Let's Take a Trip Inside Low-Cost Power Bars, Part One

[klrman]

I'm really looking forward to part-2 but am seriously hoping it's not going to be a test of multi hundred dollar power bars, but instead power bars that actually work no matter if the price is low.

 

[Daniel Sauvageau]

when will part 2 be out? Very interested in reading about the higher end power bars

Part two should be out in the not-so-distant future - I was hoping it would come out this week but I have not received news from editors yet.

The highest-end bar in the whole three parts is the APC Essential (P74-CN) which retails for $12-15 and you will have to wait for part three for it.

 

[MooG1337]

when will part 2 be out? Very interested in reading about the higher end power bars

Part two should be out in the not-so-distant future - I was hoping it would come out this week but I have not received news from editors yet.

The highest-end bar in the whole three parts is the APC Essential (P74-CN) which retails for $12-15 and you will have to wait for part three for it.

By highest end do you mean the one with the best performance? Or did you mean the most expensive

 

[klrman]

I'd be interested in the APC one. I have two APC's with 11 sockets each and both have multiple failed sockets already. Sometimes brand names mean nothing anymore so it's really hard to decide what to get and if one is actually getting something decent.

 

[Daniel Sauvageau]

By highest end do you mean the one with the best performance? Or did you mean the most expensive

None of these bars are particularly high-end in absolute terms but the APC model is the most protection/feature-complete unit in the whole lot and did have one of the best overall build quality.

I'd be interested in the APC one. I have two APC's with 11 sockets each and both have multiple failed sockets already. Sometimes brand names mean nothing anymore so it's really hard to decide what to get and if one is actually getting something decent.

I have done two SurgeArrest Pro tear-downs last summer: the old-school model back in August (the curvy style) and the current design (more angular) back in October. I am somewhat skeptical about how thin the traces to ground-side MOVs are in the modern version. Aside from the PCB re-layout and new enclosure, the two are pretty much functionally equivalent.

 

[klrman]

Thanks for the reply Daniel. I have to say, I'm really interested to read part 2 and 3. I have power bars everywhere and not really sure if any of them are good.

 

[embedded1]

ETL Number is the Manufacturer Right to Mark Number! This is the actual product owner/producer who originally used the ETL lab. Each Intertek Lab has it's own reports that do not use this number but Intertek Cortland NY USA has the ETL manufacturing plant(s) that use that right to mark. You will note that 4 agencies have the NRTL rights to mark in US/CAN without question by Federal and Treaty rights. UL that investigates worldwide but headquarters in Northbrook IL, CSA Worldwide, Toronto CAN, ETL/Interek Worldwide, Cortland NY, VDE Worldwide, Germany. UL and CSA generally have electronically search-able databases. Intertek easily could have told you the factory if you reached the correct person which is easier than UL and on par with CSA.