Can A TV Be Plugged Into A Power Strip? Handling And Safety 

Can A TV Be Plugged Into A Power Strip

Most homes do have few electrical outlets, more so the older homes. Having few outlets is quite an inconvenience if you own several electronics and appliances that need a direct power source. 

In such situations, the power strip is usually the best solution. Even though it is an intelligent solution and can offer power to several household electronics, it’s not safe for all appliances or electronics. 

For example, high-capacity electronics or appliances need more power to work. An appliance doesn’t need to be significant in size to use much power. 

Some homeowners are wondering whether the power strip can efficiently power the TV. The article has all the essential information about the power strip; let’s begin by answering the question. 

Can a TV Be Plugged Into a Power Strip?

Yes, you can plug the TV into the power strip because it has the necessary current for the TV. However, TV instruction manuals insist that you directly plug in your TV set in the wall power outlet. 

Some power strips are of poor quality and can cause complications. Therefore when purchasing a power strip, you need to be wary of the brand. 

Choose a high-quality power strip from a famous brand to ensure the safety of your appliances and electronics. 

With a high-quality power strip, you can safely power your TV and other light load appliances such as PC, digital clocks, lamps, etc.

How To Use TV With An Extension Cord?

You should ensure you have an extension cord with the correct gauge. If the power strip has a higher gauge, then that’s so fine since you may want to add extra appliances. 

Ensure the extension cord is free from damages such as tears or burn marks. Replacing the extension cords is not hard since they are so inexpensive. 

If the cord is okay, completely plug it into the wall outlet and do not expose the cord’s plug. You can now connect the after firmly plugging in the extension to the power source.

Appliances Or Electronics To Never Plug-In The Power Strip

The electrical power outlets are never sufficient to handle all your electronics, essential and non-essential. Many opt for the power strip for extra power outlets for their devices. 

A power strip is undoubtedly a reasonable solution, but you should know how to use it safely. Remember not to rely on the power strip or misuse it. 

Being keen will guarantee both you and your appliances’ safety. Large appliances need a lot of power to run and can easily overload the power strip. 

High power devices need direct power from the wall. Here are some of the appliances you should never plug into the power strip. 

Hairdressing appliances

The hairdressing appliances need a lot of power to heat. If you have insufficient power outlets, the power strip on your verandah or bathroom might be so tempting to use, but don’t. 

The curling wands, hairdryers, and flat irons produce heat and thus need significant amperage amounts to get hot. 

The power strip can’t offer such power amounts. Hairdressing appliances need a direct wall connection. 

Microwaves

The microwave is one appliance that almost all households have. It’s because it performs almost all functions from cooking, reheating food, thawing, and many more. 

The microwave is simply a conventional oven. The microwave needs much energy that the power strip cannot perform all these activities. Microwave needs to have a dedicated power outlet.

Refrigerator and Freezer  

The appliances use too much power because they continuously cycle on and off. The current is too much for the power strip, and it will quickly overload. 

It would be best to plug the refrigerator and freezer directly into a dedicated wall outlet. If you power the two devices from the same outlet, a duplex, then you can trip the breaker. 

Slow cooker

You probably wonder how and why the slow cooker is on the list. Indeed the slow cooker does not use a lot of amperages; however, it requires continuous power for a long time. 

The power strip will indeed not supply that kind of power. Always plug your slow cooker into a wall outlet. 

Toaster

If you own a toaster, then you have peered in when removing the stubborn broken crust piece. You know the interior of the toaster has a bunch of wires that heat to extreme red-hot temperatures. 

The amount of power those wires need to heat can overheat the power strip. The issue is with waffle irons, electric skillets, and toaster ovens. 

Portable Heaters and Air Conditioners

These appliances cycle on and off and thus draw massive power amounts when switching on. The activity will overload the power strip, cause overheating, or trip the circuit breaker. 

Therefore it’s advisable to plug the appliances into different dedicated outlets directly.

Air compressors 

The portable air compressors are pretty handy, and most ambitious DIYers own them. Despite their usefulness, these appliances use immense power amounts to start up. 

You will surely overload the power strip with the air compressor. Air compressors require correctly rated extension cords that are heavy-duty for maximum performance.

The Difference between Power Strip and Extension Cord

Power Strip

The power strip has a series of electrical sockets, cables, and electrical plugs at the ends. The device design allows it to power several multiple appliances close to each other such as in entertainment rooms. 

The high-quality power strip models come with circuit breakers that prevent power overload and short circuits. 

Some modern power strips come with an automatic shutdown feature that detects and shuts down a device that has been idle for hours.

Extension Cord 

Extension cords have long cables, an electrical plug, and at least one socket on one end. The primary function of the extension cord is to extend electrical power outlets to distant appliances or electronics. 

The power strip is the best option to increase electrical outlets or extend power.

Safety Tips For Power Strip

The power strip and another electric tool such as the surge protector are essential in most homes. Today homes have many appliances such as television, PC, speakers, gaming consoles, lamps, and many other items that need power. 

Plugging too many appliances on the power strip will indeed stress it. Some people do not care about the number of appliances they plug in the power strip at once. 

It would be best to be so careful and calculative when using the power strip. It’s because most US home fires result from power strip and extension cord overuse. 

Home fire cases by power strips and extension cords are approximately 4600. You need to know that the power strip and the extension cord are two different electric tools. 

More information on the two tools is in the article. You need to know their differences to avoid confusion when purchasing. Here are some of the power strip safety tips. 

How To Keep Your Home And Family Safe

Avoid connecting high power capacity appliances or electricals like a dehumidifier, space heater, and many more to the power strips. 

Instead, directly plug them into the wall outlet. Such appliances need much power to run, and the power strip can’t offer that power amount. 

You should, at all costs, restrain from connecting several power cords. Some people do this to increase the outlets’ number. 

That’s so risky since it can lead to overload. But it’s possible to temporarily plug an extension cord into a power strip for an extra socket. 

Avoid using power strips in numerous places in your home. If you have many appliances, you should call an electrician to install more power outlets. 

It will be a safer and permanent solution. Having power strips all over your house is risky because many running cables can cause accidents. Plus, too much exposure of cables to environmental factors such as moisture, etc., can be so dangerous. 

Do not use power strips on kitchen countertops or in the bathroom. Here the strips will be exposed to water, and they aren’t water-resistant. It can lead to shocks and even fire. 

Before buying or connecting appliances or electronics to the power strip, you should determine the amount of power it can handle. The number of watts is usually on the package. 

If the package is high, you are safe, which means you can plug several devices. The number of devices you plugin should not exceed the total watts of the power strip. 

Anytime you buy the power strip, you should not look at the price. It would be best if you bought a power strip with a good rating and one that fits all your household needs. Plus, the appliance needs to be certified. 

Do not protect the power strip cords using rugs to prevent trip and fall hazards. You should know that repeatedly stepping on the cord makes it break down and might lead to severe issues like fire.

Conclusion 

The power strip can be pretty important if you need extra power outlets. However, the power strips can power devices that use little power, such as TV, PC, etc. 

Restrain from connecting heavy load devices such as microwave, fridge, etc. Plus, hire professionals to install additional outlets and other electrical jobs in your home. 

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