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Plugable Power Strip and USB C Charging Station with Power Meter, 67W
$34.95 USD
SKU: PS3-METERC3Amazon Rating : (30 Reviews)
Features
- Powerful charging—Charge everything with Plugable’s Triple Charging Station, an extension cord with multiple outlets. 3x USB-C ports with LED display, 3x power outlet, short circuit, overvoltage, and overcurrent protection. A right-angled AC plug, and a cable tie for convenience
- Triple USB-C—Plugable’s fast charging block features 3x USB-C ports providing up to 67W total. An LED display shows combined power output so you always know what your connected USB-C devices are pulling. Ideal for home, office, or as a travel charging station
- Power Extended—A sturdy 1.55m (about 5 ft) outlet splitter puts power where you need it with 3x power outlets. Power bigger devices, or add charging blocks (not included) to charge more USB devices. This charging cube is 3rd party test for short circuit, overvoltage, and overcurrent protection
- Compatibility—Power cord extension plugs into any 120V outlet. Safely provides power for USB-C devices and devices with a standard household plug
- 2-Year Coverage, Lifetime Support—Every Plugable product, including this desk power strip, is covered against defects for 2 years and comes with lifetime support. If you ever have questions, contact our North American-based team - even before purchase
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Tech Specs
| # of USB-C Ports | 3 |
| Charging Protocol | USB-C PD 3.0 with PPS |
| Max Single Port Charging Rate | 67W |
| # of AC Outlets | 3 (1 grounded, 2 ungrounded) |
| Cable Length | 1.55m |
A: The maximum rate achievable is 67W, which is only possible if a single USB-C port is occupied. The USB-C port can support 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V.
A: A total of 65W can be shared across all USB-C ports. We recommend connecting devices from left to right (C1, C2, then C3) for best charging results.
A: 1250W across all three outlets. If all three USB-C ports are occupied, then they can support 1185W.
A: The power meter only reports the combined wattage being provided by the front USB-C ports.
A: PPS is an optional feature of USB-C Power Delivery spec that allows devices to dynamically adjust charging rates based on factors like battery level and temperature. PPS chargers enable changes of voltage and current to provide optimal charging.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Connection to outlet |
Flat plug and cable |
N/A |
Two prongs |
Two prongs |
Three prongs with pass-through |
Connection to host |
AC Wall Outlet |
USB-C |
AC Wall Outlet |
AC Wall Outlet |
AC Wall Outlet |
Power Delivery |
Up to 67W |
N/A - pass-through device |
Up to 30W |
Up to 40W |
Up to 20W (USB-C), 12W (USB-A) |
Folding Power Prongs |
No |
N/A |
No |
||
Total port count |
6 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Compatible Devices
| Laptops | Chromebooks / Google PixelBook Go / Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 / Lenovo Chromebook Duet 3, M1 / M2 / M3 / M4 MacBooks / Air / Pro 13" / 14" / 15" / 16", Framework Laptop 13 / 16, and many more |
| Tablets | iPad / iPad Pro / iPad mini, Galaxy Tablet / S9 / S9+ / S9 Ultra / FE, Pixel Tablet, and many more |
| Smart Phones | iPhone 15 / 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / Pro / Plus / Max / Mini / SE / XS / XS Max / XR / X, Samsung Galaxy S24 / S24+ / S24 Ultra, S23 / S23+ / S23 Ultra, S22 / S22+ / S22, S21 / S21+ / S21 Ultra, S10 / S10+ / S10e / S9 / S9+ / S8 / S8+, Note 20 / 20 Ultra / 10 / 9 / 8, Google Pixel 8 Pro / 8 / 7 Pro / 7 / 6 Pro / 6 / 5 / 4 XL / 4 / 3 XL / 3 / 2 XL / 2 / 1 XL / 1 |
| Wearables | Apple AirPods / AirPods Pro / AirPods Max, Samsung GalaxyBuds / Galaxy Pro, Google Pixel Buds, Apple Watch Series 9 / 8 / 7 / 6 / Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Watch |
Get Started
Power allocation is done by first come first serve. In general, we advise connecting the device that requires the most power to the C1 port.
Refer to the image below for the power allocation based on ports:
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You can always contact support if you need help too!
Can I leave my notebook computer connected to a charging dock overnight, or should I discharge and recharge the notebook battery regularly?
We are often asked if it is okay to leave a notebook computer connected to one of our USB-C docking stations with Power Delivery for extended periods of time. The short answer is yes, it is no different from leaving the laptop connected to the manufacturer's original USB-C power supply for the same time. The long answer is yes for modern laptops, and maybe for older (1990s-early 2000s laptops) and involves going into the different battery technologies used in consumer electronics devices.
Another common question is if it is possible to use the docking station but to disable powering and charging the computer. When a modern notebook computer runs on battery power it will often set the system to a reduced power state which may impact performance, or connected devices and we recommend always powering the computer when using a desktop docking station. For all of our docking stations that provide power to the host computer this will not affect the lifespan of the computer's battery.
Modern Laptop Batteries: Lithium-Ion
Lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries are found in a wide range of consumer electronics from notebook computers and cell phones, to electric cars, power tools, and wearable electronics like wireless earbuds. Li-ion offers fast charging, high-current discharging, fairly long service live compared to other rechargeable battery technologies and are relatively inexpensive.
The life-span of a rechargeable battery depends on many factors including age, temperature history, charging patterns, the chemical composition of the specific battery, and usage. For example batteries stored at 100% charge will degrade faster than batteries stored at 50% charge, this is why most consumer electronics devices arrive from the manufacturer with between 25% to 75% charge.
Lithium-ion batteries are consumable components, however in most modern computers, cell phones, and tablets these are not user serviceable components. To help maintain the battery all modern computers and most consumer electronics will include battery charge and protection circuits. These can be fairly simple, charging up the battery at preset rates depending on the charge level to help maintain the battery life, or complex software controlled charging that monitors battery temperature, voltage and current draw to maintain the fastest charging while maintaining the battery longevity.
Modern notebook computers can be left connected to the original power cable or a docking station with charging capability for extended periods, and do not benefit from regular discharge/recharge cycles. Our docking stations with charging capability rely on USB Type-C Power Delivery to power and charge compatible computers. USB Type-C Power Delivery is a negotiated charging protocol between the host computer and the docking station or USB Type-C power supply, this allows the computer to draw only the power it requires, and even select the best voltage level for powering the computer. In combination with a computer's built-in battery charging controller the computer is capable of maintaining the battery's optimal state even when left connected to a power source for an extended period of time.
Legacy Laptop Batteries: NiCad and NiMH
Older laptops, from the 1990s and some early 2000s, as well as some consumer electronics, and most rechargeable AA or AAA battery replacements use Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) or Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries. These batteries are slower to charge and discharge than li-ion batteries, and require very simple charge controllers, and in some cases can even be trickle-charged ( very low-current continuous charging ) if desired.
These batteries generally don't have smart charging controllers and to prolong the life of the battery required "training" or fully discharging and recharging the battery every so often. Many laptop manufacturers recommended fully charging and discharging a new laptop 2-3 times to train the battery, this is not necessary with modern laptops.
Conclusion
Modern notebook batteries are managed by the computer's built-in battery charging circuit, and require little to no user intervention to maintain optimal battery health. It does not harm the battery to leave the computer connected to an external power supply, so long as the computer is being used regularly. If the computer is to be stored for a prolonged period then discharging the battery to between 50-75% can help to maintain the battery life.
Batteries are consumable components and degrade over time, however modern notebook computers can extend the battery life generally to meet or exceed the life of the computer's other electronic components.
PS3-METERC3 USB-C Charging Configurations
The USB-C ports on the PS3-METERC3 will vary in terms of their maximum power output, depending on which ports are occupied. The chart below shows the maximum power each port will deliver based on which ports are occupied.
In general, we advise connecting the device that requires the most power to the C1 port.
Disclaimer on Apple Lightning Cables With the PS3-METERC3
You may notice when connecting a USB-C to Lightning Cable to the PS3-METERC3 that the LED display will light up and act like a device is connected and charging, even if nothing is connected to the Lightning end of the cable.
This is due to to Apple's MFi certification process with Lightning accessories and cables. The MFi certification is a strict set of requirements that ensure that third party devicess will be compatible with all Apple devices that use the Lightning connector. This MFi certification involves a chip built into the cable which verifies the MFi certification before it allows data or power to passthrough. The chip is what triggers the PS3-METERC3 to “detect” a device, even if one is not connected to the end of the cable.
There is nothing we can do about this particular behavior, so it is important to know this for the purposes of power allocation. If a Lightning cable is connected to any of the USB-C ports, it will be counted as a device connected to that port, which can impact the amount of power dedicated to other ports. For details on power allocation, check out the article here.
For more details on Apple MFi, check out Apple's page on it here.
USB Power Delivery and Charging Battery-Powered Devices
The humble Universal Serial Bus, more commonly known as USB, has evolved to be much more than just a way to connect a mouse or keyboard to your computer. With the proliferation of power-hungry portable devices that charge over USB, we’ve all come to expect USB to operate as a Universal Source of Battery charging but, unfortunately, it’s just not that easy.
Modern Charging Standards
USB-C and USB Power Delivery (PD) Standard Power Range (up to 100W)
The USB-C connector and USB-PD specification up to revision 3.0 enable charging at up to 100W (typically 96W to 98W real-world maximums per IEC regulations). However, the protocol for negotiation between host and charger can be complex and hard to understand. Early USB-C PD implementations (starting in 2015) could be unreliable, and many manufacturers of devices used proprietary implementations to block universal charging solutions (docking stations, third party chargers, etc). With time and several updates to the PD spec there have been vast improvements in the consumer experience, though we do still encounter scenarios where there may be compatibility issues that are beyond our control (3rd party devices).
Generally speaking, USB-C PD is an intelligent charging standard with the ability to deliver variable voltage and amperage charging rates (equating to the final charge wattage). USB-C PD defaults to 5V and can adjust dynamically depending on the implementation of charger and device up to 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V up to 5A. Not all USB-C ports on devices (like a hub or dock) offer PD charging, some USB-C ports may only offer standard USB 3.0 power at 900mA. Others may offer more at commonly found values of 1.5A or 3A at 5V (7.5W and 15W). Likewise, not all USB-C devices (like a laptop or tablet) will have the ability to charge over this connection, some still require a dedicated DC barrel jack charger that shipped with the device.
Without going into overly complex detail, USB-C PD can either use a set signal on two communication lines through a USB-C connector and cable (CC1 and CC2) which is determined by either a set resistance value and subsequent voltage reading, or two-way data communication can be established where the charger can tell the attached device how much power it can supply and/or the device can request how much power it needs. Once a contract has been negotiated and established, charging may then commence.
As an example, a laptop may require 65W of power to charge, this would most likely need 20V at 3.25A. When connecting this laptop to a USB-C charger (or dock, etc) a series of events as outlined above will occur. If connecting to a lower wattage charger, say 60W for this example, the laptop and charger will try to establish the fastest possible common charging rate which would be 20V 3A. In most cases this will work perfectly fine and the laptop will charge slightly slower than it would with the original 65W charger it shipped with.
But what would happen if connecting to a higher wattage charger, like 96W or 98W? Many would expect their laptop would be damaged, however, because USB-C PD is intelligent some two-way communication will occur, and the charger should negotiate the fastest possible rate that is requested to deliver 65W. It is also important to note that chargers do not "push" power to a device, rather, devices "pull" power as needed. As long as the charger does not output a voltage higher than what the device is expecting damage won't be possible. Because USB-C defaults to 5V, a higher voltage will not be output unless that higher voltage has been requested and properly negotiated.
What about a laptop that needs more power, like 135W or higher (which is above the USB-C spec)? If the laptop supports USB-C PD through its USB-C connector despite needing more power than can technically be provided, it will try to charge as fast as the charger can offer. Due to the higher power requirements charging may be slower but still gain battery percentage, or the system will be "treading water", only able maintain a stable battery charge without gaining. In some situations like this, the system when under extreme CPU or GPU load may supplement more power by draining the battery while also drawing power from the charger. This may lead to a slow drain and would eventually run out of power until the load is reduced. In some rare situations like this, the laptop may only be able to gain battery while in sleep mode or off.
USB Power Delivery (PD) Extended Power Range (up to 240W)
The new USB Power Delivery revision 3.1 specifications allow for the delivery of up to 240W via a USB Type-C cable (an increase from the previous 100W max). The previous Power Delivery range has been relabeled as Standard Power Range (SPR), and the new specifications (between 100W and 240W), have been labeled as Extended Power Range (EPR).
For a more in-depth look feel free to check out our blog post on this topic here: https://plugable.com/blogs/news/what-is-240w-usb-extended-power-range-epr
Thunderbolt 3 / Thunderbolt 4 / USB4
Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 all share the USB-C connector specification and utilize the aforementioned power and charging abilities introduced by USB-C.
Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC) 4/4+/5
Qualcomm QC 4, 4+, and 5 are cross-compatible with both USB PD and USB-C specifications, falling back to PD in the event of a compatibility issue. Currently, Plugable does not offer any QC devices.
Legacy Device Charging
USB Device Charging
The original USB 2.0 specification limited the power that could be drawn from any...
The original USB 2.0 specification limited the power that could be drawn from any USB port to 500mA. This is plenty to charge smaller batteries reasonably quickly, but for larger batteries, a higher wattage solution is needed. Though this limit was increased to 900mA with the advent of SuperSpeed USB 3.0, most battery-powered devices were left wanting, either charging at a very slow rate or "treading water". Over time, these limitations drove device makers to come up with novel ways to draw more than the allowed current from standard USB ports, typically accomplished by signaling to the devices along the data lines that it’s okay to draw current at a higher rate.
Regrettably, there wasn’t a widely-adopted standard, so not all ports and devices spoke the same language. To make the situation even more frustrating for end-users, there wasn’t much public discussion or documentation about these signals.
A quick note about power and charging: It is up to the device attached to the charger to decide if, and how quickly to charge. Either based upon the charging signal it receives from the charger that it may use as a guideline, or if the device does not utilize charging signals, it will charge by drawing as much power as it possibly can unregulated. Some "dumb" devices will overload a standard USB port and may cause the port to temporarily cease functioning (until the port is reset) or may cause permanent damage. It is also important to note that chargers do not "push" power to a device, rather, devices "pull" power as needed. If you have a USB device that calls for 500mA of current, connecting it to say a 2.4A (2400mA) USB charging port will not damage it, the device will only draw as much power as needed.
USB Battery Charging Standard
Some devices support the USB Battery Charging (BC 1.1/1.2) standard, but that support is usually undocumented. Charging behavior is often learned through trial-and-error. With the addition of BC 1.2, the USB standard included three port types.
- Standard Downstream Port (SDP) - Data-only port with no special charging capabilities. Provides data connectivity and the standard 500mA to downstream devices.
- Charging Downstream Port (CDP) - Simultaneous USB data connectivity and high-current charging. Provides up to 1.5A to downstream devices. Has a charging detection phase that triggers device charging, then switches over to data mode after charging has been established.
- Dedicated Charging Port (DCP) - Charging-only port with no data connection. Provides up to 1.5A to downstream devices. This signal simply shorts the data D+ and D- lines.
Proprietary Signals
Many manufacturers created their own DCP signals to either provide higher charging rates or only charge from “authorized” chargers. iPads, for example, can draw up to 2.4A when connected to an Apple computer or Apple charger, but they will not charge at all when connected to a regular USB port.
Apple
Apple was among the first manufacturers to create their own charging signals to meet the needs of their power-hungry mobile devices.
- Apple 2.4A: 2.7V D+, 2.7V D-
- Apple 2.1A: 2V D+, 2.7V D-
- Apple 1A: 2.7V D+, 2V D-
- Apple 500mA: 2V D+, 2V D-
| Signal | D+ Volts | D- Volts |
| Apple 2.4A | 2.7V | 2.7V |
| Apple 2.1A |
2V | 2.7V |
| Apple 1A |
2.7V |
2V |
| Apple 500mA |
2V |
2V |
Samsung
Many legacy Samsung devices use the standard BC 1.2 charging standard for DCP, CDP, and SDP modes. Even older devices often used a proprietary Samsung DCP signal (1.2V D+, 1.2V D-)
Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC) 1/2/3
Legacy Qualcomm QC chargers are capable of outputting much higher power than standard USB chargers. These signals are specifically designed to work with mobile devices containing Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC chips. This standard is often re-branded by manufacturers for marketing purposes, but the standard behind these technologies is Qualcomm QC. A few well-known rebrands of Qualcomm QC are listed below. Currently, Plugable does not offer any QC devices.
- Samsung Adaptive Fast Charger
- Oppo Super VOOC
- OnePlus WarpCharge (Note: There are several implementations of WarpCharge that have evolved with new devices, some being fully OnePlus proprietary offering up to 65W.)
- Huawei SuperCharge
QC chargers output various voltages based on the signals sent over the data lines from the powered device.
| Output Volts (Vcc) | D+ Volts | D- Volts |
| 5V |
0.6V |
GND |
| 9V |
3.3V |
0.6V |
| 12V |
0.6V |
0.6V |
| 20V |
3.3V |
3.3V |
"Smart" Charging
Smart chargers contain a charging controller chip that attempts to detect the ideal signal for the attached downstream device. Once the ideal signal is detected, the charger will stop cycling through signals and the powered device will start charging.
Understanding how adaptive/optimized charging methods have an impact on your smartphone's battery life, performance, and longevity.
With most modern smartphones you may have likely noticed a notification message while charging your phone indicating that your phone has entered "Optimized Battery Charging", this is how Apple refers to its smart charging messaging. With Android devices they will also show this notification message while charging although they refer to it "Adaptive Charging". Through these intelligent charging methods your phone will artificially reduce its charging speeds so that in the long run it will lengthen its overall battery life.
When setting up a new smart phone it may take a few weeks of machine learning to recognize your usage behavior and charging habits. Batteries go through wear and tear to which the more charge cycles it goes through the less healthier the overall battery becomes leading to it holding a lesser charge and other issues.
Your phone will alert you with a notification when it enters into a battery preserving charging state. At night you may notice your phone charging significantly slower along with a message saying “Battery full by 7:00 AM”. Even though it has the ability to fully charge in a much shorter time. If you set an alarm for an even earlier time your phone can adjust to finish charging at your alarm time. This is your phone prolonging the time it takes to charge to 100% in order to preserve battery health.
The reason why your phone will artificially slow its charging rate is to spend less time at 100% battery, and the less time your phone spends at 100% the more it helps with your overall battery health.
It is possible to disable Optimized/Adaptive Charging in your device's battery and charging settings although it is ideal for the majority of users to leave this setting enabled.
Regarding the Thickness of the PS3-METERC3 Power Cord
While the PS3-METERC3's defining feature may be it's USB-C charging and display, it also functions as a full blown power strip, supporting 1250W of power to be output via the 3x AC outlets. Because of this, the power cord needs to be heavy duty, and support a wire gauge that can handle up to 1250W of power. This thickness of cable is common on most power strips, and it is to ensure safety and full functionality when high power devices are connected.
Do You Need to Remove a Sticker on the PS3-METERC3’s LED Screen?
The PS3-METERC3 has a polarized filter on the LED screen, similar to what you would find on common LED monitors. Though it may seem like the removable protective films that come on new appliances or devices, removing this filter causes the display not to be viewable anymore. Please do not attempt to remove this sticker from the screen!
What Voltages Do the PS3-METERC3 Support?
Over USB-C, the PS3-METERC3 can support 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 20V.
The AC outlets can support 100 - 125V.
Is this safe to use if my computer doesn't support USB-C Power Delivery?
USB-C Power Delivery (PD) is negotiated between the power-sourcing equipment (e.g., a dock or multiport hub) and the connected host device. During this negotiation, the device offering power communicates its capabilities, and the host determines whether it can accept the power. If the host does not support Power Delivery, no power will be sent to the computer over the USB-C connection. This will allow you to take advantage of other capabilities such as data transfer or video output without risking damage to the computer.
