Smart Strip LCG5 Energy Saving Power Strip with Auto-Switching Technology and Modem/Coaxial Surge Protection
by Smart Strip
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List Price: Our Price: $30.65 You Save: $35.47 (54%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Smart Strip LCG5 Energy Saving Power Strip with Auto-Switching Technology and Modem/Coaxial Surge Protection
Customer Review: Good Luck- I threw mine away
Summary: 2 Stars
I wanted to use this with my Mac Mini. I have lots of peripherals like powered speakers, printer, powered USB hub, scanner, tape deck etc. Unfortunately the current draw from the Mac Mini isn't enough. The result is that despite tweaking the sensitivity settings the device, the outlets I was using for the peripherals wouldn't turn off. This problem is noted on their web site. Maybe I should have read it before buying? Anyway I called customer service got a call from a nice person and sent the unit back. I paid shipping, of course. When they received the unit they shipped the replacement. Perhaps I should mention that I spent a lot of time trying this and that trying to make it work.
Unit 2 arrives and sort of works. That is I would get it to turn the automatic outlets on and off using the Mac Mini in the "control" outlet. When I started plugging in peripherals I got all sorts of strange behavior. Cycling on and off in the automatic outlets for one. Sometimes the automatic outlets just wouldn't switch off. It actually worked properly on occasion. The instruction manual tells you how to set the sensitivity but nothing about this sort of unexpected behavior. It seemed that it functioned better with fewer devices plugged in so I tried that using various combinations. I cycled the computer on and off dozens of times trying to find a consistent workable combination. I tried moving the Mac's external transformer away from the device, thinking there might be some sort of electromagnetic field interference. Ultimately nothing helped. Maybe it was defective but I didn't want to spend another $8 sending it back for a replacement.
What I have ended up with is the use of a conventional power strip. I plug the computer into an "always on" outlet so that I can switch the peripherals without waiting for the computer to power down. That had been my goal from the start and a little thinking before ordering would have been a good idea.
I did buy a "Kill a Watt" and found that the standby power draw of the peripherals is pretty low. Still, I like being able to easily shut them off.
So after much time and frustration I discovered that I didn't really need a smart strip. I was happy when it came in the mail from Amazon and equally happy when I decided to cut my losses and frustration and toss it.
Customer Review: Difficult to callibrate
Summary: 2 Stars
I had recieved an energy audit, and one of the recommendations was to get a couple "smart" power strips to cut down on phantom power draw from my laptop peripherals and stereo.
The good:
* supports lots of outlets
* works great for some applications
* can produce a noticeable energy savings.
The bad:
* very difficult to calibrate
* sometimes "stutters" with equipment that takes variable power.
I bought 2:
The first I attached to my home theater setup, with my receiver as the master. This made sense-- the receiver can have a very high output, and you can't watch/listen to anything without the receiver being on. It took me a little while to figure out where everything should be plugged in. After that, you turn off the master on and off, while you adjust a dial on the side, to determine a threshold for when the switched outlets should be on or not. After playing with it for 3 days, I haven't gotten a good setting so the strip knows when the receiver is on. I've also tried plugging in the receiver and my HD projector... still no dice. I'll likely take out this "smart" power strip, and replace it with 2 "dumb" power strips, so I don't have to fiddle with the knobs every time I turn the stereo on/off. When this works, it should save around 120W of constant power.
The second I attached to my laptop, printer, external monitor, USB hub, and flash card reader. This works better... most of the time. Mostly, when I turn on the laptop, it turns on (and keeps on) the peripherals. Sometimes I turn on the laptop, and the strip can't decide whether the laptop is on or not, and the external monitor is turned on, then off, then on... When this works, it saves around 80W of constant power-- about $6/month where i live.
So... I wouldn't recommend it with a receiver as the master. A big TV might work. A home theater projector is a waste of time. a laptop will take calibration, but should work.
Customer Review: Really Saves Energy
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought two of these power strips back in Feb 2011 and I already have seen a drop in my kilowatt consumption and electric bill in comparison to last year and previous months. The manufacturer claims a couple a dollars a year but for me it resulted in $30 last month alone. Like many homeowners I have a computer area with printer, hardrives, speakers,camera chargers, phone chargers, bluetooth audio trasmitters and an entertainment center with large screen TV, two game consoles, audio receiver, CD Player, modem, router, DVR etc. I did not realize how much all these devices were costing me until I bought the two strips. It came in one shipment and I had to return one of them because it was not working right even after adjusting for sensitivity. Amazon sent another one in no time and both have been working fine since. What is nice about this model is that it has several jacks giving you flexibility in regards to the number of devices that can remain on or turn off automatically.I find the purchase price very reasonable considering that it is also a surge protector, is saving me a couple bucks a month and I feel less guilty about harming the environment. Overall I'm pleased with the purchase and would recommend it as a good way to save energy specially for people who have a large array of devices plugged in at one location.Customer Review: The perfect power strip
Summary: 5 Stars
This is really the best power strip for TV or computer setup.
Pros:
* Enough sockets, with enough spacing for adapters
* Surge and electro-magnetic protection - I like that the LCG5 model also includes coax protection
* Energy saving with easy to use color coded sockets, as well as "always on" sockets when required (satellite box, router/modem,...)
Cons:
* None !
Note:
* I measured the energy saved, and the savings with my 2009 electricity rate. The strip in itself uses a tiny bit of energy (red LED and power detection circuit), as much as another power strip with a LED. With newer stand-by efficient devices I got for my TV setup, the savings are around $10/year, but goes much higher with older or less efficient devices (can go above $50/year depending on how many devices are powered off).
It has a small screw to adjust the sensitivity of the master device (TV or computer for example). I didn't need to use it though, as it worked out of the box for me. I also liked the color coded zones that makes it easy to find how each socket is controlled. I find it especially useful for computer setup as it turns off the monitor, speakers, printer,..., when I turn off the computer. I don't have to do that manually anymore !
Customer Review: It's ok.
Summary: 3 Stars
I plugged in the first one that was shipped to me only to hear a high frequency noise. I checked the manufacturers website and found out that the noise was due to a displaced filter that occasionally occurs during shipment. I returned the unit to Amazon, who promptly sent me a new one.
The second unit worked as advertised. I thought that this would be a great way to turn off those energy drainers from my home theater setup. Unfortunately, I found out that many of the devices that I have require a trickle charge to maintain settings. When the devices were turned off, the clocks needed reset, the TV lost the channel settings, the media player required to scan the hard drive, etc, etc.
I think the product does well for what it says to do. I do think that I fell into the trap of "save more money by reducing energy sucking appliances" mantra. The amount of energy saved could not compare to the cost and frustrations associated with this device. Furthermore, I would expect that a device that costs this much would not have filters so easily displaced during shipment. Poor quality control?
It does what is says it does, but I would re-evaluate if the cost savings really match the price, in which my wouldn't.