If you’ve got a computer and its peripherals (a printer, scanner, and ZIP drive), you probably have a power strip of some kind unless you specifically wire a room of your house as you would an office and give yourself plenty of receptacles. Power strips usually are rectangular-shaped with four or more individual outlets and a built-in circuit breaker. Most power strips in hardware and discount stores are an all-purpose type and are not appropriate for computer use. Leviton, for example, makes computer-grade strips that, according to the catalog, feature “EMI/RFI noise attenuation for microprocessor-driven electronic equipment.” They also provide surge suppression.
You can add receptacles by using outlet box lampholders. These typically are porcelain light fixtures with pull chains to control the lights (instead of a switch). Some of these lampholders, often found in unfinished spaces in a house, come with built-in outlets. These really are meant as a temporary power source, not for running multiple power tools. Remember, as a lighting circuit, it’s most likely running on only 15 amps. Note that in a crawl space, the receptacle on a porcelain lampholder must be GFCI-protected.
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