One very common question we see has to do with a male to male extension cord and adapters. We want to take the time to share the truth about these products with you because not many people understand the severity of creating these products.
Electrical supply and hardware stores have the supplies you need to put together a cord that has a male plug on both ends.
When creating this type of product from scratch people may not be aware of the safety concerns that go along with it. Maybe they are aware of the dangers and think they will be very careful, and it won’t be a problem. When you create a male to a male extension cord or adapter this product will be very dangerous.
These adapters are extremely common during the holiday season. Some people go looking for a male to male adapter for their Christmas tree lights. They have strung their tree and have two outlets next to each other. Either they don’t want to take it all down and start over or they have no idea they strung their lights backward. Male to male household plug adapters are not supposed to be available on the market because they can create electrical arcing and can cause a fire and burn your tree down, possibly even your home. In this case, you want to take the lights down and make sure you string them in the correct direction.
Double ended male plugs can shock you or someone else in your home or can cause a fire when in contact with any metal. There have been situations where people have been severely injured. Some of these injuries were caused to those people who had no idea the plugs were live. Previous homeowners or someone using the male to male extension cords and products without thinking or even knowing to give that information to the next person in contact with those products.
The very real fact is this is so far from harmless. It is not worth the trouble, injury, and damage this type of product can cause.
You will not find a double ended male plug with any UL safety listing or certifications and they are not recommended for use. If you watch the AC WORKS™ Wisdom video, you will learn more about this topic and find a solution for power outages to replace using this type of cord.
If you have any questions about this topic, please contact your certified electrician or email us and we can find you a proper adapter or extension cord to help you get power where you need it.
Like and subscribe to our video on YouTube and leave a comment about any topics you want to see us cover in the future. We are here to help you find solutions.
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15 comments
My son was just showing me reviews on Amazon about a M2M extension. I believe my brain short circuited after hearing this.
DON’T EVER DO THIS!
The main problem with the use of male to male cords is that the male end of the cord would be exposed. Simple fix is to put a dummy female plug on it, thus eliminating the shock/fire Hazzard. After all, you shouldn’t leave the female end of the cord exposed either!
This article is spot on and most likely saved me and my family from dire consequences. I hung the outdoor lights backwards and was looking for a male to male extension to fix the mistake. This article was the first thing that came up in my search. I went back outside and re-strung the lights properly! THANK YOU!
Hi Hillary. No, there is no such thing as a male to male cord that is safe to use for any type of electronic. These suicide cords should never be used as they are very dangerous.
Hey there!
I used some left over outdoor Christmas lights to outline my address on the outside of the house; I didn’t notice that the extra lights only had a female part left. Unfortunately, I noticed that to plug the Christmas lights around the address on the outside of the house is to get a male to make extension cord (anywhere from 3’ – 6’). I came across y’alls article and thought OMGGG… Is there a male to make extension cord out there that is 3’ – 6’ in length that is safe for outside Christmas lights?
Thanks!!!