9 Things That You Should Never Plug Into A Power Strip

Posted by Michael Griffin on November 25th, 2019

No matter where you live, you always seem to run out of power outlets to connect your cords. When you seem to lack an outlet, a power strip comes as a boon. Power strips are quite popular and are quite convenient for use as well. 

But there are a couple of electrical appliances that you should refrain from plugging in a power strip. It can cause an overload in the circuit, which results in overheating and may even lead to a fire. If such a thing happens then you should immediately call a licensed electrician in Stuart, or whichever area you are in. Here is a list of things that you should avoid plugging into the mini power-outlet strips.

Microwave

Microwave is a device that many use every day for cooking, thawing and reheating food. Any appliance that does so many things requires a significant amount of energy consumption and a power strip won’t be able to provide that amount of power. A microwave should have a power outlet dedicated to itself.

Refrigerator

Refrigerators and freezers need a lot of power to run. This heavy-duty appliances cycle on and off. If you plug in a refrigerator to the power strip it will immediately overload the circuit. Like microwaves, refrigerator, too, needs a separate wall outlet that is only dedicated to the refrigerator. 

Slow cookers

You might think that a slow cooker will run easily when connected on a power strip. But that is not the case. Slow cooker runs for a longer duration of time and hence requires a good amount of power that a power strip will not be able to provide. 

Portable heaters or air-conditioners

Portable heaters and air conditioners draw a good deal of energy when they are switched on and this can cause the power strip to overload, which can either trip the circuit or lead to a dangerous degree of overheating.

Toasters

It may seem like a toaster is a small appliance and a power strip can easily handle it. But the fact is that the toaster is a bunch of wires on the inside, which become red hot to toast the bread. The toaster draws a lot of power to heat the wires inside it, which can easily cause the power strip to overload and lead to overheating.

Coffee maker

Your daily cup of morning coffee that you brew in the coffee maker draws a lot more power than you may realize. It takes a significant amount of amperage to turn the beans into a brew and a power strip may not be able to provide that amount of power and you may have to end up with a half brewed cup of coffee.

Haircare appliances

Hair-care appliances like curling wands, flat irons and hair dryers draw a lot of energy when they are used. A power strip won’t be able to handle that kind of energy flow and will lead to over-heating. These appliances should always be plugged into a wall socket to prevent any potential hazards.

Air compressors

If you are a DIYer, then you probably like cleaning your house by yourself. If this is the case, then a portable air compressor can be your handy household helper. But one thing that you should know about these machines is that they require a lot of power to startup. Using a power strip to run the compressor will only overload it. You need to use a heavy-duty extension cord to run the compressor.

Sump pumps

Sump pumps are often your only defense when you are drying your basement after a flood. You cannot use a power strip to connect a sump pump as most power strips are not suitable for wet and damp conditions. To run a sump pump the best option is to use a GFCI outlet, preferably located at a height where the walls aren’t damp or wet.