I'm curious if others are having the same nightmares with extension cords lately as I am or better yet if anyone knows why?

"Lately" (last 4-6 years) every extension cord or plug splitter I've gotten has had the same issue. The contacts in the female plug are too deep in the socket causing there to be very little contact with the male plug. Thus I get one of 2 things regularly happening, either the plug overheats and melts the plastic/rubber and/or any slight misalignment/looseness of the plug causes it to loose contact. I've looked at many cords/plugs on the shelves in a couple stores and they're all the same.

If I had to guess it's the f'n federal government f'n everything up some more with a regulation about how deep the socket must be on a outdoor plug.

Solutions, I need to find a solution, it's become near impossible to rely on any of my extension cords and I'm not going to buy the same problem again. So far I can only think of two answers, either grind down the mating face of the female plug on all my cords, could be kinda iffy depending on how they are assembled. Or replace them all with twist lock ends, but so far at $10-15 PER PLUG I'm not excited about that solution either.

What's your experience or ideas?

 

Extension cords aren't really intended to be plugged together. If you do, you want to be well under their current rating.

I do it occasionally with a leaf blower, but it's only about half of the rated currrent.

But, in general, each cord will be getting warm, and every extra connection is another source of heat. Putting in spllitters also means adding connections.

Best thing -- if you can do it -- is to use one cord that's long enough and well within its ratings. If you do need multiple outlets, check for a splitter rated well above your current load.

These are tools, and you get what you pay for.

Not trying to give a lecture here -- I've cut it close plenty of times. Just my .02 on how you might avoid trouble. Sounds like you use extension cords a lot.

Good Luck,

hj

 

(Bangs Head on Wall)

 

I've had the same problem, although I think it might have more to do with the metal contacts in the plug being lighter than they used to be or junk metal and not making a solid contact after moderate use. Most of our NEW extension cords have replacement ends from the local hardware store..... really annoying whatever the problem actually is. (Farm use)

 

A while back I bought a bunch of replacement ends and have been replacing them. But those ends aren't working reliably either, I think the contacts inside are decent but they are just so far away from the surface that if the male side on the tool isn't unusually long they have issues as well. While none have yet melted they often fail to connect if not perfectly together. I've taken to tapping the tool to the cord while working, knotting the cords together isn't even working reliably anymore.

I'm leaning towards upgrading everything I own. Just like I've gone to all "T" size air fittings I'm thinking about going to all L5-15R NEMA twist locks on everything except a few adapters. But that's gunna be like a minimum $200 initial and ongoing investment. I'm rather grumpy at the proposition of having to do so just cause regulation and/or low product quality has pushed me down this road.

 

The twist lock plug's are rather appealing looking, very tool friendly. The biggest downside is going to be the lack of compatibility with a standard plug-in... then again no one is going to ask to borrow your extension cords.

I do have to admit the replacement plugs are definitely not what they used to be either. Some are still better than others.

It may be that I've turned into an old fart in my 30s but it seems like the standards for quality of everything has lowered significantly in the last 10 years. Some of it I'm sure is regulations but it's also the companies making the product trying to compete the cheap crud they're competing with.

I've been playing with the idea of going to the T-type connectors on my air hoses for a while now, You make it sound like that would be a good move? It would be A significant amount of tools to change and would be $$$$ upfront but if they last would it be a wise investment over the M-type that literally leak out of the package.

 

Easily solved, at least for me(not those borrowing) by a couple of adapters. I see two issues really, the cost as mentioned, those darn things are pricey. As well as some things can't easily be converted, best example being my power inverters, those would be a pain.


Now that you mention it I haven't had any leaking issues with them, which frankly is surprising considering I buy them cheap at harbor freight. But leaks isn't not why I switched. I switched cause 3/8 T has a much larger internal opening. Air pressure/flow loss is accumulative with each restriction, things like my impact guns are much stronger at the end of long hoses with the larger fittings. But yeah they do seem to work better as well, no leaks and not finicky at all about coupling and uncoupling.

 

I cut off both ends.. install a quality male end.. and use a small metal work box and a standard 20 amp wall outlet and a metal cover. ...


Done and Done.

 

Gave up buying crap Chinese extension cords years ago. Cashed in a few bonds and bought a roll of 12/3 SJ cable and a box each of plugs and connector bodies. Easily pull 20A all day long and they barely get warm.