Is there any danger or risk of plugging one functional power strip/surge protector into another?

 

Yes, you could overload the circuit and cause a fire. It's not recommended to plug 15 things into one outlet.

 

Never Daisy Chain.

 

There is NO DANGER and NO RISK from plugging one power strip into another



ONLY IF



You do not exceed the current rating of the lowest-rated power strip. If you plug a 10A strip into a 10A strip and load it with 12A you are asking for trouble. For that matter, if you plug a couple of strips into a wall outlet and draw more current than the outlet is rated for, you are asking for a structure fire.



Done properly, multiple daisy-chained power strips are fine. Done incorrectly you could injure or kill somebody and/or burn your building down. YMMV.

 

Sorry.. yeah.. what stocker said is true. Its part of my job to ensure fire code standards in a hospital. Hospital fire standards say never daisy chain. Stocker IS correct. I work for a conservative organization.

 

. . . oh, and P.S. never daisy chain power strips. It's way too easy for somebody who only sees the one on the end to overload the one plugged into the wall. Even if that somebody is you, two years later and you forgot you ghetto-rigged the entertainment center "temporarily" just to get it going . . .

 

Actually, as long as the circuit has a breaker, there's not much danger. If you overload anything, the breaker will pop. Would I do it? no.

 

What if you have a 2 outlet strips plugged into each other, and every single outlet in the strips have something plugged into them, but out of all those things plugged in, you only have 1 or 2 things actually turned on?

 

Depends on the device - if the plug is hot, it's drawing power. Some devices draw power even when they're off and go into a "standby mode" rather than being completely shut down. Especially devices that need to keep something in memory.

A toaster probably isn't drawing power, but a TV probably is.

 

Your household wiring at the outlet is probably 14ga which is rated for 15A. It may be protected by a 20A breaker or fuse as this is allowed if there is more than one outlet or other hardwired device on the circuit.



That being said you can daisy chain as many power strips as you want as long as you don't exceed 15A that the outlet is rated for.