When installing power to a new house, you need to adhere to the set electrical load standard. With this, you cannot go beyond the outlined standard load. Often, you may come across outlets deployed with less than what you initially expected. Insufficient quantity of outlet actually provides some problems in the future when the need to connect to other appliances arise.

Here is where extension leads come in handy. It can help you in your office or at home. An extension lead offers you a convenient and useful reach that perfectly solves your requirements. Perhaps, the outlet is too far from you, and you need to connect the appliances from the comfort of your sofa. The extension cords can undoubtedly solve this simple problem.

An extension lead helps office and household appliances work perfectly at the far reach. However, choosing the best in the market that suits your needs is not a walk in the park. There are many extension leads in the market, and most of the time, it’s challenging to know which one is genuine and which one is not. Purchasing extension cords needs to be taken seriously to avoid bringing risk to your family members.

Tips for Picking an Extension Lead

Irrespective of how big or small an equipment is, each comes with its purpose. Every designed product follows a particular scheme. Extension leads too incorporate their own codes when it comes to the environment they work best.

With this code, you’ll know where to use the extension cord and the variety of appliances to use it on.

To make sure that the extension cords work to their full potential, you should utilize them depending on the needs. There are particular features fitted in extension cords depending on their outer protector and how small or thick the wiring is.

It is essential to be cautious about the features of the gadgets you intend to purchase. This can help you avoid problems like short circuits, flickering lights, sparks, and fire accidents in the future when using extension cords. In case you are unsure of the reasons why your lights might be flickering, or you are seeing sparks coming out of the extension cord, you may have to contact an electrician for electrical troubleshooting. You can be a little more careful with electrical gadgets like an extension box to avoid causing bigger trouble.

Indoor or Outdoor?

You don’t just look at the extension cords to determine whether you’ll use them for indoor or outdoor activities! It is essential to check whether the outer covering is thick enough or not. If it’s thick enough, you can use it for outdoor activities. Else, use it indoors. Besides the insulation, you would also have to factor in the socket you will be connecting it to. Ensure that you have a northern beaches electrician (or one closer to you) look at it before you start using it. Since the socket is exposed to the weather outdoors, there could be accidents due to water retention in the switchboard.

Grounded or Ungrounded?

The ungrounded plug is ideal for light-duty extension cords that have two prongs only. Users commonly use it on light appliances like electric fans, phone chargers, among other light appliances. The grounded plugs, on the other hand, contain three prongs. The extra prong offers an escape route for excess electrical current to avoid equipment damage or even shock to the user. If you begin to notice any visible sparks, live wires, or wiring that is aged, it could be the first signs of a deeper electrical problem, and one that will need to be fixed as soon as possible. So, you may want to think about contacting somewhere like Aardvark Electric, Inc. / emergency electrician to resolve the situation before it has a chance to get any worse.

Extension Lead’s Gauge

Gauge is a significant aspect that determines the thickness or thinness of the wires inside the extension cord. The gauge ranges from 10 to 18, where 10 is the thickest, and users use it on large appliances. The thin gauges, on the other hand, are suitable for small devices like phone chargers, computers, handheld radios, and other light appliances. Never make the mistake of interchanging the two, as this can lead to short circuit or overload to your gadgets. In the worst-case scenario, it can cause a fire.