Don't overload a 15-amp extension cord with a 20-amp draw.

No. That’s a fire risk.

A 15-amp extension cord is rated to handle up to 15 amps total. If your power strip is pulling 20 amps, the cord will heat up, the breaker might not trip (if it’s a simple cord with no breaker), and you’re asking for melted insulation or worse.

Extension cords aren’t magic. They’re just wires with plugs. The rating is based on the wire gauge and length. Overload it and the wire becomes a heater.

Plug the power strip directly into a wall outlet that can handle 20 amps (a standard 15-amp circuit might still trip, but at least it’s protected by the breaker). Better yet, redistribute the load so nothing exceeds 15 amps on that cord.

If you absolutely need 20 amps in that spot, get a 20-amp extension cord with thicker wire (12 gauge or lower). But honestly, most household circuits are 15 amps anyway, so you’d be fighting the breaker, not the cord.

Don’t test this by how warm the cord feels. That’s already a bad sign.