"Can I have a Plug-to-Plug Cable?"

It is a surprisingly common question we get asked here at Essential Supplies, about buying plug-to-plug cables. It might sound strange however we do get these requests. But knowing why we receive these and how we handle the response is testement to a responsible, electrical products provider.

Our technical team are here to help with all these questions and offer safe and legal recommendations to solve many electrical connundrums.

Typical questions include:

What is a cable with two plugs for?

The simple answer to this question is, there is no where on this earth a use for a cable with two plugs. To anyone thinking of having a cable with two or more male plugs, where you see, and where you are able to touch the pins, we say NO! A CABLE WITH TWO PLUGS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT TO BE USED.

Whilst unheard of, I have heard of attempts to make and electricians then call these cables “Widow Makers.” I do not have to think too hard why they earned this name.  But yes, they are potentially lethal, particularly when the person handling the cable clearly does not have a good understanding of electrical power.

So, why is it so wrong to have a cable with two male plugs?

Leaving the law to one side, the safety issue is all in the handling of the cable. This is why we have Electrical Sockets to output power in our households rather than an output plug.  They provide an easy connection to mains power in a safe and legal manner. Sockets can be LIVE, with mains power switched on yet the live terminals and pins are protected and behind a thin hole or flap. Something too small for human contact, preventing users from a nasty shock. So, all mains’ sockets in the UK and Europe are designed so that the connections are impossible to touch by hand in everyday normal use.

But the male plug has exposed, unprotected pins that anyone can easily handle and if they were wired to a live output, it could be life-threatnening.

Step back, if you need to access power from a generator or a home, you can only do that from a socket, and that socket will have holes to the electrical connectors that are too small for fingers to touch.

To extend the power from a socket on a generator (or other) you would plug in an extension cable that only has one plug. It can have multple socktets to output, split the power etc. but it can and must have only one plug.

If it had two plugs, as soon as the first plug is connected to a live mains socket, the pins on the second plug become live. (Remember, unlike sockets the plug pins are unprotected) and if anyone was to touch the pin, they would get a bad electrical shock, which has the potential to be lethal.

So, our Golden Rule is, One Plug to One or more sockets.

Never Ever 2 Plugs!

Back to the questions. Lets give you some answers!

FAQ

1. Can you make / sell plug-to-plug cables?

a) No, they are not safe, nor legal.

2. I want an extension lead with two male plugs?

a) Sorry, again, these are not safe, nor legal.

3. I want to plug in a mobile catering trailer, it has a socket, so I need a cable with a male plug for the generator and another one for the trailer?

a) In this instance, the catering trailer has been incorrectly wired by someone who is not qualified to wire the trailer, or test it. The mains inlet to trailers or auxiliary power to homes, must always be a male plug, these are also known as Appliance Inlets. If this is the case, please contact us to speak to a specialist advisor.

4. I have just acquired a backup generator for my home; can I get a cable with a blue plug for the generator and a 13 Amp plug for the house?

a) You need to get an electrician to wire in a suitable inlet for the fuse box of your home. Your electrician will also fit a changeover switch, so it switches the power source between mains power and back-up generator, so they don't both allow power in at the same time.

5. Where can I buy an adapter with 1/ socket and two plugs?

a) Sorry, you cannot buy them legally. Remember, 1 plug only.

6. Is a cable with two plugs safe to use?

a) No, it is extremely dangerous.

7. How do I PAT test a cable with two plugs?

a) You do not test these cables, they are dangerous, let alone they will fail any safety test.

8. How do I wire my generator into my house when the mains power fails?

a) See Answer 4 above.

I hope this clarifies this for you. Do call our tech team if you need further assistance, for any questions or enquiries, please contact us here. Please view our range of correct adaptors here.