Electrical code here in the USA specifies 14Ga wire in 15 amp circuits and
12Ga on 20 amp circuits. All the wire in a given circuit must be of the same
size, you cannot branch a 15 amp circuit and run 16Ga wire to the downstream
locations.

Thus no matter how many power strips are used the current limit is still
safe for the wire. But this code is only enforced during construction, and
only on the wires that are permanently installed.

The potential problem occurs when several power strips are connected
together in series. If an inferior one, capable of say ~10 amps, is used
closest to the outlet, the downstream load may exceed the 10 amps. Then you
have a dangerous situation because the total load is still below the trip
point for the circuit breaker in the electrical panel.

-Denny



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Ferrell" <johnferrell@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 10:38 PM
Subject: Re: [OT:] good power distribution


> Most of the wall plug circuits have 15 amp circuit breakers and 14 or 16
> gage wire. Any way you get to15 amps trips the breaker.
>
> I am not aware of it being any hazard.
>
> John Ferrell
> 6241 Phillippi Rd
> Julian NC 27283
> Phone: (336)685-9606
> johnferrell@earthlink.net
> Dixie Competition Products
> NSRCA 479 AMA 4190  W8CCW
> "My Competition is Not My Enemy"
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Howard Winter" <HDRW@H2ORG.DEMON.CO.UK>
> To: <PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 2:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [OT:] good power distribution
>
>
> > (OT tag added)
> >
> > On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 20:17:40 +1200, Hopkins wrote:
> >
> > > House just down the road had a fire in there lounge
> > because a multibox got
> > > over loads :-{
> > > So be careful.
> >
> > This had never occurred to me before - the American
> > wiring scheme, where the only fuses/breakers are at the
> > distribution box, means that there's nothing to stop you
> > adding dozens of multi-way socket-strips to each other,
> > and plugging into a single wall socket.  So nothing
> > technical stops an overload until you exceed the whole
> > circuit's rating - have I go this right?
> >
> > (As a matter of interest, in Britain we have fuses in
> > each plug, with a maximum of 13A - approximately 3kW -
> > so you can't exceed this via any single socket because
> > extension leads/multiway strips have a fuse in their
> > plug too).
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Howard Winter
> > St.Albans, England.
> >
> > --
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