Power strip switch on the wrong end?

[Rockin Mike]

You know how power strips generally have the on/off switch at the same end that the cord comes out? I'm looking for the opposite. Cord comes out one end and the switch is at the other. I want to put this in the rack along one side so the cord end is pointed out the back and the switch is easily reachable from the front of the rack.

Anybody know who makes such a beast?

[two fingers]

I did a search (quickly) and didn't find any. Here's the problem you run into. It's cheaper and easier to wire the switch before the receptacles. That way you don't have to run a wire all the way to the other end and back to break the circuit. So although I'm not saying they don't exist, from an economical standpoint, they may be hard to come by. Companies tend to build things the cheapest way possible. Good luck with your search.

[Rockin Mike]

yeah and I don't want to waste a rack space on a power strip of all things.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by Rockin Mike

yeah and I don't want to waste a rack space on a power strip of all things.

The ones I use are only a couple of inches in depth, easy to mount on the back rails. Somehow I can't imagine that You have both the front and the back rails full .

And if You mount it the way I think you're going to mount it, you'll lose 1RU (or 1/2RU) anyway.

The ones I use ATM are actually just regular extension strips on a 1RU mounting plate.
Didn't meet the hospital requirements so they had to replace 'em all.
I was happy to help in disposing of some of that waste .

Regards
Sam

[seamonkey]

Remote control type power strips.

http://www.powerswitchtail.com/Pages/default.aspx

Run a low voltage line to a toggle switch somewhere around the front.

[Rockin Mike]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Remote control type power strips.

http://www.powerswitchtail.com/Pages/default.aspx

Run a low voltage line to a toggle switch somewhere around the front.

What does it mean to run a low-voltage line to a toggle switch? I know what a toggle switch is but I see 3 connectors on the front of that device (1-in, 2-in, 3-ground) and where would the control current come from? batteries? Seems like a complicated solution to a simple problem.

[Rockin Mike]

I guess I could use something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/SVAT-WRC101-Wi...ol+power+strip


But I would be afraid a stray RF signal would turn the thing off in the middle of a set.

[Rockin Mike]

I talked to a tech at Tripplite and he said, just as two fingers said above, the only reason they don't make power strips with switches at the other end is that they would have to run wiring down to the end and back and it's more efficient (read: easier and cheaper) to put the switch between the cord and the first outlet.

So, I may just get an electrican to open up a regular surge suppressor and run a little cable out to a remote switch, or just take a strip with a long cord and make a u-turn with it. Just seems silly to have to do that.

I know there are rackmount units with the switch on the front, but the lightest of those is still around 5 pounds and takes up a rack space. Seems like a waste for something as simple as power.

[Rockin Mike]

Ya know, it wouldn't be silly for someone to make a "powered rack" with outlets, surge protection and a switch built right into the rack itself.

[seamonkey]

Originally Posted by Rockin Mike

What does it mean to run a low-voltage line to a toggle switch? I know what a toggle switch is but I see 3 connectors on the front of that device (1-in, 2-in, 3-ground) and where would the control current come from? batteries? Seems like a complicated solution to a simple problem.

There's instructions on the page. It wires up like a doorbell
Use a small power supply, like a cell phone charger. Put a toggle switch in series, then the voltage goes through the switch the power turns on, then the switch is off - the power is off.

I've seen racks with built in power strips but the difference in price costs more than the power strip is worth.

Myself, I tie wrapped a power strip in the back, I can reach around and flip it off.

[Rockin Mike]

Originally Posted by seamonkey

There's instructions on the page. It wires up like a doorbell
Use a small power supply, like a cell phone charger. Put a toggle switch in series, then the voltage goes through the switch the power turns on, then the switch is off - the power is off.

I've seen racks with built in power strips but the difference in price costs more than the power strip is worth.

Myself, I tie wrapped a power strip in the back, I can reach around and flip it off.

I'm sure I'll wind up doing the same thing with the tie wraps. Having to have power to turn on the power seems like at worst a catch-22 and at best the height of irony.

[Jazzdogg]

In my old PA rack, I wanted to do the same thing: rack-mount a power strip with the on/off switch conveniently located.

I installed a separate of/off switch where I wanted it, used it to switch the power on and off to an outlet inside the case, and plugged the power strip into the switched outlet. On the outside surface of the rack case, I installed an RV outlet that contained a male plug in a flush-mount weatherproof box to provide power to the switched outlet. To power up the rack, all I had to do was plug an extension cord into a convenient outlet, plug the female end into the RV receptacle, and flip a switch.

[TimmyP]

The cable doesn't come out of the strip, it goes in.

[Rockin Mike]

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

In my old PA rack, I wanted to do the same thing: rack-mount a power strip with the on/off switch conveniently located.

I installed a separate of/off switch where I wanted it, used it to switch the power on and off to an outlet inside the case, and plugged the power strip into the switched outlet. On the outside surface of the rack case, I installed an RV outlet that contained a male plug in a flush-mount weatherproof box to provide power to the switched outlet. To power up the rack, all I had to do was plug an extension cord into a convenient outlet, plug the female end into the RV receptacle, and flip a switch.

That sounds like it might work, but I'm not seeing the right thing when I google "RV Outlet". Do you have a link to the device?

[cica]

There are a lot of rack mount power strips; I've used some for my server rooms. Just google "rack mount power strips". There are many styles; some meant for transformers, some with the outlets in the rear. Check them out.

[Rockin Mike]

Can't see paying 30+ dollars, adding 5+ pounds to the rack and using up a space when I should be able to get a plain old power strip to do the same thing for 10 dollars, less than a pound and no rack space usage.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Rockin Mike

Can't see paying 30+ dollars, adding 5+ pounds to the rack and using up a space when I should be able to get a plain old power strip to do the same thing for 10 dollars, less than a pound and no rack space usage.

See, that's the thing. You want it cheap, and the cheap way to build them is with the switch right where the cord comes in. Beyond that, no one but you cares which end the switch is on, so where's the incentive for them to be built any other way? Life is tough sometimes...

I'll bet if you set your mind to it you could modify one to suit you. Drill a hole in the other end, add a bit of wire, some electrical tape, a little hot glue...

You want some real frustration? Try finding a consumer grade video camera (or any point and shoot digital camera, for that matter) with a viewfinder. Nobody makes them. Try shooting video or stills in bright sunlight with only an LCD display for monitoring. That's my personal rant.

[Rockin Mike]

Yeah I'm right there with you on the camera thing.

Still, I don't see how adding a few inches of wire to a power strip would raise the manufacturing cost.

And the switch on the "front" of the strip would be handy for a bunch of people. Anybody who ever ran a power strip to an outlet behind a bookshelf would appreciate being able to tuck most of it behind the shelf and just have the switch sticking out in easy reach.

Maybe that's somebody's million dollar idea.

[mjac28]

I personally wouldn't modify the power strip anything happens and you are on the hook for damages good luck with your search.

[Rockin Mike]

Yeah I'm just going to mount it with the switch facing forward and make a u-turn with the cord to get it out the back of the rack.