Whats inside a Plug-in Power Strip? Pic's

**Mechanic688** · 10-26-2011, 05:18 AM

This is how I pop open the power strips, you know the one's with 6 plug-in's on top and a 5' cord. I cut the cord off first so I'm not wrestling with it.

Then I take out the few phillips screws on the bottom. I then put it in the vise along the side seam where it's fastened together and squeeze it till it pops open (you'll hear it snap).

Remove the bottom and a couple of screws in the circuit board (some have screws,some don't) and remove the brass strips and circuit boards.

This is the goodies out of the power strip, little bit of heavy wire, brass strips, couple of switches and the circuit boards with some copper.

**eesakiwi** · 10-27-2011, 08:41 PM

The computer 'backup' power boards (the ones with a large lead/gell acid battery in them) are worth keeping as theres a 12V DC to 240V AC inverter inside them.

& I scrapped it for the 12V battery..... Too late now.

**tackleberry** · 01-14-2012, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by eesakiwi

The computer 'backup' power boards (the ones with a large lead/gell acid battery in them) are worth keeping as theres a 12V DC to 240V AC inverter inside them.

& I scrapped it for the 12V battery..... Too late now.

Just took one of these battery back up ones apart.

The transformer was 4.5lbs. Other than that very similar to what is shown in the first post.

**easyrecycle** · 01-14-2012, 04:16 PM

Most times the plugs are brass for the most part.

On the end of all cord ends...its yellow brass...sometimes its coated or nick named (white brass).

They use brass as it wont corrode very easy where other metals will.

**mntnman** · 01-24-2012, 06:11 PM

you know, I've been doing this for 10 years, and to think of all the cord ends I've thrown out. (smacking myself)

**freakinredneck** · 11-30-2012, 07:49 PM

i save up my cord ends that way if i get board i freeze em then wrap in cloth and beat the hell out em, brass chunks weigh up after a while

**bluemeate** · 12-07-2012, 06:05 PM

hey, i have a regular strip w/o the surge protector.

well it sat in water for a week but since theres no steel then it shouldnt be rusty inside... is it okay to continue using it?

**unitsngold** · 01-26-2013, 09:33 PM

Thats a good idea never thought of freezing them.

**happyscraper** · 01-26-2013, 09:54 PM

Why throw away the blugs? If you have to cut them off the cord then pull the brass ends out or put them in a bucket and sell them as dirty brass or leave them on the cord if your yard don't care.

**Mechanic688** · 01-27-2013, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by bluemeate

hey, i have a regular strip w/o the surge protector.

well it sat in water for a week but since theres no steel then it shouldnt be rusty inside... is it okay to continue using it?

I wouldn't use it as the brass strip would be getting corroded and when you plug something in, it would cause heat from the partial contact.

**MattInTheHat** · 01-27-2013, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by happyscraper

Why throw away the blugs? If you have to cut them off the cord then pull the brass ends out or put them in a bucket and sell them as dirty brass or leave them on the cord if your yard don't care.

some people cut the plugs off because they strip the wire themselves

**trashmaster** · 01-29-2013, 05:04 PM

The easyist way to process the PLUG ends is to collect a 5 gl bucket of them and Heat a 1 or2 gl metal pot with hot water to a mild boil .
Turn off heat and add plugs , just under the water line.
reach in with pliers or something else and get one and using another pare of pliers (just pull the brass out ) easy as cutting BUTTER.
Trim off extra clean COPPER and SAVE>

**JohnM** · 01-29-2013, 05:26 PM

Glad to know there's so much to be had in this stuff. Check out these mammoth power cords we got with some IBM storage arrays. I figure in an emergency, you could power a small city with one of these suckers!

Whats inside a Plug-in Power Strip? Pic's

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