apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

hey...we were just talking about this on the post for charger boxes on the 30th.

or you could use these ribbon dispenser boxes:

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=72461&PRODID=73655&searchId=8256691&itemIndex=18

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=72461&PRODID=73580&searchId=8256691&itemIndex=20

I like campari's suggestion to use the ribbon dispenser boxes, esp the first one. But, for me, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the $35 plastic number I just ordered online. (I'll report back on that--promise.) I think I'd rather have all my devices bundled together on a unit built specifically as a charging stations... So far, all the DIY or re-use options look like they are just that: DIY or re-use. Plus a cardboard box isn't my idea of something worth putting out on display... I think I want to go a little more luxe without having to spend $200 at DWR or the MoMA store.

Yes! Thank you!

This device looks incredibly unsafe to me. A power strip inside a closed cardboard container? That's a major fire hazard.

Nathan, there's a huge debate on that topic on the Lifehacker forum linked above. I read it, but I still don't understand the concern. I've never noticed my power strip getting hot, or even uncomfortably warm. I understand there's less ventilation inside a closed cardboard box, but there still is some ventilation. And these chargers just don't take that much juice. I'm not interested in bringing fire hazards into my home, but I don't get how this would set the box aflame.

Is it the box or the cardboard that's the concern? Would a plastic box be safer? Like the KangaRoom thing Enrique ordered (looking forward to that review, btw).

Currently, my chargers are scattered all over the apartment, whereever I can find an outlet - on the floor, buried in a stack of papers, tangled up with appliances on the kitchen counter, wrapped around my toddler's neck, etc. Just kidding about that last one, hasn't happened yet anyway, but my current set-up does seem more dangerous than a cardboard box.

To clarify my question about plastic v cardboard -- I obviously understand that cardboard is more flammable than plastic. What I meant is, what is the greater cause of the concern here: the flammable material or the lack of ventilation? Would a cardboard box with more ventilation be fine? Would a plastic box with equal or less ventilation be fine?

mjoe,

I can't answer your question, but I do know that the transformers that are plugged into these strips get *extremely* hot. I have some that were laying on my floor, next to the surge protector, and I just found out (in the process of cleaning everything for the AT Cure) that they burned through the protective coating on my wood flooring.

With all the cord-covering discussions going on here, I then decided to stick all my transformers, as well as the surge protector and all the other cords plugged into it, into a nice-looking Ikea white metal box. And I loosely laid the thin metal box top on top of all the messy cords (it didn't hide them, and it didn't enclose them at all, but I thought it looked marginally better than it had). But now guess what? I reached into that area to unplug something, and was really surprised by how warm the air around there was. The transformers themselves are absolutely hot to the touch.

So now I've decided to keep the silly top off entirely, to let the whole thing breathe. It's still pretty hot there, but I figure everything is pretty well insulated around the cords, there's nothing flammable nearby, and there's plenty of ventilation out the top. And I agree with you, that it's better to collect these things neatly together, rather than have them scattered all about the house. This way you could just keep the toddler away from just one area, more or less....

you could make a wire mesh top, maybe. or punch holes a la polka dots all over. there are plenty of ways to ventilate it!

Oh cool. You blogged about it. I definitely think this DIY is better than spending 95USD.

Seriously, Sea? Burned your floor?

Hmm... ok. Well, I guess for now I'll keep my eyes open for a suitable metal box that I could hack for extreme ventilation.

This one from KangaRoom seems more versatile than the one Enrique ordered, and since it's open in the back, the ventilation should be fine, right?
http://www.kangaroomstorage.com/product/cord-office/5/cell-phone-charging-station.html

The Container Store has something similar, but I wonder about the ventilation on this one. Plus, it's too small, I have an older digital camera with a big ol' batter charger that I want to fit in here.
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74530&PRODID=10018818

mjoe,

I should clarify that there are no burn marks on the wood - rather, the protective layer (polyurethane?) has curled and lifted up completely right under the transformers, leaving raw patches of wood. I don't think it would set a fire.... but still.

After this discussion, I decided to spend a lot of time tightening up all my wires and making them look nice. I turned over the top of the metal box I had been using and have now put the transformers on top of that, like a shallow tray - then I slid the tray under the monitor stand that holds my computer and printer. The surge protector lies on the floor.