With the configuration of the plugs you’ll likely be blocking the plug below it. The plugs need to be rotated 90degrees to be truly usefully, atleast in my opinion.
From the writeup: “And in case you’ve somehow misinterpreted that as the surge protector being able to take up to the amount of joules it’s rated at in a single surge, the article goes on to make it ABUNDANTLY clear that it’s talking cumulatively”
What? That is absolutely NOT true. Sure, you’re quoting the web site accurately but what they are saying expresses an ignorance of electricity and electronics that is monstrous. A good surge protector should last years, wherin it will take far more than the rated number of joules in cumulative hits.
“But really perhaps the best tidbit of info is stashed in a brief parenthetical aside:
(Quick tip: if you can’t remember when you bought [the surge protector], get a new one.)”
If you buy a decent surge protector, it will have a self test circuit. This circuit will continually test the surge circuitry and let you know should the circuit fail. That’s what the “protected” indicator light is for. If the protected light is on, your surge protector is almost certainly still working.
Granted, it is true that if you buy a cheap surge protector that doesn’t have a self test circuit (usually indicated by the lack of a “protected” indicator lamp) then it’s likely that that cheap power strip will fail in a matter of a year or so.
@squishybrain So if my car starts I have a full tank if gas? Because that’s what your misinformed analogy is equivalent to. The writeup is correct. The advice is sound. Surge suppressors degrade cumulatively. And if you test it (with a surge), it degrades your protection. The test switch you see us just for show and is simply a master off switch that simulates a surge.
If you haven’t changed it in a couple of years, then it’s just an extension cord with no surge protection and it will not protect whatever you’re plugging into it. While the US power grid is good, its not perfect and you do get transient surges more often than you actually notice.
You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts.
@squishybrain Sorry, but metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) used in surge protectors do have a limited lifetime. They do and will die. It’s how they do their job.
The only workaround is to use more and better MOVs, which will lengthen the lifetime, and also increase the price, so guess what’s inside the average surge protector?
@blaineg I agree with you in that surge protectors do wear out. I just don’t think the damage is cumulative in the way that the writeup describes (IE: a 500 joule protector will only take a cumulative hit of 500 joules before failing). A good surge protector can handle hundreds of smaller voltage surges, if not thousands (surges occur every day even on a “clean” line) over which time they get far more than the rated number of Joules in cumulative hits. Below a certain threshold, there is little to no damage to the MOV so the surge protector keeps working. Again, after awhile, there is enough damage so that the device will fail but it isn’t after the device takes it’s rated number of Joules in hits. it’s more likely that it’s after multiples of it’s rated capability (unless hit by a single, large, surge). That’s the reason for buying a surge protector rated for more joules. So that it’s less likely to be hit with a surge that is greater than what it’s rated for.
I also agree with you that buying a better (more expensive) surge protector is something you should do if you value your equipment. At minimum purchase one with a self-test circuit (usually indicated by the presence of a “protected” light) and make sure the surge protector will also shut down if they detect that the MOV has failed thus preventing ‘dirty’ power from reaching your sensitive electronics.
@bwiderski Not sure what that has to do with my comment. Did you reply to the wrong post?
I don’t give the southern end of a northbound rat about USB ports since they’re not USB-C. And any time there are phone/tablet markings, it means one of the ports is a cheap a$$ unuseable 1A.
I’m not here to start an argument about anything but I don’t understand the fascination with USB-C because it’s all about the cable. If you have a cable with USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other, then no problem. USB-A is more standard because you can get a cable that has USB-A on one end and either lightning, USB Micro, USB Mini, USB-C, or even Apple’s old proprietary 40 pin connector.
I didn’t hear people complaining about chargers during the iPhone 4 era that the charger didn’t have the 40 pin connector. I don’t hear people complaining that the chargers don’t have a lightning connector because, depending on the version of the charger, their cable has either a USB-A or USB-C on the end and a lightning on the other. It’s not a lightning to lightning cable.
In summary, just get a simple USB-A to USB-C cable and you can use 99% of the 3rd party chargers and external batteries that are out there.
Dear god. Monster never quits with their BS. MOV (metal oxide varistor - the surge suppressor component) failure from 5 100J “hits”? Riiiiigggghhhhttttt .
@blaineg But if it does more than just supress surges with a MOV, then wouldn’t marketing insist they add a superlative like “Plus”, “Max”, or “Xtreme”?
@blaineg I had a tripp-lite just like that. It failed to protect my xbox, 55 inch TV, and cable modem from a lightening strike. It never even tripped. Tripp-Lite didn’t give me any money for my lost devices. They just sent me a larger power strip which I’m using, but don’t expect it to really offer any protection.
Tripp-Lite didn’t give me any money for my lost devices.
Curious, was there anything in the paperwork that you got with it that said they would? I have a couple that offer up to $10,000 protection if something should get damaged but that’s clearly stated in writing.
@medz Nothing will protect you from a lightning strike, except a several foot air gap between the plug and the wall outlet.
Years ago there was a massive set of lightning strikes on a Hawaii university campus. Someone wrote up a very detailed damage report, and that was their bottom line recommendation on protection.
@cengland0 Yes. Mine had a similar wording stated on the package and warranty. I sent my surge protector in and they tested it and found no issue, so it didn’t qualify for device reimbursement. They blamed all the broken devices on an EMP blast resulting from the lightening and not a surge through the electrical cables. As @blaineg mentions, it’s tough to stop a lightening strike, but why didn’t it even trip? Why no damage to the surge protector?
They blamed all the broken devices on an EMP blast
Seems like companies will do anything possible from having to pay their obligations.
I once had a homeowner warranty and the company refused to fix something saying that it wasn’t covered. I challenged them on it and they wouldn’t budge. I took them to small claims court and they had to pay for the repair plus all my court costs. I cannot let a company get away with that crap.
If one of my devices gets damaged while plugged into an insured power device, I will do whatever I can to make the company pay for it. That’s their obligation. Even if I have to get an expert witness to state that the surge came through the electrical wiring, I will do that. If it’s a networked device and the surge came through the network cable, that could be a problem getting paid back.
As long as consumers accept everything the large corporations tell them, they will continue to rip people off. Someone needs to challenge the status-quo. This is, of course, if you have the time to do it. If you are too busy and your time’s not worth it, that might be a different story.
@cengland0 I would normally fight it, but there were some oddities about the damage that would have be difficult for me to prove. The cable modem was connected to the surge protector for power, but the coaxial cable just came from outside direct to the modem. The modem was connected to a router (which I think survived) via network cable and the Xbox was connected to the router via network cable. I don’t think I had the TV plugged into the router, but it was connected to the Xbox via HDMI cable. Our garage door opener that was on an entirely different circuit also got killed in the strike and a separate circuit tripped at the breaker.
This was all at a rental house we stayed in for a year, so I couldn’t do/say much about the electrical in the house. We had $500 deductible on renter’s insurance, so that helped replace stuff. Plus the new, bigger, free surge protector from tripp lite. I had to take the damaged devices to “professionals” to be examined to confirm electrical damage. Insurance wanted some kind of documented proof. That reminds me, the gaming/repair store I took the Xbox to said the power adapter brick was fried. (in addition to problems with the xbox itself) That makes me think it came through he power cable, but I’m no expert.
Monster brand? Hard pass. Overlooking their seemingly infinite lawsuits against anyone or anything using the name “monster” as an infringement of their company name, they have a solid reputation of selling entry level or standard quality items at premium prices.
The direction of the outlets make it impossible to plug in more than a couple of those big cubes or the three prong plugs where the cord comes out flat on the end. Yes, that was a long sentence. I just feel so passionately about my power strips. Sorry, not sorry.
@kbandtheboys +1 this comment. I’m never going to buy a bar strip like this ever again… to many things require a “Wall Wart” to plug in… which blocks up to 3 plugs if anything but the bottom one.
Specs
6-Port Strip
4-Port Strip
What’s in the Box?
OR
Price Comparison
4-port: 2 for $25.58 at Amazon
6-port Strip: 2 for $39.98 (without 2 USB ports) at Amazon
Warranty
90 days
Estimated Delivery
Monday, July 13th - Thursday, July 16th
That model number tho: WH0-0UTL3T-TH3-D065
Everyone knows size matters, when given the choice why buy the “lil guy”?
/giphy confused
@tinamarie1974 even the cord is longer
Shocking
Amazon says the cord is 4 feet long on the 6 port strip.
@jandrese That’s not the same power strip, it doesn’t have the USB ports either.
Wish power strips better accommodated bricks.
@katbyter Get a 6-pack of 1-ft extension cords.
$15 or less.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0153T1J8Y
@katbyter @mike808 In a business setting, those violate the fire codes.
That’s a horrible design. Any plugs with bricks is going to take up at least two spaces.
With the configuration of the plugs you’ll likely be blocking the plug below it. The plugs need to be rotated 90degrees to be truly usefully, atleast in my opinion.
You blew it. On the Serge comment. Serge Ibaka is a “power” forward.
Cheaper than morning save
6 Port Strip, Product Length: 1.6 inch length!
really?!? I don’t think so!
@jmrobinett for really small plugs …
Meh is promoting the vertically challenged. Isn’t that the straight and narrow way?
Just 1,080 joules isn’t really enough to protect against kaiju attacks of increasing frequency; you’ll want at least 3,000.
@ShotgunX you mean over 9000!!!
Last time this was offered I recieved 1 DOA and 1 functioning unit. Pass.
No flat plug is truly meh. Pass.
Uhm, 6-Port strip? Isn’t 6 AC + 2 USB = 8 ports? Meh new math is really selling things short.
From the writeup: “And in case you’ve somehow misinterpreted that as the surge protector being able to take up to the amount of joules it’s rated at in a single surge, the article goes on to make it ABUNDANTLY clear that it’s talking cumulatively”
What? That is absolutely NOT true. Sure, you’re quoting the web site accurately but what they are saying expresses an ignorance of electricity and electronics that is monstrous. A good surge protector should last years, wherin it will take far more than the rated number of joules in cumulative hits.
“But really perhaps the best tidbit of info is stashed in a brief parenthetical aside:
(Quick tip: if you can’t remember when you bought [the surge protector], get a new one.)”
If you buy a decent surge protector, it will have a self test circuit. This circuit will continually test the surge circuitry and let you know should the circuit fail. That’s what the “protected” indicator light is for. If the protected light is on, your surge protector is almost certainly still working.
Granted, it is true that if you buy a cheap surge protector that doesn’t have a self test circuit (usually indicated by the lack of a “protected” indicator lamp) then it’s likely that that cheap power strip will fail in a matter of a year or so.
Meh, please don’t spread inaccurate info.
Signed,
Squishybrain
@squishybrain So if my car starts I have a full tank if gas? Because that’s what your misinformed analogy is equivalent to. The writeup is correct. The advice is sound. Surge suppressors degrade cumulatively. And if you test it (with a surge), it degrades your protection. The test switch you see us just for show and is simply a master off switch that simulates a surge.
If you haven’t changed it in a couple of years, then it’s just an extension cord with no surge protection and it will not protect whatever you’re plugging into it. While the US power grid is good, its not perfect and you do get transient surges more often than you actually notice.
You can have your own opinion, but not your own facts.
@squishybrain
"(Quick tip: if you can’t remember when you bought [the surge protector], get a new one.)”
Is a very odd thing to say. If I bought, say this,
https://www.tripplite.com/protect-it-8-outlet-industrial-safety-surge-protector-12-ft-cord-1500-joules-cord-wrap-hang-holes~TLM812SA
from Amazon, Newegg, Home Depot, Lowes, etc, but I don’t remember what store I bought it from directly, should I buy a new one? That’s crazy!
@Fzero Your argument is with @mike808 not SQB.
@squishybrain
Such strange and unexpected advice from a flogger of power strips.
@squishybrain Sorry, but metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) used in surge protectors do have a limited lifetime. They do and will die. It’s how they do their job.
The only workaround is to use more and better MOVs, which will lengthen the lifetime, and also increase the price, so guess what’s inside the average surge protector?
@blaineg I agree with you in that surge protectors do wear out. I just don’t think the damage is cumulative in the way that the writeup describes (IE: a 500 joule protector will only take a cumulative hit of 500 joules before failing). A good surge protector can handle hundreds of smaller voltage surges, if not thousands (surges occur every day even on a “clean” line) over which time they get far more than the rated number of Joules in cumulative hits. Below a certain threshold, there is little to no damage to the MOV so the surge protector keeps working. Again, after awhile, there is enough damage so that the device will fail but it isn’t after the device takes it’s rated number of Joules in hits. it’s more likely that it’s after multiples of it’s rated capability (unless hit by a single, large, surge). That’s the reason for buying a surge protector rated for more joules. So that it’s less likely to be hit with a surge that is greater than what it’s rated for.
I also agree with you that buying a better (more expensive) surge protector is something you should do if you value your equipment. At minimum purchase one with a self-test circuit (usually indicated by the presence of a “protected” light) and make sure the surge protector will also shut down if they detect that the MOV has failed thus preventing ‘dirty’ power from reaching your sensitive electronics.
/giphy vicarious-odd-curtain
@t0nyc0tt4m Amy Sedaris! ❤️❤️❤️
What’s the output of the USB ports?
@PHRoG One of the images on the front page answers that question.
These turkeys have no wide-spaced outlets for wall warts, Useless piece of meh.
@ellett look at the next to last photo closeup of the ports: “usb 2.1 charger” and the ports are labeled “tablet” and “phone “
@bwiderski Not sure what that has to do with my comment. Did you reply to the wrong post?
I don’t give the southern end of a northbound rat about USB ports since they’re not USB-C. And any time there are phone/tablet markings, it means one of the ports is a cheap a$$ unuseable 1A.
LOOK AT THE PICTURE @ellett! LOOK AT IT!!1!
lol
@ellett
I’m not here to start an argument about anything but I don’t understand the fascination with USB-C because it’s all about the cable. If you have a cable with USB-A on one end and USB-C on the other, then no problem. USB-A is more standard because you can get a cable that has USB-A on one end and either lightning, USB Micro, USB Mini, USB-C, or even Apple’s old proprietary 40 pin connector.
I didn’t hear people complaining about chargers during the iPhone 4 era that the charger didn’t have the 40 pin connector. I don’t hear people complaining that the chargers don’t have a lightning connector because, depending on the version of the charger, their cable has either a USB-A or USB-C on the end and a lightning on the other. It’s not a lightning to lightning cable.
In summary, just get a simple USB-A to USB-C cable and you can use 99% of the 3rd party chargers and external batteries that are out there.
Model: WH0-0UTL3T-TH3-D065.
Awesome.
FOOLS! TOOLS! JEWELS! AWESOME!
/giphy microscopic-surging-slope
Dear god. Monster never quits with their BS. MOV (metal oxide varistor - the surge suppressor component) failure from 5 100J “hits”? Riiiiigggghhhhttttt .
NO thanks, I get all my power strips from the Dollar Store. Never a worry…wait…What is that warm plastic smell???
/giphy plucky-tangible-winter
A “real” surge protector is going to have more than just a MOV, as in this Tripp Lite IsoBar. But it’s going to cost more too.
@blaineg But if it does more than just supress surges with a MOV, then wouldn’t marketing insist they add a superlative like “Plus”, “Max”, or “Xtreme”?
@blaineg I had a tripp-lite just like that. It failed to protect my xbox, 55 inch TV, and cable modem from a lightening strike. It never even tripped. Tripp-Lite didn’t give me any money for my lost devices. They just sent me a larger power strip which I’m using, but don’t expect it to really offer any protection.
@medz
Curious, was there anything in the paperwork that you got with it that said they would? I have a couple that offer up to $10,000 protection if something should get damaged but that’s clearly stated in writing.
@mike808 That was a great episode!
I’m sure if Monster made something like Tripp Lite does, it would have Xtreme all over it.
@blaineg @mike808 Yeah, but with 4/0 cabling and would carry only bespoke electrons.
@medz Nothing will protect you from a lightning strike, except a several foot air gap between the plug and the wall outlet.
Years ago there was a massive set of lightning strikes on a Hawaii university campus. Someone wrote up a very detailed damage report, and that was their bottom line recommendation on protection.
@cengland0 Yes. Mine had a similar wording stated on the package and warranty. I sent my surge protector in and they tested it and found no issue, so it didn’t qualify for device reimbursement. They blamed all the broken devices on an EMP blast resulting from the lightening and not a surge through the electrical cables. As @blaineg mentions, it’s tough to stop a lightening strike, but why didn’t it even trip? Why no damage to the surge protector?
@medz
Seems like companies will do anything possible from having to pay their obligations.
I once had a homeowner warranty and the company refused to fix something saying that it wasn’t covered. I challenged them on it and they wouldn’t budge. I took them to small claims court and they had to pay for the repair plus all my court costs. I cannot let a company get away with that crap.
If one of my devices gets damaged while plugged into an insured power device, I will do whatever I can to make the company pay for it. That’s their obligation. Even if I have to get an expert witness to state that the surge came through the electrical wiring, I will do that. If it’s a networked device and the surge came through the network cable, that could be a problem getting paid back.
As long as consumers accept everything the large corporations tell them, they will continue to rip people off. Someone needs to challenge the status-quo. This is, of course, if you have the time to do it. If you are too busy and your time’s not worth it, that might be a different story.
@cengland0 I would normally fight it, but there were some oddities about the damage that would have be difficult for me to prove. The cable modem was connected to the surge protector for power, but the coaxial cable just came from outside direct to the modem. The modem was connected to a router (which I think survived) via network cable and the Xbox was connected to the router via network cable. I don’t think I had the TV plugged into the router, but it was connected to the Xbox via HDMI cable. Our garage door opener that was on an entirely different circuit also got killed in the strike and a separate circuit tripped at the breaker.
This was all at a rental house we stayed in for a year, so I couldn’t do/say much about the electrical in the house. We had $500 deductible on renter’s insurance, so that helped replace stuff. Plus the new, bigger, free surge protector from tripp lite. I had to take the damaged devices to “professionals” to be examined to confirm electrical damage. Insurance wanted some kind of documented proof. That reminds me, the gaming/repair store I took the Xbox to said the power adapter brick was fried. (in addition to problems with the xbox itself) That makes me think it came through he power cable, but I’m no expert.
The whole “surge protectors wear out” problem is why I prefer to buy surge protectors that shut down when they no longer offer protection.
I can never have 2 many of these.
/giphy microscopic-gurgling-downtown
Monster brand? Hard pass. Overlooking their seemingly infinite lawsuits against anyone or anything using the name “monster” as an infringement of their company name, they have a solid reputation of selling entry level or standard quality items at premium prices.
I can’t belive they are still around.
@DataHaunt With their margins, they only need a few suckers to keep themselves afloat.
@DataHaunt Your dose of schadenfreude for the day: https://www.bluejeanscable.com/legal/mcp/
The amazon link says it only does 1080p! No way am I buying a surge suppressor at that resolution in 2019.
Well gee, I can sell you mine from the last meh offer. It’s still in the unopened box and brand new.
What is the adage? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me? Gonna pass!
Meh, this will work.
/giphy prissy-necrotic-clock
Are these bluetooth enabled?
The direction of the outlets make it impossible to plug in more than a couple of those big cubes or the three prong plugs where the cord comes out flat on the end. Yes, that was a long sentence. I just feel so passionately about my power strips. Sorry, not sorry.
@kbandtheboys There’s no problem that spending more money won’t solve
@kbandtheboys @squishybrain Even better:
Of course you can’t put vacuum cleaners or space heaters on every one of those, but they’re great for power bricks.
@blaineg no link?
@kbandtheboys +1 this comment. I’m never going to buy a bar strip like this ever again… to many things require a “Wall Wart” to plug in… which blocks up to 3 plugs if anything but the bottom one.
@therealjrn There’s a variety of them, from a variety of sources, but here’s some on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-2-Pack-Outlet-Splitter/dp/B01K3ADZ76/
I need something that will stop me from drinking too many of these. Will this item work?
@mml666
Most likely
/eightball Will this work?
/giphy unlimited power
@Kenbo So you’re saying a surge protector would have saved the Empire?
@blaineg @Kenbo I don’t know about the Empire, but R2D2 should have used one of these things before trying to unlock the blast doors on Jedi.
These don’t seem very popular in Wyoming. Maybe they have some inside information about the product?
I know this was awhile ago Meh, but I think you filled my order twice. Just an FYI, don’t do anything foolish and double charge me or anything.