Extension Cord Safety

Posted on January 24, 2012 by micheals

Not all extension cords are created equal. This much is clear to anyone who looks at two different extension cords with different wattage ratings. The American Wire Gauge System is the system by which industry professionals assign extension cords with number values that correspond to their wattage capacities. In that system, all extension cords are assigned gauge numbers. The higher the gauge, the smaller the cord’s diameter and its wattage capacity. These numbers are important indicators of an extension cord’s performance, but they are, unfortunately, often Continue reading →

When Bulk Wire is Better than a Cordset

Posted on January 6, 2012 by micheals

Many companies that offer cordsets, receptacles and other power cords and accessories also offer simple bulk wire. There are a number of situations in which access to bulk wire without plugs could be desirable, though companies that make or sell power transmission cords tend to emphasize cordsets in their product lines. Seeing why bulk wire could be more desirable than cordsets, though, can be Continue reading →

Screw Terminals: Reliable and Easy to Use

Posted on December 27, 2011 by micheals

C J Cowie - Terminal Blocks Terminal blocks image copyright C J Cowie.

Some power cord manufacturers are also sources of other kinds of electronic connection utilities. Screw terminals, for example, are sometimes produced or distributed by companies that also produce or distribute power cords. For those of you who may not be familiar with screw terminals, they are composed of at least one row of conductors, each of which is connected to a discreet electrical circuit, and each of those conductors is fitted with a threaded fastener. The fasteners are used to Continue reading →

Two-Pronged Plugs: Infinite Frustration/Safety

Posted on December 8, 2011 by micheals

One of the greatest household frustrations (in the minute frustrations category, that is) is reaching to plug two-pronged plugs into outlets. Two-conductor power cords are still prevalent in consumer and even commercial and industrial contexts. While it’s true that a grounding pin is an important safety feature in many power cords, it is not always necessary. In addition to its benefits as a safety feature, though, the grounding pin in a three-prong plug serves another purpose. There’s no guessing about Continue reading →

Why Grounded Power Cords are Necessary

Posted on December 2, 2011 by micheals

There are some frustrations that come with the territory of living in an old house. I live in one of four apartments in a house that was built in the 1890s. It’s a nice-looking Victorian, complete with radiators instead of forced-air, buzzers instead of door bells and highly-ornate, ungrounded outlets instead of grounded, highly-functional outlets. Some of my outlets are even arranged in a pattern that I don’t think gets made any more (the prongs, I would imagine, would have to be arranged in a cross shape). To my chagrin, every time I go to plug in a cord with a grounding pin, I have to check around the other outlets to find my grounded pin adapter, which makes a grounded cord connectable with an ungrounded outlet. Why are grounded connections Continue reading →

Power Cords vs. Wireless Power Transmission

Posted on November 9, 2011 by micheals

Double exposure image of Nikola Tesla demonstrating wireless power transmission

Increasingly, people seem to be talking about the possibilities presented by inductive charging. Instead of involving the direct connection of conductive materials, inductive chargers are considered to be wireless because they transfer energy via electromagnetic fields. Wireless power transmission is a novel technology, and it seems like it could elevate the prospects for new, high-technology industrial and Continue reading →

Hospital Power Cords – Meeting the Needs of Healthcare Facilities

Posted on October 26, 2011 by micheals

The need for power cords is ubiquitous (see the above video to learn about the different kinds of power cords). However, the kind of need can vary depending on location and application. Different applications call for different kinds of power cords. The nature of the need varies from situation to situation, and the response to that need also varies. In informal contexts, particularly in the case of consumer contexts, responses to specific power cord needs can be improvised. But in rigidly controlled contexts, such as in hospitals, power cords often must be made to meet rigidly set Continue reading →

IEC Power Cords – Compatibility Guaranteed

Posted on October 18, 2011 by micheals

There is only one kind of electricity, and that is electricity. It can be generated in an incredibly wide variety of ways, and the number of different ways in which it can be transmitted between places is equally diverse. But electricity is electricity. In light of that fact, it seems strange that we’ve found so many ways to facilitate its transmission between places. There are too many different varieties of cords and cord sets to count. They vary widely depending on geographical location, and Continue reading →

International Power Cords: A World of Possibilities

Posted on September 28, 2011 by micheals

International power cords image courtesy of Quail Electronics International.

Different people can mean different things when they talk about “international power cords.” Suppose you’re in the business of manufacturing power cords. Suppose your business serves both American and European markets. As such, you know all about how in the US, most cords are compatible with the standard NEMA 5-15 receptacles and how the European standards are much more Continue reading →

Power Cords: The Backbones of Electrical Devices

Posted on September 28, 2011 by micheals

United Universal Power Cord

Power cord image courtesy of United Universal Industries.

It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think of power cords as the backbone of an electrical device. Certainly there are competing components within every device to which a power cord is connected. In the case of a computer, for example, it could be argued that the memory or processor is the most important. One mechanic might argue that the engine is the most important automotive component, while another might say Continue reading →

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