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One very practical reason that comes to mind is waterproofing. Kitchen counters get wet, and office desks do not. Anything with a plug is at greater risk of shorting.
Anyway IMO lamps are usually the worst offenders.
I keep telling myself one of these days I will convert it to a C13 connector. Or C5, it that would fit better.
One very practical reason that comes to mind is waterproofing. Kitchen counters get wet, and office desks do not. Anything with a plug is at greater risk of shorting.
Sure but that's what gfci is for no? Anyway IMO lamps are usually the worst offenders.
From top of my head, there are two main reasons:
1. C13/C14 is a bulky set of connectors, and fitting them to compact(er) things are not always easy. This also means cable needs additional care to keep somewhere else and label. Why label? See 2.
2. Not all appliances use the same amount of power. C13/C14 is an overkill for a small, non-grounded appliance. Use a figure 8 then, alright, but what happens when you mix your coffee grinder cable with your powerful hand blender's cable and use it at max power? Hot things. Not the soup, but burning cables.
In this age where we use aluminum cables because it's cheap, mixing low and high power appliances' cables will become a liability fast. Using unique connectors will make the reason to have detachable cables moot, and drive up the price.
Standardization? The awesome thing about standardization is, three are too many standards to choose from.
As much as I truly love replaceable cords, I'd be more than happy enough if I could just unscrew the shell of the device, unscrew the power wires from where they attach, and put in any cord. Where I care about waterproofing, some silicone caulk is an extremely cheap (and removable) fix. Unfortunately practically everything you can buy now is welded plastic halves, or easily-broken clips. So even when you might be abl…
The plug between the cord and the device must be sturdy and meet regulatory standards So it is expensive It is cheaper to just attach the cord That is the reason
plenty of devices have separatable cords. My rice cooker has a PC style plug. My water kettle has a magnetic plug.
Regulations make detachable cords of electric kitchen appliances hard. Most need double isolation and water-proofing, hence not detachable. It could probably be done, but it likely needs a different type of connector, akin to M12/M8
Also product liability. If you give a domestic hair dryer a 12 ft cord, someone will use it in the shower. If you give an insta-pot a 6 ft cord, someone will drape it off the counter and a child will pull it. UL standards actually limit cable length for many appliances. https://www.intertek.com/standards-updates/ul-1026-electrica...
As much as I truly love replaceable cords, I'd be more than happy enough if I could just unscrew the shell of the device, unscrew the power wires from where they attach, and put in any cord. Where I care about waterproofing, some silicone caulk is an extremely cheap (and removable) fix. Unfortunately practically everything you can buy now is welded plastic halves, or easily-broken clips. So even when you might be abl…
This is such a terrible idea for sump pumps!