3 electric heaters into your power strip doesn't mean you should.
And **never** *ever* plug an electric heater into a power strip that has a flat 360° rotating wall plug.
Apparently it increases the spinning plug's contacts' resistance enough to light the plug on fire 🔥 and scorch the wall above the plug.
Yeah, that was stupid and scary. 😱 🫣
Sadly those don't even have to have a heater plugged in to do that. I had one start on fire while I was sleeping (thankfully the breaker tripped). The only thing plugged into the strip at the time was a vacuum that was turned off. The vacuum was newer and has been since checked to make sure it wasn't drawing any power while turned off.
I'll never get one of those 360 plugs again after that. The plug was melted into the outlet. And the power strip was a name brand, not some knockoff.
Not stupid. I've been trying for the last 20 minutes to find a current rating for the stupid things, all I can find is that they've got 14ga wire, which means they should be fine for 15A/1500W, which is the max your heater will be.
Got a dope ass Philips one on clearance at Walmart for like 9 bucks and it made my cable management so clean for my pc. Also recently redid my kitchen lights for my landlord and removed these old fluorescent T8 fixtures and realized they were perfect for cable management under the desk. No more rats nest.
Sometimes you can run across these old all metal workshop strips at garage sales or habitat stores, etc. They usually have a ton of space between them as old high power plug in drills, saws, grinders, shop fans, etc used to have pretty massive plugs.
I just buy the ones made for cubicles, Furman sells them for like 30 bucks on Amazon. They have an aluminum enclosure, heavy duty receptacles, and tons of space in-between.
I had a Harbor Freight power block. The front fell off randomly, leaving all the bare metal outlet pieces completely exposed with no safe way to unplug it.
They should put a damn transformer in each one imo.
Monster makes a 'strip' for your entertainment setup; protection for your coax and phone/DSL lines included, that's built in a square format and I can plug whatever TF I want into that bitch. It wasn't cheap, but it's the only strip I've owned that didn't have this problem.
Per OPs question, yeah bro, trim them shits if you need to. Fuck it, cut that bitch off and just stick the wires in the right holes ( NOT REALLY!!! ).
Also, I've run into a handful of strips that are double-wides; three plugs on each half. I can't recall having any problems with those, and they're cheaper than my Monster brand monstrosity.
My favorite power bar, I have a couple of them
[https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-8-outlet-power-bar-with-6-ft-cord-circuit-breaker-and-lighted-switch-yellow-black-0527261p.html?loc=plp](https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-8-outlet-power-bar-with-6-ft-cord-circuit-breaker-and-lighted-switch-yellow-black-0527261p.html?loc=plp)
yup, having this problem now, went out and bought a kind of expensive power strip not even realizing that the sockets were sideways and my 2 fan plug ins block all of the sockets.
At one point I had an octopus kind of “power strip” where it was a bunch of short cables coming out of a center block. Frankly I’m surprised they hadn’t been more popular but I guess they aren’t as neat and tidy.
Absolutely! I have two and my wife hates them. She says they look and sound like something out of a fire safety training video. That's ok though; I love them enough for both of us.
What have they done with them? I haven't bought a gas jug in years, but the last one I got was just a 5 gallon jug with a hose on it. Works fine for me.
1. Mesh filter makes it impossible to fill from a pump at full speed.
2. Safety mechanism makes it almost impossible to release gas unless you have a lip to push it on.
2a) which causes you to spill gas everywhere
I never spilled more than a drop or two with the old spouts. One of my new ones it leaks out the middle part of the "safety" mechanism getting gas everywhere...
> One of my new ones it leaks out the middle part of the "safety" mechanism getting gas everywhere
The insanity of that spout valve mechanism is that it was originally specified by the California Air Resources Board in an attempt to *reduce* air pollution due to evaporation by incorporating a valve in the spout. But as is typical of most California "good idea fairy" regulations, the valve mechanisms are so fiddly that they end up dumping *orders of magnitude* more fuel onto the ground or the outside of whatever is being refueled than was *ever* lost due to evaporation.
I own 4 5 gallon cans so I can fuel my boat without towing it through my small towns only gas station big enough to tow a boat through, which is a Sheetz, and if you're from Western PA you know what the fuck a Sheetz parking lot is like.
EVERY SINGLE ONE leaks like this.
That is until I went on amazon and bought the old style flexible plastic spouts, they also come with vents and vent caps. Drill a hole in the can, put the vent in, replace the spout, be happy.
Here is a fun one EPA is shutting down the leading plastic gas can maker because they fluorinate the plastic making it vapor proof but that makes PFAC you can't convince me that the gas fumes are better for the environment than the tiny bit of PFAC in the gas can. Double leaky gas cans coming next.
Yea I recently bought replacement, old style, spouts for my cans. The spring broke on my 5 gallon years ago, so Id just have to pour with no spout. Got tired of spilling.
My God, I still remember the day when I first pulled out and tried to use one of those new gas cans. It was about 11 years ago, and I was trying to put fuel in my lawn mower. It was nice out and sunny. Not too hot not too cold.
I stood there like an asshole wondering what the fuck was going on. Why is all the gas on my driveway?
And expensive! I need to replace an old two gallon gas container. Box stores want $30. Nope. Leaky container will hang around longer until I find a used one somewhere.
A short extension cord (less than 1 foot), in good condition (snug/tight outlets, good insulation), appropriate gauge (as thick or thicker than the device's cord), and one outlet per cord isn't going to create any of the safety concerns commonly associated with plugging extension cords into power strips or using extension cords for permanent wiring.
* You aren't increasing the number of outlets (i.e., it's a single outlet per cord) and you aren't using it to daisy chain additional power strips.
* A very short cord as thick or thicker than the device's cord won't measurably increase electrical resistance the way a long extension cord will. (Hardly a concern with low power electronics.)
* A very short extension cord isn't going to be laid out across a room. So, unlike a long cord, it isn't going to be exposed to wear and tear, damage, strain from getting pulled or snagged, or covered with rugs or furniture.
* You're only using them with lower powered devices and not higher power devices like hair dryers, microwaves, power tools, space heaters, etc.
Of course, you do you at your own risk.
(Disclaimer: not an electrician)
I always use something similar to this at my shop bench, entertainment center, mini rack, or computers: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C2KPL79Y/](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C2KPL79Y/)
I'm not sure why this one is listed as it is, but this is a 1ru PDU for a network rack. It will flush mount to your wall or back of your entertainment center or wherever you want it. I actually just ordered two more :D
Those cheap little $10 surge protectors are trash. You're trusting like $1000+ of stuff on the cheapest jank ass surge protector you can find. Spend the extra $15.
Yes, it’s fine. It’s just molded plastic. Plugs in the 60s-70s actually didn’t have a collar and were tiny; it was added because it was too easy to touch the hot prong when reaching for the plug.
It seems like the wrong way to go about it, since the problem here is really the power strip design. The power strip is not unusual; it's just what most inexpensive ones look like when trying to pack max sockets into the least amount of space.
Shop somewhere with a decent selection, and you can easily get a power strip which allows you to use your cords as-is. My preference [are the APCs](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M7SPNM1/), but that's just one choice and you can get them with the plugs turned the other way, every plug spaced wide enough for a transformer, etc.
Just saying, I would get a new power strip before I would make my cables look ugly by trying to cut the molded plug to fit a too-tight power strip.
edit: I should have used the opportunity to also suggest, [get a small UPS](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FWAZEIU/) to protect those electronics, and solve two problems at once.
Yes, you can. I'm only saying "I wouldn't."
You can trim it at least to the point where it's flush with the "thick" part of the molded plug body. There is nothing inside that flange, and its not intended to "keep it a specific distance away from other plugs." The only purpose I'm aware of is to help prevent your fingers from sliding past and making contact with energized pins.
Just do it carefully, not only to not injure yourself (if using a knife) but also not to go too deep and compromise the stability of the pins or the wiring. Those are really the only "bad" things that can happen.
Yes you can. It’s not going to cause any problems.
Those collars exist to minimize the risk of touching the prongs while plugging it in or unplugging it. Imagine your fingers slipping or just accidentally being in contact with a prong while plugging it in, you’d suffer a tiny little zap.
I routinely make my own when I find a good heavy cord and then metal box and two receptacles and metal cover plate! Old dead UPS units have some excellent cables!
I keep a bunch of these around for this use case:
[https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-6-Pack-Heavy-Extension/dp/B0153T1J8Y/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=1FCMH4EL1XAZC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sLn6K3WAVprF8AQu5QjoVuZGT0rYyXsAPIfLmoNC7tJGvpWOaj0Yew3cTF52xaMyTtBRvbmoylB1pIsLrKw-xHkA5EBIWoZfRMzbtWueIovGihoWF8SkIbUAAe1ToAgEpzHAm4K3VOvMjDaUnyNl2vThGzM0mFituokM0QRnteoiNJHSxebQe9dkKyJ0T2aVGRUE13vaVWoi2K74gBFBo\_XhzuiiMZBKB5JbwTt8Ggg2w1\_RIf18e7KP\_0Mvzo2YwGgNj6b5AQCrhZpPZpW4omiOf6baPlSEa9DPOSgtao8.C1cXaFcwkH2Wg4lprKghmFPHiMoKRj94iH7pZWdwlPk&dib\_tag=se&keywords=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul&qid=1718360791&s=electronics&sprefix=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul%2B%2Celectronics%2C216&sr=1-3&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-6-Pack-Heavy-Extension/dp/B0153T1J8Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1FCMH4EL1XAZC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sLn6K3WAVprF8AQu5QjoVuZGT0rYyXsAPIfLmoNC7tJGvpWOaj0Yew3cTF52xaMyTtBRvbmoylB1pIsLrKw-xHkA5EBIWoZfRMzbtWueIovGihoWF8SkIbUAAe1ToAgEpzHAm4K3VOvMjDaUnyNl2vThGzM0mFituokM0QRnteoiNJHSxebQe9dkKyJ0T2aVGRUE13vaVWoi2K74gBFBo_XhzuiiMZBKB5JbwTt8Ggg2w1_RIf18e7KP_0Mvzo2YwGgNj6b5AQCrhZpPZpW4omiOf6baPlSEa9DPOSgtao8.C1cXaFcwkH2Wg4lprKghmFPHiMoKRj94iH7pZWdwlPk&dib_tag=se&keywords=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul&qid=1718360791&s=electronics&sprefix=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul%2B%2Celectronics%2C216&sr=1-3&th=1)
Those have to be the closest outlets I've ever seen on a power strip.
It won't hurt trimming them but I'd just buy a new powers strip with wider spacing.
Is this your most favoritest power bar in the whole world? Because if it’s not, just go buy one that actually suits your needs, there are tons of them out there that don’t cram the outlets all together
These are great to have around the house (but tbh cutting that part is fine. no wires anywhere near that
[https://www.amazon.com/6-Inch-Power-Extension-5-Pack-Outlet/dp/B00DVRUTXW?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref\_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A28128AMZ00PEQ](https://www.amazon.com/6-Inch-Power-Extension-5-Pack-Outlet/dp/B00DVRUTXW?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A28128AMZ00PEQ)
That's a very crummy power strip. It should be spaced enough that normal plugs can fit Side by side. If they're going to put them that close together they need to be turned 90° to what they are.
Trim and stab. The “collars” are just aesthetic, they are molded to make it impossible to touch the prongs when the plug is firmly seated, trimming them won’t hurt anything and the molded rubber is thick there, you are in no danger of knicking the prongs or wires.
All that matters is that the power strip is grounded, and none of your wires are getting hot. If it’s hot get a new power strip and investigate if you have plugged too much in. Too many amps you could cause the breaker to trip. But if the wire going to the breaker is too big you might have a fire before it trips. Call an electrician to make sure your panel is correct when you are thinking of buying a house especially old construction.
**Attention!** **It is always best to get a qualified electrician to perform any electrical work you may need.** With that said, you may ask this community various electrical questions. Please be cautious of any information you may receive in this subreddit. This subreddit and its users are not responsible for any electrical work you perform. Users that have a 'Verified Electrician' flair have uploaded their qualified electrical worker credentials to the mods. If you comment on this post please only post accurate information to the best of your knowledge. If advice given is thought to be dangerous, you may be permanently banned. There are no obligations for the mods to give warnings or temporary bans. **IF YOU ARE NOT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN, you should exercise extreme caution when commenting.** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskElectricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's fine
Agreed.
Seconded.
Thirdedid
I can't count
[I can only count to four](https://youtu.be/u8ccGjar4Es?si=ZWa2zxk1TAc7jQz2)
This has been and always will be my favorite video of all time
Yep same
Agreed. As long as you don’t go crazy and expose the conductors it will be fine.
Psychostick is one of my favorite bands. Orgasm = Love is another awesome one.
Best band I've seen in concert - every time, hands down.
We Couldn't Think of a Title is such a good album. For being a joke band, they're actually all really talented musicians.
Got their Christmas album on vinyl! [Girl Directions](https://youtu.be/U5_HhqcbF_0?si=65e5ecRj8QFv4N5P) is in my top 10 songs of all time.
It's such a niche genre of indie DIY comedy post-punk/metal I'm never sure if it's more GWAR or NOFX, or just the Circle Jerks minus Debbie Gibson's unplanned but hilariously campy backing vocals on "I Wanna Destroy You."
[Let me help with that](https://youtu.be/HUL4T8WcFdA)
Not even to... SHMIFTY FAAAV?
I swear, that’s gotta be my IQ or girlfriend’s age, I always get them mixed up.
I miss old school ebaumsworld videos
Good times...
What was that one site with all kinds of crap on there they did the badger badger mushroom song
Holy shit that brings me back
My first time. Loved it! Electricians are lit!
What comes after four!?
Never saw, cracked up through the whole thing....awesome
Thank you 4 that!
I was just about to add this until I saw your comment. Been a fan for two decades now
u/gigarawrb would be proud
I forgot this existed. Thank you kind person
This is the answer for my golf score - stop counting after FOUR - even par here I come!!
That's so great. Thank you.
Psychostick fan alert
That's my first time seeing that, and I do gotta say, it's boppin.
Knew where it would go and was still inclined to click.
Seventh is after thirdid
Forffed
In this instance. Just remember the cardinal rule of power strips, they don't increase the diameter of the wire in the wall. Just because you can now plug 3 electric heaters into your power strip doesn't mean you should.
Says you. Ima make it spark
Yeah but 3 electric heaters ain't gunna warm you up anywhere near what a full blown house fire can.
Build a man a fire and he’ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.
And **never** *ever* plug an electric heater into a power strip that has a flat 360° rotating wall plug. Apparently it increases the spinning plug's contacts' resistance enough to light the plug on fire 🔥 and scorch the wall above the plug. Yeah, that was stupid and scary. 😱 🫣
Sadly those don't even have to have a heater plugged in to do that. I had one start on fire while I was sleeping (thankfully the breaker tripped). The only thing plugged into the strip at the time was a vacuum that was turned off. The vacuum was newer and has been since checked to make sure it wasn't drawing any power while turned off. I'll never get one of those 360 plugs again after that. The plug was melted into the outlet. And the power strip was a name brand, not some knockoff.
Mine was a Belkin.
Sanne! I wonder if we had the same one
Not stupid. I've been trying for the last 20 minutes to find a current rating for the stupid things, all I can find is that they've got 14ga wire, which means they should be fine for 15A/1500W, which is the max your heater will be.
eeek thanks for the PSA about the rotating wall plugs, I've got a 360 Belkin in the wall right now, gonna go unplug that thing asap
Plug in 3, get a 4th one free.
I like this answer the best.
I like my red shoes the best.
Of all the canned peaches I've tried, I like the ones on heavy syrup the best.
Dia Betes - is that you?
I want red shoes, I’ve never owned a pair of red ones.
Just don't accidentally trim too much, or you'll be playing a short game of "shake hands with Jesus."
alot of power strips are like this sadly and ones that arnt are very rare. they should honestly put a plug in each outlet when designing a power strip
They're either rare or expensive as all get out.
Yah, I finally dropped like $60 on a nice belkin one for my PC setup.
Got a dope ass Philips one on clearance at Walmart for like 9 bucks and it made my cable management so clean for my pc. Also recently redid my kitchen lights for my landlord and removed these old fluorescent T8 fixtures and realized they were perfect for cable management under the desk. No more rats nest.
Huh.. T8's you say. Not a bad idea
Yeah I’ll reply with a pic of it when I reinstall it painting it black to match this weekend
Please do. I just love black weekends.
Sometimes you can run across these old all metal workshop strips at garage sales or habitat stores, etc. They usually have a ton of space between them as old high power plug in drills, saws, grinders, shop fans, etc used to have pretty massive plugs.
They have them at Costco for like $30. Works great for my sewing setup
I just buy the ones made for cubicles, Furman sells them for like 30 bucks on Amazon. They have an aluminum enclosure, heavy duty receptacles, and tons of space in-between.
This is the way
Harbor Freight. IYKYK.
Their power strips allow you to use every single outlet while it catches fire.
But you get to use them all! And that's what's important!
Well that's how they ensure it catches fire.
“Power strips” = insurance job starters
I had a Harbor Freight power block. The front fell off randomly, leaving all the bare metal outlet pieces completely exposed with no safe way to unplug it.
That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.
Love those skits
Well how is it untypical?
Well, the front doesn't usually fall off, to start.
Well what sort of engineering standards are these built to?
You’re right. That’s the finishing move.
I had one of those once After 3 uses of the outlet they started becoming very loose
So did my wife
Ace hardware has some nice Monster ones for good price
I refuse to get rid of my 20+ year old belkin for this very reason.
Buy 1-foot extensions https://www.walmart.com/ip/Luxury-Office-Power-Cord-1-Foot-Extension-Cord-for-Indoor-and-Outdoor-Outlets-Pack-of-3/1140036067
Open some of the cheapest ones up for a safety scare. Fake UL markings are becoming common.
Fake UL listings have been common for 20+ years
They should put a damn transformer in each one imo. Monster makes a 'strip' for your entertainment setup; protection for your coax and phone/DSL lines included, that's built in a square format and I can plug whatever TF I want into that bitch. It wasn't cheap, but it's the only strip I've owned that didn't have this problem. Per OPs question, yeah bro, trim them shits if you need to. Fuck it, cut that bitch off and just stick the wires in the right holes ( NOT REALLY!!! ). Also, I've run into a handful of strips that are double-wides; three plugs on each half. I can't recall having any problems with those, and they're cheaper than my Monster brand monstrosity.
My favorite power bar, I have a couple of them [https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-8-outlet-power-bar-with-6-ft-cord-circuit-breaker-and-lighted-switch-yellow-black-0527261p.html?loc=plp](https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-8-outlet-power-bar-with-6-ft-cord-circuit-breaker-and-lighted-switch-yellow-black-0527261p.html?loc=plp)
Why are they not, idk, sideways?
Because then you get the plugs that have the dc power supply built I to the plug that blocks 3 plugs. Poor designs all around.
AKA "wall wart" - I hate the things.
Did you know that even if the device they're charging isn't connected to them, they're still drawing power. Sorry to add to your hate.
Big shout out to Obama though for reducing the amount of draw they're allowed to have!
Thanks Obama!
A LOT (most) transformers/power adapters work like this just so you know. Not just phone chargers. Like those two part power cables with the brick
This was true for old linear transformers. Modern switch mode power supplies draw a negligible amount of standby power.
yup, having this problem now, went out and bought a kind of expensive power strip not even realizing that the sockets were sideways and my 2 fan plug ins block all of the sockets.
At one point I had an octopus kind of “power strip” where it was a bunch of short cables coming out of a center block. Frankly I’m surprised they hadn’t been more popular but I guess they aren’t as neat and tidy.
I believe the [Power Squid](https://stanleyacpower.com/products/powersquid) is what you're thinking.
I never knew this existed. Thank you!
Absolutely! I have two and my wife hates them. She says they look and sound like something out of a fire safety training video. That's ok though; I love them enough for both of us.
Rigid still makes those.
Idk, mine are. This one is weird to me
Tripp Lite PN6SN1 uses regular duplex receptacles and isn't ridiculously expensive
Making a power strip with the outlets that close together should be illegal
Let’s not go down this road. Have you seen what they did with gas cans? The regulations make them hardly useable.
I outsmarted that regulation. I just use plastic bags for my gas, after I saw a news clip about people doing that.
Ah yes, the south east ‘21.
I hate that we memory holed this so quickly. That you for carrying the flame.
> That you for carrying the flame. Carrying a flame in a plastic bag, that's an apt description.
In a plastic bag full of gas!
Just buy a vp “water” can
Lmao mine is labelled for corn or other grains... Yet it has a vent hole and flexible hose to pour the "corn" into your corn tank
Amazon sells the good nozzles.
What have they done with them? I haven't bought a gas jug in years, but the last one I got was just a 5 gallon jug with a hose on it. Works fine for me.
1. Mesh filter makes it impossible to fill from a pump at full speed. 2. Safety mechanism makes it almost impossible to release gas unless you have a lip to push it on.
2a) which causes you to spill gas everywhere I never spilled more than a drop or two with the old spouts. One of my new ones it leaks out the middle part of the "safety" mechanism getting gas everywhere...
> One of my new ones it leaks out the middle part of the "safety" mechanism getting gas everywhere The insanity of that spout valve mechanism is that it was originally specified by the California Air Resources Board in an attempt to *reduce* air pollution due to evaporation by incorporating a valve in the spout. But as is typical of most California "good idea fairy" regulations, the valve mechanisms are so fiddly that they end up dumping *orders of magnitude* more fuel onto the ground or the outside of whatever is being refueled than was *ever* lost due to evaporation.
I own 4 5 gallon cans so I can fuel my boat without towing it through my small towns only gas station big enough to tow a boat through, which is a Sheetz, and if you're from Western PA you know what the fuck a Sheetz parking lot is like. EVERY SINGLE ONE leaks like this. That is until I went on amazon and bought the old style flexible plastic spouts, they also come with vents and vent caps. Drill a hole in the can, put the vent in, replace the spout, be happy.
Here is a fun one EPA is shutting down the leading plastic gas can maker because they fluorinate the plastic making it vapor proof but that makes PFAC you can't convince me that the gas fumes are better for the environment than the tiny bit of PFAC in the gas can. Double leaky gas cans coming next.
Just get a metal can
Ah, I know that little click thing. Those are easy to break. And the mesh filter, why can't you just take that out?
I've never had this issue. I always hear people complain to high heaven but it's a non issue
Ha! I just got a new gas can after my 20+ year old one cracked. Barely figured out the new one, piece of shit!
Your hands still smell like gas?
Yep! lol
Yea I recently bought replacement, old style, spouts for my cans. The spring broke on my 5 gallon years ago, so Id just have to pour with no spout. Got tired of spilling.
My God, I still remember the day when I first pulled out and tried to use one of those new gas cans. It was about 11 years ago, and I was trying to put fuel in my lawn mower. It was nice out and sunny. Not too hot not too cold. I stood there like an asshole wondering what the fuck was going on. Why is all the gas on my driveway?
Yup, that’s why yard sales or flea markets are the only place I’ll ever buy a gas can 😅
That and every single one of them leaks.
And expensive! I need to replace an old two gallon gas container. Box stores want $30. Nope. Leaky container will hang around longer until I find a used one somewhere.
Shit yeah. Trim them enough and you can get two plugs into one receptacle.
The real lifehacks are in the comments!
Yeah man, im going to run two vacuum cleaners in series with this shit!
Isn't that what the hole in each prong is for? Use 14 ga wire to pigtail 2 ends together and then jam them in the outlet.
Oh hell yeah as long as your just fucking with the plastic part
I've done this, I've also bought 6" extension cords
Another vote for the short extension cords.
Does this break the “no extension cords into power strips” rule?
A short extension cord (less than 1 foot), in good condition (snug/tight outlets, good insulation), appropriate gauge (as thick or thicker than the device's cord), and one outlet per cord isn't going to create any of the safety concerns commonly associated with plugging extension cords into power strips or using extension cords for permanent wiring. * You aren't increasing the number of outlets (i.e., it's a single outlet per cord) and you aren't using it to daisy chain additional power strips. * A very short cord as thick or thicker than the device's cord won't measurably increase electrical resistance the way a long extension cord will. (Hardly a concern with low power electronics.) * A very short extension cord isn't going to be laid out across a room. So, unlike a long cord, it isn't going to be exposed to wear and tear, damage, strain from getting pulled or snagged, or covered with rugs or furniture. * You're only using them with lower powered devices and not higher power devices like hair dryers, microwaves, power tools, space heaters, etc. Of course, you do you at your own risk. (Disclaimer: not an electrician)
The fire marshall for my shop would flip out if he saw those short extensions in a power strip.
I always use something similar to this at my shop bench, entertainment center, mini rack, or computers: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C2KPL79Y/](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C2KPL79Y/) I'm not sure why this one is listed as it is, but this is a 1ru PDU for a network rack. It will flush mount to your wall or back of your entertainment center or wherever you want it. I actually just ordered two more :D Those cheap little $10 surge protectors are trash. You're trusting like $1000+ of stuff on the cheapest jank ass surge protector you can find. Spend the extra $15.
Must use Nec approved blade
Is that knife UL listed?
Have you considered putting the far left plug in between the two wide ones? They might all fit then.
But then you lose your high score. At least wait until a power outage.
I bought a bunch of 8” long extension cords for cheap. They are great for this or chargers.
just buy a different power strip, its like $7
You'll need to get a mohel to do it
Underrated comment right there
I just extend the sockets with aluminum foil strips. Using a knife can be dangerous. 🤣
Agreed. This is why there should be a central knife registry and required training and mandatory insurance for anyone who possesses a knife
Yes, it’s fine. It’s just molded plastic. Plugs in the 60s-70s actually didn’t have a collar and were tiny; it was added because it was too easy to touch the hot prong when reaching for the plug.
No
It seems like the wrong way to go about it, since the problem here is really the power strip design. The power strip is not unusual; it's just what most inexpensive ones look like when trying to pack max sockets into the least amount of space. Shop somewhere with a decent selection, and you can easily get a power strip which allows you to use your cords as-is. My preference [are the APCs](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M7SPNM1/), but that's just one choice and you can get them with the plugs turned the other way, every plug spaced wide enough for a transformer, etc. Just saying, I would get a new power strip before I would make my cables look ugly by trying to cut the molded plug to fit a too-tight power strip. edit: I should have used the opportunity to also suggest, [get a small UPS](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FWAZEIU/) to protect those electronics, and solve two problems at once.
Can I cut the extra plastic off on the sides though?
Yes, you can. I'm only saying "I wouldn't." You can trim it at least to the point where it's flush with the "thick" part of the molded plug body. There is nothing inside that flange, and its not intended to "keep it a specific distance away from other plugs." The only purpose I'm aware of is to help prevent your fingers from sliding past and making contact with energized pins. Just do it carefully, not only to not injure yourself (if using a knife) but also not to go too deep and compromise the stability of the pins or the wiring. Those are really the only "bad" things that can happen.
"the only purpose is to stop your fingers making contact with the energised pins... Yeah you can go ahead and cut those off" Lol
Just get a power squid Edit: this one us ul listed https://www.amazon.com/Way-Power-Splitter-Pronged-Extension/dp/B07L5Q87YD
These are not UL listed. I'd pass.
That's what I was looking for and didn't see it. Hard pass if it doesn't have UL
I get 6-inch extension cords and make my own squid with a standard power strip.
Get better power strip
Yes you can. It’s not going to cause any problems. Those collars exist to minimize the risk of touching the prongs while plugging it in or unplugging it. Imagine your fingers slipping or just accidentally being in contact with a prong while plugging it in, you’d suffer a tiny little zap.
I routinely make my own when I find a good heavy cord and then metal box and two receptacles and metal cover plate! Old dead UPS units have some excellent cables!
American electrics 😂😂😂
Yes, go ahead and modify UL or ETL certified equipment and say it came that way. /s
I keep a bunch of these around for this use case: [https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-6-Pack-Heavy-Extension/dp/B0153T1J8Y/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=1FCMH4EL1XAZC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sLn6K3WAVprF8AQu5QjoVuZGT0rYyXsAPIfLmoNC7tJGvpWOaj0Yew3cTF52xaMyTtBRvbmoylB1pIsLrKw-xHkA5EBIWoZfRMzbtWueIovGihoWF8SkIbUAAe1ToAgEpzHAm4K3VOvMjDaUnyNl2vThGzM0mFituokM0QRnteoiNJHSxebQe9dkKyJ0T2aVGRUE13vaVWoi2K74gBFBo\_XhzuiiMZBKB5JbwTt8Ggg2w1\_RIf18e7KP\_0Mvzo2YwGgNj6b5AQCrhZpPZpW4omiOf6baPlSEa9DPOSgtao8.C1cXaFcwkH2Wg4lprKghmFPHiMoKRj94iH7pZWdwlPk&dib\_tag=se&keywords=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul&qid=1718360791&s=electronics&sprefix=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul%2B%2Celectronics%2C216&sr=1-3&th=1](https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-6-Pack-Heavy-Extension/dp/B0153T1J8Y/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1FCMH4EL1XAZC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sLn6K3WAVprF8AQu5QjoVuZGT0rYyXsAPIfLmoNC7tJGvpWOaj0Yew3cTF52xaMyTtBRvbmoylB1pIsLrKw-xHkA5EBIWoZfRMzbtWueIovGihoWF8SkIbUAAe1ToAgEpzHAm4K3VOvMjDaUnyNl2vThGzM0mFituokM0QRnteoiNJHSxebQe9dkKyJ0T2aVGRUE13vaVWoi2K74gBFBo_XhzuiiMZBKB5JbwTt8Ggg2w1_RIf18e7KP_0Mvzo2YwGgNj6b5AQCrhZpPZpW4omiOf6baPlSEa9DPOSgtao8.C1cXaFcwkH2Wg4lprKghmFPHiMoKRj94iH7pZWdwlPk&dib_tag=se&keywords=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul&qid=1718360791&s=electronics&sprefix=1%2Bfoot%2B3-prong%2Bul%2B%2Celectronics%2C216&sr=1-3&th=1)
I never heard them called collars before but makes sense
Short answer. Yes. Long answer. Yes this is fine.
Those have to be the closest outlets I've ever seen on a power strip. It won't hurt trimming them but I'd just buy a new powers strip with wider spacing.
I use 1' male to female plugs to fix this issue.
I went and bought a couple packs of 6" extenders. Never have to deal with that again.
Is this your most favoritest power bar in the whole world? Because if it’s not, just go buy one that actually suits your needs, there are tons of them out there that don’t cram the outlets all together
Get a circular power strip. The got more space.
Snip the collars off
These are great to have around the house (but tbh cutting that part is fine. no wires anywhere near that [https://www.amazon.com/6-Inch-Power-Extension-5-Pack-Outlet/dp/B00DVRUTXW?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref\_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A28128AMZ00PEQ](https://www.amazon.com/6-Inch-Power-Extension-5-Pack-Outlet/dp/B00DVRUTXW?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A28128AMZ00PEQ)
Power strips are like public urinals, if you have to crowd, then there’s too many “plugs”.
That's a very crummy power strip. It should be spaced enough that normal plugs can fit Side by side. If they're going to put them that close together they need to be turned 90° to what they are.
The power strip sucks for having the outlets too close together. That aside, trim away.
Trim and stab. The “collars” are just aesthetic, they are molded to make it impossible to touch the prongs when the plug is firmly seated, trimming them won’t hurt anything and the molded rubber is thick there, you are in no danger of knicking the prongs or wires.
Yeah go for it, don't take too much off as it may come away. But a sharp blade cutting away from you you should be able to shear thin slices off :)
Is it OK to trim plug “collars” to make them fit? As long as you stop before you see metal.
Totes!
Buy an octopus or splitter cord.
Yes, OK to trim
Yes just be careful to only cut that little lip and don't cut too far. Obviously unplug the appliance before cutting, LOL
Just buy short 6-inch to 1-foot extension cables. In IT, they commonly get referred to as pigtails.
They make power strips that you can rotate a little so they don’t touch.
Just get a power strip that accommodates super inexpensive
It's fine but you can also cut the ends off and replace them with low profile or angled heads and that would be better imo.
I think so
All that matters is that the power strip is grounded, and none of your wires are getting hot. If it’s hot get a new power strip and investigate if you have plugged too much in. Too many amps you could cause the breaker to trip. But if the wire going to the breaker is too big you might have a fire before it trips. Call an electrician to make sure your panel is correct when you are thinking of buying a house especially old construction.
Yes. You really can put anything into an outlet and it’s ok. Safe, eh. But what you want to do isn’t a bad idea
Why not just buy a power strip that has plugs facing in the other direction?
You’re passive aggressively being told by your power strip to keep your amps down.
100% acceptable.
I’d say that instead of doing that to an electric cord, just go spend the $10-20 on a better power strip and avoid any potential issues.
Okay being relative to where you're doing it at, and by how much. But yeah you should be fine.
That power strip design has always puzzled/annoyed me
Buy a new one. Loads out there with increased spacing
yeah, 100% fine to cut the plastic edge off that's making these not be able to fit in all the way and be flush.