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power strips (leave them on or off)

Controller_7Controller_7 4,052 Posts
edited March 2008 in Strut Central
This is geared at the studio strutters who have a lot of things plugged in. I've got 3 power strips for all of my gear and I generally turn them (the power strips) off when I am not using anything. The more equipment i've acquired over time, the more complicated it gets for me to even listen to a record. If I want to listen to a record I have to turn on all 3 power strips, the mackie, the stereo, the mixer, turntables, etc.Do you just leave your power strips on all the time and turn off your equipment? Do you leave everything on all the time, including the power strips? Do you leave your equipment (turntables, mixer, etc.) in the on position so that when you flip the power switch they go on automatically?I get tired of turning about 8 things on just to listen to a record, but don't like to leave everything on all the time. I'm just curious what people do. I'm sure someone has theories on "it's not good to turn it on and off all the time, it's better to just leave it on" or vice versa.

  Comments

  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    I admit it, I saw this on Oprah...

    maybe this would be a good idea for your pocket and the
    envirnoment:

    Smart Strip LCG3 Power Strip[/b]

    Here
  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts
    I have the same situation right now. I was told by my father it's better to turn off power strips when your not using your equipment, but he was always trying to teach lessons on "saving" money. But on the other hand, I've heard the opposite, that turning shit on and off sucks more juices. It sure is a pain though to have to get things up and running to listen to some music.
  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts
    I admit it, I saw this on Oprah...

    maybe this would be a good idea for your pocket and the
    envirnoment:

    Smart Strip LCG3 Power Strip[/b]

    Here

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    "Does your power strip know when to turn your peripherals off? Ours does. Automatically eliminating your 'phantom loads' can save you several dollars every month. Those savings add up for you, your country, and your world."
  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts
    and everything is hooked up to my computer, so I have to turn it off at night cause the fan is loud as fuck.

    another thing that sucks is all the buzzing from all my speakers. i dont know how to fix it.
  • Controller_7Controller_7 4,052 Posts
    On Mythbusters they proved that turning on and off lights is better than leaving them on. Goes with that theory of "it takes more juice turning it on and off." You use more energy with regular consumption, so it's better to turn the lights on and off, even hundreds of times. I don't know if this applies directly to a power strip.

    Maybe that Oprah power strip is where it's at. I know that anything plugged in still sucks juice, whether it's on or not. It completes a current and I think it sucks some juice even when off. I saw a thing about PG and E trying to work with electronics manufacturers to eliminate "standby" mode. It's pointless and everyone's standbys suck up enough energy to light LA for a day or some shit like that.
  • GrandfatherGrandfather 2,303 Posts
    I use some power squids and I always turn them off when i am not using them
  • dayday 9,611 Posts
    I haven't turned my shit off in like 5 years. Seriously.
  • m_dejeanm_dejean Quadratisch. Praktisch. Gut. 2,946 Posts
    I've been thinking a lot about it lately. I think I have about 5-6 powerstrips feeding my computer/music making setup. I used to turn them all off from the main switch in the room every time I left the house, but one day the power supply for my 23" flatscreen died, and I think it was because of a voltage spike caused by switching 20 machines on/off at the same time. So I haven't done it since.

    I've heard about those smart strips. What's the deal with those? I feel bad having all that stuff on standby while I'm not using it. Wasting resources is not what's up in 2008.

    I also want to somehow add a ground connection so the more sensitive equipment won't get zapped by transients.
  • falconpeoplefalconpeople 1 Post
    Hey you can get rid of the buzzing in your speakers by buying a power conditioner -Furman makes a nice one! It takes up one rack space. Just plug your studio monitors, stereo, mixer and/or whatever else into it and it should eliminate the buzz. Peace.
  • billbradleybillbradley You want BBQ sauce? Get the fuck out of my house. 2,905 Posts
    I never want to wait for the mixer and amp to warm up to listen to a record so I leave my power strips, amp, and mixer on all of the time. If you want to save power it is best to turn the power strips off and unplug anything like chargers but I'm sure if I turned it all off I wouldn't be able to tell on my power bill.
  • karlophonekarlophone 1,697 Posts

    Automatically eliminating your 'phantom loads'
  • pjl2000xlpjl2000xl 1,795 Posts
    I haven't turned my shit off in like 5 years. Seriously.



    my mpc, mixer, monitors, keyboards, turns, stay on for years at a time. I cant be bothered with booting everything up when i want to work on some music.
  • eliseelise 3,252 Posts

    Automatically eliminating your 'phantom loads'

  • mordecaimordecai 2,204 Posts
    I've been curious about this for a while too. I'm also wondering if people work through thunderstorms (lightning, wind) relying on their surge protectors.

    do surge protectors still work if the power switch is off?

    I turn all my equipment off, but occasionally leave my computer on overnight for file-sharing, torrents, converting etc. Monitor (audio and visual) are turned off though.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    About 8 10 years ago I was sitting home when I heard popcracklecracklepop real loud outside. I go outside and the transformer on the powerpole is freaking out and my neighbors house is on fire. I call police and turn my garden hose on my neighbors backwall and window where flames are coming out.

    Fire department gets there and cuts power to the house in seconds and the fire goes out.

    I go over to the neighbors that night after they get home and ask if everything is alright, can I help and how did it start. He shows me a powerstrip, exactly like the powerstrips I use, that is toast. Started at the powerstrip. His stereo was plugged into it. Stereo was off.

    I call the fire marshal and ask whats up. Turns out that most inexpensive powerstrips made in China don't do shizzle. The fire marshal lobby has been trying to get them outlawed.

    I leave most my (cheapass) strips on, I turn off most of my electronics. Of course most modern electronics are on even when they are off.
  • Controller_7Controller_7 4,052 Posts
    there is a difference between a power strip and a surge protector strip. I regular power strip just makes one plug into many plugs. One with a surge protector should have a kill switch anytime the incoming watts exceed the right amount and it should shut off completely.

    cheap-os are generally just power strips.
  • HAZHAZ 3,376 Posts


    I call the fire marshal and ask whats up. Turns out that most inexpensive powerstrips made in China don't do shizzle. The fire marshal lobby has been trying to get them outlawed.


    Many extension cords & power bars that are cheap have counterfit "CSA" approved labels on them. The dollar store/discount store phenomenon has brought a lot of this to light. Them schitts is dangerous.

    http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2006/22/c9164.html
  • UnconSciUnconSci 824 Posts
    I dont know if this is what your asking... but I chain all my powerstrips from a surge protector. Then everything chains offa that one... so I just turn on and off the power on the first surge protector... and everything is on and off with one switch.
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    The power spike from turn things on and off is so small that you deff use more power leaving it on.

    I usually just turn things on in the morning whiel I'm getting ready and then leave it on all day in case I want to do something and turn it off when I go to bed. Pretty easy.

    It's really worth it to turn things off AND unplug your power strip. Lots of things will still suck power and your adaptors (trasformers) will get very hot if left plugged in.
  • jaymackjaymack 5,199 Posts
    It's really worth it to turn things off AND unplug your power strip. Lots of things will still suck power and your adaptors (trasformers) will get very hot if left plugged in.

    My strips have on/off switches. just as good, no??
  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    It's really worth it to turn things off AND unplug your power strip. Lots of things will still suck power and your adaptors (trasformers) will get very hot if left plugged in.

    My strips have on/off switches. just as good, no??


    Yea, I unplug stuff just to protect against any random surges or anything. I have strips with fuses and on/off switches so I should be safe, but It's easy enough to unplug stuff so I'm not taking any chances. We get a lot of surges and brown outs around here.
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