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

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

#41

Post by Scoundreller »

josephcsible wrote: post #24
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.

There's not a big risk of overcurrent here, since the 15A breaker will trip on overcurrent even when it's being backfed. The main hazard with these suicide cables is of electrocution, both inside your house due to the exposed blades being energized, and of linemen working to restore the power.

Isn’t the usual advice to turn off your main breaker? Both to protect a lineworker and to avoid stalling your generator by trying to power up the neighbourhood?

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

#42

Post by tyingq »

criddell wrote: post #28

I kind of hate that the notice points to a safety code (NFPA 70 in this case) but in order to see it, you have create an account in order to read it. If you want a copy of the code, you have to pay.

Not sure how it works, but there is a "Free Access" button here...leads to a registration form.

https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-stand...

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

#43

Post by Loughla »

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

So, I have a very good understanding of basic physics. I have a very good ability to critically think. I am, what I would consider, educated and intelligent.

And there was a time in my life when I googled "double male cord" because my snow-blower has a female plug for the electric start that is supposed to go to a converter box specifically sold by the company, and I lost it and didn't want to pay $100 for a new one.

Had I not paused and thought twice, I absolutely could've purchased one without thinking, or made one myself.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is, people can be stupid, even if they're smart.

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

#44

Post by cyral »

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…

And of course the "brands" selling these products are under random names like SFHBEE that will disappear overnight. No accountability if anything goes wrong.

This is a good thread on it: https://twitter.com/ColeSouth/status/1550230795230781440

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

#45

Post by lfowles »

14 wrote: post #29

When I read the article and it said they sell for $40-$72 my jaw dropped. You could make one of these for under $10 pretty easily. Hell if you were resourceful you could make it for free by finding someone giving away a couple plug in appliances for free and cut the cord and make it. Also I believe these cords are also sold for christmas lights if you hang them the wrong way but if used with a generator I believe the…

Rehang your christmas lights...

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

#46

Post by mindslight »

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

People can't see it's a shitty idea because they're operating at the level of clicking on Amazon and assuming it wouldn't be sold if it weren't safe. This shouldn't be a CPSC warning, but rather a prosecution.

I myself have made a suicide cable to move a load from one circuit to another without shutting it off. But doing the wiring myself made it very clear that I was off the beaten path, and so I had to really think through what I was doing. There's a few obvious concerns with the use I've described here, but I'm not going to write them out because they should be either readily apparent, or you should not be doing such things.

It's the same territory as working with line voltage on a test bench, floating an oscilloscope, etc. All things that can be done safely when you're knowledgeable and focused on the task at hand. But should never be normalized into every day relaxed life, even if you "know what you are doing".

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

#47

Post by falcrist »

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

Electricity is like magic to most people. If you ask around you'll find that folks don't have the vaguest idea how it works. All they know is "plug it in and it turns on". These people are eating and sleeping inches from voltages that could easily kill them. Safety measures are fairly good (even with the terrible US plugs), but safety devices can only go so far.

I would strongly encourage that everyone (even those who aren't interested in technical subjects) learn the water analogy and some electrical safety fundamentals.

You don't have to know all the physics, but you should be given a basic intuition of what current, voltage, resistance, and power are.

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

#48

Post by guywithahat »

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

I mean most people know it's a terrible idea, it's just that 0.1% of a population of 330 million people is 330k people, and I don't think that 0.1% is from a failure of our education system

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

#49

Post by TheDudeMan »

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

Probably because the alternative is to not have power during the (increasingly common) blackouts.

I'm assuming that is the alternative due to there not being a proper way to accomplish this goal that does not cost thousands of dollars.

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

#50

Post by Scoundreller »

mmastrac wrote: post #19
tyingq wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a terrifying teardown of one of those heated shower heads here: https://hackaday.com/2018/08/25/electric-shower-head-tear-do... When he opens it, the ground wire is just floating in the enclosure, not hooked up to anything. Contacts that would mechanically fail to shorted, etc. He also mentions it flows ~24 amps of 220V on the high setting.

> The green wire which is a neutral has no place to fasten inside the plastic body. It just goes inside, connects to nothing, while being exposed in the path of the water, presumably to keep water that was too conductive from shocking you I have nothing to say to this. Wow.

Maybe I’m dumb but what else would the ground on a completely plastic enclosure be connected to?
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