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How to make a surge protector (extension cord) with your own hands. How to make a reliable extension cord (carrying) How to assemble an extension cord without grounding

Engineering systems,
Electrics

How to make a surge protector (extension cord) with your own hands

The store doesn't have an electrical extension cord of the required length? We will tell you how to make a surge protector (extension cord) with your own hands. This article will also be useful for those who already have a power extension cord, but the plug or socket has become unusable and requires replacement.

Materials and tools for making a network extension cord

fork
socket block with any number of sockets, all connected the same way
three-core wire. If you will not connect grounding or your sockets do not have grounding, then take a two-core wire

screwdrivers, Phillips and flat head

Making a network extender

1. Strip the wire on both sides.
2. Disassemble the plug. We screw the wires of one side of the wire to the plug onto the two side contacts in any order.

We screw the third ground wire to the middle contact. Remember the color of the wire that you screw to the ground (usually yellow, green, black). The same core at the other end of the wire must be screwed to the grounding contact on the socket block. If you have an electrical extension cord without grounding, then leave the corresponding contact empty.

3. We disassemble the socket block. We take the other end of the wire and screw the two main wires (phase and neutral) to the contacts in any order, and the ground wire as in point 2.

When assembling the socket block, make sure that the plates to which the conductors are connected do not touch.

In everyday life, situations often arise when, during construction work, it is necessary to move the connection point to the facade of the building or to the fence. In this case, a stationary installation of an outlet is both impractical and dangerous, so power is supplied using an electrical extension cord. In the same way, you can solve design flaws in household appliances (short cord or mismatch of cross-section with the load) or organize network connection points in any place convenient for you. To do this, you will need to make an electrical extension cord yourself.

What will you need to make an extension cord?

An electric carrier can be assembled from any available materials (old household devices, cable remnants, etc.). If you don't have them, purchase all the items from scratch. For manufacturing, take the following materials and elements:

removable plug;
cable of the required length;
a covered electrical outlet or outlet bank (depending on how many connection points you need).

To disassemble the elements and then assemble them into an electrical extension cord, use a screwdriver of the appropriate size and shape. To cut the wires, you will need wire cutters or pliers, and a stationery knife to remove insulation.

To prevent overheating and accidents, all electrical carrying parts must be selected for specific needs.

How to choose materials?

For example, if you install the unit on two sockets, one of which is intended for a vacuum cleaner consuming 5 A, and the second for an electric drill consuming 3 A. Thus, the total current will be 8 A. Accordingly, in this case, a plug and socket with a nominal value of at 10 A, leaving a reserve of 2 A if you need to connect a more powerful device.

To determine the cross-section of the wire, the same amount of load is used, to which 20 - 30% is added for a safety margin. The specific value of the core area is selected from the table in such a way that the resulting value of the connected load does not exceed the permissible value for a given wire.

Table: dependence of the permissible load on the cross-section of the core

For example, for a load of 8 A you add 20% of the reserve I = 8 + 1.6 = 9.6 A. Since copper wire is much more convenient and preferable for an electrical extension cord, let's consider it as an example. For the example under consideration, any brand of cable with a cross section of 1.5 mm 2 will be enough for you.

It should be noted that if you are going to use a homemade extension cord in a three-wire system (phase, neutral and ground), then you will need a cable with three cores, and the sockets and switch must have three terminals. If your house uses only two wires - phase and neutral, it makes no sense to make an extension cord with three terminals.

Making an extension cord: step-by-step instructions

As a rule, the manufacturing process does not take much time, so if you have all the necessary elements and tools, you can make an electrical extension cord in 15 to 20 minutes. To do this, follow these steps:

Be careful not to cut the core wire, otherwise this will reduce the cross-section and may lead to further overheating at the attachment point.

Please note that the assembled fork should not have any gaps - both parts fit snugly against each other. If you find a gap, disassemble it again and eliminate the cause of the unevenness. Where it exits the plug, the extension cord should fit snugly against the edges; if its diameter is not enough, add a little electrical tape.

Rice. 5: Assemble the fork

As a standard, they are equipped with one bolt in the center of the socket, but if the cover does not budge, you should inspect the structure for the presence of additional fastening points.

Rice. 7: standard socket mounting point

If you are making a device for a three-wire network, be sure to follow the wire markings. Especially for the ground wire, otherwise you may apply voltage to the body of the device.

Reassemble the socket in reverse order, the electrical extension cord is ready.

Rice. 9: assemble the socket - the extension cord is ready

Please note that when connecting certain parts, contact must be ensured using special clamps, sleeves or by soldering. It is under no circumstances allowed to ensure contact only by screwing the wire to the lamellas or other parts. After making an electrical extension cord, do not rush to plug it into the outlet; first check its serviceability using.

Checking the serviceability of the electrical extension cord.

To check the functionality of the carrier, you will need a regular multimeter or megohmmeter. The whole process can be divided into checking the integrity of the line and checking the insulation. Initially set the multimeter to mode:

Connect one lead of the multimeter to the socket of the outlet, and touch the second lead to the plug of the electrical extension cord. If the device does not report a circuit, touch the second prong of the plug.
Hold the multimeter probe on the same contact of the plug where the device showed the circuit, and check other sockets in the block. Their contacts of the same name should also provide a circuit for the continuity of the electrical extension cord.
Check the second pair of contacts of the electrical sockets and the output of the extension plug; they should also show the presence of a continuity circuit.
If you are using a three-wire extension cord, make the same connection between the grounding pins on the plug and each outlet.

Rice. 10: principle of continuity of the extension cord

The presence of a circuit between all of the listed terminals indicates that the extension cord can normally transmit electricity in a closed circuit. But, in addition to the circuit, it is necessary to ensure the condition of the insulation. What is a megohmmeter used for? But if you don’t have one, you can use the same multimeter in insulation measurement mode. For industrial purposes, measuring insulation with a multimeter is not permissible, but for domestic needs this will be quite sufficient.

During the measurement process, you need to set a limit on the maximum resistance value in kOhms or MOhms. Apply the probes to the phase and zero terminals on the plug; if the resistance is more than 500 MOhm or infinity, its level is sufficient for normal operation of the electrical extension cord.

Rice. 11: measurement of resistance between phase and zero

If the resistance approaches zero or is tens of ohms, you have broken the insulation somewhere and you need to double-check all electrical contacts in the extension cord. If there is a grounding contact, the resistance value must also be checked between phase - ground and between zero - ground.

Rice. 12: ground resistance measurement

If during testing you have determined the integrity of the phase, zero and ground circuits in the manufactured electrical extension cord, as well as a sufficient level of resistance between all terminals, then such a carrier can be safely used to connect equipment.

Video instruction

There are situations when the extension cord is short, and the connection point is further away than the length of the extension cord. Of course, you can take another one to connect them and connect electronic equipment. And if there is no other extension cord or outlet nearby, but there is lighting (electric socket of an incandescent lamp), then you can be smart. Do-it-yourself extension cord ideas arise.

How to connect an extension cord to the network using a lamp

So, we will need pliers, insulating tape, a lamp, wire cutters and the extension cord itself. Take the lamp, carefully break the glass, and use pliers to remove the glass burrs from the threaded part of the lamp. We leave the central glass rod, then we bite off the central antennae with pliers, leaving the side electrodes.

We take an extension cord plug, one electrode and tightly wrap several turns onto the pin of the plug and insulate it with insulating tape. Moreover, the glass rod should be between the pins of the plug in the middle.

We do the same with the second electrode and part of the plug, then we wrap the entire connection with tape for elasticity and insulation. We screw our assembly into the socket, turn on the switch and the extension cord under voltage.

DIY extension cord

Often, when choosing an extension cord, the question arises: which one is better, and whether it can withstand a heavy load, well, it seems to be of good quality, but the cord is short. In order for the extension cord to be to your liking, in terms of quality, number of places in the socket block and length, it is preferable to make it yourself. It is not difficult.

Before you start making an extension cord yourself, you need to purchase a cable, an electrical plug and a block of sockets. As for the choice of cable: it is necessary to take into account the length and load for it.

Basically, those who make extension cords with their own hands use a cable for heavy loads from 3 to 5 kilowatts. The most optimal soft multi-wire copper two-core cable is P V C with a cross-section of 2-2.3 mm.

Let's turn to the instructions on how to make an extension cord yourself.

It is necessary to remove the top layer of cable insulation 5-7 centimeters, then strip the wires by 1-1.5 centimeters.
Then we disassemble the plug by unscrewing the screw and loosen the fixing clamp in the plug with the screw.
We connect the wires to the contacts of the plug and clamp them with screws, secure the cable with a clamp and assemble the plug.
Let's disassemble the socket block and connect the wires to the contact plates, just like on the plug. Then we assemble the block.

It’s not at all difficult to make an extension cord yourself; it will cost you several times cheaper than buying it in a store.

Extension cord on reel

Let's look at another way to make an extension cord on a reel yourself.

We will need a cable, the length is at your discretion, a socket block, a plug, two washers, an 8 mm bolt 16 cm long and a nut, an electric jigsaw, a screwdriver with an 8 mm drill and a spool.

First, let's make a coil. Using a jigsaw, cut two perfectly even pancakes, the diameter of which is 25 - 30 centimeters. Suitable material: plywood, chipboard. Next, drill a hole in the pancakes exactly in the middle, cut off a polyethylene pipe 13 cm long with a diameter of 5 cm.

Then, we put a washer on the bolt, the bolt itself with a washer, push it into the hole in the pancake, then we put on the pipe, then the second pancake, the washer, the nut and tighten them together.

The polyethylene pipe serves as a sleeve between the pancakes. As you tighten, the sleeve must be centered. Drill another hole on the pancake from the edge 3 cm to the center. On one side of the cable we connect the socket block. We push the other end of the cable inward from the outside until the socket block rests against the coil, and secure the socket with self-tapping screws. We connect the plug to the cord. And we wind the cord around the sleeve. The extension cord with the coil is ready.

Extension joint when broken or extended

When using an extension cord for a long time, sometimes the cable shorts due to kinks, blows once applied to the cord, etc. Maybe you wanted to increase the length of the extension cord. Let's look at how to connect an extension cord with your own hands.

To begin, unplug the power cord. If the cable is shorted, it will be immediately visible, cut off 10 cm on both sides from the epicenter of the short circuit, and wipe off the soot. We remove the top insulating sheath of the cable 5 cm, clean the wires 1.5 cm on both sides.

We twist the two bare wires together as tightly as possible, preferably without gaps for good contact, this will prevent the connection from heating up under load. We insulate the twist with insulating tape, and do the same with other wires; be sure to wrap both twists with insulating tape, for the elasticity of the twist and strength.

Some people prefer soldering wires; this method is better than twisting. Soldering of wires and insulation is carried out in the same way. When extending the cable, the same work is done

What can you use to make an extension cord at home?

If you don’t have a purchased cable, then what can you use to make an extension cord at home? Some far-sighted people, when any electrical appliance breaks down and is only scrapped, for example: a vacuum cleaner, drill, refrigerator, electric oven, etc., cut off the cords and leave them as they come in handy.

And indeed, from several scraps of cords of different lengths you can assemble a good extension cord. The old wiring will also work after replacement.

When connecting, step-by-step assembly of extension cords and instructions for assembling extension cords will help. Of course, this option is a way out for urgent needs, but not for constant use, in order to avoid fire safety.

DIY photo of extension cords

Extension cords sold in stores are not always convenient for work. Insufficient cable length, a small number of sockets, and simply the cost of some models may suggest the idea of making one yourself. Why not, if there are appropriate materials?

What is needed for this?

Of course, the first thing you need is a cable. If you do not have a wire of the required length, you will need to purchase one. For these purposes, a flexible copper wire of the “PVS” brand with a two-core cross-section is suitable. You will also need a plug plug and a socket block.

It is not difficult to make an electrical extension cord with your own hands, therefore, when purchasing a wire, there is no need to do so. Just look at the markings. For an extension cable, a PVS 2×1.5 cable is sufficient. The first number determines the number of cores, and the second their cross-section. These indicators are quite enough to work with loads up to 3.5 kW. Accordingly, if the extension cord is used to connect stronger devices, then the numbers should be larger.

Do not purchase Euro type plug sockets. They don’t fit without an adapter, but the socket boxes are of the old type, and it’s not always convenient to always carry adapters with you, for example, from home to garage. Pay attention to their markings. The numbers and letters “16A” indicate their use with a cable with a cross-section of 1.5. It would be better if they have grounding contacts.

To avoid shortages, purchase two socket blocks. It often happens that when working in a garage or renovating an apartment, you need them to connect all the devices. Constantly running around and switching tools is not always convenient.

From theory to practice

The tools you will need are side cutters, a screwdriver (flat or Phillips), a knife and pliers. If everything is there, we begin work. An extension cord, unlike wiring installed in an apartment, is convenient with a simple minimum, both in the tool kit and in design.

First, measure the required length of wire. Then it is necessary to expose the ends of the wires on both sides to connect to the contacts of the sockets. Use a knife to carefully cut the wire insulation. The length of the exposed area must be at least 1 cm. There is no need to cut the insulation too much so as not to damage the wire core. Carefully remove the cut section with side cutters.

We disassemble the plug and unscrew the small bolts securing the wires. The stripped ends, having previously bent into a ring, are inserted under the washer. There is no need to observe polarity. It is advisable to insert the bare wire from left to right, so that when fastening the screw clockwise, the wire does not fly out from under the washer. Having connected the contacts, we assemble the socket. Don't forget a single detail. There should be a washer under the bolts, at the outlet of the plug, the wire is secured with a clamp.

Now we disassemble the socket block and, by analogy, connect the wires in it. There are also no recommendations for observing polarity here. The main thing is accuracy. You can additionally solder the contact to make the connection reliable. If you use an extension cord when working with high-voltage devices, you need to ground the outlets. For this, a three-core wire is purchased. One wire comes out of the socket block to connect to ground during operation.

Making an extension cord yourself is considered the simplest job in the electrical field. Assembly will take literally half an hour. And to prevent emergency situations, you can give several recommendations for operation.

If you use Euro sockets, always keep an adapter with you. Many people modify plugs to fit into the plug. This is strictly prohibited.
When using an extension cord outside the home, purchase sockets that are moisture-proof. Try your best to avoid getting water inside.
When using a wire designed to work with low-voltage devices, do not power the extension cord with higher consumption sources.
When working under high loads, when several devices are connected to the extension cord, the wire must be completely unwound to prevent it from overheating and breaking.
Protect faults that appear during operation with electrical tape, and carry out all work to restore the damaged wire only when disconnected from the network.

Use the extension cord correctly. Despite the simple assembly and the absence of complex devices in the circuit, an electric shock does not cause positive emotions, and in some cases, can lead to death.

Almost all household consumers of electricity - a TV, computer, washing machine, refrigerator and other kitchen electrical appliances, as well as various power tools - are connected to the network using permanently installed sockets designed for the appropriate loads, protected by circuit breakers and RCDs.

But these fixed connection points become useless if the power cord of electrical appliances and tools is too short and does not reach from the required location to the nearest outlet.

In this case, the network helps out extension in the form of a flexible cable, wound into a coil or onto a reel, which is connected using a plug to the network, and has one or more outlets at the output for connecting the necessary electrical appliances in the required location. In another way, this product is also called a carrier.

Typical extension cord

Correct understanding of the functions of the extension cord

This derivative word from the verb “extend”, which is used to name such a product often used in everyday life, can be interpreted in two ways - the network to the consumer is extended, or the power cord of the electrical appliance becomes longer.

A correct understanding of the functions of an extension cord lays the foundations for fire safety when connecting various consumers to portable sockets.

In news reports about various incidents, I very often heard that such and such an office burned down due to extension cord fire, overloaded with computers, printers and other office equipment.

Melted and ignited carrying cable

And at the same time, the circuit breaker did not work, the RCD did not help, since the extension cord, which worked as part of the stationary wiring, was not in fact a continuation of it - its cable turned out to be of a smaller cross-section than the electrical wiring wires for which the protection was designed.

In this case, the circuit breaker maintained its rated operating current while the thin carrying cables heated up, melted, and caught fire.

Therefore, when making an extension cord with your own hands, which will be installed permanently, you need to choose a cable for it of the same cross-section as the wires of the power outlet of the electrical wiring - after all, the circuit breaker must protect the network in its most vulnerable area - where the cross-section of the conductors is smallest.

Stationary use of the extension cord is not recommended by the PUE, but due to the impossibility of immediate redevelopment and repair of the wiring, carrying it is the only way to connect the computer and related equipment in the right place.

Choosing a cable for homemade carrying

Even if the carrier is used temporarily, and the process of its operation is controlled, and low-power electrical appliances are connected, it is better to consider such an extension cord as a continuation of the electrical wiring, and not the power cord of the electrical appliance.

Indeed, unknowingly, an iron, portable electric stove or washing machine can be connected to this carrier, which is not designed for powerful loads. In this case, an extension cord lying on a flammable carpet can cause a quickly spreading fire.

Cause of the fire - photo from news chronicles

The minimum cross-section for home electrical wiring is 1.5mm², but in the vast majority of cases 2.5mm² wires are used. It is necessary to select a cable of the same cross-section when making an extension cord with your own hands - in this case, you can be sure that the circuit breaker will protect it too from overload. The cable must be flexible, so that it can withstand frequent bending and winding on the reel. The brand depends on the environment of use - for indoor use - ShVPP, PVS, PRS (European analogue of RN) and for outdoor use KG, (XYMM) KGN, KG-HL.

Using different types of cables for a homemade extension cord

Imported XYMM cable

Typical XYMM Cable Sizes

A cable with poor quality insulation, if part of it gets into a damp place or a puddle of water, will leak, to which the RCD in the home electrical panel will react.

The importance of grounding when using an extension cord

To make an extension cord with grounding, you must use a three-wire cable, plug and sockets with grounding contacts.

Differences between outlets with and without grounding

As a rule, the ground wire is yellow-green in color, and you must adhere to this marking when connecting it.

Connecting the ground pin

The grounding wire in an extension cord is extremely important for electrical safety, for example, when connecting a washing machine, which is especially prone to shock. When working with power tools somewhere at height, the presence of a PE protective conductor can be critical for the health and life of the worker.

Let’s say there is no grounding, and in a power tool the phase breaks through to the body - if a working RCD reacts to a leak through the human body, but the resulting even slight shock (more likely fear) can cause involuntary movement, resulting in loss of balance and a fall from a height.

In the case of using an extension cord that has a grounding wire, an RCD or circuit breaker will turn off the power immediately at the moment the tool breaks down, protecting the technician.

Therefore, when creating a reliable extension cord designed for a long service life with your own hands, it is necessary to make it three-wire, with a grounding conductor, even if the home electrical wiring is still two-wire - one way or another, in the future the transition to new grounding standards must be carried out.

Specifics of operation

When making an extension cord, it is also important to take into account the specifics of the work, according to which you need to select not only a cable, but also sockets that have the appropriate degree of electrical protection IP. For example, when using an extension cord outside, where there is a risk of moisture, or in the bathroom to connect a washing machine, the outlet must have a protection index of at least IP4 and have a hinged lid.

Waterproof socket

Brief overview of the characteristics and components of the carrying video:

Since the condition for using sockets in the bathroom is mandatory use of RCD, then you need to connect the extension cord plug to a network that has appropriate protection. Stores sell ready-made socket blocks specially designed for making extension cords.

Sockets designed for extension cords

It is not recommended to use permanently installed outdoor sockets, since they are not designed for shock overloads.

Socket block and external fixed socket

But, in the case of making an extension cord used permanently to connect a computer and its accompanying equipment, a set of external type sockets installed on a plate made of non-flammable plastic can be used as a block of sockets. In this case, it would not be superfluous to equip this portable socket block with a circuit breaker and an RCD.

It should be noted that you cannot use a carrier with a coiled cable, which in this case has the properties of an inductor with reactance, which can cause heating and damage to the cable.

Connection process

The answer to the question of how to make an extension cord is to follow simple connection rules and carefully carry out electrical installation.
After purchasing the required cable of the required length, its ends must be cleaned of external insulation, exposing the internal wires, which also need to be stripped to a length of no more than a centimeter.

Stripping the cable

The plug is connected on one side, and the socket block on the other.

Connecting the plug terminals

Additional wire insulation

Typical outlet blocks have mounting screws or screws that must be removed. Inside the block there will be connection terminals for the cable.

Connecting the socket block terminals

Main - Don't make a mistake with the ground wire. With regard to phase and zero, the connection terminals do not matter, but if all the sockets in the house are connected according to the unofficial rule of electricians - the phase is on the left, then it would be correct to make the carrier according to the same principle.

Connecting PE, phase and zero

After installing the cable, you need to check the resulting extension cord using a multimeter, and then assemble the socket block by tightening the screws.