....or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.
--
rbel

What on earth is a wall wart?

The curiously-named "Huge" wrote:

http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to elicit an
answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat self-centred) point (in
what I hoped was a mildly good-natured manner) that the term was new to me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who hasn't
previously encountered it?

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 18:38:45 +0100, Bert Coules wrote:

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who
hasn't previously encountered it?

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

Bert Coules wrote:

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who hasn't
previously encountered it

Quite possibly ...

On 01/10/13 18:38, Bert Coules wrote:
The curiously-named "Huge" wrote:

http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to elicit
an answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat self-centred)
point (in what I hoped was a mildly good-natured manner) that the term
was new to me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who
hasn't previously encountered it?



yes.

--
Ineptocracy

(in-ep-toc-ra-cy) €“ a system of government where the least capable to
lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the
members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are
rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a
diminishing number of producers.

On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I would be surprised if you were unusual in that. I can't get through
the tangle of wires to count them, but I know I have 2 x 6 way and 1 x 4
way socket strips in use and the computers and monitors only take one of
those sockets, to feed the UPS.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

IME, no matter how many sockets you have, you will always need more.

Colin Bignell

Horrible things for many reasons. The big heavy ones keep falling out the
socket and the cheaper switch mode ones fail and also create rfi in huge
amounts, so no radios will work anywhere near the place.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
rbel wrote in message ...
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.
--
rbel

On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.


Just watch for the spacing of the sockets on the cheaper extensions.
Many wall warts are wider/longer than a standard plug. Two large wall
warts may not fit in adjacent sockets. Extensions that have 2x2 sockets
in a square format can result in one or more of the sockets being
unusable when there are wall warts plugged in.


--
mailto:news{at}admac(dot}myzen{dot}co{dot}uk

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:06:24 +0100, alan wrote:

Just watch for the spacing of the sockets on the cheaper extensions.
Many wall warts are wider/longer than a standard plug.

Not many are wider these day with the demise of the iron transformer.


Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex. On an extension block with back to back sockets the
strain reliefs and wires can stop you using opposite sockets. WTF
they don't stagger the sockets...

The cable closet will have a 100+ W 12 V power supply installed and
individually fused(*) feeds for each bit of kit, most of which lives
off 12 V. I'll use a DC/DC convertor if something wants 5 V.

(*)Automotive fuses in a little fuse carrier not in line glass
jobbies.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 1 Oct 2013 17:26:16 GMT, Huge wrote:

On 2013-10-01, rbel rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

I have 12-way Olsen strips screwed to the back of the (3) desks and 2
20-way ones screwed to the shelving unit that acts as a server rack in
my study, for a grand total of 76 sockets. They aren't all in use. )

Keep an eye on eBay, they come up regularly, although the only one on there
at present is this one;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olsen-PM-6...item4d133b1c6a

Olsen also have sales at regular intervals.

Thanks for the suggestion.

The Olson stuff is good quality and their site was the first place I
checked but unfortunately the 'square' range do not come with
individual switches per socket and the switched 6 gang strips are a
bit too wide for the location I have in mind.
--
rbel

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:06:24 +0100, alan
wrote:

On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.


Just watch for the spacing of the sockets on the cheaper extensions.
Many wall warts are wider/longer than a standard plug. Two large wall
warts may not fit in adjacent sockets. Extensions that have 2x2 sockets
in a square format can result in one or more of the sockets being
unusable when there are wall warts plugged in.

I have encountered that frustrating problem before. I have now
checked an MK 3 gang socket against all my current wall warts and the
socket spacing is OK for any combination.
--
rbel

Dave Liquorice wrote:
Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex.

I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side
to the earth pin. Bang goes your house insurance.

JGH

In article ,
Brian Gaff wrote:
Horrible things for many reasons. The big heavy ones keep falling out
the socket and the cheaper switch mode ones fail and also create rfi
in huge amounts, so no radios will work anywhere near the place.

And a good old fashioned transformer type produced such a big external
magnetic field it near wiped out my LP pickup output.

--
*If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

En el artículo , Bert
Coules escribió:

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who hasn't
previously encountered it?

Yes.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

En el artículo , Huge
escribió:

I have 12-way Olsen strips

Top quality stuff, I buy nothing else for the server racks at work. Not
cheap, but you get what you pay for. The sequenced start ones are
brilliant.

--
(\_/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 15:08:30 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex.

I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side
to the earth pin. Bang goes your house insurance.

JGH

I don't think they come under the remit of BS1363, for one thing,
where's the fuse? You hope the thing has appropriate protection but
how can you tell what's inside a sealed one without an x-ray machine?




--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:25:08 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:06:24 +0100, alan wrote:

Just watch for the spacing of the sockets on the cheaper extensions.
Many wall warts are wider/longer than a standard plug.

Not many are wider these day with the demise of the iron transformer.


Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex.

I have a theory about that. I think the Chinese have the idea that our
13A socket is normally mounted earth pin downwards.

If you are unconvinced, look at the label orientation on these warts.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/g3zvt/1...4683/lightbox/

--
Graham.

%Profound_observation%

IME, no matter how many sockets you have, you will always need more.

Colin Bignell

So sockets are the same as beers?

Bill

wrote:

I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side
to the earth pin.

These don't and claim compliance (indeed I think changes were made to
the standard to allow them to be compliant) I'm inclided to believe them.

http://www.thinplug.com/web/images/header_bg.png

On 02/10/2013 03:49, Andy Burns wrote:
wrote:

I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side
to the earth pin.

These don't and claim compliance (indeed I think changes were made to
the standard to allow them to be compliant) I'm inclided to believe them.

http://www.thinplug.com/web/images/header_bg.png





I| have a usb charger with a pull out earth pin like that.
Works fine but does look a little vulnerable to being broken.

http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to elicit an
answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat self-centred) point (in
what I hoped was a mildly good-natured manner) that the term was new to
me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who hasn't
previously encountered it?


I had not heard the term before either. It does seem fairly apt, but has a
very american feel to it. Just out of curiousity, is it another imported
word
or did it originate here?
(I found their page on the wiki diyfaq but it doesn't say.)

On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

How many, if any, are used to power something that could alternatively
be powered from a USB port on the computer? Could these be replaced by a
single powered USB hub and appropriate USB cables?

iPads, iPhones, Android phones and my bluetooth speaker system all
spring to mind for this treatment.

Andrew

"Nightjar" wrote in message
...
On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I would be surprised if you were unusual in that. I can't get through the
tangle of wires to count them, but I know I have 2 x 6 way and 1 x 4 way
socket strips in use and the computers and monitors only take one of those
sockets, to feed the UPS.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

IME, no matter how many sockets you have, you will always need more.

Colin Bignell

They are the ideal way to start a fire. Especially the way some people use
them.
Some are outright dangerous. All sorts of fakes out there too.

wrote in message
...
Dave Liquorice wrote:
Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex.

I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side
to the earth pin. Bang goes your house insurance.

JGH

I saw one with a "skeletal" 13a plug with no fuse.

In message , at 21:06:24 on
Tue, 1 Oct 2013, alan remarked:
I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

Just watch for the spacing of the sockets on the cheaper extensions.
Many wall warts are wider/longer than a standard plug. Two large wall
warts may not fit in adjacent sockets. Extensions that have 2x2 sockets
in a square format can result in one or more of the sockets being
unusable when there are wall warts plugged in.

The cords can also clash, because about half come out of the top and
half out of the bottom.
--
Roland Perry

On Wed, 02 Oct 2013 08:39:36 +0100, Andrew May
wrote:


I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

How many, if any, are used to power something that could alternatively
be powered from a USB port on the computer? Could these be replaced by a
single powered USB hub and appropriate USB cables?

iPads, iPhones, Android phones and my bluetooth speaker system all
spring to mind for this treatment.


That is a good idea. I will check the power requirements of the
various items. I have a feeling that the majority are probably 12v and
from memory USB power is restricted to 5v - but there will hopefully
be a couple of things that could utilise USB.
--
rbel

On Wednesday, October 2, 2013 12:34:56 AM UTC+1, Graham. wrote:
On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 15:08:30 -0700 (PDT), wrote: Dave Liquorice wrote: Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a normal flex. I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite side to the earth pin. Bang goes your house insurance. JGH I don't think they come under the remit of BS1363, for one thing, where's the fuse? You hope the thing has appropriate protection but how can you tell what's inside a sealed one without an x-ray machine? -- Graham. %Profound_observation%

Angle grinder?

I can never work out which of the buggers is supposed to power what. I wanted to power up an old ADSL modem/router and I've got a boxful of adapters and I don't know which one is for the router.

On Wednesday 02 October 2013 08:39 Andrew May wrote in uk.d-i-y:

On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

How many, if any, are used to power something that could alternatively
be powered from a USB port on the computer? Could these be replaced by a
single powered USB hub and appropriate USB cables?

iPads, iPhones, Android phones and my bluetooth speaker system all
spring to mind for this treatment.

Andrew

Usually they are not charged all in one place - not in my house anyway.

I did think that USB plates in the wall might be an idea - but will USB be
around as long as 13A sockets?

The only thing for certain is 5V DC is quite ubiquitous - but of the USB
designers had forseen the rise of USB-as-power, perhaps they would have
chosen 12V?

--
Tim Watts Personal Blog: http://squiddy.blog.dionic.net/

http://www.sensorly.com/ Crowd mapping of 2G/3G/4G mobile signal coverage

Reading this on the web? See:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Usenet

In article ,
Halmyre wrote:
I can never work out which of the buggers is supposed to power what. I
wanted to power up an old ADSL modem/router and I've got a boxful of
adapters and I don't know which one is for the router.

Modem/routers are unusual in that they normally have an AC out WW.

--
*OK, so what's the speed of dark? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Tuesday, October 1, 2013 6:42:46 PM UTC+1, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 01/10/13 18:38, Bert Coules wrote:

The curiously-named "Huge" wrote, somewhat rudely:
http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to elicit
an answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat self-centred)
point (in what I hoped was a mildly good-natured manner) that the term
was new to me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who
hasn't previously encountered it?

yes.

No

In message , at 11:06:52 on
Wed, 2 Oct 2013, Tim Watts remarked:
I did think that USB plates in the wall might be an idea - but will USB be
around as long as 13A sockets?

Change them back to 13A sockets if they become redundant.

But what is likely to replace it? If anything it's getting more common,
with rechargeable boosters, car-lighter adapters and even wall-warts,
all having USB output sockets.

(But my brand new cheapo solar panel mobile-booster has a proprietary
co-ax output; go figure).

--
Roland Perry

On Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:25:08 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

quite a few have the outlet wire coming from
the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L & N pin end like a
normal flex.

In stand alone use, on a socket fitted on the wall close to the floor and not in
a multiblock then bringing the very small diameter cable out the earth pin end
makes a lot of sense to me. Less wire, a more direct route to the appliance and
no sharp bend on exit from the plug.

I have two 10 x multiways on my UPS, leaves plenty of room to plug in dozen
wallwarts as well as all the important loads.

--

On 10/2/2013 10:59 AM, Huge wrote:
On 2013-10-02, wrote:
On Wednesday, October 2, 2013 12:34:56 AM UTC+1, Graham. wrote:
On Tue, 1 Oct 2013 15:08:30 -0700 (PDT), wrote:Dave Liquorice wrote: Longer can be a problem, quite a few have the outlet wire coming from the end adjacent to the earth pin not from the L& N pin end like a normal flex. I'm sure BS1363 requires the flex to exit on the opposite sideto the earth pin. Bang goes your house insurance. JGH I don't think they come under the remit of BS1363, for one thing, where's the fuse? You hope the thing has appropriate protection but how can you tell what's inside a sealed one without an x-ray machine? -- Graham. %Profound_observation%

Angle grinder?

I can never work out which of the buggers is supposed to power what.

You could always try labelling them. That's what I do.

+1

On 02/10/2013 08:44, harryagain wrote:
"Nightjar" wrote in message
...
On 01/10/2013 18:10, rbel wrote:
...or at least the area around my desk.

Having bought a new desk I decided to sort out the mare's nest of
cables that had accumulated behind the old one over the years. I was
amazed to find that I had 8 wall warts just for this relatively small
area. This does not include the 7 chargers used elsewhere in the
building for mobiles etc.

I would be surprised if you were unusual in that. I can't get through the
tangle of wires to count them, but I know I have 2 x 6 way and 1 x 4 way
socket strips in use and the computers and monitors only take one of those
sockets, to feed the UPS.

I really wanted to rationalise the various extension strips I have
under the desk and arrange to put the sockets somewhere more
accessible. The only options I can think of at the moment are either
two 6 gang switched extension leads fastened to one end of the desk or
four MK 3 gang switched socket outlets recessed into the end panel of
the desk. At least these would cover current needs and allow for a
couple of spare outlets.

IME, no matter how many sockets you have, you will always need more.

Colin Bignell

They are the ideal way to start a fire. Especially the way some people use
them.
Some are outright dangerous. All sorts of fakes out there too.



They are not a problem if you know what you are doing though.

Colin Bignell

RobertL wrote:
On Tuesday, October 1, 2013 6:42:46 PM UTC+1, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
On 01/10/13 18:38, Bert Coules wrote:

The curiously-named "Huge" wrote, somewhat rudely:
http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to
elicit an answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat
self-centred) point (in what I hoped was a mildly good-natured
manner) that the term was new to me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who
hasn't previously encountered it?

yes.

No

TBH I have only ever heard the term "wall wart" used by newsgroup posters.

It's called a "wall adapter" in Yorkshire. West Yorkshire not included:-)


--
Adam

At the risk of inciting yet more sarcastic replies, when I saw the subject
heading I thought it might be a mistyping for "Wallmarts".

Tahiri wrote:

I had not heard the term before either.

Thank you.

"ARW" wrote in message ...

RobertL wrote:
On Tuesday, October 1, 2013 6:42:46 PM UTC+1, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:
On 01/10/13 18:38, Bert Coules wrote:

The curiously-named "Huge" wrote, somewhat rudely:
http://just****inggoogleit.com/

I did so before I posted the question, which wasn't intended to
elicit an answer but rather to make the (admittedly somewhat
self-centred) point (in what I hoped was a mildly good-natured
manner) that the term was new to me.

Is it really in such widespread use that I'm the only one here who
hasn't previously encountered it?

yes.

No

TBH I have only ever heard the term "wall wart" used by newsgroup posters.

It's called a "wall adapter" in Yorkshire. West Yorkshire not included:-)



Ah but what does it adapt the wall to? Perhaps a path, or something else.

AWEM

On Wed, 2 Oct 2013 17:52:21 +0100, "Bert Coules"
wrote:

At the risk of inciting yet more sarcastic replies, when I saw the subject
heading I thought it might be a mistyping for "Wallmarts".

I apologise for assuming that it was now in common parlance given the
nature of this group.
--
rbel