Worth mentioning that they are absolutely not safe as the exposed prongs are energised. They are called suicide cords for a reason. All it takes is to plug the cord into a running generator or working outlet first and the exposed terminals are now live.
Its also worth noting that they very often kill linesmen working to desire the utility because people use them to hook up their generators without turning off their main breaker which back feeds onto the grid.
Proper generator inlets are very readily available and if you don’t want to go that route, just plug your fridge and other important devices into your generator with extension cords.
There are zero ways to use this cord correctly. Do not tell people otherwise. The proper generator connection is to, as you just said, use a proper generator inlet and interlock like you said you use. Anyone using a cord like this is using it incorrectly as there is no correct way to use it. Both the CEC and the NEC expressly forbid these. All it takes is for a child to unplug the wrong end and touch the exposed prongs and they will get shocked.
A proper generator inlet should have the male ends in a recessed inlet box connected to either a transfer switch or an interlocked generator panel.
The lovely suicide cord.
Worth mentioning that it is plenty safe…if used appropriately (for attaching a generator to a house that doesn’t have an inlet).
It’s when it’s not used appropriately that’s a problem. And it’s very easy to not use it appropriately.
Murphy’s law says it will be used wrong, and as such it is a bad design and a bad idea.
There are alternatives that are better, this has only the advantage of being cheap.
It has the advantage of being easily made in an emergency situation.
Idk, I think it’s a worthwhile thought exercise to know the wrong ways to do something, in case the situation ever arises where you need to.
To a certain extent, yes.
Like it’s a good idea to drink from a ditch if that’s the only water. Better than dying of thirst anyway.
Worth mentioning that they are absolutely not safe as the exposed prongs are energised. They are called suicide cords for a reason. All it takes is to plug the cord into a running generator or working outlet first and the exposed terminals are now live.
Its also worth noting that they very often kill linesmen working to desire the utility because people use them to hook up their generators without turning off their main breaker which back feeds onto the grid.
Proper generator inlets are very readily available and if you don’t want to go that route, just plug your fridge and other important devices into your generator with extension cords.
And that would all count as “not using it correctly”.
As I said, they are many ways to very easily use it incorrectly. Being overconfident about it is one, which is why I have an inlet and an interlock.
There are zero ways to use this cord correctly. Do not tell people otherwise. The proper generator connection is to, as you just said, use a proper generator inlet and interlock like you said you use. Anyone using a cord like this is using it incorrectly as there is no correct way to use it. Both the CEC and the NEC expressly forbid these. All it takes is for a child to unplug the wrong end and touch the exposed prongs and they will get shocked.
A proper generator inlet should have the male ends in a recessed inlet box connected to either a transfer switch or an interlocked generator panel.