The Proper Wiring of an Extension Cord
Correctly wiring an extension cord is a necessity for safety reasons. Home insurance may not cover fires caused by incorrectly wired "do-it-yourself" extension cords, and reversed polarity cords may damage or destroy appliances attached to them.
Other People Are Reading
-
Importance of Correct Wiring
-
Extension cords are considered "one of the most commonly used and misused items" according to the U.S. Fire Administration study on appliance safety. Most North American appliances likely to be attached to an extension cord are fitted with polarized cords, so the National Electrical Code stipulates that they should only be used with polarized extension cords.
Number of Internal Wires
-
The extension cord must contain three individual wires. All extension cords must include a grounding wire. Cords containing fewer than three wires cannot be correctly wired.
-
Wire Colors
-
The three wires should be colored black or red, white, and either green or bare. The black or red wire is often referred to as the "hot" wire, the white wire is the "neutral" wire and the bare wire is the "grounding" wire. The "grounding" wire may also be protected by a green or green and yellow covering.
Terminals
-
The male and female plugs on the extension cord must be wired identically to preserve polarity. The black wire must be connected to the brass terminal, the white wire to the silver terminal, and the green wire to the green terminal, or the terminal marked GND.
Tidy Wiring
-
Wires should be firmly attached to the terminals. Loose wires can spark and cause fires. The cable grip, if present, should clasp the outer covering of the cord, not the exposed individual wires.
-
References
- Photo Credit extension cable image by Gudellaphoto from Fotolia.com
