Google “Power Whip” and you’ll come up with some interesting hits.
In Pokemon speak, a Power Whip is a fighting move in which a user “whirls its vines or tentacles to harshly lash the foe,” according to Bulbapedia. While that may be a move you wish to deploy against that annoying gum-smacking cubicle neighbor of yours, that’s not the type of power whip we’re referring to today.
In electricians’ parlance, a power whip (AKA a base power infeed or base feed module) is a type of cable that converts a fixed-in-place device to a modular asset.
Huh?
In the office furniture industry, a Power Whip is what connects your cubicle to the building power. This coupled to the modular electrical components of your favorite brand of cubicle will power all your needs up to a point. We have to remember that there is a limited amount of amperage to the cubicle. The majority of cubicle electrical systems only provide 20 amps per circuit.
That’s actually one reason many companies prohibit electric heaters in your cubicle. Unless you are trying to shut down your neighbor’s computer in the middle of a big project.
Your Power Whip can be installed under your worksurface or behind the panels. It is best to have it out of the way behind the panel that way there is no way that it is knocked loose while you are chasing the pen you dropped under your work surface.
For advice on optimal workstation layout, it’s best to hire a reputable licensed electrician who is familiar with National Electrical Code (NEC) and local electrical codes; they’re the only ones who can legally make hardwire connections to your building’s power supply and they can offer insight on the best place to locate your workstations so that they’re effectively and safely powered.
Make sure when you hire an Installation Company that they are someone with experience in the furniture industry and with the product you are having installed. Your installer may have some electrical contractors they have worked with in the past that they can pass on their contacts to you to save you time searching
Once they’re assembled, the electrician can connect the power whip to the main power (this step can happen anytime during the process, but it is helpful to have the electrician on-hand early on to use as an installation consultant).
Once the workstation wiring has been assembled correctly and the power whip’s connected, you should be able to start plugging in your computers and other devices.
Can Whips be disconnected from the cubical with power Still on using the plug end so cubicle can be moved? Is the plug end still safe from people once it is disconnected?
Fascinating read on the often-overlooked hero of office life: the Power Whip! Reminds me of the time we were setting up a new office and didn’t realize the importance of a quality power whip—ended up blowing a fuse and causing a two-hour “unplanned break.” Lesson learned: don’t skimp on the essentials.