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I was called to fix / clean up / wtc. the wiring left behind when an industrial space changed tenants.

Atop the restroom - where the panel was located - I found this fine collection of electrical hardware. It contained the circuits for the phone, shop receptacles, bath fan, and furnaces. The plug serves the igniter for the water heater:





Now, in taking it apart, I discovered something I had missed at first clance. Look at this close-up:




That's right: coming out of the box, and before the pulling ell, is a mysterious hex shape. It turned out that they had used a 'jake' (connector for flex) as a means to directly connect the ell to the box!

Ooooh! I recognize that plug. It's a US$2.00 made-in-China special from Walmart.

$2.00? There cheaper than that where i'm from.

Weird. That's what they cost at all the Walmart stores I've been to. I haven't been shopping for a few months, so maybe they rolled back the price?

Where you been getting them? :?

Hey, they might be $*%# garbage, but when you need a 3-pin plug and the hardware store where you get the good metal ones for cheap is closed....

There was a Wal-mart near me that had a bunch of them on the clearance shelf for $0.96/each. I bought all they had for when I need a new plug on something that I don't use very often.

The one in the picture is made by GE, BTW. As long as you treat them well and don't overload or abuse them, they will work well for many years. I have actually had pretty good luck with them. They come in 2 and 3 prong versions and in black, brown, and orange.

Reno.. I really don't miss coming across that kinda mess... The creativity of DIY'ers never ceases to amaze me!

Hey! I recognize that cord cap! When I was a kid there was one on our weed wacker. I think it came from a local grocery store.

Wal-Mart has all kinds of cheezy "made in China" junk on GE peghangers nowadays, although their "Heavy Duty" outlets and their combo switch/outlets are from P&S. Remember the good old days when you could buy a Woods, Carol or Electricord extension cord and thats what you'd get? They all seem to have the same "Shanghai Surprise" in their packaging now