Supplying power to a computer desktop

[David]

Checking my thinking for any gotchas.

I am reorganising the office and putting a couple of kitchen drawer units with a desktop across up against one wall.

There is only one double socket at the moment and this is on the opposite wall.

My plan is to take power to the wall under the desktop then fit some switched 13A sockets into the desktop itself, instead of having several sockets in the wall below and distribution boards feeding from the desktop down to them.

Now it looks fairly simple to put a switched fused spur into a box in the wall below the desk, then just wire from the box to the sockets on top.

It seems that the electrical load would be no more than having extension leads with loads of sockets.

Is there a downside?

Apart from one switch taking out the whole desktop instead of a couple of switched sockets?

It looks neater, but probably far more expensive through using boxes and switched sockets instead of the 6 way extension leads that I currently use.

I suppose one downside is the temptation for me (or another) to plug another multi-socket extension lead into the desktop socket, putting more load on the spur than you would get if plugged directly into a 13A ring main. A bit like the traditional cascade of extension leads beloved by computer users.

The alternative would be to extend the 13A ring main to the desktop but I'm not sure quite how to wire that.

Cheers

Dave R

[Michael Chare]

I would not mount 13A sockets on a desktop computer. You could use C13 to C14 cables and then have a C13 Power Distribution Unit which would be smaller than a row of 13Amp sockets.

[Graham.]

We used UPSs with that socketery when I was working. The problem with them is all the wall-warts for your routers & switches etc, so they ended up plugged into raw mains.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Fit a switched FCU spurred off your ring in a convenient position feeded a socket in another convenient position. Then multiway socket extension lead(s) from that. Nothing domestic computer wise take much in the way of current.

[Fredxx]

I'd be thinking of angled bench sockets attached to the rear of your desktop with a long lead to your socket. Like:

Although I would avoid CEF like the plague!

[Roger Hayter]

I use a standard cheap 4 way extension lead and replace the plug with the male version of C13/4 whichever it is. I then mark the socket strip with lots of permanent marker to remind me these are for small loads connected to the UPS.

[Bob Eager]

As it happens, I took delivery of a new bench yesterday and have spent part of today fitting exactly such angled units!

[Brian Gaff]

One other thing about these 6 way sockets, they are too close together if any of the peripherals have odball plugs with the psu inside them, or the cable coming out of the side or back. I have several of these and also a plug in wireless switched socket all of which block the next socket along in each direction so if using discrete sockets space them accordingly! Brian

[Graham.]

I did something like that on occasion but received wisdom was we "weren't insured" to do modifications like change a plug...