Triggered Power Strip - Does it Exist?

[Audiosaur]

I bought one of these in 2017 and it's been very useful. Coincidentally, though, I think it reached end of life just this week so I bought an identical replacement today. My circuit breaker started tripping while using the gear. I knew I couldn't be drawing too much power - it's a dedicated 20 amp circuit with only AVR, sub amp, 2-channel amp, and AVR cooling fans attached. I swapped out the smart strip with a non-smart and pushed it hard with no fails. So out with the old. I had hoped it would last longer than 5 1/2 years.

Update: Turns out it wasn't a faulty smart strip after all. The circuit breaker started tripping again with the new smart strip. Replaced the arc-fault circuit breaker (home was built just 3 yrs ago!) and now all is well.

 

[lovinthehd]

Update: Turns out it wasn't a faulty smart strip after all. The circuit breaker started tripping again with the new smart strip. Replaced the arc-fault circuit breaker (home was built just 3 yrs ago!) and now all is well.

Your post led into a recent experience with my smart strip on my main setup. After your story I had a few shutdowns of my avr, and it was happening at lower volumes over a fairly short period of time (none at particularly high volumes plus mains were on power amps), thought it was the avr giving up the ghost. I found a new fairly equivalent but somewhat updated unit on sale and didn't need a huge excuse to swap it out, it had a coupla features that were new to me anyways. Then after a bit, when I goosed the volume to the highest point after installation of the new avr, it did the same thing. Then I remembered your story and really hadn't expected a power strip to behave quite that way. So swapped it out (I do intent to occasionally replace surge strips as they get used up, think this one had been in place for quite a while). Problem stopped (plus hadn't been able to get the old avr to shut down just running for hours at reference level but no speakers attached) so seems now I get to simply update avrs in a coupla systems with the trickle down effect (finally my last non-hdmi setup is now hdmi).

 

[-Jim-]

Gents,

Sorry I'm late to the discussion. I've had a CyberPower Strip on my Atmos setup in the Games Room for over 4 years, and it works well. I put the AVR as the main device to trigger the rest. I recently setup another strip to feed my new Computer Build and it's working fine so far as well.

 

[Kingnoob]

I would like to use a receiver (HK-3390) to play music through powered speakers that would be in the same room as the receiver and built-in, passive speakers in another room that are already wired to the receiver's location. I'm also thinking of using a Bluetooth audio receiver that I already have as an input source. I would like to turn on the Bluetooth receiver and powered speakers with a trigger from the Stereo Receiver so that neither is on all the time. The Bluetooth receiver wouldn't be a problem for the 120V 1A switched outlets on the back of the Stereo Receiver, but the speakers could potentially draw more than the Stereo Receiver's switched outlets can handle. It's there a product like a power strip that could be plugged in separately but turned on and off by a signal from the receiver?

Edited for clarity and to point to the product that solves my problem - lovinthehd's recommendation for an auto-switching power supply looks like the best and easiest solution available.

Is triggered switch the same as smart outlets ?

Smart outlets worth it ??

Do you use these? Benefits / negatives?? I was considering getting them for my less used system and stuff but they only have a few outlets , does one smart outlet work with another power strip daisy chained to it ? Or do you want smart outlet to be first one connected to the wall ? I didn’t have...

forums.audioholics.com

 

[BMXTRIX]

Is triggered switch the same as smart outlets ?

Smart outlets worth it ??

Do you use these? Benefits / negatives?? I was considering getting them for my less used system and stuff but they only have a few outlets , does one smart outlet work with another power strip daisy chained to it ? Or do you want smart outlet to be first one connected to the wall ? I didn’t have...

forums.audioholics.com

No, not at all. A smart outlet is one you can connect to a system like Alexa or Apple Home Kit. They can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times of the day or using voice commands. They are connected to the Internet. A triggered outlet or voltage sensing power strip does not do this. It just works based upon the internal stimulus of the other devices connected to it automatically. It is a fully autonomous product.

 

[Kingnoob]

No, not at all. A smart outlet is one you can connect to a system like Alexa or Apple Home Kit. They can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times of the day or using voice commands. They are connected to the Internet. A triggered outlet or voltage sensing power strip does not do this. It just works based upon the internal stimulus of the other devices connected to it automatically. It is a fully autonomous product.

ahh I see thanks for the clarification!!
Which of the two types of strips are better for say a subwoofer that won’t auto shut off ?

 

[Kingnoob]

Gents,

Sorry I'm late to the discussion. I've had a CyberPower Strip on my Atmos setup in the Games Room for over 4 years, and it works well. I put the AVR as the main device to trigger the rest. I recently setup another strip to feed my new Computer Build and it's working fine so far as well.

Wow that’s a nice power strip I’d use one for my bedroom maybe , but it seems to expensive at $30 a peice to get one just to shut my subwoofer off , do smart outlets do the same thing ?

 

[BMXTRIX]

ahh I see thanks for the clarification!!
Which of the two types of strips are better for say a subwoofer that won’t auto shut off ?

If you want it to automatically power on when a different device powers on without your involvement, then you would get a triggered outlet. I linked to some in one of the previous topics that you asked about this. A 'smart' outlet would require you to be involved in powering it on and off manually every time you used your system. I don't think that would be convenient to use at all.

Be aware that you need something significant, like your AV receiver, plugged into a automatic outlet to act as the trigger for the subwoofer. Something that draws enough power to let the outlet know you have powered it on.

There are different types of triggered outlets, including those that use low voltage as the trigger. These are nice as many AV receivers have a 12v trigger output which can turn on/off these types of outlets.

 

[duder1982]

I haven't read the whole thread, but here are a couple ideas.

Niles APC-2 Current Sensing, Switched, Unswitched AC Outlet | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Niles APC-2 Current Sensing, Switched, Unswitched AC Outlet at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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I use the ac 3 with great results.

Niles AC-3 Voltage Triggered AC Power Strip - 3 Outlet - Part #: FG00242 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Niles AC-3 Voltage Triggered AC Power Strip - 3 Outlet - Part #: FG00242 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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I also have 3 zone amps that I control with a monoprice smart switch and 12 volt wall works to trigger the amps.

Works great.