This particular unit comes with no less than eight outlets, arranged in two rows of four with perhaps most innovative the end two are fitted in the opposite direction so even those power bricks need take up only one space.
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It is 35x11x4cm with two rows of four standard 13amp power sockets, the first three on each side have the earth (single pin) in the centre while the forth has it on the outside to accommodate the growing number of oversize plugs (power bricks) that take up far more space.
On the face of it that means that all eight sockets can be used, however in my trials using around 20 different plugs I found a significant number that still needed two sockets for a range of reasons such as solid leads into moulded plastic meaning that what looks like a standard plug is not as it demands at least 2cm clear before the lead can be bent left, right or up to clear other plugs. In fact I have two examples that need 3cm. All this is fine in the two rows of three providing nothing extends the plug fitment beyond the earth side that a large number of the power bricks do. Remember with moulded plugs fitted at the factory being fitted to the vast majority of products you are at the mercy of the product supplier.
APC offer up to £75,000 for damage caused by an electrical spike (electrical surge) for products connected through this Surge Arrest product. Just for once the small print seems to be understandable and in fairness is not even that small.
Apart from protecting your items connected to the mains power, it can also protect your TV by plugging in your coaxial lead into the unit and then plugging the supplied fly lead into the unit and from there to your TV or video. Not yet finished it will also protect your 10/100 network by plugging into the unit and using the supplied fly lead to go to the network connection on the PC. Also in case to did not think that was enough - it can also protect your phone line in the same way.
Should there be an overload there is an illuminated trip switch should this light, unplug items, find the problem source, and then reconnect.
The end of the unit has a sort of cable tidy device allowing you to route all the cables one way and thus any possible problems should be alleviated.
Some items need to left with power on even if like me you tend to try to save electricity and even the environment by turning the PC off at night. Having everything though a single surge strip is great one press and there is no power but sometimes you need the copier even when the PC is off so APC have decided that one row of four is controlled by the switch on the unit and the other row will be always on. My own thoughts would be that maybe six off and two on with be sufficient but thats just my configuration.
This is a nice piece of kit but it depends how much you need the possible £75,000 if you are prepared to pay the added cost over other such units. The stated price is £34.99, however I have no doubt that it will be available for less. Model PF8VNT3-UK, if fact the link below to APCs UK site lists the likely price as £29.99.
http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=PF8VNT3%2DUK
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