The most likely failure mode I can think of is the tabs not making good contact with the plug prongs over time causing heat, melting, and fire. I don’t think the UL standard says anything about how the device performs 10 years from now, but then again I haven’t bothered to read it.
Then again you could get similar issues with a $0.29 recep from the bargain bin at the big box store, but it’s a lot harder to get above 15A with only two sockets on a duplex recep. I think most of these fires are caused by user error, not adding up the VA for the 6 devices. 15A power strip on a 20A circuit, user is oblivious, and it’s easy to see where trouble would start. Which gives the power strips a bad name. If these strips all came with the button-type breakers then maybe there would be fewer fires.
I know all about curiosity. When I was a kid there were quite a few things I was curious about. I took them apart. I caught hell from my Dad (with a belt) because even he could not put them back together. This was a learning experience, that’s for sure…
So let’s compare a power strip to a standard 15 A/120 VAC wall receptacle. By taking both apart.
Here is a folder showing how I took apart a brand new power strip. In pics 7, 8, and 9, I insert a plug into the contacts. You might be asking, “Where’s the spring??” Good question. I guess the “springiness” comes from the strips of brass that are in contact with the plug contacts. I’m not an ME, but I am skeptical the spring force can remain constant after many years of use based on this design. It just looks very sub-par in my book.
(An electrical contact needs adequate pressure at the mating surface in order for the contact resistance to remain low. A decrease in pressure can cause the contact resistance to become excessive, which in-turn can cause excessive heating of the contact. A hot contact is a bad thing.)
So I agree with core… these power strips might meet spec when they’re new, but I suspect the contact force decreases over time due to a crappy & cheap design.
