Make your own dimmed power strip

[LampHead]

I put together a little video of how to make a dimmed power strip. The only tools needed are a screw driver and a drill (w/bits). I think anyone should be able to do the steps but if you do not feel comfortable, do not try it, there are other options. Another good product is this http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43060 you can just plug any power strip into it and dim away. They are very heavy duty and rated at 1750 watts and work great with lights. I also show the plug everyone is using but I dont recommend using them for more than one lamp, they hum and get warm.You can tell a quality dimmer by its sound....if its quiet its quality, if it hums its not good.

I prefer the dimmed power strip as its the cleanist look when used.


LampHead

[Kris]

Really nice video! You scared me with the plug in dimmers though. I just ordered 2 of the black Lutrons about 20 minutes before I found this video. I hope they are good. I have never had a problem with Lutron and we use all their dimmers in our house. The one you have looks like an off brand?

Then again, they are all made in China so who knows anymore.

Really great idea if you have a lot of lamps in one area. I am going to see how the plug in ones work out. Should not have an issue I don't think.

[LampHead]

They are fine for single lamps just watch if they get warm. They are all made by the same China manufacter just different labels on the boxes. The inline type on the Icons are of high quality, no humming. I found the metal power strip I show under the Ace brand name, Sentry brand and APC brand, they are all the same just different outside names.

[Kris]

Yeah, if these guys humm that bad I will be returning them. I don't need something burning the house down.

[LampHead]

direct youtube link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op-zhDmW60Y&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Foo...

[LampHead]

It dont matter if the power strip has a surge protector or not, the dimmer will still be wired the same way. The surge protector circut will come first followed by the on-off switch so it will not change the wiring. The metal cased strips are better built, they use solid wire between the plugs vs. stranded lamp cord I have seen in plastic models and I have not seen a plastic model that is large enough to hold the dimmer. The strip I used is from Ace and branded Ace but I have seen them at Home Depot labeled as Belkin and Sentry brands. The Ace brand have no light, some Belkins do not either but most of the Sentry brands have them. I suspect the non light versions are older models.


LampHead

[LampHead]

Very nice Spence541, that power strip is perfect with lots of room, glad to see someone try it out.

Dr.WHAT try HomeDepot, im sure they will have metal power strips. Also try Ace it seems like its about the only power strip they carry.


LampHead

[LampHead]

I was thinking it would not fit. Menards still has the dimmers, I seen them last week....I almost bought one because I was thinking of making another strip too.

LampHead

[MagicLamp]

Basically humming or high-pitched whining will depend on the technlology used: traditional triac-based dimmers will hum because they just switch with the line frequency, while high-end inverter-electronic dimmers (which use more complex stepping techniques) will tend to emit high-pitched whines, just like CFL lamps and some kinds of PSUs. Some amount of mechanical vibration and audible noise is inevitable when handling (relatively) large powers with electronics.