Power Cords: The Office Edition

Gadgets come and go. The tech industry is almost like the fashion industry. One tiny change in a new product will make yesterday’s product obsolete. The most consistent thing about them has been their power cords. There are few variants of them and the whole industry can only use those based on the kind of power their equipment requires.

One of the power cords that the computer industry uses is the c13 power cord.

The many uses of this cord in an office are:

Computers:

Most traditional computers use this cord for power. Laptops use a different cord, one that doesn’t have an earthing prong but desktop computers, even all-in-ones have a c14 cord to maximize safety and because it follows certain standards. Each computer has two components that use a power cord: the CPU and a monitor. A monitor also uses the same cord as the CPU.

Servers:

There are in house servers that offices need. These are, of course, high voltage appliances and therefore need to have stability in the electric current they use.

Printers:

In any workplace, you will likely find a printer. It can be a standalone printer, or a printer, scanner, and copier in one machine. This is also a computer peripheral that uses the c13 power cord.

Coffee machine:

All offices require coffee or the work would stop. Bigger coffee machines that are generally in offices, run on higher voltage and therefore have a power cord that can regulate the electric current fluctuation.

Other kitchen appliances:

Apart from a coffee machine, there are a few other kitchen appliances that certain workplaces have to provide ease to their employees. These can be microwaves, a pop up toaster and even mini fridges in the lounge areas.

All these appliances run on electricity and so I want to talk about certain care tips in such a workplace regarding power and electricity.

• Infrastructure:

  You must not put rows and rows of computers without proper wiring. You should have clear pathways for wires to travel so they are not in the way of anyone using the computers. The power socket for each cubicle should be accessible but not in a place where one would accidentally disturb it multiple times a day. People might unplug a device accidentally or touch the plug with wet hands, both of which can be dangerous.

  The wiring should also be in a way to avoid the walls that have plumbing running through them. If there is damage in the pipes, it can be a huge hazard to the wires.

• Maintenance:

  Just as you would run maintenance and security checks for your computer software, you should also have regular checks for hardware. Make sure that the hard drives are performing optimally, and all the I/O ports are functioning well. Along with this, you should also make sure that each cord is working properly. Frayed cords or ones that have a fluctuating current due to physical disturbances, will damage your equipment. Generally, we tend to put electrical tape on wires when they start fraying. But in work equipment, cost cutting like that can end up costing you a lot more than a couple of dollars.

  Regularly check for bumps on your cables, ethernet, power, USB, all of them. Make sure to not have any exposed wiring anywhere.

• Safety:

  If the electric current in the office is fluctuating, then you must immediately unplug all cords so that your equipment is safe. The c13 power cord has a grounding prong that makes it comparatively safer than one without it, but you can never be too careful. If there is a fire in the office or even in the building, it is best to turn off all electricity and unplug the devices. This can reduce the possibility of damage drastically.

  Electricity is a boon, without a doubt. We would not have been able to do any of the things that we do right now without it. It can become an invisible perk in our lives. But we do need to be careful about how we use it and how much of it we use.

Wrapping up:

Power cords are not replaceable. But you need to be cautious while using them, and one of the ways to do it is to always buy them from a certified, genuine manufacturer. SF Cable happens to be just that. We provide bulk quantities as well if you want to outfit your products or your offices.