what you'll need for the hack:- 12 outlet 4' Noma metal power strip (Canadian Tire # 52-7269-6)
- duct tape
- drill
- 13/64" drill bit
the outlets of the power bar are oriented 90 degrees to the strip making power cord routing much easier. it was too long to fasten to the desk by the end brackets. the back plate was removed and two holes were drilled in it, corresponding to the screws holding the metal cross-member to the bottom shelf of the desk. the plate was affixed to the desk using these screws. the remaining part of the power bar was screwed on the back plate and the power cable threaded through the opening of the brace to the floor.
before each cable was inserted into the brace, it was folded over into a 10-15 cm bundle and zip-tied. for tidiness, the bundle should hang below the top edge of the brace. a gap along the bottom of the brace was covered by a strip of black duct tape while leaving the ends open.all power cords and cables have been contained in the brace, and the only things that remain on the floor are the power bar cord and possibly network cable!"
related hack:
simple way to hide ugly cables
um, is it safe to have that many appliances plugged into what essentially is 1 outlet? Though I'm sure not everything is running at once, a lot of devices pull power even when ostensibly not on...
ReplyDeleteotherwise, neat! literally. :)
~J
it still looks rather congested to me
ReplyDeleteI have never seen to many wires!
ReplyDeleteMay I link your blog?
ReplyDeletesure, rathwjj, you're welcome to link to ikeahacker.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, but I am concerned about two-pronged transformer power-bricks hanging upside-down. Most of mine would probably fall out of the socket.
ReplyDeleteOn the issue of power: many wall outlets are often on a single circuit. If power draw is a concern, check the circuit breaker box for your place and see what the rating is for the circuit breaker you are connected to. Most wall outlets can safely provide 10 amps, or about 1200 Watts. Some go up to 15, 20, or 30 amps. Check the fuses in the circuit breaker box.
Basically the threat here is amperage load. That load is what builds up heat in your electrical wires and can lead to fires.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the safety of that many wires through one outlet isn't really an issue if you have a proper circuit breaker. The circuit breaker will pop if you exceed the amount of amperage it is rated for. Many circuit breakers are rated for 15-20 amps when attached to 110VAC. Some are rated much higher, but those are usually reserved for circuits that will power heavy appliances like your washer and dryer.
Most desktop PCs are normally under 10 amps. Some can be below 2Amps My 15" Apple MBP only uses 1.5 amps.
So in the end, most setups are going to be fine using just one outlet.
I can't find the metal power strip on canadian tire's website. Help!?
ReplyDeleteWhere is the monitor screen for the laptop under the desk!! lol
ReplyDeleteyou can get high outlet power strip from tripp lite
ReplyDeleteSee this link
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=194
Thanks for the comments! It's a little congested in the pic, but I managed to simplify things a little further by removing a few items.
ReplyDeleteMost of the congestion comes from the small devices like my Palm Pilot, digital music player and CD player. Everything plugged in there draws very little current, including my old screenless laptop, and are not all on at the same time. Thus there's no worry of overloading the circuit. Just in case, there is a breaker in the power bar.
The outlets are quite stiff and the transformers are able to hang upside down with no worry of falling out.
I've checked on Canadian Tire's website for the power bar, and was unable to find it as well. Just look for the long metal power bar with 14 yellow outlets. Fewer will also work.
Tripplite or APC power strips (PDUs) will probably also work, but be prepared to pay through the nose. Remember though, all the household plug-type strips are rated for 15 amps or 1800 watts.
The Canadian, which I assume you're from Canada (Canadian Tire), Electrical Code states that "A maximum of 12 outlets may be connected to a circuit".
ReplyDeletePPL are freaking out, u might cause a fire. That's why there'a breaker in the fuse panel, and u have a fuse on the power bar. In today's age, most things are designed to take less power than 5yrs ago.
Wow! did anybody take into consideration how easy it will be for him to move his whole desk around for maintenance now? just slide the whole beast, wires hidden and all, anywhere you want!
ReplyDelete"hmm, today i feel like using my desktop outside.. just need a buddy and an extension cable.."
brilliant mate.. good show! =]
Nice! I love my jerker. Anybody here have an ikea jerker (top long) shelf accessory they'd like to sell? I would like to expand my jerker desk with another level (for all my external hard drives).
ReplyDeleteYou may want to check this link out for some general inspiration:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/40168032@N02/
Good luck in fighting the loose cables!
Love the work you did on your Jerker. Great to see someone else cleaning up under their desk.
ReplyDeleteBTW, is that an HP 6200C scanner? If so, we must be shopping at all the same places. :P
Cheers!