One switch for it all?

[ThaArtist]

Well im starting to rack up some rack gear and im wondering if i can get some kind of rackable unit that i could plug everything into so its one switch for them all instead of turning them all on and off one at a time?

 

[gecko zzed]

The answer is yes.

You can get rackable powerboards that will do the job. Some also have lights to illuminate other units in the rack.

I just have everything plugged into ordinary old powerboards which I've bolted to the bottom of the rack cases, so I only need to plug one thing in to get the whole thing going.

It doesn't matter much to me because I tend to leave the units on all the time

 

[SRR]

Cheaper one:

http://www.furmansound.com/products/pro/pwr_cond_seq/cond/_merit/m8.php

More advanced surge protection:

http://www.furmansound.com/products/pro/pwr_cond_seq/cond/_15a/plplusd_2.php

 

[cowboyj]

What I did is build my own. I got a 2ru case off ebay for $20 shipped. I bought the componants (outlets, wire, circuit board, etchant, etc.) for maybe $70, though my unit also has a battery back up for when the power goes out.

DIY, if you can is defintely the way to go, IMHO.

Jason

PS: If you really want I can post pics.

 

[SRR]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Black-8-Swi...392523182QQcategoryZ23792QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I went with one of those, and pluged it into a surge protector strip (a $25~ one), and that gives me 8 switched outlets. So I can turn on just the stuff I will be using, like one preamp, one lava lamp, and my NAD 3020 that I use for headphones up in the control room or instead of headphones I turn on my main monitors. But really the furmans are prolly the best bet for quality.

 

[ThaArtist]

Cool. Thanks a lot for your responses everyone. I'll probably go with the cheaper furman cause its only like $40. Heh.

Another question though. So this doesn't hurt any of my rack gear then does it? I mean, by not turning the power off on the unit itself and instead just cutting the power all together with the power conditioner?

Is it the same thing or? I wouldn't think they'd make this power conditioner if it was hurtin your other rack gear by suddenly stopping power?

Thanks.

 

[lpdeluxe]

So this doesn't hurt any of my rack gear then does it?

I've been using rack circuit breakers for On/Off in my racks for several years, and nothing's fried yet. The tube gear gets turned on separately, but then it's not the stuff I need on all the time anyway.

 

[gecko zzed]

Power conditioners and surge protectors work by regulating the supply of electricity to whatever follows them. A main goal is to prevent spikes from busting through and frying your electronics. They don't regulate anything that comes after (such as you turning a device on or off). If your device has components that may take a dislike to an abrupt on or off, you usually find it has its own regulating system (such as thump removal circuits in amplifiers). This means that it makes no real difference whether you switch a device using its own switch or somewhere else.