Quote Originally Posted by LaughingJim
These machines are not designed to have thier power switch internally kept on while they get powered up. EG, if the internal switch is in the ON position, and you repeatedly use a powerbar switch to turn them on, you will damage them.
I strongly disagree. In fact you're likely to cause many more problems by using the internal switch.

1. The switch in these power supplies generally kills all power to the supply. Surge-wise there is no difference between flipping the internal switch or using strip on a power switch.

2. The only thing more likely to break if you use the switch on the power strip is actually the switch on the power strip. Or conversely, if you always use the internal switch, the only thing more likely to break is the internal power switch (or possibly the door lock ). Now neither of these events is likely to happen, but if I was going to break a switch, I'd rather break the one on the $2.00 Walmart outlet strip because it's easier to replace the power strip than to take apart a power supply to replace the internal switch.

3. On 24v models using the internal switch would leave the transformer always live. Given the questionable pedigree of some of these transformers, I'd say the fire hazard would trump any concerns about damage due to using the internal switch - had there actually been any potential for damage.

That said, you could make a good case for using surge suppressing power strips. But, I figure that these machines have stood up to the massive abuse that must be delivered via the power lines in a pachislo parlor packed with hundreds of machines, so I don't even bother with that. The only thing that I use is noise filters that keep the noise generated by the pachislos from coming back onto the AC line and screwing up the X-10 communications.