This was a quick and easy project that solves a fairly high-class problem for me. There are a ton of instructional videos on how to pull something like this together; I’ll forego the step-by-step here and just point out what makes it somewhat unique and the lessons I learned from the project.
Warning: This is an electrical project, you should be aware of and mitigate the risks involved before undertaking a similar project.
The Problem
I turn off the power to the things at my desk when not in use. For a time, I had the power strip on the desktop so I could easily turn it on and off. The wires, however, were very effective collectors of dust and looked terrible, so I moved the power strip under the desk. While this made for a cleaner desk, it meant an awkward reach under the desk with a ruler to jab at a tiny, plastic switch twice a day.
To solve for this I wanted a power solution that met these criteria.
- Six outlets with surge protection
- Desktop switch with pilot light that controls all the power
- Desktop outlet for occasional use
- Aesthetically non-offensive
The Build
Search for “diy extension quad box” and you shall find a many instructional videos on how to build a similar device. These are mostly by tradespeople solving for power issues on their job sites; not the modern, urban desktop environment. Hence, most of these don’t include a switch, and if they do, it’s usually on the box.
Adding a switch to this circuit is straightforward, but Taunton’s trusty Wiring Complete was consulted to ensure things were done correctly. The original intent was just a switch with pilot light. While purchasing parts, it was discovered that pilot lights require a neutral wire. Since there was going to be a neutral in the switch box now, I opted to include an outlet there as well.
Originally, I wanted the switch box to plug into outlet. However, the four conductor plugs rated for 15 amps I found were too expensive for this project. As a result, these two boxes are wired together, not ideal, but it’s fine for this use case. Speaking of wires, 14 AWG stranded was used throughout. I don’t expect to draw anywhere near 15 amps on this, ever, but the components are rated for it. This video about extension cords convinced me to go for a higher rating.
Outdoor electrical boxes were employed instead of the oft-used handy boxes. They look much better since they are fully enclosed, powder coated and have screw-in plugs rather than knockouts.
Instead of wire nuts, wago connectors make the connections. I picked this up from one of the videos; they are a great solution, especially where reassembly is in the offing. That’s the case here, these boxes need to be wired in place because the switch box will not fit through the small hole in the desk.
One surge protected outlet is used here. Allegedly, it protects the other outlets on the same circuit. I’m skeptical, the sensitive electronics get plugged into the surge protected outlet, the others use the regular outlets.
I’m happy with the way it turned out. The switch has a very satisfying click–more so than the one on the 25 year old Surgemaster it replaced. Even without the tactile improvements, I don’t miss reaching under the desk to control the power.
Lessons learned
- Don’t be cheap when buying cable
Need 10 feet in total? Consider buying 15. It’s not that expensive. I cut it a bit too close here, at least it’s easy to replace if need be. - Wago connectors rock!
No more wire nuts for me. Paul turned me on similar connectors ages ago when we did the BMW 1200GS Auxiliary Battery and Lighting project. I hadn’t considered them for 120 volt work though. - Use quality wire strippers
I have some good ones, but they aren’t big enough for 14 AWG stranded. So, I used the cheap wire strippers, my hands still hurt.
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