On Dec 8, 2009, at 4:30 PM, elelist984 wrote: > I think one needs to be careful about using el cheapo outlet strips. I > know conditions down here are different from the U.S., but our fire > chief has warned of fires cause by these items.
My older brother, a Captain in the USN, recently returned from Iraq where he was one of the most recent officers in charge of dealing with the shoddy wiring and electrical-related fires our troops have been experiencing. When the team began fixing the problem (before my brother arrived), they were having 4-5 electrical fires a day theatre wide. I am told analysis showed they were being mostly caused by the cheap power strips from the bazaar and shoddy ballast installation. The ballasts were re-installed, and the soldiers issued US-standard power strips with extra long cords (like they apparently do in the Navy already). It seems far too small a gauge wire was being used in the strips and often had empty insulation where the ground wire was supposed to be. All of this is a long winded way of saying I, too, would caution against cheap power strips of uncertain provenance. Byron KI6NUL ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
