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UL Warns of Hazardous Counterfeit Extension Cords
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May 10, 2005 - Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) is notifying inspection authorities, retailers, and consumers that certain 9, 12 and 15-foot extension cords bear counterfeit UL Listing Marks on the cord and/or packaging, do not meet UL safety requirements and pose a risk of fire and electric shock.

Name of Product: 9, 12 or 15-foot extension cord.

Units: Unknown quantity.

Manufacturer: The manufacturer of these products has not been identified.

Hazard: These products employ undersized electrical wires, posing a risk of fire and electric shock. In addition, the cord, plug and receptacle have not been evaluated by UL.

Identification: The cord is white or off-white in color with a plug on one end and a three-plug receptacle on the opposite end. The cord may have a counterfeit UL holographic label attached near the plug that has the description "E-174825," "CORD SET," "BV-5508" and "13A 125 V" and "1625 W" or "1825 W."

The orange, black, yellow and blue packaging is marked "HOME ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS," with the words "Made in China" and a counterfeit UL Listing Mark. The packaging may also have the trademark "POWER" on the label.

What you should do: UL recommends that users stop using the extension cords immediately and return them to the place of purchase.

[This message has been edited by Webmaster (edited 05-16-2005).]

Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
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Crikey!.
Here we go again. [Linked Image]

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Holograph or not, there is only so much that can be done when things like this are made with the tolerance, or even actice assistance of dysfunctional, corrupt, or hostile governmemts.

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
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I've seen extension cords that are labelled #16 gauge when in fact the wires are obviously #18 (with the thin insulation).

Another day I saw a stubby extension cord (about a foot long) in a paper sleeve that proudly proclaimed "#12 gauge!"

When I took a look at the cord itself, it was embossed with #16. Very thick insulation, though. It would have passed on sight for #12.

Or was it, in fact, a #12 cord that had been mis-stamped?

This is why I make my own extension cords! [Linked Image]


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