Your Guide to Power Extension and Charging Station Setups

Posted by Jennifer Truong on August 26th, 2019

Battery technology is getting better, but it is nowhere close to perfect. At the end of each day - if not at mid-day - we have to plug in our devices to be able to use them again. The devices that we have to plug in are only increasing every day, from our phones and laptops to our cars! Even the much-hyped wireless charging devices are not exactly wireless. Not yet anyway. This takes me to say that the most essential gadget of all time is a power cable!

Every little thing requires a power cable to transfer electricity to the device. More often than not, the supplied power cord is too short or you have more devices to charge than power sockets available. This is where power extension cords come in.

Extension cords come in various shapes and sizes, offering outlets from one to more than five in compact sizes. You can plug in a number of low voltage items in it, from mobile phones and laptops to televisions and toasters.

If you look at one household’s devices, each member has their mobile phones; there may be one or two tablets, and one or more laptops or desktop computers. Then there is a television, an internet router, and perhaps a smart speaker. All of these make up close to 10 gadgets, some of which need to be plugged in at all times. This requires the use of one or more than one extension cord. As with everything, they come in multiple levels of quality.

With this, comes the issue of too many appliances plugged into one electrical outlet by extension (pun intended!)

However, since you are still going to need power extension cords, let’s look at some of the factors you should keep in mind before buying one:

• Grounding:

Since this extension cord will have increased electricity flowing through it, you must make sure that it has an earthing prong. This protects both you and your devices from occasional fluctuations in electric current.

• Outlet design:

Since this is a multipurpose tool, it is beneficial to have grounding port for each outlet, so that you have the flexibility to put in a two-prong plug or a three-pronged plug. The outlets should also be far apart to accommodate several types of plug designs.

• International compatibility:

Make sure that your power extension cord is travel proof. European regions have double the voltage than North America does. So you want to make sure to get an extension that you can safely use on your travels.

• Surge protection:

The extension cord needs to be able to handle occasional electricity surges so that all of your plugged-in devices are not affected by it. There are a lot of negative consequences of access electricity to your devices. They could catch fire or explode, which could cause you both physical and financial harm.

Extensions can come in handy not only when you need to charge devices in a hurry, but also in other situations when you want to establish permanent setups in and around your house.

• Connected home:

The most basic requirement of a house is the internet connection. If you have a mesh network, then you have to plug in the main hub right next to it. You can also plug in your television and streaming device into this power strip.

• Workstation:

Your workstation has everything that you need for work. This can have your computer, an external monitor if you require, speakers, a lamp, a charging setup for your tablet, laptop, mobile, and Bluetooth headphones.

• Kitchen appliances:

Kitchens have many appliances that depend on electricity, and for convenience, a permanent setup is a way to go. You can use one extension power cord to plug in a toaster, blender, coffee machine, and mixer. With these gadgets in place, you can handle cooking and baking with ease and efficiency.

The devices you will use are only going to increase, and so will the power cables. Start buying smart power management tools and learn the art of cable management because cables are definitely here to stay!

Wireless charging can be the focus of all ads, but we all know that that charger requires a cable. Read here to know how all of your charging solutions lie in the power extension cord.