I want to fix a half dozen or more 120VAC (USA) extension cords, all with molded on connectors, both male and female by putting on something like this:
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I'd like to replace them with those big fat meaty ones like those you see in a hospital.
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Googling, they're pretty expensive at $20 to $40 each!
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Lowes has not as good ones for $5 to $7 each:
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Just curious if I can get the hospital grade plugs at about the Lowes price?
Probably better to replace the whole cord but if you do replace either the plug or receptacle do not cheap out.
I used such things on my job. Since I retired a few years ago I forgot which brand names are which but those black and white ones will last for years. The yellow ones can melt.
I know where you can get them. Go to the corner of 4th and Center St. and find a guy in a knit hat named Snake. Tell him Micky sent you and he'll fix you up. Bring cash.
You can get them cheaper, but 'hospital quality' implies lots of testing, including guaranteed how-hard-they-hold-when-you-pull. There's lots of 'industrial' that's just as rugged (and cheaper).
You're going to cut off the good connectors that are on there now? Are these cords UL approved? If so, the connectors are as good as the wires between them, so if you replace the connectors and not the wires the wires will become or remain the weak link.
Add to that the possibillty that you'll nick the copper when putting the connector on, or do something else that will make your installation less than perfect.
Why do you thihk the current connectors are not good enough? Are you running the cords higher than their rating? How do you know that the connectors won't take the higher load but the wires between them will?
Not only that, if you step on the hard ones, I think you're more likely to twist your ankle than with the molde-on ones, and if you drive over one, I think you can break it, but not the molded on ones.
Yes, I think hospital quality includes what they pay for insurance in case they burn down a hospital with 50 people too sick to get out in time. (Plus all the expensive hospital electronics.)
When they burn down a normal factory, especially if it starts aas a fire, usually everyone can get out. (Not sure about the hardware.)
Hubbell has what you want, and from various sources.
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for the male end.
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for the female.
If this is what you want, search the various suppliers directly and then contact your local electrical supply house. They will sell these devices to 'civilians' around $10 or so, each.
Avoid the likes of Harbor Freight or other Chinese Junque outlets like the plague that they are.
Robert - IF you desire Hospital Grade -- then you will pay more for that designation/certification. You do realize that surplus Hospital and military outlets (NOS) are where to look for bargains?? $10 to $20 each is COMMON for that designation.
I prefer Leviton, and have used Hubbell for other NEMA versions (straight and twist-lock). You will notice that Home Depot and Lowes have switched to LeGrand and other cheaper brands.
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McMaster-Carr and their "Will Call" window is 2 miles from my house (so I have ready access)
You can check prices on-line.
NEMA Electrical Pkugs and Receptacles
https://www.mcmaster.com/#electrical-plugs-and-receptacles/=1521gh9
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NEMA is the North American standard AND we use 120 VAC, 60 Hz.
Majority of manufacturing for those NEMA plugs are Mexico or Central America (NAFTA).
You don't need hospital grade - which are overpriced - but you DO need a quakity plug. Hubbell makes good ones (as well as cheap ones) Leviton too. PLUG PREMIUM GRADE WHITE 20A 250V
LEVITON PLUG PREMIUM GRADE WHITE 20A 250V Product # LET5466C
Hubbell HBLHBL8215C HUBBELL WIRING DEVICE-KELLEMS PLUG STRBLADE ANGLE 15A 125V Product # HBLHBL5266CA Just for starters.
Central America is related to CAFTA. North America stops at the Mexico-Guatemala border.
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The agreement is a treaty under international law, but not under the U.S. Constitution because in the United States laws require majority approval in both houses, while treaties require two-thirds approval in the Senate only. Under U.S. law, CAFTA-DR is a congressional-executive agreement.
The U.S. Senate approved the CAFTA-DR on June 30, 2005, by a vote of
54-45,[2] and the U.S. House of Representatives approved the pact on July 28, 2005, by a vote of 217-215, with two representatives not voting.[3] Controversy arose over this vote because it was held open 1 hour and 45 minutes longer than the normal 15 minutes in order to get some members to change their votes.[4] For procedural reasons, the Senate took a second vote on CAFTA on July 28 and the pact garnered an
in favor of the agreement.[5] The implementing legislation became Public Law 109-053 when it was signed by President George W. Bush on August 2,
2005.
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Following diplomatic negotiations dating back to 1990 among the three nations, U.S. President George H. W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Mexican President Carlos Salinas, each responsible for spearheading and promoting the agreement, ceremonially signed the agreement in their respective capitals on December 17, 1992.[7] The signed agreement then needed to be ratified by each nation's legislative or parliamentary branch.
It is not so much how HFT (H-arbor F-reigh-T) might be, it is the brute fac t that Harbor Freight is mostly an outlet for Chinese Junque, and _ANYTHING _ from that source is suspect. I find Harbor Freight a very dangerous organ ization, as many of the tools they sell go from "new" to dangerous almost i n a flash, with special attention to moving parts and anything gasoline dri ven or electrical. A neighbor purchased a 4,000 watt generator from them la st spring for his truck - he is a high-end handyman. He reported that it bl ew up in less than 20 hours. HF took it back, but he then spent the money a nd purchased a small Generac unit. No more troubles.
They "look like" a quality connector - but check them There is a reason they are 1/4 or less of the price of a brand name part. They MAY be "good enough"
This is not fair. I had my appendix out at Harbor Freight Hospital and they did a real good job. Cute nurses too.
Wait. It was Harbor View Hospital. Sorry about that. That was a real hospital in Batlimore until they sold the naming rights to Medstar, maybe because too many people confused them with Harbor Freight.
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