Teardown: Why most german power strips are 45° - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Felicitus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 12:35:02 pm
content: Disclaimer: This only applies to german power strips, probably other EU power strips as well.I'm frustrated by power strips available in Germany. Almost all have a 45° angle, which makes it impossible to fit wall warts into them without covering at least 2 or 3 sockets at once. I decided to crack a cheap 45° power strip open to see why this is the case, and it immediately became clear why: It's much cheaper to produce!I have written a blog article about this, which also goes a little into detail on nice 90° power strips and a possibility to fit some electronics for remote control into it. The article is here:http://felicitus.org/2013/12/17/power-strip-modding/Hope that sheds some light (for those whacky germans) why most power strips are 45°.

author: uwezi
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 01:35:05 pm
content: I can remember a time when all (German) power strips were 90° - it would not allow more than one transformer/wall wart or one angled safety plug to be used at any time. The 45° versions which have been around since about the mid-1990s must be the best invention since sliced bread! The 90° design was of course based on the same primitive technology under the hood as the 45° design.Of course you are right when thinking of clumsy big wall warts, which still do not fit into adjacent sockets in the 45° power strips, but in my experience these are dying out. Modern switched-mode wall warts have become small and narrow enough to fit better into the power strips. Some of those with their elongated design would be perhaps more suited for the old-style power strips, while others would fit better into a 0° power strip.However, most of the wall warts I have recently encountered have an elongated shape which would make it impossible to use two of those in adjacent sockets if the sockets were not at a 45° och 90° angle...

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 01:44:50 pm
content: I just buy X number of industrial socket outlets and gang them with conduit on a strip of wood. Problem solved, and you can switch each outlet individually, along with having control over cable rating and you find it hard to break them.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 01:59:01 pm
content: You need less space when using a 45° power strip and power cables with 90° plugs (most power cables come with a 90° plug). But you can also get nice 90° power strips usable for wallwarts. Maybe you're just looking at the wrong places.

author: uwezi
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 06:53:05 pm
content: One man's meat is another man's poisonor as my grandmother would have said: "wat den Eenen sin Uhl, is den Annern sin Nachtigall" ...And here you see why:Old style 90° design -failfor angled IEC safety connectors, wall warts, but works well for the elongated-style wall warts.Modern 45° design -failfor standard (?) wall warts, but works well for angled IEC safety connectors and elongated-style wall warts.What I would call 0° or inline design -total failfor elongated-style wall warts, can work for standard (?) wall warts (if not too wide), and works well for angled IEC safety connectors.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 08:42:50 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on March 08, 2014, 01:44:50 pmwhich kind of industrial sockets are you refering to?

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 08:56:54 pm
content: I very much like the 45 degree ones, but why are you calling them German?Not only are we also using them in NL, but the French/Belgian/Czech variation also use a45 degree variant, so its not even anything special.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 09:01:08 pm
content: Quote from: cybermaus on March 08, 2014, 08:56:54 pmBecause "Schuko" (Schutzkontakt) is a German word?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 09:05:02 pm
content: Quote from: M. András on March 08, 2014, 08:42:50 pmSomething like these?(Adjust for local country as appropriate.)

author: Matje
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2014, 11:54:07 pm
content: Quote from: Felicitus on March 08, 2014, 12:35:02 pmThere is no single optimal solution. You'll have to live with it.Quote from: Felicitus on March 08, 2014, 12:35:02 pmThey work reasonably well if you can alternate wall warts and normal plugs, which is what's happening in the back of my bench.To be able to have a row of wall warts you need to buy power strips with extra wide distance between sockets. These exist, they are brand name and semi-industrial, you will pay handsomely for it and they take up a metric boatload of space... Which is why I don't use 'em.

author: nihilism
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 03:26:56 am
content: What a mess. I'd recommend the EU adopt Australian outlets to fix these problems. We used to have problems fitting transformer based wall warts next to each other (too wide), but this is less of a issue now because they're less common. The only real issue now is stupidly designed sideways wall warts etc.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 04:42:34 am
content: Your blog post would be great hack-a-day material if you show the finished project and more pictures of the power stripVery interesting, thanks for sharing

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 06:27:04 am
content: Man those strips are some garbage! Phwaaaaa! Reminds me why I don't buy em...Got these ones in the shedhttp://image.made-in-china.com/43f34j00PKqTHOwonGkz/Portable-Power-Distribution-Board-DTL001-.jpgand got these ones on the lab benchhttp://www.radioparts.com.au/images/ProductImages/27782800.jpg

author: sync
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 02:15:44 pm
content: Quote from: nihilism on March 09, 2014, 03:26:56 amI don't see how the Australian outlets can fix this. They have the same problem. They are even worse because the plug fits only in one position. Whereas the German fits every 180°. To fix the problem we need a new power plug which fits every 45° or better can freely rotated.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 02:36:18 pm
content: Those are available, but they are pretty poor.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 03:04:22 pm
content: Quote from: peter.mitchell on March 09, 2014, 06:27:04 amYou can't expect much more if you're paying EUR 3 for a small one (3-4 sockets) or EUR 8 for larger one (6-7 sockets and main switch). BTW, a proper one for a shed would be3 phase 63A

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2014, 04:09:13 pm
content: I was just looking for good quality power strips in Germany for a reasonable price with 10 or 12 outlets.This one also was suppose to be wall mountable and without Child Protection.It seems the quality is going down every year or the price is going up to the sky.Finally I found a good one at a local distributor, but I had to pay 39 Euros.It was the only one I could find, that had no stupid child safety installed.

author: Frost
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2014, 07:40:07 pm
content: Quote from: madires on March 09, 2014, 03:04:22 pmThat's exactly the point.If you only buy the cheapest Chinese crap, you always end up with cheap Chinese crap.Here is another teardown, although a "German" 45° power stripbut a proper one.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2014, 08:03:24 am
content: They don't make the good ones since the late 70's. If you use the somewhat heavier plugpins they wear out (the steel bends and does not return to its original figure). If you then push in a normal plugpin the contact is shabby with even possible sparking on heavy loads.This is what they made in the 70's (see picture) even if it bends out it still is bend back and controlled with the surrounding steel. In dutch this is called "dubbelgeveerd" have no clue what the english term is perhaps something like double bend back

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2014, 08:34:38 am
content: Quote from: Kjelt on March 11, 2014, 08:03:24 amYeah, its quite tricky to find something affordable that isn't total crap. I don't mind paying more for better quality, but the 10x bonus multiplier is a bit much...QuoteMaybe double spring contacts...Edit: ah almost ... double leaf spring contacts.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2014, 08:41:09 am
content: Quote from: mrflibble on March 11, 2014, 08:34:38 amSounds much betterbut google pictures show this as a different type connector

author: peter.mitchell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2014, 09:47:42 am
content: Quote from: madires on March 09, 2014, 03:04:22 pmThe one i linked is about the same height and width, but about 2x as deep, and has sockets and switches around it, with breakers for each switch above each switch. It's rated for 200a spread over all the sockets.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 04:10:44 pm
content: do you have the local equiv of this:http://www.amazon.com/PREMIUM-Solid-Cordz-Extension-Cable/dp/B00CG70K78its a bit hacky but it does do the job and everything can now plug in to the power strip.

author: Steffen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 06:34:20 pm
content: Equivalent to extension cords for your extension cord socket bar? Yo Dawg, that's cool man.But anyway, you can also buy socket bars with wider spacing. 100mm spacing in between each socket can also fit most powerbricks.http://www.auktionshausfuertechnik.de/de/Arbeitsplatz/Accessoires/KNUeRR-Steckdosenleiste-5-fach

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 07:02:09 pm
content: I don't mind the 'yo dawg' approach here, lolit allows the use of ANY wall wart with ANY power strip. that's freedom, man.

author: Frost
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 08:04:50 pm
content: Quote from: Steffen on March 13, 2014, 06:34:20 pmThe Knuerr has a wider spacing, yes, but with the wrong direction.For these old clunky power bricks you can buy a special power stripwith 90° sockets and extra wide spacing between them.Kopp for example, build such power strips until today:

author: D. Head
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 08:21:31 pm
content: Quote from: Felicitus on March 08, 2014, 12:35:02 pmHello,In my LAB I'm using these Kopp or EHMANN strips.So these are 2 sections, with for each section-on the top 1 strip, 4 sockets, with fuse (Conrad# 622306)-bottom 3 strips of 5 sockets (Conrad#622729)not that I'm using that much sockets, but I mainly prefer/using 1 socket with 1 switch, so 1 switch for 1 device.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 08:57:15 pm
content: that's almost a funny photo. you show a whole row of PORTABLE battery operated dmm's sitting below power strips .... that they will never need!

author: D. Head
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 09:05:01 pm
content: Quote from: linux-works on March 13, 2014, 08:57:15 pmI had only recycled the photo fromhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/show-your-multimeter!/msg66727/#msg66727

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 10:04:20 pm
content: Lets face it if you want a decent power strip you have to build it yourself, use a rubber 3x2,5mm2[\sub] cable a good sturdy plastick box and SCHUKO panel mounted receptacles from Mennekes with shutter and a Bals plug.

author: Steffen
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2014, 06:09:34 pm
content: This is how I solve connectivity issues regarding power bricks and narrow spaced plugs. The Knürr bar is not that bad. Battery charger power supply is just for demonstration.

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 05:42:30 am
content: Quote from: linux-works on March 13, 2014, 07:02:09 pmIt's fine for personal use but it would fail when the fire marshal came to check it at a business.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 06:12:08 am
content: Quote from: Stonent on March 15, 2014, 05:42:30 amBecause, as usual, they're allergic to anything which looks out of the ordinary. I get oh so tired of dealing with them.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 08:14:24 am
content: Fire marshal is a fellow ham........ He is way too busy to look at possible fires, more busy with proper illegal connections and the lethal township wiring that kills dozens of people a year, mostly children.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 03:16:14 pm
content: You might consider something like Tehalit for your lab. And you may add wiring for telephone, network and other stuff too.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 06:55:33 pm
content: you can chose btw the legrand mosaic system a wall mounted cable duct i think its called dlp which allows you to click in modules from the whola mosaic familiy switches connectors etc, or build some of your own using din rail mounted sockets

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 15, 2014, 06:59:52 pm
content: Quote from: M. András on March 15, 2014, 06:55:33 pm

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2014, 02:33:05 pm
content: Even better, one example from what I suppose is a good consumer brand.If you're lucky you can use two wall-warts and nothing else. You cannot use the outlets on the side because they would either sit too high or push against the power button.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2014, 02:48:22 pm
content: One of the reasons we have the 45° socket strips are those damned 90° Schuko plugs. I never really saw the point in having them on nearly everything.There are some decent strips available with 0° degree outlets and a decent space between sockets, they're not even that expensive. I use a load of them for the computer/network/internet/phone corner in my office. They're not so good for the newer "sideway-style" power bricks though.As a rule I do not buy any of those cheap 3EUR socket strips that you find in every supermarket, I dissected a few and came to the conclusion they're hazardous. Now if I need one I go to the next flea market, you can always find decent socket strips from the 70ies there. Just check the leads and contacts for any damage/looseness. They even come in whacky colours like orange, red or green!

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2014, 04:11:43 pm
content: The biggest problem IMHO are those darn wall plug powersupplies that are wider then a normal plug thus incompatible with the original system. Those should be forbidden.Then there are also very nice small 16A/230VAC plug systems like the Wieland WHT GST 18 connector system, usually only used for industrial applications in ceilings but I am personally thinking of using those in my garage for the lighting system thus saving a lot of space. This is how a one in 5 out unit looks like, it is the size of one shuko inlet.

author: XynxNet
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2014, 05:20:32 pm
content: I use Ehmann power strips. They look like the Knuerr ones and solved all my wall wart problems.http://www.ehmann-gmbh.de/en/products/power-distributor/socket-strips/universal.html

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2014, 07:42:26 pm
content: Quote from: XynxNet on March 19, 2014, 05:20:32 pmAh that reminds me do you guts also dispise the bad quality of those switches, i mean the weakest link is always the switch in these powerstrips.

author: daddario
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2014, 10:41:56 pm
content: Quote from: Kjelt on March 19, 2014, 07:42:26 pmAs I'm really paranoid when it comes to cheap extension and power cords(I've had some issues involving smaller fires before) I decided to get good quality power strips for my lab. I got the same Brennenstuhl ones like in brainwash's post, just with more sockets (I believe 10, or something in the lines of). For about €30 a pop not really the cheapest stuff out there, either. I usually do one on-off cycle per day and not every single day do I go to the lab. A year passed and the first switch died. The worrying part is that it started to spring back to the 'on' position.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2014, 08:16:46 am
content: Quote from: daddario on March 20, 2014, 10:41:56 pmMy blue Brennenstuhl strips were not that expensive and had a lightning prevention electronics, but after half a year I could hear some arcing inside. Threw it away the next day.With switches I have had numerous problems for the cheap strips usually arcing and also non contacts (so switch on but no contact).For most equipment I have now I use fixed strips and a power (2kV) relay to switch on/off, a bit overkill but I sleep wel at nightOnly small problem is my HT equipment (which is for general use), my gf is a bit scared of the large engagement sound the power relays make (like someone hits a small hammer on a table). Women.....

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2014, 09:38:44 am
content: That's why I ended up making my own universal adapter. Don't have to worry about spacing / orientation etc etc

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2014, 11:09:42 am
content: With fuses as well, so what that they are the 200A variety but still.............