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Advanced Power Strips

Product Facts:

• Some advanced power strips come with occupancy sensors that “sense” when someone enters or leaves an area, and will automatically turn the equipment on or off accordingly. These sensors come in many varieties:
  • Passive infrared (PIR) power strips sense the “heat” emitted by occupants, when a change is detected, the sensor is triggered, good for a 15 foot range (such as for a desk or workstation).
  • Ultrasonic power strips emit a high audio frequency (inaudible to humans and pets) and are triggered when there is a change in that frequency, e.g. when someone enters the range (larger range than PIR; suitable for an office) making them susceptible to false triggering.
• Some advanced power strips actually have “hot” and “cold” outlets. The “hot” outlets are for appliances that can’t be turned off (DVRs) and the “cold” outlets are for those that can be turned off when not in use (TVs, stereos). This allows for all appliances to be plugged into just one power strip.

Tips:

• Purchase the right-sized advanced power strip for the right application. The more outlets a strip has, the more energy it uses.
• If you don’t need a power strip that senses occupancy patterns, a timer will provide maximum energy savings by turning off plugged-in items at night and/or on holidays.