ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area multiple outlet strips

John both products are under the same listing.


RELOCATABLE POWER TAPS
(XBYS)
USE AND INSTALLATION

This category covers relocatable power taps rated 250 V ac or less, 20 A
or less. They are intended for indoor use as relocatable multiple outlet
extensions of a single branch circuit to supply laboratory equipment,
home workshops, home movie lighting controls, musical instrumentation,
and to provide outlet receptacles for computers, audio and video equipment,
and other equipment. They consist of one attachment plug and a
single length of flexible cord terminated in a single enclosure in which one
or more receptacles are mounted. They may, in addition, be provided with
fuses or other supplementary overcurrent protection, switches, suppression
components and/or indicator lights in any combination, or connections
for cable, communications, telephone and/or antenna.
Relocatable power taps are intended to be directly connected to a permanently
installed branch circuit receptacle. Relocatable power taps are
not intended to be series connected (daisy chained) to other relocatable
power taps or to extension cords.
Relocatable power taps are not intended for use at construction sites and
similar locations.
Relocatable power taps are not intended to be permanently secured to
building structures, tables, work benches or similar structures, nor are
they intended to be used as a substitute for fixed wiring. The cords of
relocatable power taps are not intended to be routed through walls, windows,
ceilings, floors or similar openings.
Relocatable power taps have not been investigated and are not intended
for use with general patient care areas or critical patient care areas of
health care facilities as defined in Article 517 of ANSI/NFPA 70, ‘‘National
Electrical Code’’ (NEC).
Component power taps may be factory installed on relocatable equipment
intended for use in general patient care areas or critical patient care
areas as defined in the NEC. They are intended to comply with 60601-1,
‘‘Medical Electrical Equipment, Part 1: General Requirements,’’ and 60601-
1-1, ‘‘Safety Requirements for Medical Electrical Systems.’’ Refer to Medical
Equipment (PIDF).

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 07-03-2006).]

"Relocatable power taps are not intended to be permanently secured to ... tables... nor are they intended to be used as a substitute for fixed wiring."

What about the power strips sold by the manufactures of office furniture and come with instructions stating they are to be fastened to it? I'm setting up a new lab at work, and was told to use the power strips sold by Anthro instead of being given the number of receptacles I requested. They appear to be regular strips that mount with the keyhole slots on the rear.

And so they are meant to be "hung" from those keyholes like a picture on a wall.

Technically, they aren't fastened in place.

The temporary power strips are tested under UL standard 1363, and are not for permanent use.

Add a surge suppressor, however, and the item is now a "Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor" and may be permanently uses. It is evaluated under UL 1449. The packaging will indicate this.

Many thanks to Safetygem, who dug this up the first time.

"not intended to be" does not mean it can not be used in that manner.

From the standpoint of each "temporary power strip" in a daisy chain, each sees a legal installation - a male plug placed in a female recept.

While one might not want this type of installation, I suspect that it is legal.

"Not intended to be" I think means that it hasn't been tested or listed for that useage.
Why should UL list something for its unintended use?

John the simple addition of surge suppression does not change the listing.

Did you bother to read what I posted?

Here is the short version.


Now there are other products that look somewhat like RELOCATABLE POWER TAPS that are listed differently.

They are made for permanent mounting to computer equipment racks and may or may not have surge suppression.

These might be what 'SafetyGem' found.

I have a 'plug strip' in my basement with surge suppression it is still UL tagged as a RELOCATABLE POWER TAP.

So just because a plug strip has surge suppression in it you will have to look at the UL tag to see how it is listed.


[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 07-04-2006).]

I was in the computer biz for 30 years and the last 4 I was also a certified IAEI electrical inspector. Suffice it to say they thought I was speaking a foreign language when I started pointing out NEC violations in the way they did things.
Plug strip abuse is the most common violation, followed by orange cords and "penetrations". There were even some glaring problems in listed IBM equipment nobody wanted to acknowlege ... like the 14ga power cord to 3420 tape drives, protected by a 60 or even a 100a breaker (with the mod 2 feature).

"Orange cords"?

www.electrical-contractor.net/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000183.html

[This message has been edited by renosteinke (edited 07-04-2006).]