If you end up losing power this weekend due to the massive winter storm sweeping across more than half of the US, you may need to turn to a generator to keep essential power running. But there's one critical safety rule to remember: Don't ever use a male-to-male extension cord.
These types of extension cords are not sold in stores and have been nicknamed "widowmakers" and "suicide cords," because they pose serious dangers when used.
"If you put a male into a female socket, the other end of that male is going to be live," Paul Martinez, owner of Electrified NYC in Brooklyn told CNET. "So when you touch it, you're going to get the shock of your life."
A male-to-male extension cord is a power cord that has prongs, also known as the "male" end, on each side of the cord while normal extension cords have both a male end and a female end. In 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission released a warning regarding male-to-male cords, stating that when used, they can cause "shock, electrocution, fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazards."
Why are male-to-male extension cords so dangerous?
Male-to-male cords create shock, electrocution and fire hazards when in use. If the cord is plugged into a power outlet, the prongs on the exposed end have an electric current running to them, meaning if you accidentally touch it, you can be seriously injured.
One Reddit user referred to the live side of the cord as "essentially a taser," but it turns out that it can be even more dangerous than that. Matrinez says that injury from these types of extension cords could even result in death.
"It's not the voltage that's going to kill you, it's in the amperage," Martinez says. "And you can be killed on a 20-amp circuit, trust me."
Read more: 7 Devices You Should Never Plug Into an Extension Cord
For reference, 20-amp outlets are typically installed in kitchens and garages for appliances that require more power.
"We never use male-to-male extension cords," Martinez says. "All extension cords are male and female on either end to extend whatever you're extending."
Additionally, because these types of cords are often paired with generators, that creates a carbon monoxide poisoning risk, the CPSC warns.
What to use instead of a male-to-male extension cord?
A good rule of thumb is that if an electrician doesn't use it, neither should you. So, rather than using a male-to-male extension cord, you should always stick to regular -- and safe -- extension cords for your household needs.
And while some say they've used a male-to-male extension cord with a generator during a power outage at their home, electricians say this creates numerous safety hazards. The safe solution is to have a transfer switch that would work with a whole-house generator installed by a professional in your home instead.
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