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Helping You Make Your Home Your Castle |
Furniture & Furnishing & Decorations
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Extension Cords
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Extension cords are used throughout the home on
small electrical appliances and in the garage or
shop for tool use. They are frequently required on
lamps that have short cords. Although extension
cords allow for ease of use of electrical devices
they also can present safety hazards. Extension
cords are a life saver in the home and shop, but
proper safety must be used to prevent electrical
shock. Maintaining your extension cord is critical
for safe operation and should be done frequently.
Most extension cords have a Type – B plug. These
three prong plugs have a grounding plug. If your
appliance has a third grounding plug, it should be
used only with an extension cord that has a three
pin receptacle for it. If not, the grounding
capabilities of the tool are disabled and could
cause serious injury such as a burn or electric
shock.
Your extension cord should be checked before each
use to make sure that no nicks or cuts have
penetrated the outer insulation of the cord. If a
cut has penetrated to the wiring, it should be
replaced immediately.
Replacing worn or damaged extension cords or their
electrical plugs is an easy way to stop electrical
hazards that may exist in your home.
Replacing damaged extension cords can
prevent safety hazards and are inexpensive to buy.
If you have to replace a worn or damaged plug be
sure to replace it with a plug that is as good as
or better than the originals. It will take about
half an hour to replace an electrical plug.
All you need to replace an extension cord plug is
common household tools such as a wire stripper,
needle nose pliers, screwdriver, and the
replacement plug. The task involves essentially
stripping, tying, tighten the screws, and wrapping
the wires as necessary. If you are unable to
replace the plug discard the extension cord and buy
a new one. Be sure that you cut up a damaged
extension cord before discarding it to prevent
anyone from using it and getting hurt.
Only use outdoor extension
cords for outside projects. They are made of
heavier gauge wire and are weather protected.
Regular light duty extension cords are made with 14
gauge wire. These 14 gauge extension cords are
rated for a 15 amp electrical load therefore they
should not be used on heavy load tools. Heavy duty
cords are made with 12 gauge wire and can carry a
20 amp load. A 20 amp extension cord is suitable
for use on heavy power tools.
A Great DIY Guide
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