Wall warts

[Donut417]

Have an issue. I have a UPS that has like 10 outlets. One issue I have is some of the items I have plugged in have wall warts and block adjacent outlets. Im looking to clean up my desk a bit and I need to plug one more item in to my UPS, but all the outlets are in use OR are blocked. What do you guys do to deal with this issue? I currently have a power strip sitting on my desk but would rather eliminate that. Im trying to clean up my cables a bit, as my cable management is atrocious. 

[dilpickle]

https://www.amazon.com/Listed-Miady-Short-Extension-Outlet/dp/B07H9MCTGL/

[mariushm]

Get a smarter power strip, which either spaces out the outlets or places them at an angle so that two adapters can sit close to each other.

 

for example if you're in us, this looks decent : https://www.amazon.com/Belkin-12-Outlet-Protector-Protection-BE112234-10/dp/B000HPX46U/

 

or this anker one which looks similar : https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Protector-Outlets-PowerPort-Extension/dp/B08P4NKJN7/

 

or this https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Protector-PowerExtend-Extension-Protection/dp/B091CWJX78/

 

[Donut417]

11 minutes ago, mariushm said:

et a smarter power strip, which either spaces out the outlets or places them at an angle so that two adapters can sit close to each other.

I think you missed the point. Im trying to eliminate the power strip. I have enough outlets on the UPS, just the wall warts are blocking a few of the outlets. I dont want a power strip on my desk any more and I dont want one just sitting on the ground, as I found with no power strips and cables on the ground its easier to clean under the desk. 

[Heliian]

I've got a noma 4 usb power adapter:

 

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/noma-2-outlet-power-block-with-4-usb-ports-3-ft-0529636p.0529636.html?ds_rl=1283573&ds_rl=1283573&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq7COBhC2ARIsANsPATF9yhiEjr-OCu1RGemHsmsWiixOgrgzrswnplZDDSTxDjucrxjAOnkaAvMmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=150

[Donut417]

15 minutes ago, Heliian said:

I've got a noma 4 usb power adapter:

 

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/noma-2-outlet-power-block-with-4-usb-ports-3-ft-0529636p.0529636.html?ds_rl=1283573&ds_rl=1283573&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq7COBhC2ARIsANsPATF9yhiEjr-OCu1RGemHsmsWiixOgrgzrswnplZDDSTxDjucrxjAOnkaAvMmEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=150

I think you and a few others are confused about what Im asking. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0779QFRRT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

This is the UPS I have, some of the plugs have transformers on the end, specifically one computer monitor, Modem and my router. As a result they block adjacent outlets. No way shape or form does a USB power adapter help, as those devices dont run on USB. 

 

1 hour ago, Caroline said:

The short extensions will be your best bet but it'll add more cables

Im going to look more in to those, just get the shortest ones that I can that I feel will work. 

[ShearMe]

2 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

I think you and a few others are confused about what Im asking. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0779QFRRT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

This is the UPS I have, some of the plugs have transformers on the end, specifically one computer monitor, Modem and my router. As a result they block adjacent outlets. No way shape or form does a USB power adapter help, as those devices dont run on USB. 

 

Im going to look more in to those, just get the shortest ones that I can that I feel will work. 

The first reply to your post was a link to short power cables. I use these all the time in AV racks for wall warts.

[mariushm]

If you don't want power strips on the floor or on top of your UPS, you can mount the power strip to the back of your desk, or you can get some stuff you can mount under the desk to hold cables and other crap.

 

 

[Mihle]

If the cables that block others have plug in the device end, you can buy new cables? 

[Donut417]

34 minutes ago, Mihle said:

If the cables that block others have plug in the device end, you can buy new cables? 

We are talking about the power cables of a monitor, modem and router, those cable have transformers on them to get the voltages and such where they are needed. I dont think you can buy a new cable. 

[Mihle]

Just now, Donut417 said:

We are talking about the power cables of a monitor, modem and router, those cable have transformers on them to get the voltages and such where they are needed. I dont think you can buy a new cable. 

If power bricks, they are usually first a cable from the socket to the power brick and then from the power brick to the device. 

 

And then, usually the cable from the socket to the power brick can be unplugged and chaged.

 

Or is it one of those where the power brick is

in the plug itself and makes it huge?

 

[mariushm]

The cables don't contain transformers.

You can get small extensions like the ones shown in the 2nd post, and just plug the cable from your device in the extension ... the cable/wallwart of the device has no idea it's plugged in the ups or at the end of the extension :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Donut417]

2 minutes ago, Mihle said:

Or is it one of those where the power brick is

in the plug itself and makes it huge?

 

Thats the power cord of my SB6141, this is what I have been talking about. If it was one of those with a power brick that wouldn't have been an issue, but these are a pain. Ill probably go with a small extension cabling, but Ill have to find ones that are large enough to work by not too long that cause too much clutter. 

[Mihle]

1 minute ago, Donut417 said:

 

Thats the power cord of my SB6141, this is what I have been talking about. If it was one of those with a power brick that wouldn't have been an issue, but these are a pain. Ill probably go with a small extension cabling, but Ill have to find ones that are large enough to work by not too long that cause too much clutter. 

Ah, then that might be the best option, I was thinking it was just an angeled dumb cable or something.

[Lurick]

Funny enough I had a similar problem with my entertainment center, so I got a PoE capable switch and some PoE adapters (PoE Texas on amazon sells a lot of good stuff) for everything that could use 5v or 12v output at under 2 amps

They have barrel and usb versions of the PoE adapters so I replaced quite a few things with them.

[dilpickle]

9 hours ago, Donut417 said:

 

Thats the power cord of my SB6141, this is what I have been talking about. If it was one of those with a power brick that wouldn't have been an issue, but these are a pain. Ill probably go with a small extension cabling, but Ill have to find ones that are large enough to work by not too long that cause too much clutter. 

I gave you a link to cables that are made for exactly this problem. You can find a million brands at any store.  What else are you looking for.

[EphraimK]

22 hours ago, Donut417 said:

Have an issue. I have a UPS that has like 10 outlets. One issue I have is some of the items I have plugged in have wall warts and block adjacent outlets. Im looking to clean up my desk a bit and I need to plug one more item in to my UPS, but all the outlets are in use OR are blocked. What do you guys do to deal with this issue? I currently have a power strip sitting on my desk but would rather eliminate that. Im trying to clean up my cables a bit, as my cable management is atrocious. 

Use it incorrectly, and you can watch your world burn, just like you wanted!

[Donut417]

5 minutes ago, EDKTech said:

Use it incorrectly, and you can watch your world burn, just like you wanted!

Firstly not all the 10 outlets are on the battery so no fire. All the stuff was connected before but I was using a flimsy extension cord, so I took that out. 

[EphraimK]

Just now, Donut417 said:

Firstly not all the 10 outlets are on the battery so no fire. All the stuff was connected before but I was using a flimsy extension cord, so I took that out. 

That's too bad!

/s

[Tom09]

What are you trying to plug into the UPS? 

 

I don't know why you would need to use all of the outlets on the UPS, I would just plug in what is essential not to lose power if the power goes out such as your computer, a monitor so that you can turn off your computer safely and save what you are doing, you might plug in a router for internet and maybe a server if you have one.

[wanderingfool2]

16 hours ago, Tom09 said:

What are you trying to plug into the UPS? 

 

I don't know why you would need to use all of the outlets on the UPS, I would just plug in what is essential not to lose power if the power goes out such as your computer, a monitor so that you can turn off your computer safely and save what you are doing, you might plug in a router for internet and maybe a server if you have one.

Honestly though, the image he has shown regarding the plug I know his pain.  The 1 plug alone would take up 2 of the backup battery plugs...if you have 2 of them though, at best you consume 4 slots...which would leave 1 remaining for battery backup (rest being surge).  Assuming protecting a modem/router combo, computer, monitor, and your battery side is already full

 

It also seems about making it less cluttered, which I can understand...but that means for the surge side, there are only the 5 plugs as well (so if lets say you have a laptop plugged into it, table lamp, misc peripheral you could be consuming all the slots...due to bad plug design).

 

Actually worst case, imagine a laptop, monitor, router, and speaker...if they all used the bad connector it could mean 4 devices consumes 8 spots

 

To the OP, yea the 2nd post is probably the best.

[whm1974]

TBH I was thinking that Wall Warts were on the way to being replaced with USB Power Adapters. Or even Outlets with USB Outlets that only provide Power only.

[IPD]

Well if you're really wanting to clean things up, put a workshop power strip on the underside of your desk, and plug THAT into your UPS.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ProHT-12-Outlet-Aluminum-Power-Strip-with-3-ft-Power-Cord-03198/308491759

 

 

[Svek]

What you are looking for is called NEMA 5-15R which is the type of plug that the back of your particular UPS is using. You can do a bunch of things like splitters to help give it some "free" room to dangle about with your chunky AC/DC adapters.

 

 

 

You can google "NEMA 5-15R splitter" and go from there...

 

 

 

------------

 

Extra credit:

 

I would also mention that usually your AC/DC adapters (or as you refer to in your post as "wall warts") are generally inefficient use of power to connect to a UPS.

 

Basically, you are going from AC (from your wall) to DC (your battery) then back to AC (back of your UPS) then DC (your "wall wart").

 

There are some pretty neat options these days since USB Type-C supports higher wattage, than opens up a lot of interesting ways to go from AC to DC and stay in DC. --- sort of like running your laptop while plugged into the wall, unplugging that will immediately go into battery.

 

If you separate your critical internet stuff like modem/router/switch (which usually always runs on DC12V inputs), then even if your lead-acid battery in your UPS gives out (because your PC eats up a lot of power), you can have an efficient DC12V backup for your internet so you can use your wifi and mobile phone for hours later with a much smaller footprint.

 

A solution with a dedicated DC12V UPS will also get rid of all those wall warts, since these solutions give you a direct DC plug.

 

[Donut417]

1 hour ago, IPD said:

Well if you're really wanting to clean things up, put a workshop power strip on the underside of your desk, and plug THAT into your UPS.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ProHT-12-Outlet-Aluminum-Power-Strip-with-3-ft-Power-Cord-03198/308491759

 

 

Have no way to mount it to the desk as I don’t want to drill in to it. As every alternative methods I have used failed. 
 

The small extensions should work I think. Just have to see how many I need.