Using one plug for more than one device in the home?

[AMD_Gamer]

I had an OSHA presentation last year at my school for electrical safety in the workplace. They told us that it is actually illegal to plug more than one computer into the same socket or power strip in your house and each one had to be on a separate circuit from the breaker box. Is this correct? Also you cannot daisy chain power strips. Maybe i was just understanding it wrong but I have always wondered about this and whenever i see peoples home labs here I wonder.

 

[evilsofa]

Ha, I got lucky and found exactly what you are referring to:

"However, OSHA's November 15, 1999, letter led to some confusion about the issue of safety and health issues relating to work performed at home. To correct that, and to provide certainty to employers about our policy, we are taking this opportunity to clearly state our enforcement policy in a way that more accurately reflects our longstanding practice, as follows:"

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=testimonies&p_id=123

The list that follows includes "OSHA does not expect employers to inspect home offices; OSHA does not, and will not, inspect home offices;"

OSHA is not going to send stormtroopers to your house.

 

[AMD_Gamer]

Ha, I got lucky and found exactly what you are referring to:

"However, OSHA's November 15, 1999, letter led to some confusion about the issue of safety and health issues relating to work performed at home. To correct that, and to provide certainty to employers about our policy, we are taking this opportunity to clearly state our enforcement policy in a way that more accurately reflects our longstanding practice, as follows:"

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=testimonies&p_id=123

The list that follows includes "OSHA does not expect employers to inspect home offices; OSHA does not, and will not, inspect home offices;"

OSHA is not going to send stormtroopers to your house.

I am just wondering how safe it is lol.

 

[BlueLineSwinger]

They told us that it is actually illegal to plug more than one computer into the same socket or power strip in your house and each one had to be on a separate circuit from the breaker box. Is this correct?

The typical desktop computer system uses about 100-300 watts of power. The typical 15 amp home circuit can support a total of 1800 watts. And it's not a built-in appliance (e.g., a stove, installed microwave, etc.). There's no reason for such a limit that I can see. (However I'm not a licensed/trained electrician, so grain of salt, yadda yadda.)

Also you cannot daisy chain power strips.

A company I used to work for was busted for this by the fire marshal during the annual inspection. This also includes running power strips off of extension cords.

 

[Ur_Mom]

What about a rack with multiple computers plugged into the same PDU? What about at home with a rack like that? I've got multiple servers and routers on the same PDU to the same 15 amp circuit.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Dang..those server cabinets where we have a few servers plugged into one APC SU1500...and that is plugged into one outlet. Gotta re-do them all!

 

[Innocence]

I don't quite get why this would be an issue, multiple PCs would generally be below the rating of a single 15A circuit.

Don't daisy chain should be common sense, and that's not about segment length, it's about the number of non-permanent connections - same reason you shouldn't plug power bars into extension cables. A solid segment of wire is much more stable than a plug, and a majority of electrical fires are started at the plug or receptacle.

 

[The Spyder]

We were fined $450 or $50 per daisy chained surge suppressor and $150 for the extension cord feeding them in my old Universities tech room when the fire marshal came through.