Pound shop mains blocks

[admin_exported]

I know mains cables and conditioners are a touchy subject, but at the manchester show today I saw hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gear plugged into mains blocks that looked like they had come from the pound shop.

 

[nopiano]

It is possible, though might it have been the lamps that are often used for the displays? Or the reality might be someone's van broke down or the extension blocks got left behind! Organising shows is fraught at the best of times!

Maybe we are about to find a recession-busting tweak...!

Maybe someone can make enquiries tomorrow - do you remember which room/make?

 

[Anonymous]

I made a point of looking in most of them and the majority had them

 

[chebby]

Rick from Musicraft would approve.

 

[Anonymous]

Must say, I've just bought a 4 gang 5 metre extension lead from Maplin and spent a fair amount of dough on it (for an extention lead)... yet it looks like it was bought in a pound shop!

 

[aliEnRIK]

I know mains cables and conditioners are a touchy subject, but at the manchester show today I saw hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gear plugged into mains blocks that looked like they had come from the pound shop.

High end components (Particularly amps) generally do very well at removing RFI by themselves

 

[CJSF]

My solution, 25 years ago I bought a simple 3 pin plug from Russ Andrews, in which was fitted a surge protection resistor, or, is it a capacitor? . . . fitted the plug to a x4 multi block from which I had removed the red indicator light. Still using said block and plug to good effect . . . have a word with Russ Andrews?

. . . is it the surge protection thingy thats doing a job??? or . . . might it be the removal of the power indicator light that is more effective ????????????????????

CJSF

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi fc united of ma...

I find standard mains blocks to be excellent. I use ones from Wilkinson stores.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

Hi fc united of ma...

I find standard mains blocks to be excellent. I use ones from Wilkinson stores.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

Do you mean one like this

Or would the individually switched one be better

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi ric969

The first one.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[chebby]

I find standard mains blocks to be excellent. I use ones from Wilkinson stores.

I have these too. They are made by Masterplug. (Sainsburys do them as well.)

They cost about £6.99.

 

[MajorFubar]

That's what I use as well, though I've fitted a longer cord, which this day and age has probably broken seven billion regulations because instead of hiring an electrician to do it for at least four-times the price of the damn socket, I did it myself, using something called 'common sense' that too many people mustn't be born with these days, otherwise they wouldn't need to legislate against folks doing their own electrical-work.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I've had a QED mains block for ages but it trips our power on a regular basis. So having read this thread I've just swapped it with a cheapo supermarket one I had lying around. If the trips still occur I'll retract the blame Ive just apportioned to the QED.

 

[Mr Morph]

This thread is making me a smile! My one is also of the cheapo variety, and got me looking on the reverse side of the strip, where it blatantly says, ‘Manufactured by Conpower’… Somehow ironic against some of the alternatives I think?

 

[dannycanham]

I spent a fair bit of money on a star earthed hydra design for one of my hi-fi's as its something I'd never come across before. Not only do I now have a large amount of cabling coming from the plug sockets but my hi-fi sounds awesome. Just as awesome as it did before. Its like day and day.

It may be voodoo but I keep away from blocks with switches and buzzy lights on them. It doesn't cost any more to avoid them. Been very happy with plain mains blocks.

Surprised you didn't see more exotic models in a show though. Basic designs can put some people off. Whereas the other way around tends not to.