Perhaps the weakest link in the US electrical system
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2 роки томуI hope this discussion really strikes a cord.
(and hey, there's a pinned comment I think you should read)
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@TechnologyConnections 2 роки тому
Hey there! Correction time (and more thoughts!): THHN wire is what’s _inside_ the sheathing of Romex, which is actually classified as NM-B cable/wire. As in, the conducting wires are THHN, the whole thing together is an NM-B cable. Yep. So there’s that. Also, I want to be clear that of the problems we have, this isn’t a huge one. Generally, when things get hot because of overloading, it’s at the connection point and not in the wire. For instance, a lot of electrical fires start at the plug/socket interface either because the connection is poor, there could be corrosion, etc. And sometimes they can happen when nothing is overloaded! This is one of the circumstances in which arc-fault circuit interrupters can save lives. It may well be the case that very few fires are started because of the problem we’re discussing in this video. Especially since outside of certain high-draw devices, the risk of overloading the actual conducting wire is low in the first place. That’s why I am comfortable using them! That said, I remain perplexed that this is an issue we’ve let persist. Most electrical fires aren’t the result of a single thing; they’re a cascade of individually not-great circumstances combining to make a bad situation. In order to reduce the risk of fires, we’ve continually been making the not-great things less bad. That way an increasingly large number of bad circumstances have to align for a fire to happen. Simply put, I think allowing unfused 16 gauge extension cords into the market is a potentially bad link in the chain that we could probably do with cutting out. In fairness, it used to be much worse. 18 gauge (maybe even 20 gauge) extension cords were available many years ago, but we at least had the sense to make 16 the minimum as time went on. However, as I hope I’ve demonstrated here, that can still be problematic. Pulling 20 amps through that cord made it get very hot quite quickly.
@JG-sq4bj 2 роки тому
ooof there is some misinformation in this video.
@adnanabdillahghifari720 2 роки тому
Hey, thanks for the correction
@nicolasbusse 2 роки тому
Couldn't agree more. Almost nothing in the electrical system in the US makes real sense when compared to the EU or UK standard. Thin wires? Lousy plugs that fall off and expose the bare metal? Good lord there's some much to do.
@NuclearPink 2 роки тому
Thanks for the correction and remember to add that card at 5:10 🙂
@labrat256 2 роки тому
As a Brit, I'd love to hear the full "ring main" rant.
@ElectroBOOM 2 роки тому
You DO realize that with proper protection everywhere, my channel won't be able to operate, right?!
@finntodoroki 2 роки тому
Flashbacks to the UK video
@sion8 2 роки тому
Well that's a small price to pay…
@walt4690 2 роки тому
I mean if there's a will there's a way, & you always manage to find a way 😄
@robspiess 2 роки тому
And without proper protection, we'd never get the "SHOWER HEAD OF DOOM!"
@nmcgunagle 2 роки тому
Something tells me that you’ll still find a way to shock yourself and possibly start a small electrical fire. I believe in you. You can do it!
@grantlack2036 2 роки тому
"I plugged these two resistive heaters into this thin copper filament, and now I have three resistive heaters!"
@johnboleyjr.1698 2 роки тому
It's basically a free heater.
@megaharben 2 роки тому
Buy two heaters, get a third one for free!
@jonathanpinkerton1298 2 роки тому
@@megaharben It's not quite free. How much did your house cost? That's the price of your third resistive heater.
@binaryglitch64 2 роки тому
@@jonathanpinkerton1298 you got a point, but hey at least everyone in this thread understands what's going on.
@contytub 2 роки тому
@@jonathanpinkerton1298 you missed the joke ... none the less . My aunty almost set the house on fire with a extension runned underneat a carpet ... thank god nobody got hurt and only the rug had some burn marks
@Fluxwithit Рік тому
As an HVAC journeyman 20 years deep. This is probably the best video I have seen on basic household amp ratings and why they matter. Well done
@anotherguyonthepc5 6 місяців тому
As a new electrical apprentice, this was rather eye opening to what's going on in my house electrically lol
@dexterthewulf3637 6 місяців тому
This person has also done a very good explanation on contactors and even went on a tangent about HVAC, which as someone who is in school about HVAC, and also who likes electrical-related things, appreciate his videos :)
@daviddroescher 5 місяців тому
The tech who installed the heat pump at my place needs to under more about brakers... they double taped the feed lugs from the pole up stream of the master braker. If the compressor goes locked rotor then the braker at the power plants the first line of defense. Log cabin was built in 1904 and was last updated in the early 70's, time to bring it into the modern eara.
@user-xo6bl8qc5o 2 місяці тому
@@daviddroescher Your comment is so technical, obscure and personal, it's meaningless to most readers. What's your point and what do you want?
@diegomontoya796 2 місяці тому
Google the equation for the current potential at a fault. Without protection of a fuse or breaker, it is basically infinite.
@renegade1520 Рік тому
A helpful way to understand why gauge numbers seem to be backwards (as in a smaller # means bigger wire) is to remember that they are indicative of how many of something can be made from a given amount of material. In this case, copper for wire. For example, let’s suppose I can make 14 wires from one pound of wire. If I decide instead to use up that pound of copper and only make 12 wires of the same length, then they would necessarily be a little thicker because I had more copper for each one.
@joekelley1734 Рік тому
Not exactly, but close. Shotgun gauges are based on how many lead balls the diameter of the barrel can be made from a pound of lead, but wire gauges were originally based on how many times a wire had to be drawn through a die to make that size of wire.
@jonathanlynch8089 11 місяців тому
@@joekelley1734 I don't think they were providing an explanation but rather a way to recall.
@Belgand 11 місяців тому
While that's an explanation, it's still a terrible naming scheme. The vast majority of people interacting with the product are going to be downstream from manufacturing and have no reason to care and quite possibly no knowledge of why it's so unintuitive.
@Wassenhoven420 10 місяців тому
@@Belgand not terrible - one needs only educate themselves on the reasoning for the nomenclature. Just like Blue Ray vs DVD, not everything can be immediately intelligible without effort ahead of time.
@gene9230 9 місяців тому
just use the metric system, like anybody else
@AngelArm1110 2 роки тому
Talent: The ability to get people to happily spend 25 minutes learning about extension cords
@juyran 2 роки тому
He gets my attention every time. It's pure sorcery.
@jos9569 2 роки тому
I didn't make it to 3 minutes. Get. To. The. Point.
@charlesreid9337 2 роки тому
Im an expert on many obsolete technologies because of this channel
@AngelArm1110 2 роки тому
@@jos9569 You saw how long the video was before you even clicked on it, so what made you think you'd be able to glean all the information you wanted in only 3 minutes? Also have you never seen one of this guy's videos? They're pretty consistently longform, which clearly isn't aimed at twitchy, caffeine riddled ADHD sufferers such as yourself.
@abicol6010 2 роки тому
@@jos9569 idk how you could tear yourself away at 3 min. By then I'm already hooked. You do realize the point of any explanation usually comes at the end. Did you want his conclusion at the beginning?
@justinkashtock333 2 роки тому
Space Heater: "Do not use with extension cord!" Also Space Heater: "Here's an incredibly useless 3 foot cord. Enjoy!"
@MatthewJBD 2 роки тому
Another reason why 🇬🇧 wins
@brightmong7290 2 роки тому
It could be anti-trip? So that you don't stumble over it and knock it over perhaps. We got an Instant Pot and that was the reasoning it gave in the manual for a short cord.
@dh2032 2 роки тому
@@MatthewJBD go team GB, always being nocked, for it very large plugs :-)
@ElmokillaXDK 2 роки тому
@@brightmong7290 most space heaters have a sensor if it’s knocked over it’ll turn off automatically
@DeathBringer769 2 роки тому
Yea, when he was saying 6 foot power cords for devices are pretty standard, I was like... most of my devices seem to cheap out and have a 1 meter (~3 feet) power cord, AT BEST these days, lol. All my game consoles (Xbox One, PS4, PS5)? 3 foot power cables. My monitor? 3 foot power cable. My PC's power supply? 3 foot power cable. My HDMI splitter? 2 foot power cable. I really WISH more stuff actually came with a 6 foot power cable at least, lol.
@nathanfisher1387 10 місяців тому
EXCELLENT video. I'd like to add: - 6 ft accessories require outlets every 12 feet, not every 6, since you get 6 to the left, and 6 to the right of the accessory - fire marshals HATE chained extension cords - overloading extension cords also softens and melts insulation in the cord, and can lead to an arc and sparking, which ignites stuff (I've had a hair dryer cord IGNITE while I was drying my hair due to the cord softening at the dryer, so like RIGHT by my hand) - fuses in 120vac plugs used to be common (I still have a few here, most are made of *bakelite* and use the bigger glass fuses) - using an extension cord as a splitter isn't really all that economical - a super cheap 5 outlet power strip costs about the same as a standard 3 outlet extension cord and I LOVED your 100mph analogy for "safer"
@chrome7fan 3 місяці тому
As somebody who’s been an engineering hobbyist for quite some time now, I can confidently say this guy is the absolute best at dumbing things like this down enough for the average person to understand.
@IstasPumaNevada 2 роки тому
For my final in my high school speech class I demonstrated making pancakes right in the classroom. To do this I brought in a (rather modest) countertop griddle and, to reach the wall outlet... a flimsy brown extension cord. I didn't think twice about it. ...until partway through the demonstration-speech there was a flash of light as the cord literally melted away from the plug in the wall. We had to get a maintenance guy to come safely remove the now-bare-wire plug from the wall outlet. (He also brought a (better) extension cord, I finished my speech, and got a 99%. And the class got sample pancakes. :)
@hastypete2 2 роки тому
and no fire and no one was hurt.
@neondemon5137 2 роки тому
@@hastypete2 okay?
@balticivanov3078 2 роки тому
@@hastypete2 mmm american
@frzstat 2 роки тому
Great story!
@zombieregime 2 роки тому
I would have docked 5 points for not setting up an appropriate electric griddle station. ALWAYS KNOW YOUR LOAD!
@CSAlso2 2 роки тому
My in-laws are deaf and, as such, we always have the CC on. I really appreciate that you manually create the CC. it is a noticeable difference when I watch your vids. I love the "Overloadedly Smooth Jazz" at the end.
@DzheiSilis 2 роки тому
One of the benefits of using a script.
@Yupppi 2 роки тому
Funnily enough, today I watched a video with auto-generated subtitles. The person started driving a tank with a ton of tank noise. The subtitles said [music]. Perhaps to some people who prefer Meshuggah :)
@Ddub1083 2 роки тому
Through closed captioning is the only way to enjoy smooth jazz
@SchlossRitter 2 роки тому
the blooper captions are the best part
@SomberShroud 2 роки тому
If your in-laws ever want to experience music for the first time in their lives again, LCD-4 has been known from deaf war veterans to be able to listen to music crystal clear. to them its worth way more than the MSRP.
@Lampe2020 6 місяців тому
10:12 Who also had this drawing in mind there, with the dog sitting at a table, thinking "It's fine", while the whole room is on fire?
@nolanharriott4574 3 місяці тому
Spot on. As an electrician I see this all the time. Another thing I run into is people using outdoor rated cords indoors. They think because the extension cord is thicker that it can handle more load. However, it’s still just a 16AWG cord it just has heavier insulation on it to prevent it from cracking in the cold. But used inside it’s like running an extension cord under the carpet, the heavier insulation causes it to heat up more. Heat is what damages the insulation. It caused stress fractures, which causes arcing, which causes heating, which causes fires! So, over heating your cable is what is bad and like you said, that’s why they have over load protection on building wiring. You size the wire to the load and the breaker to the wire. AFCI breakers are used in new houses now to protect the extension cords that are plugged into the walls.
@meganheartswell Рік тому
I work at a hardware store. One lady came in complaining her fuses kept blowing. So I sold her more, she came back a week later for more. She had told me she was only using a hot plate. Her friend ran into her. Turns out it was a small range type thing, microwave, coffeemaker and more. It was like everything in her kitchen was running off the same outlet. She wanted higher fuses. I said no it's a fire hazard. "But what if I'm home" no lady it's in your walls. You cannot see it.
@danek_hren Рік тому
Why are there too many stupid people? They think they're always right?
@MrQuicheProductions 11 місяців тому
Lel, but what if i'm home, well something will still burn before you'll be able to extiguinsh it but even worse, what if you're NOT home
@gordowg1wg145 11 місяців тому
@@MrQuicheProductions Being "home" could be worse - if awake there's the 'instictive' move to throw water on it, or otherwise fight the fire and, if asleep, being burned up with the house. At least if one's out when the fire takes hold it's harder for it to kill you.
@openleft4214 11 місяців тому
@@danek_hren because they reproduce at a higher rate
@elerian9702 10 місяців тому
People asking for higher fuses are the very same people who would sue you even for your underwear if you would give them a higher fuse and their house would burn down.
@danmorgan712 2 роки тому
Seriously, I love the line "the only conclusion I feel comfortable making here, is that I don't have enough information to come to a meaningful conclusion." We live in a world, and in particularly on an internet, that is so often devoid of nuance. Combined with a toxic mentality that generally prohibits admitting that you don't know something, and basic levels of communication and debate break down. You're one of the last few bastions of rational discourse and I applaud that. Thank you, Alec.
@KairuHakubi 2 роки тому
seriously. I keep waiting for this channel to say something that pisses me off purely because the guy is smart, and he just doesn't ever go there. well, rarely.
@nickwallette6201 2 роки тому
I would really like to see a return to civilized argument.
@Dorumin 2 роки тому
We live in a society hehe
@SCORP1ONF1RE 2 роки тому
Yep, Alec is a gem.
@joecool4656 2 роки тому
Yes. I was extremely happy to hear him say that
@itsmesb4399 10 місяців тому
Ring circuits are a brilliant idea, it means that no matter if the socket is the first or the last on the circuit from one side, the same amount of current can be safely drawn. Since each plug is fused and can only draw a max of 13A, it’s impossible to overload a circuit without blowing the fuse in the plug or tripping the breaker. Also it’s been standard for GFCI breakers here for a while now.
@TheAde0202 5 місяців тому
Also you can have more outlets in a given area which is great for fault finding as 1 ring circuit can in a lot of cases be upstairs or downstairs, kitchen or utility . We also can and do use radial curcuits as well and because we have fuses in our plugs every appliance can have a fuse in to reduce the amps available to protect the cable going to appliance
@IAmThe_RA 3 місяці тому
If there is a break in the ring your home will get burned and you have no idea until your home catch fire. A radial circuit with a bigger cable is better.
@rickcollins2814 2 місяці тому
I've had this discussion before, and the end result was the only advantage was an alleged use of less wire (which is debatable). I have no idea how a ring circuit would “protect” the wiring any more than any other wiring arrangement. They all have breakers on the circuits.
@IAmThe_RA 2 місяці тому
@@rickcollins2814 The only main advantage if you have british sockets and plugs on the circuit because if your device draws current less than 32A you don't really need a special socket or outlet because the british plug has a fuse to protect the power chord from drawing too much current. But still for that system it is safer using a radial circuit but with 4mm² conductors as there is no fire hazard if there is a break in the circuit unlike the ring circuits with 2.5mm² conductors.
@colonike007 Рік тому
100 years and I have a whole bunch of extension cords that are cheap that I bought and plug-in air conditioner into them all summer-long melted them and I didn't understand why until now you probably just saved my life and my family's life thank you for making this episode and explaining it in the way that everybody can make sense of it thank you
@johnkelly1198 11 місяців тому
Get 12 gauge ext cords
@yourgrandmasjzexboyfriend 4 місяці тому
@@johnkelly1198fuck it get 1 gauge while you’re at it
@NextWorldVR 3 місяці тому
_"plugging things into other things is dangerous"_
@DaraulHarris 2 роки тому
The fact that you cover, in depth, the technology that we all take for granted, and not the new-fangled fancy stuff that everybody can't afford, makes you my favourite tech channel. Thank you
@felixc543 2 роки тому
I have so little interest in The Latest In Smart Technology and would much rather hear about the mechanisms of how the things around us operate and the complexity of making appliances function as intended
@DaraulHarris 2 роки тому
@@felixc543 case in point: I have the exact same white extension cord at 5:42 with a few devices plugged into it 10 feet away right now. I always thought that was a bad idea, but never knew why. Now I do.
@josephwatters 2 роки тому
I'm impressed on how you got your leg up on the table like that
@AdamTheJensen 2 роки тому
That was the absolute highlight of the whole video.
@NuSpirit_ 2 роки тому
I wonder how many tries it took him :D
@USSMariner 2 роки тому
Big guys can be limber. Lookup Sammo Hung
@TheFarCobra 2 роки тому
“Hawt!”
@JeremyL1991 2 роки тому
I knew that was a moment I would see later in a blooper reel
@jackforshaw4439 10 місяців тому
Hi from the UK, where ring mains are the norm and spares (daisychaining) are frowned upon. All my plugs have fuses in them, and my 50M (100ft) real has an overcurrent fuse on the plug AND a thermal cut out on the reel. Let me give you an example. Last summer, I was having my kitchen remodelled, so I had to set up a temporary kitchen in the dining room. I had a kettle, electric hob, halogen oven, toaster,, George foreman grill, microwave, and 2 lamps the closest plug socket I had available was 20 M away at next to the front door and the remainder of the reel was wrapped up. You can imagine my mum's surprise as when she was making a cup of tea, beans, sausage, bacon waffles so kettle, foreman, microwave, and toaster on the reel got really hot and tripped out. She went checking the fuses at the breaker box, all on, changed the fuse on the plug nothing, turns out that the breaker, and plug fusenhad not tripped instead the thermal cut out had tripped. I unravelled the reel and left the 30 M cable loose behind a cupboard reset the thermal cur our and then it was fine for 3 months. If that had been America it would have blown up on night one.
@Jeff_Lichtman 8 місяців тому
Many small household appliances, such as hand-held mixers, have very short cords, so you need an extension cord regardless of how closely-spaced the outlets are.
@blindsniper35 Рік тому
You never met my friend's neighbor. He took the fuses out of Christmas lights and replaced them with a nails or a bit of wire. The reason he did this was "the stupid fuses keep blowing when I plug all the strands in on this run". Yes this man systematically defeated every single fuse in his Christmas lights because he was plugging too many in to each other and was irritated that they kept blowing fuses.
@gamecubeplayer Рік тому
that's why they should have breakers instead of fuses
@davidpar2 Рік тому
Lol lots of people do that. Or just replace the fused plugs with non-fused ones
@gamecubeplayer Рік тому
@@davidpar2 that's also the reason why the british plug is overrated
@mylovesongs2429 Рік тому
so he mighta had 20 plugs going in at once, eh? Like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
@henryposadas3309 10 місяців тому
@@gamecubeplayer seems you dont understand anything about electricity 😂
@alexanderespinoza 2 роки тому
Throwing your leg up on the table with more extension cords was a pretty solid bit.
@bilinasmini3480 2 роки тому
anyone that microwaves bacon deserves to have their breaker blow
@bulletproofzest 2 роки тому
Boss move for sure
@jimvideotv 2 роки тому
I was hoping for a cables-on-his sock joke.
@kunjupulla 2 роки тому
Why doesn't all US outlets have a switch attached to them?
@kunjupulla 2 роки тому
@@bilinasmini3480 bloody hell, get out you bot!
@condor5635 8 місяців тому
Excellent video! Makes me wonder about the old wiring in my house (55 yr old) with grey conduit (not bob and tube) and the chance of overloading it. Guessing these gauges were still in use back then too. Luckily kitchen and bathrooms have been required so just need to be weary on the bedrooms and their plugs and not over loading them. Thanks!
@modquad18 8 місяців тому
Are you saying I shouldn’t plug my space heater into the 50’ 16ga extension cord, of which the excess wire I keep coiled up under my mattress to provide additional warmth??
@MichaelSteeves 2 роки тому
One guy in my engineering group works full time making a model of the electrical system in our plant, ensuring that overcurrent protection is, in fact, appropriate at every level of the electrical system. Another person did some work on extension cords and ended up banning most extension cords, causing grief and hard feelings throughout the plant: only 14 AWG cords with single outlets allowed!
@paveloleynikov4715 2 роки тому
That was dreadful tale from times of begining of mass installation of PCs in ex-soviet organisations. Looks like it is really tempting to shove space heater and kettle to that convinient power strip that come with new PC, and takes some time (especially for older users) to understand that it gets to funny results.
@machinist7230 2 роки тому
See, this is why I tend to buy 12awg 50 foot cords.,
@Somtaaw7 2 роки тому
The weird thing is briefly looking on Amazon, the 14 gauge isnt all that more expensive then 16...
@rmartin275 2 роки тому
At first I read "plant" as "planet" and was really impressed that a single guy could handle that job!
@RingingResonance 2 роки тому
@@SeanBZA On top of that, it's hard to even find a decent pair of jumper cables at local stores now. They seem to only sell the cheap 16, 18, or 20 AWG ones. Anything less and they don't sell it or it's out of stock!
@peacedolee 2 роки тому
"It is confusing, but are you really surprised" is my favorite
@michalcz123 8 місяців тому
We in Czech (if it's thruthly connected) have 6A breakers for lights, 10A for basic outlets and 16A for high-power outlets (and 25A for 3-phase) and you can buy 10A extension cords and 16A extension cords so some danger but less danger.
@nickr753 7 місяців тому
In the outro bloopers you mention holding the NEMA 5-20R receptacle upside down. Doesn’t the standard put the ground pin at the top to protect the hot from falling objects sliding between the plug and receptacle?
@Doc_Holaday 2 роки тому
First the pre-wash in the dish washer and now extension chords. This channel is giving me more things to be a dad about.
@AlphaGeekgirl 2 роки тому
No one said anything about music.
@Zarrx 2 роки тому
The pre-wash in the dishwasher has actually made such a huge difference. I just used cheap generic cleaner for the pre-wash and then better pods for the maineash. Still kicks ass.
@xaosbob 2 роки тому
@@AlphaGeekgirl -
@klfjoat 2 роки тому
I have to say, the approach you took to explain this issue ("the breakers only protect the wires in the walls") is SUCH A GREAT way to frame the problem. How an explanation is framed is one of the most important parts of good explanations, and you do that really well in general. But I think it really shines here. Kudos!
@adriaanstolk4487 2 роки тому
Yeah I was surprised to learn how many people thought the fuses/breakers were for their safety than to stop the wires melting, when I studied electrical engineering. It was eye opening seeing so many first years that thought it would trip if they were earthing the phase
@trikstari7687 4 місяці тому
There are rental houses in the US that still have cloth insulated wiring. Source: I rented one. It was terrifying knowing that our walls were basically wired to catch on fire.
@swagkillayolonoscopesgg 4 місяці тому
Theres tons of houses with tube and knob wiring and lead pipes still… source; im a commercial and residential plumber. When I bought my house I had to demo everything. Youd be surprised at how many hazards exist. Including asbestos insulation, Plaster, etc.
@TheTuttle99 3 місяці тому
@@swagkillayolonoscopesggoh yeah asbestos everywhere. Most places have it grandfathered in
@KMon99 3 місяці тому
I mean there's lead paint still around and you think they care about some cloth or lead pipes hidden in their house behind the walls. I bet they have a fuse box to make it a combo
@paulcalderon4517 3 місяці тому
I didn’t even know they used to insulate wiring with cloth until now. That sounds terrifying.
@erzahler1930 3 місяці тому
Your house probably also had aluminum instead of copper wire. Aluminum wiring was actually code until sometime in the 1970s (in the US; I don't know about other countries).
@wynottgivemore9274 Рік тому
I enjoy your humour...ever since I've been plugging in space heaters into outlets ,and only once an extension cord it got hot ,and it says on the heater itself do not plug into any extension cords. Every one that I have plugged into an extension cord got hot . And now because of your video I finally understand why that is. And I've only noticed this last Christmas that they started to put fuses in the strings of lights. Ps I agree with the not being fatal, I as a kid I stuck a coat hanger ,both sides at the same time into an outlet. It blew me back and I got knocked out. It burnt my hands to a crisp and I had to use Vaseline and wear knit gloves until they healed, I had calluses for years after. I couldn't tell you what i was thinking at the time...I probably was trying to time travel. 😁🤗
@EvanBoldt 2 роки тому
Unless there are more plugs per outlet, I don’t think having more outlet locations will reduce how often people use power strips. Even the simplest TV or computer setup needs more than just two outlets, and if the choice is between running an extension to the next outlet another 6ft away or to put a strip on the closest one, you still run into the gauging issue either way.
@xenonram 2 роки тому
It alleviates the problem, it doesn't solve it. Most new homes will have 2 gang outlets where TVs will obviously be placed.
@ameunier41 2 роки тому
I use the 2 to 6 block, they are cheap, can take a lot of power and they look less messy than a power strip laying under the desk
@johnnyb175 2 роки тому
If you're willing to spend more money on a good power strip it can be safer than plugging your devices directly into the wall. As mentioned in the video, there is no over current protection outside the walls of the house. If you plug a good power strip in, there is now a breaker outside the walls.
@Mike__B 2 роки тому
The problem is using a power strip as a permanent way to extend power, i.e. home entertainment, computer, etc, is a violation of NEC electrical code. Thing is there's a disconnect over what people can buy and what they can legally use it for which probably should be remedied
@joshuagarner8982 2 роки тому
Both of those setups should use a high-end surge protectors or UPSs. So 14 or 12 Guage wiring and not Walmart quality internals.
@patrickhanlon932 2 роки тому
If we required safety fuses on extension cords, it wouldn't be confusing, it would be profusing.
@loturzelrestaurant 2 роки тому
Hi. I ask around to see if someone would be interested in a lil Project of mine. Some people try to be the 180 Degree Opposite of Cancel-Culture and try to help UKposts become less... well, lets say 'Messy' to use nice words only... ... Interested to hear a bit more?
@SobeCrunkMonster 2 роки тому
@Loturzel Restaurant go away
@ravenouself4181 2 роки тому
But knowing Americans, many would protest against it and claim that the government is planting spy bugs
@ravenouself4181 2 роки тому
@@loturzelrestaurant What?
@loturzelrestaurant 2 роки тому
@@ravenouself4181 I dont know how to say it more simple than: I have a Good-Cause-Project that costs no money and little Time; wanna hear more about how to help UKposts become less hate-filled and sex-sells-filled? It is, obviously, not a MIRACLE WONDER Solution, but who needs that? It worked enough in the Testing (by me) so that i know ask around if someone wants to also do it.
@lakedudesvideos Рік тому
Excellent video, very well done, didn't catch any sense of wrongness and agree 100% that more could and should be done. I've personally come across 2 melted extension cords, both of which could have easily caused fires. One was at dad's house where he ran a big chest freezer from one of those small, light gauge 2 wire extension cords which were too thin to carry the load. Don't know what the heck he was thinking because he should have known better. Curiously the nails he tacked it up with helped avoid a short because the lower conductor melted through the insulation and sagged away from the top wire. The other melted cord was at my house. The guys who installed the dishwasher used a cord that was one size too small and not heat rated. It took some years but eventually the cord melted and made a high resistance short. The resistance was high enough to keep the current low enough so as not to trip the breaker. The cord drew power and kept getting hotter even though the dishwasher was off. Smoke started rolling out of kitchen. Curiously I happened to be getting a new furnace that day and the furnace guys happened to have been using a torch in the basement directly below the dishwasher. I went downstairs to tell those guys to cool it with their torch, assuming it was their fault. They swore they were not the cause so I dragged them upstairs to witness all the smoke. They moved the dishwasher and discovered the smoldering cord. That one would have been a fire for sure because not only did the dishwasher guys use the wrong cord but instead of cleaning up their sawdust they swept it into a pile and left it behind the dishwasher, with the hot melty cord running right down the middle of all that sawdust. That dishwasher got a new cord that was heat rated and properly sized and it ran for 20 years... When it finally died I installed the replacement myself.
@KillerArcadeGames Рік тому
I learned this the hard way as a kid. I plugged in a hair dryer to one of those small white multiplug extension cords you show. The cable had been wrapped up so many times it became mis-shaped and tangled. I didn't even turn on the hair dryer, I plugged it in, walked out of the room and we heard the smoke alarm. Waked into the room, found the cord smoking and burning the carpet. My mom went to the breaker panel and found it arcing. The breaker never tripped but was dangerously flinging electricity as she tried to turn it off. Luckily everything was fine outside of the carpet being burned a bit. That moment imprinted on me. I have been afraid and taken great care to be sure to respect electricity. I drive my wife nuts with being very careful about how things are plugged in and how long and what gauge extensions are if we need to use them. I love arcade games and wanted to have ground level arcade space so I we built a shed and made it a nice, air conditioned place to enjoy them. My home's electric panel was 125 amp service, I could have potentially added the arcade to that but I spent the extra $1000 (which was cheap after a few bids) to upgrade my service to 200 amps. It was a hassle, the city had to cut my power in the middle of Texas summer while the work was done, then wait for an inspector to approve the work BEFORE my power was back on. But, I don't need to worry about running my dryer, main AC unit for the house and running 10 arcade machines in a room with it's own air conditioner. I also have a power meter have incorporated it into my videos by showing how much power arcade cabinets actually use. This information seemed to come as a shock to some who have been putting several on a single circuit/breaker. All of this information and my obsession of respecting the electrical system in our house drives my wife nuts. I look like a crazy person but I hope to be a "crazy person" who doesn't deal with a house fire.
@0neDoomedSpaceMarine 2 місяці тому
Based and arcadepilled.
@tylerbooth6824 2 роки тому
This is funny because my school dance was actually evacuated due to whoever set things up, deciding to use one single outlet to run all the stage lights, speakers, projectors, and led panels. Sure enough, there was a fire in the school gym and the dance was canceled.
@Voron_Aggrav 2 роки тому
I just read that going, oh no, no he did not... no way ...
@xElMery 2 роки тому
If only there was such a place where one could learn these sort of stuff...
@godsinbox 2 роки тому
was the song 'safety dance' playing or not playing at the time?
@damemes3669 2 роки тому
power strip-ception
@Dr.Kornelius 2 роки тому
Me warming feet on the bundle of wires under my computer desk: 👁👄👁
@BigOlSmellyFlashlight 2 роки тому
my computer case that i still forgot to put the cover on for 5 months now warming my feet as i play beamng while running an ai model and my gpu goes to 101%
@emini6 2 роки тому
@@BigOlSmellyFlashlight honestly if it's just a glass side panel leave it off for the best air temperatures, lol just don't short it out by touching it with your static discharge from your toes. Maybe find a metal mesh side panel with 2-3mm holes to enclose the computer away from EMI/EMC for anyone nearby with a pacemaker or sensitive electronics doesn't go tripping.
@valderon3692 2 роки тому
Who the heck warms their feet in the middle of summer!?
@HappyBeezerStudios 2 роки тому
Australians because it is winter over there
@trevorseals6588 10 місяців тому
Idk how I found your channel, but I’m happy to be there. I learn so much
@Sinthasized 11 місяців тому
This explained so much I was confused about. Thank you very much! I got in to high powered electric scooters last year and a I’ve been trying to find something to explain how extensions and the gauging works. I have to use a EV adapter to power my 220v chargers on the go and I’ve been trying to find an extension that can handle them at 220v with a NEMA 5-15 female split connection run by a single NEMA 5-15 male. Brilliant explanation on the word “Safer”. Spot on!
@StatikDynamikDubstep 2 роки тому
"Kitchens are usually designed more smartly to avoid this." Let me introduce you to my house, where when I moved in if you used the microwave and toaster at the same time, a breaker would trip that covered the kitchen, 3 bedrooms, a hallway, and one bathroom. (yes, I have fixed the wiring after discovering this)
@didikohen455 2 роки тому
My folks had two ovens connected on the same circut, after a rewiring of the entire place.
@nataliegath395 2 роки тому
My office kitchen has one single circuit breaker for every plug in there (6) outside the fridge. You try to microwave or toaster oven or even plug in something random like a projector while the coffee maker is on (which is always, let's be honest here, it's an office) and the breaker trips. It is the stupidest design ever for a room.
@nhilz 2 роки тому
this reminded me, at one point one of the light switches in my bedroom would trip a breaker and the entire house's power would go out. my parents didn't know about it at first, so whenever they'd make me mad id flip the switch
@CoffeeConsumer643 2 роки тому
@@nataliegath395 ive literally daisy chained 12 outlets together in offices
@greenaum 2 роки тому
@@nhilz Wow! That's crap, yet also amazing!
@The8BitGuy 2 роки тому
I've noticed that every electric vehicle manual in the world says not to use extension cords with them. And I suspect the reason is simply because these cheap extension cords exist and they don't want to attempt to explain to the owner that they need a specific type of extension cord to handle the current. So instead, they just say not to use them at all. Interestingly enough, I know several people that use extension cords with their EVs, I've even been known to do it occasionally. But we all understand how to pick an extension cord with the right size of wire.
@Crazt 2 роки тому
That's basically my problem with buying an electric vehicle. There classes of people who cannot safely or efficiently own them. Rental property owners would need to provide ample charging stations for residents. Home owners in neighborhoods without off street parking or more vehicles than space close enough to the building are also screwed.
@shadowopsairman1583 2 роки тому
Rtfm, use equipment properly and there is no problem
@tsvandyke 2 роки тому
Electric Vehicles CHARGE using a 220 volt system ... extension cords ( in the US ) are ONLY made to handle 120 volts. ...
@tsvandyke 2 роки тому
@@Crazt the US electrical grid .. was made to supply 120 volts to every house ... what would happen if EVRY HOUSE had a 220 volt electrical car charging system ... ( like operating a washer & dryer - every minute of every day ) ... would our electrical grid - as it is now - be able to handle THREE TIMES the power ( if each house had 1 electrical car - but how about 2 electrical cars at each house ) ... the amount of power being delivered to EVERY home in the US ... would BURN up our electrical grid as it was NEVER made to handle 220 volt being delivered to from every home ... 24/7 !
@tsvandyke 2 роки тому
@@Darxide23 ... they use the same 220 volt electrical extension cords BOATS ( over 50 feet ) use to charge their systems while tied up at the dock .... smarter thing would have been to make the "extension cords" ... vehicle specific .
@araonthedrake4049 8 місяців тому
Yes, I'm commenting on a 2yo video... just found the channel and have been binging it. Love the way you make the most mundane and sometimes irrelevant to my life topics, if not interesting, pleasant to listen about :P While the "distance to closest outlet" issue is also being tackled across the pond (central Europe citizen here), the issue of the number of outlets per room, and often times their location, is frankly braindead. In today's world, in a modern home, nearly every room has about half a dozen electrical devices, plus at least half a dozen mobile ones across the home (the vacuum, a phone charger, a fan) and yet it's very common for most rooms to have 1 or maybe 2 double outlets and call it quits. And it's not like all household devices ride the line right up to overpowering the circuit of a single outlet, especially since as you mentioned the outlets tend to be chained within the wall anyway. A lot of apartments buildings are built with small rooms, hence the distances are small, but so is the number of total outlets available. And when you consider that many fairly basic things in any given room require electricity, a power strip becomes pretty much a necessity. I can't imagine trying to plug in a multi-screen PC office without either extension cables or a power strip. If we're talking a router and maybe even the speakers with a dedicated power supply, that's easily 4-6 plugs, and in a small-ish room, I might only have 2 available. I have the same issue with just having a tv, some basic home cinema, a blue ray and a PS4... that's 4 plugs, and unless I set it all up in the middle of the wall, I'll need a cord to reach one or the other of the double outlets.
@Hadar1991 4 місяці тому
I am from Poland and there is similar problem in Poland with the number of outlets. But to be honest even if I had 15 outlets in my small room I would be a little bit wary of using them directly. I am kinda used to plug all my expensive electronics only via plug strips with EMI and RFI filters and overvoltage protection, to protect my electronics. Maybe in modern installation there is no need for them, but having a single button to cut off few appliances connected is still neat and it gives some placebo effect (but I am still one of those who if leaving house for more than one day will unplug all the non-essential electronics). The one problem I have noticed, sometimes people buy just cheapest extension cords with a switch believing it has some kind of protection on board, but it fact it would be better to connect directly to the socket in the wall.
@FroststareKhold 2 роки тому
I'm 70 seconds into the video and already, I can't wait any longer to share this story. My mother sleeps with a heating pad underneath her. One time she was taking a nap when she heard a pop and fizzle. The outlet by her bed had blown and left behind some soot. She had her heating pad plugged into a power strip plugged into one of those dinky extension cables, which was plugged into another dinky extension cable at the other end of the bed, which was plugged into the outlet that had just blown, the one that was right next to her readily available to receive the heating pad directly, the one that she couldn't access because she stuck her highly flammable nightstand in front of it. Narrowly avoided a house fire that could've been prevented entirely if she didn't needlessly daisy chain extension cables. EDIT: Thanks for mentioning the fearmongering. Based on the rest of the video discussing the wire itself overheating I'm not sure if pop-fizzle is relevant here. I still stand by my mother being a complete idiot.
@thekingoffailure9967 2 роки тому
Yeah. Alec could have mentioned how the brass connectors in power strips do NOT conduct electricity as well as the copper making up the cable. So daisy chaining power strips with the second strip plugged into the 6th outlet on the first can cause significantly more heat than having the second strip plugged into the 1st outlet. The difference is the entire load of the second strip flowing through 12 inches of brass instead of 2.
@PunakiviAddikti 2 роки тому
That's why you should never chain two extension cords together. It's even written in the warning leaflet that comes with the cords.
@noneyabizz8337 2 роки тому
Wow! Yes, make her stop that! Also, maybe buy her high quality longer cords just to force the change.
@suzannehartmann946 2 роки тому
STARTING WITH YOU DO NOT SLEEP ON TOP OF THE HEATING PAD
@KairuHakubi 2 роки тому
damn heating pads are so hard to make safe, the very idea is running contrary to what you normally want in a thing that's plugged in..
@Avantgardist 2 роки тому
19:48 "I don't have enough information to come to a meaningful conclusion." - Thank you so much. This sentence should be the go-to-answer of so many people, yet they decide to blurt out their ignorance. You don't. Again : thank you.
@pattsw 2 роки тому
One of the many reasons I respect this man so greatly
@hullinstruments 2 роки тому
I’v never understood… Why people make shit up or try to explain ideas they don’t even understand. Saying the words… I DONT KNOW!!! Is one of the best feelings! Because it absolving yourself, and then you might just learn something in the process!
@coffeemaddan 2 роки тому
'I don't know' / 'I don't have enough information to come to a meaningful conclusion' should be taught in schools. It's an honest sign of intelligent thought. Superb channel!
@u.s7072 2 роки тому
I hate that this is so rare it deserves praise
@jssamp4442 2 роки тому
The mark of true intelligence is knowing when you don't know. I tell people that ignorance is not an insult, it's a reading list.
@AlexYeets 24 дні тому
"Hi." "It's the end." That was painfully ominous.
@hvymtal8566 7 місяців тому
Been gradually replacing all of the extension cords and power strips in my house with surge protectors since you made this video. Down to only 2 or 3 cheap extension cords for niche purposes and all serious electrical hardware (except for big appliances in the kitchen and laundry room) runs through a surge protector before it gets to a wall. Replaced our old outdoor extension cords with 14ga ones, too Personally i much prefer surge protectors over fuses. Less hassle when you trip the breaker as opposed to blowing a fuse
@CaptWesStarwind 2 роки тому
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." - Douglas Adams
@evanswonderland2955 2 роки тому
why dont they have one nuculear generator off shore that powers a big fan that spins windmillsl all clean aeroelectrical power
@djscottdog1 2 роки тому
Watch AEVs video on that cable car crash , someone made the same comment on that
@CaptWesStarwind 2 роки тому
@@djscottdog1 Cool, I'll check that video out. Thanks.
@CaptWesStarwind 2 роки тому
@@djscottdog1 Is it AEV or AvE?
@tunabomber111 2 роки тому
42. . . Oops, wrong question.
@Asu01 2 роки тому
ShittyLifeProTips: Enable circuit breaker protection on underrated extension cord by tying a knot on the wires! Once the insulation soften, the conductor may contact each other and make a dead-short, tripping the breaker. The molten PVC smell, along with the spark will give you both smell and audiovisual alert as well. What else can you ask for?
@ArjunChatterjeeIN 2 роки тому
lmao 😂😂
@OnlyNotes 2 роки тому
I mean, that... that's not a half bad idea(?) Unless you have an old FPE panel, those fuckers will never trip
@SensSword 2 роки тому
That's a horrible idea. Circuit breakers aren't perfect. You're still asking for a house fire. Might as well sleep with oily rags in a room with lit candles.
@13blackg 2 роки тому
surprisingly thats how the majority of circuits i encounter as an electrician go bad, when the wiring was installed someone got carried away with the hammer while stapling the wire and while it worked fine for lighting and small appliances. apply a larger load and boom instant short circuit with no way to fix it except run a whole new circuit. you also come across it a lot in remodels where wires are moved around and get pinched or are bent back and forth many times before the job is done.
@hjalfi 2 роки тому
@@OnlyNotes You're correct --- that _is_ not a half bad idea! With the emphasis on the not!
@karinhart489 Рік тому
Thanks. Recently I was looking at 25’ outdoor extension cords at the hardware that looked identical, but one was way more expensive than the other, but I couldn’t figure out why. However, after watching your video I suspected the wire gauge was 16 on the cheapo, and 12 or 10 on more expensive ones. Yup. Now I’ll look at the draw of what I’m going to use it for to determine do I need a 12 or a 10 gauge cord. Oh, are contractor power strips better?
@warrenfaris3579 3 місяці тому
This was a very important point- I run a christmas lights drive thru park, and we use a DIY extension cordage that is also 20g and you can cut to length and attach male/female plugs as needed. I have incidentally overloaded a few of these and they literally burn up at the connections. By dumb luck, Ive not started a fire, and now I know better. But my parents did start a house fire with a bad powerstrip running ozone machines and a fan. Be careful out there folks!
@rickcollins2814 2 місяці тому
I think the ozone machines are the greater danger. Ozone is a dangerous substance and should be avoided! They don't call it carcinogenic, but they do list it as mutagenic. My college professor gave us hell because he could smell ozone coming from our experiment.
@Aesculathehyena 2 роки тому
"This is the point where I step back" *camera zooms back* Puns are great, especially quiet visual puns.
@JonesNate 2 роки тому
I also noticed that. By the way, did you watch with the closed captioning on? If you haven't, go ahead and do it; it's worth it, even if your hearing is perfect.
@becauseimafan 2 роки тому
@@JonesNate Thank you for letting us know! It's great! 😂😁
@Aesculathehyena 2 роки тому
@@JonesNate oh yeah, his captions are top notch. Almost as good as Sean Hogan's (uncertain on that name)
@Retsillac Рік тому
After watching this video, I went and inspected my extension cable running my window mount AC unit in my bedroom. I had never considered the extension cord gauge size on the cord I was using for my AC (it was a super cheap one). Sure enough, it was nice and warm. Ended up buying a nice thick (I cant remember the gauge, maybe 14?) extension cord specifically to run my AC unit. Thanks for possibly saving my house from burning down!
@termitreter6545 Рік тому
Yeh. Its probably not that big of a risk; I suspect if american homes burned down all the time due to this, it wouldve changed. And while I live in europe, with more power in the outlet, super thick power cables are also the standard. Still made me switch out the quite old extension cord I use for my PC/desk with one with fuse and full outlet specification. Doesnt hurt to be safe.
@wta1518 Рік тому
@@termitreter6545 actually the higher voltage allows for thinner wires to carry the same power. Because Watts are Volts*Amps, you only need half the current for the same amount of power.
@termitreter6545 Рік тому
@@wta1518 Huh, I havent even considered that voltage and current might have different effects on reistance. So thats probably also why (vaguely speaking) amperage is more dangerous to humans than voltage, isnt it? Thanks, learned something new today. Imma go googling electricity stuff now :D
@richardfellows5041 Рік тому
@@termitreter6545 Well, no. Voltage difference allows current to flow. For safety from electrocution, both are important. For the subject of the video, which is mainly heating, there are other effects that are important. First there is direct heating of the wire from the current flowing through it. Second, the conductance of the wire changes with temperature, conductance goes down with increasing temperature in copper. This means that the more the temperature goes up, the worse with wire conducts and the more the wire looks like a resistor. As the wire conductance goes down (and the resistance goes up) then more of the total circuit power is dissipated in the wire rather than in the applied device ( such as a toaster). So more toasting happens outside the toaster and more in the supplied wiring. Eventually the plastic insulation melts and the conductors can short directly to each other.
@macysondheim Рік тому
A cash donation would go a lot further than a thank you. Message me for cash app details.
@mannmanuel7762 4 місяці тому
i dont know how it is in other countries, but over here where i live (Germany), every extension cord has their maximum wattage imprinted somewhere in the plastic case. every one i own/used so far, is rated for 16A at 230V, that is our standart circuit braker size for houses
@andersgrassman6583 2 місяці тому
Same in Sweden. But the max wattage isn't really that important, since all the cords must handle 16A, so one will comply knowingly or not. In Sweden, also all new electrical installations use not only overload circuit breakers, but also "ground failiure" breakers. (I think though you can have some wiring bypassing that for very certain purposes.) I'm not sure - I live in an old house - but I think it is very unusual that electrical outlets will support more than 10A before the fuse breaks? So extension cords are then also always overdimensioned. I think a lot of this is actually EU regulation these days. At least the extension cords and such, have to comply to EU standards, and have a "CE" compliance hallmark to show that.
@mannmanuel7762 2 місяці тому
@@andersgrassman6583 yeah, lots if eu rules nowadays. We have ground failure breakers as well. A few years ago, they were only required in bathrooms, but nowadays, they are usually installed everywhere
@dercisi9429 Місяць тому
And every Extension cord has to have Minimum 1,5 mm² Kabelquerschnitt, ITS frankly bonkers that the us is at least 50 jears behind (No gfci in every circuid for example)
@snookslayer4559 8 місяців тому
Got a chest-freezer for garage, but no outlets. No problem - outdoor extension chord. Been working for over a year, but I've noticed the chord is somewhat warm. After this video, I'm headed to the store for lower gauge / heavy duty extension. Thank you sir. Ya put the fear of God in me.
@CaptRespect 2 роки тому
I love how this channel continually manages to explain simple things that I should know, but do not.
@getjaketospace 2 роки тому
"My five-foot-tall cousin is taller than my four-foot eleven cousin." "Oh, she must be tall then."
@magnushultgrenhtc 2 роки тому
"Comparatives, how do they work?"
@Meister_Knobi 2 роки тому
Metric guy here, what is a 4foot12 cousin then? Kappa
@pswinford8 2 роки тому
@@Meister_Knobi 5 foot
@drakedbz 2 роки тому
@@pswinford8 r/woosh
@the1exnay 2 роки тому
@@Meister_Knobi The second number is inches. So it's 4 feet plus 12 inches. But since 12 inches is a foot it becomes: 4 feet plus 1 foot. So it's 5 feet.
@peetventerful 9 місяців тому
Very well explained 👏 Lots of efforts went into making these videos Many thanks
@zacmilton4906 2 місяці тому
Watching this video is terrifying as an Australian, who has -All household circuits MUST have RCD-protected breakers in the breaker box by law (to the point where the colloquial term in most of Australia is "RCD Switch" not "Breaker") -All household power sockets have a max amperage of 10A, sockets up to 32A exist but the plug size and shape is slightly changed to make it *impossible* to plug a the wrong cable into the wrong socket (Also there is not going to be a 32A socket in your house) -All Power Cables must be capable of carrying the amperage of the socket they're designed to fit Oh and, as an added bonus, I have never seen that kind of insane tri-headed extension-cable contraption before in my life, and pretty much all of our powerboards have their own safety switch.
@fizzys26 2 роки тому
After my Grandfather died we cleaned out his workshead. That’s when we found out he “wired” it with extension cords. Not too bad, just a workshead... Until the house he had with my Grandmother needed an updated breaker box. That’s when the electrician found my Grandfather also wired parts of the house with extension cords. Behind the walls.
@minirock000 2 роки тому
This made laugh so damn hard and loud. Hilarious. Sounds like something I would think about doing.
@paulbelanger7383 2 роки тому
Do you mean a workshed? I've never ever seen shed, spelled shead. Just wonder if it's how you spell it elsewhere or just a typo.
@PookyMo100 2 роки тому
I use two extension cords to meet my ideal outlet position 😅😅😅
@jkeelsnc 2 роки тому
So? Some of the outlets in my mother’s house had been wired (by previous owner) with lamp cord!!! Lmao. Basically it’s the same stuff used in the cheapest, lightest extension cords.
@jkeelsnc 2 роки тому
@@PookyMo100 Hopefully, you are only running a light bulb in a lamp at the end of the cord. For all I know you might be heating your bedroom with it!!
@MichaelPhillipsatGreyOwlStudio 2 роки тому
I love how our outlets look like someone who's getting shocked.
@Hamachingo 2 роки тому
I like to believe that that's intentional and there were focus group studies involving small children and outlet designs.
@PapaWheelie1 2 роки тому
@@Hamachingo - Yep, putting a cartoon face on something will keep kids away
@loweffortgaming2593 2 роки тому
Because they're all installed upside down.
@MichaelPhillipsatGreyOwlStudio 2 роки тому
@@loweffortgaming2593 I've heard about that.
@repurposer626 2 роки тому
@@loweffortgaming2593 Yup. Except at hospitals, where they followed codes.
@dolvaran Рік тому
Some extension cords here in the UK have both a fuse in the outlet block and (of course) one in the plug also. That way, you protect the house wiring and the extension cable too.
@RealJonDoe 10 місяців тому
You should look in to "vampire plugs" for that 16awg zip cord. You can even get a version of them with a fuse on the plug, allowing you to make a fused cord, of any length, and any amount of plugs, even polarized! Since many cord sets are already running SPT-2 cording, you can even add outlets to that little 2-prong cordset.
@CoreyMurnaghan 2 роки тому
I work for an electric utility, we substitute "Safer" with "Improved Margin of Safety" so that the user's bias is reduced with the word "Safer".
@AngelArm1110 2 роки тому
Choice of language and wording is important
@xenophiliusrex2501 2 роки тому
What about "less deadly"?
@MikeSmith-cx2dj 2 роки тому
THATS FUNNY!! I am a utility infrastructure inspector for a City, we don't right up an issues as a hazard, we call it a potential risk.... Keeps the attorneys and OSHA of our backs when something does go wrong
@MrIhatethisone 2 роки тому
It scares me people that people thought safer meant no danger at all. Like do we speak the same language anymore.
@johnw.3270 2 роки тому
It's nice of you to cater to people's stupidity, but they will get just more stupid, and then you need to find yet another wording.
@MrCanoeheadful Рік тому
On the 'safer/less dangerous' linguistic quirk. I've run into a similar problem with 'feeling better'. Because if you're sick or injured, 'feeling better' can mean 'back to normal' OR 'still bad, but not as bad'.
@Keykey70 Рік тому
yeah that's when I feel I have to throw in "feeling a bit better," but that's more over text. spoken, the tone tells exactly whether you mean feeling good again or just less bad
@vidiot5533 Рік тому
any time there is a need to convey a scale, and a comparator word (specifically when the other end of the comparison is not stated, ie "better than what, and by how much?") is used to denote a place along that scale, this issue will arise. When this exists, there is a generally agreed upon scale, but there is no objective scale, so different people can assume different scales. this is basically a more all-encompassing way to restate what Michael Kortsen said, but the point in doing so is to emphasize the need to point out that a scale is assumed, and that by clarifying what that scale is, there is no linguistic confusion. the issue is that people hate unnecessarily long sentences or phrases, hence the backlash on euphemisms, so really we should just replace "I am better" with something like "I am unsick" since there is no other simple word to describe overcoming an illness of your own accord
@theflyingspaget Рік тому
@@vidiot5533 unsick is an amazing word, but no longer sick and now in good health also work. Sickn't is my personal favorite with friends though. There's also recovered, if you need a serious yet not wordy way of conveying "though I was sick I am no longer in that state"
@tacticallemon7518 11 місяців тому
that’s more of a problem with relative language Which has it’s uses, but i feel like companies use relative words to cover up certain flaws
@George-iz2ce 11 місяців тому
@@tacticallemon7518 Case in point: "it's uses" is less correct than "its uses"
@hotlavatube Рік тому
This reminds me of how in 2008, as part of a high-efficiency lighting code requirement, California started requiring the GU24 twin-prong light bulb fitting to prevent people from using incandescent bulbs in light fixtures. I think part of the concern was that the fixture may have been wired to only support the amperage of a high-efficiency bulb or might not be heat-resistant enough to handle incandescent bulbs. As such, GU24 to edison adapters were made illegal in CA. The GU24 requirement ended in 2017, so I guess the fixtures weren't the only thing getting heat. The first time I encountered a GU24 bulb was in 2020, in a non-California state where I was trying to change my rental unit's ceiling fan bulb. I discovered the weird two-prong GU-24 bulb. I always use high-efficiency bulbs, but I didn't have a GU24 as (almost) no one in my state used them. It took me a while to find them at Home Depot where they were $11 each. Ouch. As ceiling fans are notoriously hard on light bulbs, I'd go through a lot of them. Fortunately edison adapters are legal in my state and I'm not dumb enough to stick an incandescent bulb in it.
@my-king Рік тому
In school (in UK) I had to learn to wire a plug and put a fuse in it. I remember the teacher telling us how important the fuse was and how it'd save our lives. He'd then tell us in USA and other countries they don't have to learn this because they don't care about it. He'd show us their plugs and tell us we are lucky. He really made me scared and that I had to learn to wire a plug or I'd burn my house down. I don't know if they even teach this anymore in the UK. I'm pretty old.
@Dead_Metal 5 місяців тому
Yep, they still teach all the basics of wiring a plug and a fuse as part of GCSE (unless it was just my physics teacher)
@orientalmoons 4 місяці тому
I learnt about wiring a plug in school in the late 90s but I don't know if it's still taught because nowadays every appliance comes with a plug and plus are generally moulded to the cable, so you are very much discouraged from doing your own wiring (a sensible idea really).
@SgtLion 2 місяці тому
@@Dead_Metal It was just your teacher. I did Physics (and even electrical engineering) GCSEs in the late 2000s and neither one taught me about wiring a plug. Certainly we were never taught anything even adjacent in any other classes. Thankfully my parents did teach me, and it has come in handy :)
@enjoyanthonymoore 2 роки тому
I’m a general contractor, I’ll be having my non electrical employee’s watching this..... this is a very well executed general explanation of US electrical circuits . Great channel!! 👍👍👍👍
@John-do9ei 2 роки тому
I agree.
@blaircox1589 2 роки тому
Yup, and we install the recepticals upside down...cause it make a face? The ground pin is supposed to be up, so if something conductive falls into an plug not fully inserted, it doesn't short out. I don't know, like the metal fish your busy us holding onto and slides down the wall, hitting the extension cord and zap.
@MadScientist267 2 роки тому
@@blaircox1589 NO! 🤬
@curtisbme 2 роки тому
@@blaircox1589 The fact that it was done that way means that most wall warts and other things are designed with the expectation of the ground down. Having it up, as is required in many commercial settings, can be a pain for residential devices.
@blaircox1589 2 роки тому
@@MadScientist267 triggered, LOL Both ways have pros and cons, neither is right or wrong, but there is a higher probability of something conductive touching exposed prongs than an index finger on the bottom. Other than that, it's purely cosmetic and following what everyone else does as 'normal'.
@tehberral 2 роки тому
"Now here's where I step back" *Camera cuts to farther away* This. This is why you're the best.
@codycast 2 роки тому
Settle down man
@WarrenGarabrandt 2 роки тому
@@codycast no, you start getting excited!
@codycast 2 роки тому
@Vap Pri how is this link still here? Why doesn’t UKposts do a better job removing spam links?
@ryanbonnett3532 4 місяці тому
Effin mint with the foot throwing the power cables 😂
@The1stImmortal 3 місяці тому
I like the way Australia handles this. The socket is rated to an amperage, but you can plug a 10A cable into a 20A circuit for example (but not the other way around). Cables have to match the plug that feeds them (so that 10A male plug has to have a 10A rated cable attached, and can only have a 10A socket on the end). And then, to avoid overloading power strips, the powerstrips have to have their own breaker. The only real issue is double adapters, but they're pretty hard to find nowadays (or they have breakers)
@gotham61 2 роки тому
Good job highlighting this problem. There was a fatal fire in my apartment building many years ago caused by a space heater plugged into a thin extension cord. An elderly tenant and her dog died. RIP Helen.
@petercolquhoun2086 2 роки тому
And Sparky. :-(
@JCO2002 2 роки тому
Who was the woman who owned Helen? Guess you liked that dog, eh?
@williamrucki9293 Рік тому
Hi Alec. During my career I developed and taught electrical training classes covering the NEC (NFPA70), Electrical Safety (NFPA70E) and Power Engineering and I have to tell you this was extremely well done. You covered many fundamentals of wiring and thoroughly explained a few of the hazards. Excellent content and context. I don't know how you research your material but you extracted critical details that aren't obvious and not well understood by the general populous. Great job, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
@gingerd2098 Рік тому
He does this so casually, but the guy must research topics until he’s basically a professional 😂
@zvotaisvfi8678 Рік тому
U R R-TARDED BRO THIS GUY IS A HACKKK
@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL 11 місяців тому
Electrical extension devices usually sell for under $10, so no one's even going to notice the additional cost of a fuse.The government shouldn't even have to be involved.
@carlr458 10 місяців тому
@@DUCKSAREEVILLLLLLLL and yet there are enough companies willing to let people die over $10 that we do need government intervention
@JACk79457 10 місяців тому
exactly my thoughts! Very cohesive. I’m still an apprentice so this was fun to listen to decoding something i didn’t even realize fully! Love this trade for that reason. i’m always learning. now i’m looking at everything i’m using around my house now 🤣
@Kyle_Schaff 3 місяці тому
4:00 My kitchen’s circuit that’s connected to the microwave and etc. is also connected to the living room and small third bedroom. It gets tripped if you have the gall to watch TV and make popcorn at the same time
@xCCflierx 8 місяців тому
Is it possible for me to just buy a fuse that I could plug in between my outlet in my extension cord?
@posthistoricdino422 2 роки тому
"Now here's where I take a step back" [camera zooms out] That gave me a good chuckle
@RSpudieD 2 роки тому
Same here! I liked it!
@scruffy3121 2 роки тому
I am actually impressed they advertise the gauge that largely.
@falxonPSN 2 роки тому
They're not stupid. They don't want to get sued if something happens and this way they can say it was clearly marked.
@youdontknowme5969 2 роки тому
or the average ignorant consumer would be like "16 is a _bigger_ numberthan 14, it must be *_better!_*" 🤣 (of course if there were even any 14's on the shelf to compare too)
@dh2032 2 роки тому
@@falxonPSN in the UK I've only seen the max amp displayed, the wire gauge could be anything out side of the (safety standard mark of some sort. :-)
@GodwynDi 2 роки тому
@@youdontknowme5969 There was a 12 on the shelf when he was filming the store.
@willlucas5150 2 роки тому
@@dh2032 this is how it should be. That's what matters to the average consumer. They also need to know examples of loads to size accordingly
@VictoriaKimball 11 місяців тому
In this part of the country (east central PA), we lose quite a few homes to electrical fires. The homes are old and the wiring is scary. The home I rent was built before the USA was the USA. Obviously, the wiring is a bit newer, but some rooms have only one outlet, others have only 2-prong outlets. I could go on, but I have extension cords everywhere and I have to watch what I use all the time, especially in winter!
@ny1t 7 місяців тому
Extension cord hell! My boat starts with a 50 amp service. Sadly, the pedestal on the dock is 208 volts, not 240 due to the phase being two legs of a delta. At the pedestal is a Y-cable splitting the L1 and L2 out to independent 50 foot 120 volt 30 amp circuits. So coming off 208 volts doesn't matter because I use no 240 volt devices. One 30 amp cable goes to a breaker in the engine room. Then it goes through a relay in the inverter/charger. If the shore power goes out, the inverter will pick up the AC load from the battery. From there it goes to a panel with a 30 amp main breaker to four separate breakers, port outlets, starboard (gfci) outlets, microwave and aft HVAC. I assume these to be 15 amp. The starboard breaker goes to the aft head (gfci) outlets, the galley outlets, the salon outlets and the foreword head (gfci) outlets. The salon outlet, a duplex, has a two to six adapter. Plugged into this is an led light (.07 amp), a small fan (.35 amp) and an extension cord with five plugs. The extension has an DLED TV (unknown power usage), and an LED light (.09 amp) and three extension cords. Extension cord 1 has computer monitor (.7 amp) and a USB hub (.7 amp) Extension cord 2 has the computer speaker(.1 amp) and the laptop (1.7 amps) Extension cord 3 has two phone chargers (.7 amps each). The total salon usage is 5.11 amps plus the TV. The only reason I need so many cords is because the layouts do not allow for more than two wall-warts. Since the laptops and monitors use 19.5 volts, I am converting them to run from 12 volts to eliminate the need for the inverter on anchor.
@climbnc 2 роки тому
This video should be required viewing for all homeowners. I’m a Master Electrician, but I learned and was reminded of several very important t facts. Thank you!
@Voron_Aggrav 2 роки тому
these kinds of things should be basic education for everyone, just like First Aid...
@Bacteriophagebs 2 роки тому
Thanks to LEDs, apart from kitchen appliances, the only things that can cause overload these days are vacuums, space heaters, and hair dryers. Those are always kept below 1200 watts, usually running 1100 or less, making them safe (alone) in all but the cheapest extension cords. Hair dryers and vacuums almost always have sufficiently-long cords, so it's really just space heaters, which are already a fire hazard themselves, and only if someone plugs in other things to the same cord. Or uses a really old one, I guess. I guess desktop PCs can get pretty power-hungry, but no one would plug a 1000-watt PC into an extension cord. That's a high-end gaming rig, it's going into a surge protector if not an UPS.
@Bacteriophagebs 2 роки тому
@@Voron_Aggrav Also some law like basic rights and when to talk to the police (never).
@Ibrag91 2 роки тому
@@Bacteriophagebs Lots of people plugging their highend 1000Watts PCs to extension cords
@johnathon007 2 роки тому
@@Ibrag91 A PC that actually draws 1000W is very rare. Having a 1000W PSU doesn't mean it ever draws that much, a modern high draw PC can draw around 700W when under extreme load.
@lasersimonjohnson 2 роки тому
The american extension cord is the fuse 😂
@benkeysor7576 2 роки тому
Pretty much! LOL
@chrism3784 2 роки тому
yep, and the cheap cheap ones are "safer". They completely melt before catching fire and the bare wires touch and pop the circuit
@KeoniPhoenix 2 роки тому
You should see what crazy wiring jobs people have made as a DIY project here. There's plenty of videos on electricians coming across somebody's insane wiring job.
@rdillon517 2 роки тому
Chinese extension cord
@AaronOfMpls 2 роки тому
@@KeoniPhoenix Back in the 70s when my parents bought their first house, they found some genius had wired the porch light with _speaker wire_ -- those really _thin_ double-wires with no plugs, meant for connecting speakers to a stereo system.
@beerwrenchgarage Рік тому
Thank you for turning me on to what a power meter is - I had no idea these things were available so readily and cheaply.
@ericbolton9512 9 місяців тому
Absolutely brilliant, sir. I randomly came across this video while watching other videos covering various electrical topics like how to best wrap extension cords, and what not. I am in a home where I rely on extension cords and power strips. My bedroom has an outlet on each wall but they are all near the floor in the middle of the wall, which makes it very inconvenient as well as the room I use for an office working from home doesn't have an outlet. I've had to get creative in order to set up a safe means of getting electricity to that room. Of course I regularly check to make sure cords aren't heating up, which, they aren't. I even had to run a space heater for a short time in my office during the winter due to furnace maintenance. I made sure to check the wiring on that regularly also. Thank you for this video and providing me with a deeper incite into the world of extension cords.
@travishein 2 роки тому
"And Especially, These.. * swings leg onto table. leaves leg on table, casually continues talking*" XD
@landlardmcgee6283 2 роки тому
That's what makes him actually fun to learn from! And the dad jokes, he does them perfectly!
@pedersonjason5256 Рік тому
Now I'm terrified of every plug in my house, thanks.
@colossalbreacker Рік тому
Dont be, learn about amperage and device power draw.
@notmenotme614 Рік тому
I now live like a caveman and suspicious of electrickery
@seastarbutterfly Рік тому
You should be far more terrified of other people driving on roads.
@Andrew_Fernie Рік тому
move to the UK
@sboinkthelegday3892 Рік тому
People will never relearn a proper use of old technology. That's why replacement is a thing that mroe often happens, like with USB-C
@BoberFett 7 місяців тому
I have a home built in the 50s. It has lathe and plaster walls, so I assume the wiring in the walls is quite old as well and not up to modern standards. We wanted to add an electric heater (one of those fake little fireplaces) for a bit of extra winter heat in the living room. Most of them are 1500w, and I'm not even comfortable with that. I tracked down a model that has a hi/lo setting for 750w/1500w and only run on low. The breaker is 15 amp, but I don't trust that the inside wiring can handle a sustained 1500w load for hours.
@BLBurns2000 5 місяців тому
Exceedingly verbose. I love it!!! You completely outline the subject and wordilly explain it so there is no misconstruing what is being said..... That is worth it's words in gold-pressed latinum. 🙂
@thetricondon 2 роки тому
"Imagine a coffee-maker, a microwave, and a toaster are all on the same circuit." Don't have to. You just described my kitchen, along with a wall-mounted can opener. They're even in the same outlet, thanks to a splitter. Yes I have tripped the breaker by running everything at once, why do you ask?
@known1443 2 роки тому
It's interesting that here in Australia we have similar Amp ratings, but due to 240v you can shove three 1500 watt devices on there and still have an amp or two spare headroom
@charlesmanning3454 2 роки тому
I made a comment similar to yours then scrolled down and found a couple of other kitchen circuit overload comments then found yours. Kitchen wiring is janky.
@SimuLord 2 роки тому
Do you work for Too Many Small Kitchen Appliances?
@ethelredhardrede1838 2 роки тому
This is why I run everything, except single items on multiplug extensions with built in circuit breakers and anything delicate with surge protectors.
@kimberlyw2591 2 роки тому
Me glancing under my desk and realizing this is gonna be a video essay on why I'm sitting in the middle of an elaborate fire hazard
@plovet 2 роки тому
What I missed in the video, was the fact insulation detoriates with temperature AND TIME. What that means is that you can 'overload' a wire and think that everything is fine. It may get a little warm, but it seems to work. However, the longer you do that, the worse the insulation is. After three years (time) your margin of safety is gone ... and if you are lucky you will smell the insulation smoldering before the fire starts. EXPERIENCE.
@conservativeriot5939 2 роки тому
Yes, electrical fires have a distinct smell.
@whitekn3 2 роки тому
Years ago I was sitting at a piano bench with a floor lamp about three feet from me. The cord had deteriorated and it started arcing at the lamp end. The arc followed the cord and in less than a second flames where well above the bottom of the curtains by the outlet. (Seemed like two or three feet high to me.) I jerked the curtains away, but the arcing did not stop till it reached the outlet. At which point it self extinguished. The coiled pattern of the cord was clearly visible on the hardwood floors. There was no time to "smell" anything. I think an ARC FAULT breaker might have triggered, but such things did not exist, at least at the residential level then. In my opinion, if I had not removed the curtains, or if the floor had been carpet, a major fire would have occurred in less than 3 seconds. Insulation failure is a biggie to me. But then, that is not what this video was about, and one video can't cover everything.
@Sinjinator 2 роки тому
I know electrical burning smell mostly from motors... what does overheated insulation smell like?
@conservativeriot5939 2 роки тому
@@grn1 for a few dollars you can buy a new outlet at home depot. Plenty of instructional videos online that show how to change it. You'll want to cut off any burnt wire and don't forget to turn off the breaker first. A voltage meter and electrical pliers are good to have. I'm not an electrician, I taught myself and have done lots of small jobs like that. Tell you're landlord to fix it or you'll do it if they take $100 off rent. An electrician would probably charge $100 just to show up.
@GReaper 2 роки тому
Just had a 30 amp 240v circuit catch the insulation in my wall on fire. Turns out, there's a junction box behind the wall used as a splice point. The breaker run is aluminum.... and that was twist tied to copper, then down to the outlet. The wire splice caught fire inside the junction box, then spread to the insulation and up the wall. Was awake and caught the smell before it became real bad. Fire department was less than 5 minutes away. Aaaaaaaaand.... breaker (30A) DID NOT trip.
@Liamv4696 2 місяці тому
As an Australian, seeing that extension cord with three sockets on it is just WILD. That's fkn nuts.
@arxaaron Рік тому
I always learn something new from your deep dives into the everyday tech we all use. Every obscure or mundane curiosity thoroughly explained! 👍👍💚😏
@thereedbreed 2 роки тому
Shoutout to Honeywell who puts fuses in the plugs on their fans.
@nidodson 2 роки тому
Put this under "Things that should be taught in highschool."
@bakudans4851 2 роки тому
Wait what, it is not? As far as I remember I learned that in Physics in grade 5 to 9, somewhere. (Austria is different)
@bakudans4851 2 роки тому
@@JudahMaccabee_ and? What does higher education to do with basic knowledge?
@JudahMaccabee_ 2 роки тому
@@bakudans4851 You can't build towers in the sky. You have to build a strong base first. Clearly, if there is superior higher education, there is a strong base ('basic knowledge') to accommodate it.
@Wade-lk4yo 2 роки тому
I definitely learned this in high school, admittedly it wasn't in a class required to graduate though...
@rustyjohnson9558 2 роки тому
@@bakudans4851 Inverse relationship in my experience.........
@moeburn 7 місяців тому
I used one of those weird keyed 20A plugs for my car charger. I couldn't run 240V, but the charger would happily run at 120v/20A instead of 15A, giving me a little 25% charge speed boost. So I had that weird plug in my driveway.
@polyvg 4 дні тому
In UK hence very familiar with our issues. 240V - although formally now 230V - means that extension cables can be thinner for a given power capacity. Hence lighter, more flexible, and should be less expensive (if the manufacturers' costs actually count). A standard extension cable should be good for just over 3 kilowatts. An issue that I didn't notice in the video was that all UK sockets and extension leads are fully earthed. We don't just protect from over-current but also use earth-leakage circuit breaker (ELCB) or, more recently, various forms of residual current device. Absolutely intrinsic to everything. Some devices comply with regulations without actually connecting to earth and have a dummy earth pin on the plug. This is necessary because all UK sockets also are shuttered and it is necessary to insert an earth pin for the shutter to open. The biggest downside in the UK, in my view, is the sheer size and awkwardness of our plugs. A right pain when packing things up for any reason. And very painful to stand on. In plugs, fuses are there to protect the plug’s lead rather than the appliance itself. Many appliances have fuses as well. Though sometimes these are deemed not suitable for user replacement and might be some fancy specification that is not so easy to find. Nowadays, we effectively only have 3A (up to 700W) and 13A fuses - you used to see other values such as 5A or 10A.
@joeschmo5171 Рік тому
Great job, man! Love your videos! You are my go-to guy when it comes to this kind of stuff. BTW, it looks like Amazon does sell extension cords with fuses at the male end of the plug. So it’s good to see that they do exist. Hopefully the big box stores and manufacturers follow suit.
@VPC Рік тому
Just ordered a few of these myself. I was hoping they made them with 10a fuses but it looks like the only ones available use 5a fuses
@balover2010 Рік тому
I was just about to go hunting to see if it exists, thanks!
@mrmoshpotato 2 роки тому
"And if you decide to microwave some bacon..." Overloading a circuit, and doing something *truly* terrible.
@xenonram 2 роки тому
There's nothing wrong with microwaving bacon. Spending half an hour and making a mess cooking bacon every morning isn't feasible. Com the pack of bacon and microwave it when you want it. Tastes almost exactly the same.
@mrmoshpotato 2 роки тому
@@xenonram Yeah naw.
@xp8969 2 роки тому
@@xenonram 🤢🤮🤢
@justinjacobson7495 2 роки тому
Bacon microwaved between two paper towels is actually fairly decent. About 30 seconds per strip
@TitaniusAnglesmith 2 роки тому
@@xenonram Yeah, nah dawg. I'm the most pathetic chef in the world and even I think you're crazy
@lezlienewlands1337 2 роки тому
Down here in Australia all our domestic leads are always rated for the full draw. There's no "light duty" extension cables here.
@thebaddestogre-3698 2 роки тому
I still cant believe we can still buy this crap here in the US. At least all of the DIYers I know including me are smart about buying really nice extension cables.
@mjhobo5520 2 роки тому
Plenty of idiots import Ext cables from China
@PeterJacksonOfAdelaide 2 роки тому
Not really true. Here in Australia our extension leads and power points are typically 10 Amps / 2400 Watts, but the circuit and breaker are at least 15 or 20 Amps. So, you can overload the socket, and the extension lead without blowing the circuit breaker in the "fuse box". You do have to use double adapters to do it though, because power boards all have 10 Amp circuit breakers, and no single device should draw more than 10 Amps.
@col0342 2 роки тому
@@PeterJacksonOfAdelaide The fact that Australia works on 240V also helps. At the same wire gauge, you can safely suck twice the power without overheating the wire. With safe plugs/pins, you don't get that much risk of electrocution (arching still may remain a problem. Ah, yes, and driving nails into live power cables when installing insulation during a global financial crisis, but we don't get those that often... do we?)
@stale2665 2 роки тому
I dunno what the actual rules are here in northern Europe, but I've checked all my extension cords, and they're all rated for over 3500W, no matter how cheap the brand is, or how many outlets it has. That's roughly 15 ampere at 230V. Having more than a 16A fuse on your circuit is pretty unusual here. Most are 10A or 15/16A. 20A is rarely used except for outlets you expect to put high-powered stuff on. Even then, with our extension cords being rated for 3500W, you'd almost need to actively try to overload them. Even if I attached my TV, three consoles and two desktop computers with their monitors to the same extension cord, I wouldn't get close to 3500W.
@jeremyadlermusic 5 місяців тому
The fact that more effort was put into this video than the govt put into ACTUALLY solving the problem is the kicker for me.
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