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CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

cpsc.gov

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Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#31

Post by josephcsible »

TOGoS wrote: post #20
zibby8 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What other use is there for male-to-male cables?

NEMA power inlets are weirdly expensive and therefore hard to come by. So if you want to have a wall-powered device with a detachable cord, using an outlet as an inlet and a male-to-male cord is a simple solution. (And yes, I'm aware of other solutions, like using IEC inlets, but it just feels a little wrong to use one of those on e.g. a power strip with NEMA outlets.)

It's a simple solution alright, just like using a lighter to look inside of a gas tank because you don't have a flashlight handy is.

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#32

Post by kuschku »

TOGoS wrote: post #20
zibby8 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What other use is there for male-to-male cables?

NEMA power inlets are weirdly expensive and therefore hard to come by. So if you want to have a wall-powered device with a detachable cord, using an outlet as an inlet and a male-to-male cord is a simple solution. (And yes, I'm aware of other solutions, like using IEC inlets, but it just feels a little wrong to use one of those on e.g. a power strip with NEMA outlets.)

Expensive?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DCXKNXQ/

That's 60ct a piece. Rated for 250V 10A.

You can just buy any cheap cord like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MGB0IK/ to connect to it.

There's no excuse for suicide cables.

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#33

Post by LeifCarrotson »

zibby8 wrote: post #9
h2odragon wrote: post #2

I recall a holocaust among hand crafted toys, a few years ago: They were enforcing "materiel origin" labeling or something and you couldn't sell home made toys without a lot of paperwork to certify they were lead free. Amazon is too big for laws to apply, and its umbrella apparently covers foreign sellers on its platform. Another fun toy they sell is the "heated shower heads", a tankless water heater element integrat…

Are you sure that Lowes can't sell heated shower heads? Maybe they choose not to sell them for liability reasons.

Don't pretend that "liability reasons" is due to ethical concerns about the safety of the product.

Someone would buy it off a shelf at Lowes, would take Lowes to court, and Lowes would lose. It wouldn't be profitable.

Conversely, if someone bought a dodgy product from a drop-shipper listing on Amazon and got hurt by it, do you think that Amazon would be successfully sued? Empirically, that happens but they're still profitable and and still not refusing to list products for safety except in the most egregious circumstances. Would you sue the drop-shipper? They'd probably disappear or have zero assets. Would you sue the overseas manufacturer? Good luck with that!

The fact that it's profitable for Amazon and not for Lowes is exactly what the parent meant when they said "...it doesn't seem right that Amazon can sell these to people where Lowes and other hardware stores cannot."

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#34

Post by VBprogrammer »

zibby8 wrote: post #8

Back feeding seems insane. Most residential circuits are rated for 15A. A 5000 watt generator can produce over 40 amps at 120V. Seems like a good way to start an electrical fire.

Isn't it more common to use a dryer outlet with a 240v input?

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#35

Post by stefan_ »

h2odragon wrote: post #2

I recall a holocaust among hand crafted toys, a few years ago: They were enforcing "materiel origin" labeling or something and you couldn't sell home made toys without a lot of paperwork to certify they were lead free. Amazon is too big for laws to apply, and its umbrella apparently covers foreign sellers on its platform. Another fun toy they sell is the "heated shower heads", a tankless water heater element integrat…

Amazon is the magic law blanket. They take the payment, they store the goods, they ship the wares.. but it's WAGANFU brand that they have no serviceable address for that is responsible?

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#36

Post by petschge »

eropple wrote: post #17
petschge wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The classic "I started with the wrong end when I put up the Christmas lights"?

Then re-string them, and remove all temptation.

That is of course the proper way to do it. But it is an application for a suicide cable that doesn't involve a generator.

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#37

Post by [deleted] »

elzbardico wrote: post #27

How can folks not see that using such contraption is obviously a shitty idea? That’s why we need to completely overhaul the teaching of physics in middle and high school. Every citizen should have at least a basic understanding of basic physical concepts that allow then to understand why this kind of thing is a bad idea

[deleted]

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#38

Post by leeter »

TOGoS wrote: post #20
zibby8 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What other use is there for male-to-male cables?

NEMA power inlets are weirdly expensive and therefore hard to come by. So if you want to have a wall-powered device with a detachable cord, using an outlet as an inlet and a male-to-male cord is a simple solution. (And yes, I'm aware of other solutions, like using IEC inlets, but it just feels a little wrong to use one of those on e.g. a power strip with NEMA outlets.)

They are?

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-Available-515CR-Outlet-Ground...

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#39

Post by kevinmchugh »

There's a wonderful kind of writing that pops up at hardware stores in response to annual searches for suicide cables. A couple examples here https://twitter.com/kobunheat/status/1336134415336964096

THESE ARE NOT MADE THEY SHOULD NEVER BE MADE

has the kind of direct clarity of existential risk that they sought for with

"This is not a place of honor. Nothing of value is here."

Re: CPSC warns consumers to stop using male-to-male extension cords sold on Amazon

#40

Post by isoprophlex »

elzbardico wrote: post #27

How can folks not see that using such contraption is obviously a shitty idea? That’s why we need to completely overhaul the teaching of physics in middle and high school. Every citizen should have at least a basic understanding of basic physical concepts that allow then to understand why this kind of thing is a bad idea

One look at the image and my immediate reaction is "no way anyone would be stupid enough to buy something like this"

It's like an utterly evil version of that "HDMI to Gardena" meme, only it actually exists and Amazon carries it...

https://external-preview.redd.it/AOlxnd9E3WMW3KID3LhjpL3o70s...

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