IN everyday life quite often situations arise when the existing sockets in an apartment or private house do not allow the use of any electrical appliances or household appliances. The main reason is their inconvenient location, so owners prefer to use an extension cord. In some cases, increased power outlets or a longer cord are required. In this case, home craftsmen make an extension cord with their own hands. A self-made extension cord will be much cheaper than a branded one and much more reliable. If you have the skills to work with the tool, the entire procedure takes from 15 minutes to half an hour.
Preparing to assemble the extension cord
Before making an extension cord, you first need to decide on its purpose. This will allow you to determine the possibility of connecting certain devices, as well as the maximum permissible power. These factors have a direct impact on the choice of cable cross-section and other components. It is recommended to select all parameters with a small margin, so that in the future there is the possibility of connecting more powerful electrical equipment.
First of all, you need to buy a wire that will be used as a cord. The best option is copper, which is characterized by increased flexibility. If there is a grounding contact in the socket, the wire must be three-core, but if it is absent, a cable with two cores can be used. When purchasing, you should carefully study the product labeling.
If the brand “PVA 3 x 1.5” is indicated, this means that the wire is three-core and the core cross-section is 1.5 mm. These parameters allow you to connect a load with a power of up to 3.5 kW. For a power of 5 kW, a cross-section of 2.5 mm will be required. The data for calculations can be taken from a special one, which will significantly speed up the solution to the question of how to make an extension cord with your own hands.
When choosing a cross-section, it is necessary to take into account the conductor length factor. For example, if the cable length is more than 100 meters, then during operation there may be a voltage drop due to the connection of high power devices. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a cable with a larger cross-section than that provided in the calculation table.
Then you need to choose the right one, which should be collapsible. It is not recommended to purchase Euro-type products if you plan in advance to use sockets of an old design. Otherwise, you will additionally need an adapter. On the body of each plug there is a marking indicating the maximum current. For example, at 16A you will need a cable with a cross-section of 1.5 mm, and for 25A the cross-section will be 2.5 mm. If there is a ground connection, the plug must have a grounding pin in its design.
It is not recommended to choose a single outlet. The socket block should be at least double, and preferably with three or four elements. When choosing, you need to be very careful so as not to accidentally buy an overhead structure designed for use with open wiring. It does not have a special clamp that protects against accidental pulling out, and over time the back cover of such sockets falls out. For extension cords, there are separate options in the form of socket strips or cable sockets. If you need to connect a computer or other office equipment, then in this case a surge protector is made, which has a push-button switch and light indication.
After all the materials are prepared, you can begin assembling the extension cord. This procedure is carried out using a knife, screwdriver and pliers.
How to assemble an electrical extension cord with your own hands
At the first stage, the top insulating layer is removed from both sides of the cable by approximately 5-7 cm, after which the ends of each core are stripped to 1 cm. Next, the plug is disassembled by unscrewing the fastening bolt. After this, you need to loosen the screws on the clamp that secures the cable inside the plug body. Then the stripped wires are connected to the two plug contacts.
The location of the conductors does not matter; the most important thing is to correctly connect the grounding contacts on sockets and plugs. After connecting the conductors, the plug is reassembled.
At the final stage, the socket block is disassembled and two conductor cores are connected to the contacts. The third wire is connected to the ground pin, exactly the same as on the plug. Thus, both ground contacts are connected by a single wire.
If the core consists of many wires, then it is recommended to solder it or. As a last resort, you can simply twist the wires using pliers. After all connections, the cable is fixed inside the housing and the final assembly of the unit is performed. The finished extension cord is checked by plugging it into a household outlet. electrical network or using a multimeter.
How to properly use a homemade extension cord
When using a homemade extension cord, several mandatory requirements must be met.
- There should not be any damage on the cable, and if it does appear, it must be insulated. Isolation is performed when the extension cord is unplugged from the outlet.
- If a plug or socket fails, it must be replaced. They should be protected from moisture and avoid excessive overloads.
- When operating at maximum loads, the cable must be completely unwound to avoid overheating.
Carrying is necessary in any household. There will always be a place where stationary lamps illuminate poorly. However, the cost of portable lamps is quite high, and they often break. Today we will learn how to make a carrier from an LED lamp without spending a lot of time and money on it, as well as how to choose the appropriate option LED lamps.
An easy way to assemble a carrier
Excellent carrying is obtained from the lampshade from spotlight. A little time and patience, and the result is a device whose technical characteristics are not inferior to expensive store-bought analogues. For production you will need:
- LED lamp consumption 7 - 8 watts.
- A container made of thick plastic with a screw-on lid, a jar well suited for storing bulk products.
- Cord.
Carrying from a spotlight
The diameter of the jar should be slightly larger than the diameter of the lampshade used.
It is necessary to cut a hole in the lid to the size of the lampshade; any wire from an electric kettle or an extension cord will be suitable as a cord. After installing the wires, a hole is made for the wire and a switch. A compact and functional light source is ready.
12 volt LED carrier
Another option for a compact lighting device is a 12-volt portable one. Indispensable when repairing a car, when unscrewing nuts, bolts, and any work in cramped conditions. For manufacturing you will need the following materials:
- Three LEDs on a rigid base.
- Wire of arbitrary length.
- Crocodiles for connecting to the battery.
- Any magnet.
The diode is extended with a wire and insulated in the right places. The magnet is glued with superglue to the back of the LED. With its help, the future lamp will be attached to the right place, for example, to the hood. For the carrier to work, you need to connect it to the battery using crocodiles. The light from such a device is quite enough to carry out minor car repairs.
Lamp made from pieces of LED strip
Often after repairs there are excess parts left LED strip. They can make a comfortable and ergonomic carry. In addition to the tape, you will need a few more items:
- Housing for the lamp (for example, a tin pallet).
- Dimmer.
- Power unit.
- Wire.
The strip with LEDs is glued to the prepared case; for reliability, you can additionally use superglue. Several holes are drilled in the tray for wiring. The tape is connected to the wire and the switch. Such a device is indispensable when inspecting the underbody of a car; it can be used as an additional light source above the workplace.
Almost any model of homemade LED carrying can be equipped with a magnet for greater convenience. Such devices are often used in car repair shops, where the need for lighting arises constantly.
36 volt LED carrier
In a garage, it would be very prudent to consider lighting the inspection pit. A suitable option would be to use several 36 volt lamps. Such lamps provide enough light to carry out repair work without irritating the eyes.
Required materials:
- LED strip with nine bulbs.
- The base is the right size.
- Protective grille.
- Cable of required length.
- Power supply with a voltage of 36 Volts.
The LEDs are mounted on any suitable base, the edges of the wire are connected to the cable and reliably insulated. The grille is designed to protect light bulbs from impacts and falls. It would be a good idea to attach a hook to hang the carrier in the right place.
Assembling a homemade carrier - video instructions
The following video clearly demonstrates the process of making a carrier from scrap materials. The device is assembled in just a few minutes, the costs are low, and the light from such a carrier is enough to illuminate any hard-to-reach place during car repairs.
Which carrier to use in the garage
Lamps for car repair shops and garages must meet the following safety requirements:
- Waterproof and protected from mechanical damage.
- No stroboscopic effect (glare and refraction of rays).
- The light should not be too bright, causing harm to the eyes.
Low power consumption is desirable, and the lighting should be sufficient for vehicle diagnostics and repair work.
- LED lighting sources will be the best choice for the garage. The advantages of such lamps are obvious:
The energy consumption level is 3 times less than that of luminescent analogues. - LED lamp and do not need to replace lamps and components.
- Extended service life - a standard bulb is designed for 100,000 hours of operation without loss of illumination.
- Environmental safety. The devices do not contain mercury compounds or other toxic substances.
Of course, a high-quality portable LED lamp will not be cheap. However, the costs are quite justified; constant replacement of fluorescent light bulbs will cost no less. If buying a baby carrier is not part of your plans, then homemade device, assembled from scrap materials, will serve no worse. By following simple assembly and safety rules, you will get an excellent light source, technical specifications which will not be inferior to the purchased analogue.
To sum it up
So, making an LED carrier with your own hands from available materials is quite possible. By spending very little time learning how to assemble, even an inexperienced home craftsman can create a useful and functional item. And the use of LED lamps will provide the necessary level of safety and a long service life of the homemade device.
If you are an avid car enthusiast or a jack of all trades, then you certainly have a garage or a suitable shed. It is in these rooms that the main need for work is a carrying lamp: there is always a place that is difficult to reach for the light of table and wall lamps, or small details, requiring a concentrated beam of bright light. A portable lamp can be easily made from available waste material with your own hands. A little patience and half an hour of time is all you need to create this homemade product!
Materials for work:
Cord (for example, from an old vacuum cleaner) with a working plug at one end – 1 pc.;
Suspension socket for lamp – 1 pc.;
Empty cylinder from polyurethane foam– 1 piece;
Chandelier body with horn (without shade) – 1 pc.;
Short bolt – 3 pcs.;
Nut – 3 pcs.;
Drill, thin drill, screwdriver.
Stages of work:
First stage: connect the wires.
We free the old chandelier from the shade.
We find a wire from an unused household appliance (in the presented version, a cord from a vacuum cleaner is used). It is desirable: a longer wire, with a double insulating layer, so that it has a working plug at one end.
Unscrew the horn from the body. We thread the cord into it so that the direction of movement goes towards the connection of the horn with the lampshade.
Second stage: connect the wires. We are looking for a pendant socket for a lamp.
We disassemble it into its components: disconnect the body and threaded sleeve, take out the porcelain liner.
We free the end of the cord pulled out from the horn from the outer insulation, and strip the wires themselves (by cutting and removing the inner insulating layer from both wires).
We thread the stripped wires into the chandelier body.
Further work is carried out inside the chandelier body. First we insert the wires into the cartridge body.
We secure it with a special nut, which secures the chandelier horn to the body.
Next step: connecting the wires to the porcelain socket insert.
To do this, twist a loop at the end of each wire.
Unscrew the contact screws on the porcelain insert. We thread the screw into the loop. We put the screw in place and screw it tightly to the insert (the wiring ring remains under the screw, on the insert).
After screwing the contact screws, we place the porcelain insert into the cartridge body (wires inside).
We connect the cartridge body with the threaded sleeve.
Third stage: making a reflector.
To concentrate the direction of light, we make a “curtain” - a reflector, by cutting out a spade-shaped part from an empty container of polyurethane foam.
In private households there is often a need to include various devices at a considerable distance from sources of electric current.
To power an electrical appliance in a place where there is no outlet, you can use a special extension cord (“carrying”).
With the right approach, in addition to the function of an extension cord, the carrier can serve as a splitter of one plug connector into several. This task may be relevant when it becomes necessary to connect several consumers to one outlet. For example, to connect a computer with all its peripherals to the network, you need to provide the possibility of powering system unit, monitor, router, printer, audio equipment, etc.
The problem is that not all extension cords meet the stated characteristics. Therefore, under heavy load they often fail. In this case, a poor-quality extension cord can cause a fire and injury to people. electric shock. To be sure of the wiring used, it is better to make a reliable electrical carrier with your own hands. It is not difficult to make an extension cord; the main thing is to choose the design elements correctly.
Determining the required power
To make the carrier you will need a wire of the required length, a plug and a block of sockets. To correctly select the listed elements, it is necessary to take into account the value of the load current (power) that this extension cord will pass after turning on the electrical appliances.
It is first necessary to assess the condition of the home electrical wiring, since it often happens that after turning on a portable device with powerful consumers, it is damaged. You will make a serviceable and reliable extension cord, but the reason may be damage to the outlet, the cable feeding it, contact connections in the distribution panel or intermediate box.
Most household outlets have a rated current of 16A, so the maximum power of the extension cord should not exceed this value. If a large load is required, you need to use another outlet. For example, you need to connect a 100 W TV and a 2000 W heater. The total power of 2100 W corresponds to a load current of about 10A, i.e. One socket will be enough.
Selecting a Carrying Outlet Block
It is better to choose socket blocks with spring-loaded plug connectors. This option is more reliable because it provides tight contact with plugs for electrical appliances. Moreover, during operation such units do not deteriorate their characteristics. To others important parameter socket block is the rated load current. It is usually indicated on the device body. The terminals of the block should ensure tight contact, and the housing should look structurally reliable.
Selecting a carrying cable
Among the most important criteria when choosing, it is necessary to note the number of cores, cross-section, length and type of wire. It is better to choose a flexible copper wire with a double layer of insulation. Cheaper wires are less resistant to mechanical stress. At the slightest damage, the current-carrying conductor opens and a person may receive an electric shock.
The wire cross-section should be selected based on the permissible load for a flexible two-core wire (see also our article). The best option is a wire with a cross section of 2.5 mm². This cable can easily withstand a continuous load of 16A and does not overheat when overloaded. In addition, with such a cross-section, there is minimal loss of electric current in long carriers of 30 m or more. It is recommended to carefully measure the required length of the wire, so that later you do not constantly wind up the excess and do not lay the extension cord under tension.
For safety reasons, it is recommended to provide grounding when carrying. In this case, you should choose a three-core wire. However, if the home electrical wiring is two-wire, it makes no sense to ground the extension cord. In this case, a two-core cable, a socket block and a plug without grounding contacts will be sufficient.
Electric Carrying Assembly
After purchasing all the elements, you can begin assembling the carrier. First we connect the cable to the plug. Plugs typically use screw or point terminals. To ensure the reliability of contact connections, you need to make each core monolithic. To do this, the core can be soldered, twisted into a ring, or special tips can be used. The cable is connected to the socket block in the same way.
In grounded carriers, it is important to connect the wire correctly. If the cable has color-coded conductors, the neutral, phase and grounding conductors are connected by color. If there is no marking, it is recommended to check the final result by testing. This measure will also prevent the appearance of a phase voltage extension cord on the housing.
If you carry on a quick fix, uncovered live parts may appear. Operating such an extension cord is life-threatening. It is better to spend more time and money on quality structural elements, but make a safe and reliable carry.
Both in everyday life and in enterprises, there is often a need to turn on electrical appliances in that part of the room or outdoors where there is no outlet from which the necessary electrical appliance can be powered. This problem can be easily solved with the help of an extension cord, the so-called “carrying”.
In addition to the function of an extension cord - that is, the ability to turn on an electrical appliance at a certain distance from the plug socket, the carrying function functions as a branching of one plug connector into several, which is important when it is necessary to connect several electrical appliances to one socket. For example, to connect a computer to a network, you need several sockets to connect a monitor, system unit, audio equipment, printer, router, etc.
Extension cords for technical needs are also widely used, which are used to connect various power tools and devices to the network.
The modern range of extension cords offers various options with different numbers of plug connectors, power, quality and, accordingly, prices.
Which extension cord should you choose?
The fact is that quite often you come across not only low-quality extension cords, but also ones that do not at all correspond to the declared characteristics. Such an extension cord will not work for a long time, especially if you plan to use it for power heavy load. The use of low-quality extension cords can lead to fire and electric shock. How then to proceed in this situation?
In order to be sure that the extension cord is reliable enough and will not fail at the most inopportune moment, you need to make it yourself. Making a carrier is not difficult, the main thing is to choose the right structural elements. Below we will look in more detail, how to make a reliable extension cord (carrying).
Calculation of the required power of the extension cord
To make an extension cord, you must have a plug, a wire of the required length and a block of sockets for the required number of pairs of plug connectors - the number of sockets in the block. To select these structural elements, you must first of all be guided by the value of power (load current) that will flow through this extension cord when electrical appliances are connected to it.
Before choosing an extension cord, you need to analyze whether it is possible to connect these electrical appliances through an extension cord to a particular outlet. That is, first of all It is necessary to assess the condition of the home electrical wiring. Very often situations arise when, after plugging in an extension cord with several fairly powerful electrical appliances,...
The socket into which the electrical appliance is plugged in, the wire (cable) that powers this socket, or the contact connections in the intermediate space may be damaged. distribution box or distribution board. In this case, the extension cord can be serviceable and quite reliable.
When choosing the power of an extension cord, you should also take into account the fact that Almost all sockets installed in everyday life have a rated current of 16 A. Accordingly, the maximum power of the extension cord, as well as the load included in it, should not exceed this value.
If it is necessary to turn on a larger load, it is necessary to use another outlet, also taking into account the characteristics of a particular part of the electrical wiring.
For example, an extension cord must be used to run an electric heater and television. The power of the heater is 2000 W, the power of the TV is 100 W, that is, the total power that will flow through the extension cord is 2100 W, which corresponds to a load current of almost 10 A.
We analyze the condition of the electrical wiring, especially the socket into which the carrier will be plugged in. Special attention You should pay attention to the quality of the socket connectors.
If they have insufficient rigidity, then they will heat up, and the plug plugged into this socket will also heat up - as a result, with a prolonged flow of load current, there is a high probability of failure of both the socket itself and the carrying plug. Perhaps this malfunction will not immediately make itself felt, but it may manifest itself at the wrong moment, for example, when there is no one in the house, a fire may occur.
In order to understand how reliable the plug connector of the socket is, it is necessary to check for heating the carrying plug in which a relatively high-power electrical appliance (in this case, an electric heater) has been plugged in for a long time. In this case, the hotter the plug gets, the worse it is with the socket connectors.
The same goes for the portable socket block. One of the most common causes of damage to store-bought extension cords is poor-quality plug connectors that do not provide reliable contact with the plugs of electrical appliances included in the carrier. To avoid such situations, it is necessary to choose more reliable socket blocks - with spring loaded plug connectors. Such connectors provide a reliable connection between the electrical appliance plug and the socket and, as a rule, do not degrade their performance characteristics during operation.
Also, when choosing a block of sockets, you need to pay attention to the rated load current, which is indicated on their housing. But besides this, the conductive elements of the socket themselves must comply with these characteristics.
Almost all socket blocks indicate a rated current of 16 A, but in fact these sockets do not always withstand even 10 A. Therefore, before purchasing, it is better to unscrew the two screws and see what this product is like inside.
In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the reliability of the terminals to which the power cable is connected. In this case, the larger the contact area of the connected wire, the more reliable the contact connection will be.
The housing of the socket block itself must be structurally reliable, without large gaps and with reliable fastening of the back cover, so that during operation the possibility of a person touching live parts is excluded.
The next, no less important stage is right choice carrying wires. When choosing a wire, they are guided by such criteria as the type of wire, its cross-section, length and number of cores. As for the type of wire, in this case a flexible copper wire is selected, which has a double layer of insulation.
You should not save money by purchasing a cheaper wire with one layer of insulation. Such a wire is less resistant to mechanical damage and if you step on the wire or touch it with a chair leg, the only layer of insulation may be damaged and the conductor will be exposed, which can lead to electric shock to a person.
The cross-section of the carrying wire is selected in accordance with the permissible load for a flexible two-core wire (only the cores through which the load current flows are taken into account). The best option is to choose a wire with a cross-section of 2.5 square meters. mm. Such a wire will hold a load of 16 A for a long time, and in case of possible overloads it will not overheat. Also, in such a wire there will be no loss of electricity if it is necessary to make a long carrying case, for example, 30 m.
As for the length of the wire, in this case you need to carefully measure the required length so that you do not have to lay the wire from the outlet to the electrical appliance under tension and, conversely, so as not to constantly wind up the excess wire.
To ensure safety when operating electrical appliances, it is necessary to ensure their grounding. That is, the carrier through which electrical appliances will be powered must be grounded. For such carrying, it is necessary to select a three-core wire, one core of which will connect the grounding contact of the carrying plug and the unit sockets.
If the home electrical wiring is two-wire, that is, it does not have a protective grounding conductor, then it makes no sense to make a carrier with grounding. In this case, a two-core wire and, accordingly, a plug and a socket block without a grounding contact are selected.
One more element - plug. The highest quality so-called “Euro” plugs are designed for a rated current of 16 A. Structurally, such plugs have thicker pins compared to old Soviet-style plugs.
Assembling the extension
When all the necessary elements have been purchased, we begin assembling the extension cord. Its reliability also depends on the build quality.
Connect the carrying wire to the plug. Most plugs have screw terminals onto which the wire strands twisted into a ring are placed. There are also point clamps that clamp the conductor with a screw at one point. A flexible wire consists of several cores, so before connecting it, to ensure a reliable contact connection, it is necessary to make the core monolithic. To do this, you can use the appropriate tips, and if they are missing, you can solder the core or a ring twisted from the core.
In the same way we connect the wire to the socket block. If the terminals for connecting the wire do not seem reliable enough, then it is better to connect the wire strands to the plates of the socket block by soldering, having previously prepared the surfaces for this by stripping and tinning.
If the carrier is grounded, then the wire must be connected correctly. If the wire to be connected has color-coded cores, then the phase, neutral and grounding conductors should be connected to the plug and sockets of the carrier by color.
In case of absence color coding You need to take a device to test the wire cores. In any case, it is necessary to check the final result by testing to avoid connection errors, which could lead to short circuit in electrical wiring or the appearance of phase voltage on the equipment housing.
Often, hastily made carriers have uncovered live parts. Using such a carrier may have irreversible consequences.
Making a carrier yourself means making a reliable and safe thing; in this case, rushing is not appropriate, you need to do everything efficiently, choose only reliable and protected structural elements.
Andrey Povny