Thread: Power Cord and Power Pass-Through

Virtually all PCs come with a standard black power cord that runs from a receptacle on the power supply to a power outlet in the wall (or preferably, a power protection device or UPS.) This cord is virtually unchanged since the dawn of the personal computer. It has a special key shape on the end that plugs into the power supply. All PC power cords are three¬pronged.



Some power supplies, especially older ones, have a "pass-through" connector on the back into which you can plug the monitor's power cord (if it has the right shape). You can also buy inexpensive adapters that will convert a standard outlet plug into the shape needed to go into the back of the computer's supply. When you do this, the monitor is turned on and off using the computer's power switch.