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I found this at Bunnings. On the website it says $19.98 but when scanned it was $13.90.
Mod: Website shows wrong image, product looks like this
HPM 4 Outlet Power Board Switched with Surge Protection $13.90 (Originally $19.98) @ Bunnings
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brian23309 on 17/01/2017 - 17:34 bunnings.com.au (563 clicks)
Last edited 18/01/2017 - 02:33 by 1 other user
Last edited 18/01/2017 - 02:33 by 1 other user
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I was about to make an OzExpensive joke but he changed it lol
Is this the one OP? It's $13.90 on the website too and the model number on the website D104WE seems to match your receipt.
It is
Thanks. Probably Aus wide then, I'll update the post to link to the website.
I bought this from Bunnings last September. The price then was $10.70.
Maintenance guys at work say this brand is good.
HPM used to be considered cheap junk. Nothing has changed but it's far better in comparison to the stuff you find in Kmart and supermarkets today.
Oh really, ok then. I'll have to investigate these things a little more me thinks
They were considered cheap & cheerful (not really junk, just not high end quality like Clipsal was).
But with all the cheap chinese imports, they're not so cheap, but the quality is usually much better in comparison.i.e. it's domestic/consumer powerboard. I reckon you can tell the quality by flicking the switches on & off. if they're easy & loose, then probably avoid if you're going to be using the switches much (even a few times a week). Also give them a shake, if you hear rattling, then probably best avoid too. Powerboards without switches are a bit more reliable. But the cheap switches often arc (you here the crackle/zap/bang when turning off/on) which can be damaging to electronics.
Having said that I've got some (Oz made) HPM (switchless) powerboards & extension cables from the 90's which work a treat.
Is it the same as this one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15Z5X633WEg
I had the same problem as the guy in the vid, kept throwing the safety switch and eventually arced out and died. Replace it with an arista one I had lying around and have had no problem since.
(edit, looks a bit different than the one in the vid but might have the same protection circuitry?)
What about the Arlec branded one which also is 4 outlet, switched & surge protected but is $19.90 for 2 pack?
HPM vs Arlec…?Would sell better if labelled TUPAC
hpm
I'd probably go the Arlec, but I'd give both the shake test to see if they rattle.
An electrician I know will only buy HPM. He said all the other brands are lower quality, and often there will be some problem with screws binding or parts cracking when you install them..
I have the Arlec powerboards, they are okay with most plugs, but if the plug's pins are a little bit thinner than normal (as they are with many US/AU power adaptors), it won't grip the pins. If you turn the powerboard upside-down, the adaptor will fall out. Possibly dangerous. I have a HPM double adaptor plugged in, and plug the US/AU adaptor into that, the HPM double adaptor has no difficulties with the thin pins.
Does the unit have surge protection? Bunnings site has it in title and if you look carefully on the picture also but if you look in the Product Details http://imgur.com/a/9dtSl It says it doesn't have surge protection.
If so what is the Joule rating of the surge protection please?
Copied from the HPM website
4 Outlet Surge-protected Switched Powerboard
Outlets: 4
Nominal voltage: 230-240V a.c. 50Hz
Nominal current: 10A
Maximum load: 2400W
Surge protection: 525J
Lead length: 1.8mWrong page, that appears to be the description for the D104PAWE, which also has a longer lead (1.8m vs 0.9m).
According to Bunnings this product is the D104WE, and the HPM website doesn't mention surge protection, click on "View Specifications":
http://hpm.com.au/products/4-outlet-switched-powerboardBunnings description is wrong, it doesn't have surge protection.
Thanks Brian.
525J is ok. Better than most cheap stuff (and expensive stuff - I've seen $30+ for only 150J!) but not as good as some Jackson, Powertech Plus, Eaton which have models that are rated for over 1500J.Oh, reading the comments below it looks like Bunnings have stuffed up anyway.
525 joules is near zero protection. Protectors that tiny can sometimes make adjacent appliance damage easier. In rare cases, even create fire.
Anybody can learn these numbers. Most do not. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules are harmlessly absorbed. If that energy does not exist inside, then best protection (already inside every appliance) is not overwhelmed.
Destructive surges, too tiny to overwhelm protection inside appliances, can also destroy near zero joule protectors. Grossly undersizing protection (with obscene profit margins) gets naive consumers to recommend it and buy more.
Best (and least expensive) protection connects hundreds of thousands of joules low impedance (ie less than 10 feet) to earth ground. Even adjacent (near zero joule plug-in) protectors need that protection.
If you can show me a reasonable-size MOV with "hundreds of thousands of joules" rating, I'll be impressed.
Digikey, the world's largest supplier of electronic components, only sells MOVs up to 10,000 joules, and that's a disk 60mm in diameter and 24-32mm thick, and needs some sort of enclosure as it doesn't have leads. Where are you going to fit three of those in a powerboard?
Most of the MOVs with a 2000 joule rating or greater come in an enclosure measuring 100x100mm. And the cheapest with a rating of 2000J or greater cost $50 each.
Here's the list: http://www.digikey.com.au/products/en/circuit-protection/tvs…
Better surge protectors have gas-discharge tubes as well as MOVs, but those aren't rated in joules.
@Russ:
Effective protection cause hundreds of thousands of joules to dissipate where not destructive. That means an electric current must remain outside. Start with what was originally introduced in primary school science.Lightning (one example of a surge) seeks earth ground. It finds a best connection via a wooden church steeple. But wood is not extremely conductive. So 20,000 amps creates a high voltage. 20,000 amps times a high voltage is high energy. Church steeple damaged.
Franklin connected a lightning rod to earth. It finds a best connection via that lightning rod. Its connection is conductive. So 20,000 amps creates near zero voltage. 20,000 amps times near zero volts is near zero energy. Nothing damaged.
Lightning seeks earth ground. It finds a best connection via utility wires far down the street and through household appliances. Appliances are not extremely conductive. So 20,000 amps creates a high voltage. 20,000 amps times a high voltage is well over thousands of joules. Energy is inside destructively with or without a plug-in protector. Worse, a plug-in protector can give that surge current even more paths destructively through appliances.
Informed consumers earth a 'whole house' protector. If properly installed, lightning makes a low impedance (ie less than 3 meters) connection to earth. So 20,000 amps creates a near zero voltage. 20,000 amps times a near zero voltage is near zero energy. Nothing damaged. Not even near zero plug-in protectors.
An effective lightning rod and 'whole house' protector means hundreds of thousands of joules are harmlessly absorbed outside in earth. No surge current is inside. No structure or appliance damage.
Effective protection means items that easily absorb hundreds of joules without damage (ie appliances) are not overwhelmed.
What most needs 'whole house' protection? Plug-in protectors or even smaller protection circuits inside a UPS.
Effective protection of structures and appliances is always how a massive current makes a shortest connection to earth - on a path that remains outside a structure. Routinely provided by properly earthed lightning rods and 'whole house protector. Then hundreds of thousands of joules (destructive surges) are harmlessly absorbed.
A protector or lightning rod is only as effective as its earth ground. Then hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate harmlessly outside. Protection is always about where hundreds of thousands of joules dissipate.
That plug-in protector claims to 'block' or 'absorb' only hundreds or thousand joules. Near zero protection without any required earth connection does what for a destructive surges? A protector or lightning rod is only effective when it makes a most conductive connection to what does protection - earth ground.
What do best protectors (and lightning rods) do? Absorb no (minimal) energy. Effective when it makes a conductive (ie low impedance) connection to earth. An effective protector or lightning rod is a connecting device to what does protection.
Again, first learn what effective protectors really do. Effective protection always answers this question. Where do hundreds of thousands of joules harmlessly dissipate. A protector (or lightning rod) is only as effective as its earth ground. That is completely different from what advertising, hearsay, and speculation promote.
BTW, above is how effective protection was done over 100 years ago. How it is done in every facility that cannot have damage. It cannot be explained by sound bytes that promote near zero joule protectors.
went to bunnings to get this one, surprisingly at checkout its showing $19.98, as it was advertised on website for 13.98 managed to get for $13.98
What model is it - D104WE or D104PAWE? Bunnings seem to have their webpage messed up, it has the picture and title of the D104PAWE, but says the model is the D104WE and has the specifications of the D104WE.
If you can't find the model number, how long is the cord - 0.9m or 1.8m?
It's D104PAWE and Surge protection type is MOV(Metal Oxide Varisor) with 1.8M cord.
Looks like they messed up with webpage.their description is for 13.98 and picture and head line is of 19.98.
It looks like Bunnings website has the picture of D104WE for product D104PAWE and vice versa as you say. I've changed link to the correct item D104PAWE now (which has the wrong product), that shows as $19.98 which matches what OP said about website showing $19.98 but it scanning at $13.90
On the website it says $13.90 but when scanned it was $19.98.
I think you got it back to front :P