Dangerous extension cords
Extension cords seem like a safe place to save a few dollars by buying something cheaper. Don't!
![adrian-kingsley-hughes](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/6f9ac99abaa541291e393a8b765bdffb2fa11559/2022/08/05/11c625de-cb18-4e3f-8614-5010553831f2/adrian-kingsley-hughes.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&frame=1&height=192&width=192)
![Melty plastic!](https://www.zdnet.com/a/img/resize/26cfeb32cb203682fbe7f86c3e8f6c48c11d6442/2021/04/06/258549e1-98c7-4e87-b739-88ebd97d148c/img-8880.jpg?auto=webp&width=1280)
1 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Melty plastic!
That must have been overheating for a while.
2 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Signs of arcing
Looks like the contact was making por connections and causing arcing.
3 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The diagnosis...
... poor quality connectors.
4 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Poor quality construction
Even the contacts that hadn't melted were showing signs of overheating.
5 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Damaged wire!
The wire going to the neon indicator was also charred and damaged.
6 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
More overheating
Looks like the surge protection module was also causing overheating.
7 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Damaged neutral wire
The insulation on the blue neutral wire was also sliced through by being trapped under the earth rail.
8 of 8 Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Surge protector circuit
Here we have thermal fuses (the translucent components), metal oxide varistors (blue discs). This is a very basic surge protector circuit found in extension cords.
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