There is a motive male-to-male extension cords have been nicknamed “widowmakers” and “suicide cords.”
“If you happen to put a male right into a feminine socket, the opposite finish of that male goes to be dwell,” Paul Martinez, proprietor of Electrified NYC in Brooklyn says. “So if you contact it, you are going to get the shock of your life.”
A male-to-male extension wire is an influence wire that has prongs, also called the “male” finish, on all sides of the wire whereas regular extension cords have each a male finish and a feminine finish. In 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission released a warning relating to male-to-male cords, stating that when used, they’ll trigger “shock, electrocution, hearth, and carbon monoxide poisoning hazards.”
Why are male-to-male extension cords so harmful?
Male-to-male cords create shock, electrocution and hearth hazards when in use. If the wire is plugged into an influence outlet, the prongs on the uncovered finish have an electrical present working to them, that means when you unintentionally contact it, you might be significantly injured.
One Reddit user referred to the dwell facet of the wire as “primarily a taser,” however it seems that it may be much more harmful than that. Matrinez says that harm from all these extension cords might even end in demise.
“It is not the voltage that is going to kill you, it is within the amperage,” Martinez says. “And you’ll be killed on a 20-amp circuit, belief me.”
For reference, 20-amp outlets are typically installed in kitchens and garages for home equipment that require extra energy.
“We by no means use male-to-male extension cords,” Martinez says. “All extension cords are female and male on both finish to increase no matter you are extending.”
What to make use of as an alternative of a male-to-male extension wire?
A great rule of thumb is that if an electrician does not use it, neither do you have to. So, quite than utilizing a male-to-male extension wire, you need to at all times follow common — and secure — extension cords in your family wants.
Learn extra: 7 Things You Should Never Plug Into an Extension Cord or Power Strip
And whereas some say they’ve used a male-to-male extension wire with a generator throughout a power outage at their house, electricians say this creates quite a few security hazards. The secure answer is to have a transfer switch that will work with a whole-house generator put in by knowledgeable in your house as an alternative.
Learn extra: Best Smart Plugs
