Just when we thought the Pivot Power evolved power strips to the next level, somebody else advances the old home reliable by leaps and bounds. We’re talking about Wet Circuits’ ultra-clever take on the old home reliable, which fits it with near-unbelievable safety features.
As you can guess from the name, the outlets are fully water-resistant. It wasn’t built to stand just accidental spills, either. Instead, it’s been designed to survive being fully submerged in water for up to two hours. According to Wet Circuits, it can probably go longer than 120 minutes, but the protective material may begin to wear off when kept under water for much longer.
How does it do it? The strips are sealed tight, with all the conductive parts coated with a special material that repels water. Unlike other outlets, it requires you to plug the pins fully before power flows onto each outlet too, so water never touches anything conducting electricity. As a side effect, this configuration means your three-year old can mischievously stick a hairpin into the socket without creating sparks, effectively killing off another potential accident in the home.
Other safety features include a reusable circuit breaker that discontinues power flow when the strip (or any of the outlets) reach over 100°C (to avoid overheating) and the complete absence of blue sparks (when you plug an appliance into the socket). It also boasts a longer lifespan – 20,000 plugs and unplugs for each socket, compared to the industry average of 5,000.
Of course, given that non-waterproof power outlets have served us just fine after many years, Wet Circuits evolved strips probably aren’t an easy sell. Regardless, imagine the shock on your friends’ faces when you begin pouring gobs of water where a bunch of your electronic equipment are plugged in. At $35 for a four-outlet strip, it’s probably worth it for the amusement value alone.
