Electrical debacle...

[craigsrobotics]

Thought I'd share a recent experience....last night I kept getting a wiring fault alarm on one of my APC surge supressors I've got a pro series controller plugged into....it kept going into protection mode, cutting off power to one controller...traced it back to, wait for it...wait for it....a 10 guage heavy duty commercial extension cord that had its hot and neutral reversed internally....never saw that coming....don't know if it could have harmed the controller, but I do realize it could have caused electrocution if something would have shorted out....most people don't use surge supressord/UPS units, but in this case, I'm glad I do...

 

anyone had wierd experiences with store bought cords before?

[SparkDr]

I worked in an electrical supply house several years ago.  We had a 1000' reel of 12-2 NMB (what most folks call Romex) wire pass through our facility and on to the end user electrician with the exact same situation you have described.  He used it on a new construction home.  The problem was eventually discovered through troubleshooting after the finished and painted walls were in place.  Luckily, the tear-out to replace the defective wire was confined to a single room.  I was a little taken aback by the fact that the manufacturer of the wire seemed rather nonchalant about what had occurred, and it made me nervous to think that this might not be an all too uncommon thing for them to see.  Regardless, they paid time and materials to all parties involved to rectify the error without so much as a whimper of complaint.

[LORisAwesome]

My father used to be a sheet metal worker -- before he retired.

 

He once told me a story of an OSHA inspector that came to a job site and tested the extension cords.  Apparently he found one or more cords that the testing device indicated the hot and neutral reversed, so he cut the ends off the cords ruining them.  (it is my understanding that it was not acceptable to repair the cord and continue to use it.)

 

The stupid part of this is that the inspector did not check to be sure the outlet where the cords were connected was wired correctly.

 

My father had a lot of OSHA stories.

 

Jerry

[BillyT]

OK, I can see how an extension cord can be reversed, but how does that occur on a 1000' spool of wire?

[wbaker4]

OK, I can see how an extension cord can be reversed, but how does that occur on a 1000' spool of wire?

I thought the same thing!  Two colors - Black and White.

 

I have had the experience of an open neutral on some extensions cords purchased at Home Depot.

[craigsrobotics]

Yeah, luckily it wasn't my outlet that was reversed....first (and last) time using this cord FOR ANYTHING....it has been filed away in the circular recycle bin....and I will test every extension cord I buy from this point on....

[KStatefan]

We are required to do monthly extension cord inspections/test at work now.

[Max-Paul]

Gee, is there a problem with replacing an end. Cut off an end and then put on a new end. No need to throw away the extension cord is there?

[1983ss454]

We had a safety person at my work that would notice an end starting to get damaged and she would cut the end off and throw it out, wouldn't allow up to install a new end or even let me take them home and fix them. Something about OSHA, I didn't think there should be a problem putting a replacement end on the cords lol

[craigsrobotics]

Gee, is there a problem with replacing an end. Cut off an end and then put on a new end. No need to throw away the extension cord is there?

 

Yeah, it's easier to spend another $12 on a new cord....not the first issue I've had with this triple output cord....was a Harbor Freight "sale" item.