surge protector to a surge protector - safe?

[ArkiStan]

Serially connecting more than one surge protector. Honestly, how safe is this? I won't be using any heavy machinery. Just typical household appliances, e.g. computers, monitors, printers, phone chargers, lamps etc.

[DarkFury]

I don't see any problem with it...

Although, I'd be careful about overloading the circuit that ultimately you will be connecting them too.

[ArkiStan]

Although, I'd be careful about overloading the circuit that ultimately you will be connecting them too.

that's precisely the issue I was concerned with. I'm wondering how easy it is to overload the circuit. I will have two surge protectors max, one plugged into another, and basic home appliances as I m mentioned above.

[DarkFury]

You should be fine with those basic gadgets plugged in...

But honestly, I'd put a UPS under the computer and monitor and then surge protect the rest.

[InfiniteNothing]

Nearly all electronics have current/power ratings. Break out the calculator. Ideally you probably want to be under 10 amps/1200W.

[Jeffbx]

Yeah, your concern should be the number of devices you're plugging in, not that you're daisy chaining power strips.

You'll also want to take into consideration whatever else is sharing that circuit from OTHER outlets. To be completely sure, I'd recommend finding out exactly which outlets are conneted to that circuit, and also the rating of the curcuit (probably 15amp). Then, like IN says, start adding up all of the power ratings to see what it can handle.

[Prngr44]

I'm picturing the plug in "A Christmas Story" they had in the living room...

[Markel]

I know I have read that you shouldn't plug a UPS into a surge protector, but this article says that UPSs and/or surge protectors should never be daisy-chained. Then this one says "Plugging an UPS into a surge protector is fine. What you shouldn't do is plug a surge protector into an UPS. I've never seen a great explanation as to why, but what I have read is that the dirty output of the UPS operating on battery will look like many small surges to the surge protector." And here it says "Do not plug a surge protector or power strip into an existing surge protector or power strip. This practice is called "daisy chaining" or "piggy backing" and can lead to serious problems."

[DarkFury]

Then this one says "Plugging an UPS into a surge protector is fine. What you shouldn't do is plug a surge protector into an UPS. I've never seen a great explanation as to why, but what I have read is that the dirty output of the UPS operating on battery will look like many small surges to the surge protector."

I'd think that if you put a surge protector (i.e. a surge protected power strip) on a UPS, you would probably overload the output capacity of the UPS.

You aren't even supposed to hook up "high drain" electronics to the UPS (like printers...) Only your Monitor and your PC box... and maybe one small peripheral on battery backup. Everything else has to be on the non backup output.

Maybe that's where they were going with that.