Extension cord

J. Schwiebert · May 2, 2020

By accident I cut one of my extension cords in to. The lack and green wires were like new but the white wire was corroded and looked like a corrode penny. How come?

fastfarmall · May 2, 2020

I hope John T. chimes in on this !!

wore out · May 3, 2020

Likely, the jacket and the insulation on the white conductor were damaged/nicked within a few feet of where you cut it and moisture wicked in.

Doesn't take much damage to do that.

John T · May 3, 2020

The Neutral conductor current, should be the same or less then the Black/Hot conductor current, so there must have been another quality or manufacturing defect or some sort of physical damage (cords can take a beating from scratches and tears and penetrations ya know) I JUST CANT SAY SITTING HERE. Absent any faults the Green shouldn't have carried any current.

Sorry no answer here

John T

Janicholson · May 3, 2020

Wicking moisture into the white from a nicked spot near there? or if the cord was not damaged, it could be from insulation ingredients that (improperly) react to copper. The last thing I can imagine is that it was used where there was a ground fault and it got heated only on that strand. That would have needed it to be plugged in wrong, or the receptacle wired with the current carrying wires reversed. Jim

Extension cord

J. Schwiebert

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fastfarmall

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wore out

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John T

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Janicholson

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