Is this old extension cord safe to use?

[sengsational]

I do think we have sufficiently beat this topic for the OP to death

Nah, for me, it's just getting good...I'm learning something!

When I was a dock-boy, the resort owner got a big spool of wire and it was my job to roll it through the woods to a cabin. They disconnected the generator there and hooked up this feed. They cheered when the lights came on without the noise of the generator, but the well pump didn't have enough "umph" to start turning. It would pump if, once energized, you gave the flywheel a manual spin, but the aspect of voltage drop and especially appliance heat is good stuff!

 

[JoeWras]

My long-dead electrician father is grinding his teeth in Heaven at the sight of exposed wires at the base of the plugs. I'd wrap 'em with electrician's tape. Aside from that, they look just like Dad's extension cords from the 1950's ;^>

I thought the post was a joke because the cord has so many issues. But our OP is a member in good standing and was honestly asking. I realize that to many people, this stuff is mysterious. It is kind of like playing a musical instrument to me. I'm completely clueless. Good discussion here and I think a lot was learned.

 

[mountainsoft]

I've decided I will buy a new one with 12 or 14 gauge for using with my chainsaw just to be safe.

I would buy the new extension cord regardless, but you might also consider getting a battery powered chainsaw and avoid dragging a cord around in the first place. I have the EGO 18" chainsaw and love it. I can just pop in the battery and go cut. No cords to unwind or tether me to an outlet. No gas or oil to mix. No fumes. No problems fighting to get it started.

We had a tree blow down on our garden fence last week. It's at least 200 feet from the nearest electric outlet. It would have taken multiple extension cords to reach out that far. My EGO battery saw had no trouble cutting up the 10" thick tree.

 

[Music Lover]

The ends are already cut off and it's laying in the car to be dropped off at the recycle station. When I checked the length it was actually close to 100 ft so it was probably even more dangerous than I originally thought.

100 feet of old extension cord can also be repurposed into a nice piece of rope.

 

[target2019]

I thought the post was a joke because the cord has so many issues. But our OP is a member in good standing and was honestly asking. I realize that to many people, this stuff is mysterious. It is kind of like playing a musical instrument to me. I'm completely clueless. Good discussion here and I think a lot was learned.

My personal view is that the copper wire and flexible jacket are valuable, so don't discard. But in its current configuration OP's extension cord is more risky than a new one with molded plugs.

If you throw water on any of the extensions in this thread there's risk. Such a situational world we live in.

 

[JoeWras]

My personal view is that the copper wire and flexible jacket are valuable, so don't discard.

I have a box just for cords and insulated wire. It goes to the metal recycler every few years after it gains some weight. That's my take. Cords can recycle, so don't put in the landfill. And, the recycler actually pays a decent price for them.

And if you don't want to go to the recycler (they are funky places that usually are not for the faint of heart), you can drop cords off at Best Buy, among other places, and they'll responsibly recycle them.

 

[FDC319]

OP, if you keep an eye on Slickdeals, good outdoor extension cords pop up on there all the time-usually being sold on Amazon or from Home Depot.

While I'm sure the 30+ year old cord in the picture can be easily repaired-in my opinion it isn't worth it compared to simply buying a new one.

 

[vince]

I'd toss it and spend $25.00 on a new cord. And if you're running a power tool, 14 or 12 gauge wire is a better idea.
On another thought, you've got a two wire chainsaw?

 

[Walt34]

At 50 years old you got your nickel's worth out of that extension cord. Blow that dough and spring for a new one, preferably 12 gauge and grounded, which the old one is not.

And I'm also one who switched to battery chainsaws, although mine is Milwaukee.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I'd toss it and spend $25.00 on a new cord. And if you're running a power tool, 14 or 12 gauge wire is a better idea.
On another thought, you've got a two wire chainsaw?

The decision is made I'm definitely buying a new one, another poster suggested setting a reminder in SLICKDEALS.NET which is a great idea with Black Friday deals just about to start so I've done that.
Re the chainsaw, yes it is a 2 wire, I actually though it was grounded but apparently not. Don't use it often enough to spring for a cordless while this one still works. It's only a couple of years old but it's taken down a a couple of trees with no problem

 

[WyomingLife]

A glitch regarding Niels Bohr

I don't mess with sketchy electrical situations, as modern physics itself is still trying to figure out electricity.

Niels Bohr's orbital model of the atom turned out to be too simplistic:

Instead, based on current physics, it turns out fundamental particles are better described as probability waves:

Heisenberg uncertainty, the double-slit experiment and all of that. Anyway, this is a long-winded way of explaining why, despite the fact I'm confident in my DIY skills, I don't mess with electricity when the atmospherics are sketchy (frayed wires, etc.). All things considered, I'd prefer not to electrocute myself or a fellow homo sapien, nor burn down something I or a fellow homo sapien owns.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

OP, if you keep an eye on Slickdeals, good outdoor extension cords pop up on there all the time-usually being sold on Amazon or from Home Depot.

While I'm sure the 30+ year old cord in the picture can be easily repaired-in my opinion it isn't worth it compared to simply buying a new one.

I totally forgot about slickdeals alerts. I'm in no rush right now so i set up an alert that should catch all the great Black Friday prices.
Thanks.

 

[vince]

Re the chainsaw, yes it is a 2 wire, I actually though it was grounded but apparently not. Don't use it often enough to spring for a cordless while this one still works. It's only a couple of years old but it's taken down a a couple of trees with no problem

I gave up cutting down trees years ago.
Well at at rate, you might also look at getting an inline GFCI extension if the outlet you're plugging into isn't on one. They really aren't that expensive anymore. Morning dew and wet leaves can pose a hazard.

 

[stepford]

Cool, references to Bohr and Heisenberg on a question about worn out extension cords. As a former physicist this sort of thing just warms my heart.

 

[Telly]

I have all sorts of power tools that are 2 wire. That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with them, or that they are unsafe. It just means that they are double-insulated.
Unless you have a drill from the 1950s with a steel case. here's some flowers that could be used at the funeral with one of those.

Sometimes there is confusion about possible shock paths...

A GFCI works by comparing the current going OUT to the load on the black "hot" lead, to current returning FROM the load on the white "neutral" lead. IIRC, if the difference in current out versus current return equals or exceeds something like 4 milliamps, the GFCI should interrupt power. This would protect a person from an inadvertent (or advertent, for that matter!) path from hot to ground via said person. It will not protect said person if they complete a hot to neutral path, with little or no leakage to ground.

A double-insulated 2 wire drill, for example, protects the user by... double insulating! Will have an internal layer of isolation. Will have plastic outers in areas where wiring goes through. Or be double-insulated totally inside, with a metal case or partial case, but that is pretty rare. My 2 year old compound-miter saw is 2 wire, it's steel and aluminum are in the support, rods, and bed area. Motor housing and switch area is all plastic. That doesn't mean that there can't be metal inside. If this 2 wire drill was plugged into a GFCI, the GFCI adds a 3rd layer of safety, action as mentioned above.

So what does a 3 wire add? Why, it adds a "ground" (or as the Brits say "Earth it, Jeeves!")

A 3 wire tool adds "safety" if some electrically live internal part touches a metal case. Hopefully tripping a breaker (but maybe not), if no GFCI, or tripping the GFCI if one is in use.

One could argue the situation that a 3 wire tool that has it's bit/blade/auger/whatever grounded (electrically connected to the 3rd wire) may alert said user to the fact that he/she just drilled/sawed/whatever into a live line, via sparks, smoke, or no workee anymore. Doing the same with a 2 wire tool will result in the bit/blade/whatever becoming live with said line for the time it makes contact, but the user is insulated from that part. It is unlikely that one would leave a drill hanging by it's bit in the wall, and touch the bit. At least I wouldn't.

 

[vince]

I did not mean to imply that double insulated tools are unsafe. And I also own tools that are two wire, as well as three wire and battery operated. My only thought was dragging an extension cord through a wet, or damp location. The last electric chainsaw I had was a three wire, and was just surprised, given all the metal parts on one, a ground wasn't included.

 

[target2019]

I wouldn't expect much out of a $15-25 extension cord. Heavy duty use will cost you. It should not twist under use or become rigid and stiff in the cold. I have some RIDGID brand cables that are quite good.

 

[NW-Bound]

I cut it open, there is definitely only 2 wires inside the sheath so I'll drop it off at the e-waste location next time I'm over there. Harbor Freight has a 14 gauge for $21 less 20% coupon, can't beat that price.

Extension cord with only 2 conductors and missing the ground wire?

Oh man, this relic is old enough to be in a museum.

 

[Music Lover]

I wouldn't expect much out of a $15-25 extension cord. Heavy duty use will cost you. It should not twist under use or become rigid and stiff in the cold. I have some RIDGID brand cables that are quite good.

Monoprice has good prices and great quality. I've been buying musical instrument cables from the Canadian site for years.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I don't mess with sketchy electrical situations, as modern physics itself is still trying to figure out electricity.

Niels Bohr's orbital model of the atom turned out to be too simplistic:

Instead, based on current physics, it turns out fundamental particles are better described as probability waves:

I realize you were being somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I don't think it is fair to say that we are "still trying to figure out electricity." Classical electricity and magnetism was more or less settled in 1865; was shown to be consistent with relativity by 1910; was reconciled with quantum mechanics initially in 1927 and fully in 1949; and was unified with the weak nuclear force in 1960 (with no fundamental changes to the classical theory).

Moreover, for context: Bohr's model dates from 1913. The probability wave theory you cite as "current physics" that overturned this dates from ~1925, only 12 years later (and 95 years ago).

 

[Boho]

We're still figuring out how to make cords though. Telephone wire has gone through several versions in recent history. USB cables too. I'm guessing the requirements for UL listing of extension cords has changed too. IMO, it needs another update. I bought an extension cord that was supposedly UL listed but didn't have visible external strain relief. I did some research and found the strain relief could be within the plug, but I don't think that's as good as the longer, flexible, radius limiting strain relief that's external.

 

[Koolau]

With fire and electrocution as the downsides:

When in doubt, throw it out, but YMMV.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I dropped it off at the recycle center a couple of hours ago and will replace it with a 14, 12 or 10 gauge soon in the Black Friday sales.

 

[travelover]

I dropped it off at the recycle center a couple of hours ago and will replace it with a 14, 12 or 10 gauge soon in the Black Friday sales.

Which recycling center? I could use a nice extension cord like that.

 

[Music Lover]

Which recycling center? I could use a nice extension cord like that.

Old extension cords make very nice rubber coated ropes.