How Do Smart Power Strips Work?

Power strips are used everywhere. We use them at home, in public areas, in commercial buildings, and in any other environment that involves electricity. In general, traditional power strips are an affordable way to expand the number of electrical outlets, and mostly we just leave the devices plugged in permanently. However, even if we don’t actively use these devices, they keep drawing power. Typically, we are not going to unplug the TV, video games, printers, and many other devices that are used frequently. By using smart power strips, these issues could be managed well. In this article, we will illustrate how smart power strips work, how they could reduce power consumption, and how to use smart power strips at home.

What Makes a Smart Power Strip?

Smart power strips are established with a variety of functions, but most smart power strips are equipped with 2 components: power outlets and circuits that monitor those outlets. For instance, when a projector is plugged into a smart power strip that staying standby, it consumes less electricity. In this way, the power to that outlet is cut and the outlets in use stay on. In addition, there are smart power strips that leave at least one of the outlets unmonitored and stayed working all the time. For example, the connection to an internet router, or an alarm system, requires such a stable connection.

How Can a Smart Power Strip Work to Reduce Power Consumption?

Compared to traditional power strips, smart power strips, on the other hand, focus on shutting down power to products that stay in standby mode. Some users may think that the devices with their standby mode on consume little power, but experts illustrate that standby power consumption in an average home ranges from 5 percent to 10 percent of total household energy consumption. Meanwhile, there is about 1 percent of global CO₂ emissions sourced from these standby devices. Besides, users can schedule the outlets to turn off at a specific time. It is very functional for those who always forget things or those who have a fixed daily plan.  

How to Use Smart Power Strips at Home?

Imagine waking up in the morning, your alarm turns on automatically, the lights are switched on, and your coffee machine warms up. It is not a joke that your smart power strip can do even more than these! Now, with the establishment of smart home accessories, the smart power strip could work together with these accessories and allow the users to get what they want according to the setups. Furthermore, for some smart power strips, it is significant to get your right smart from the right places, such as shopping online and checking the spec carefully. For instance, some power strips focus on the charging speed and others are more professional at stable connectivity. Also, there are smart power strips that offer several types of connections, such as type C, and USB. These specific smart power strips are popular to be used in bedrooms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a smart power strip allows users to save power and keep safe without the need to turn off the devices. Some smart power strips offer stable power to specific outlets for devices that require a continuous power supply. For standby devices, a smart power strip could shut down the power supply to save power and slow down the aging. By scheduling the outlets, users can plan to turn on/off the devices automatically, which will improve the user experience. In addition, power strips are various functions, with some being better at charging and others supporting stable connections.