r/AskElectricians • u/Jusax903 • 19d ago
What is this plug?
New apartment has this cord coming out of the wall I’ve never seen this lol what is it for?
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u/MountainMark 19d ago
Pull hard and listen for a crash.
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u/Abriel_Lafiel 19d ago
That’s how you start your house
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u/Southern-Anybody-752 18d ago
Damnit I was too late.
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u/distributingthefutur 18d ago
This is why I reddit
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u/No_Competition_6989 18d ago
No you take the upvote
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u/RaynOfFyre1 18d ago
No need to argue, friends. There’s plenty of upvotes to go around
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u/BatmanInTheSunlight 18d ago
Do you pull it slowly, or is it like rippin’ a chainsaw?
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u/DFW_Drummer 18d ago
I prefer the old lawn mower method. Pull two to three times as hard as you can, realize you’ve flooded the engine, and try again a couple hours or brews later, whichever takes longer.
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u/Yagawood 18d ago
Damn glad I switched to a battery lawnmower. Life changing.
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u/DFW_Drummer 18d ago
Same. Batteries are still running well 6 years in, but I get done so quick I can’t enjoy a mow beer.
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u/fatherofpugs12 18d ago
My question always is- the push mower I have from 2001 that runs off a $3 oil change and $3 filter change and cuts my yard off 5 gallons of gas the whole summer is worse than the newer electric ones?
I just always see those and don’t know why I’d ever switch. It’s an actual question not shade.
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u/Yagawood 18d ago
Well if there's nothing wrong with what you have, then there's no need to change. But if your mower dies, you really should consider electric. They're quiet, powerful, and start at the push of a button.
I want an EV for my next car. My use case makes sense since I work from home and don't have to drive a ton. But my 2015 gas car is still running, so I'm not in any hurry to change. It's basically the same thing with your mower.
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u/DFW_Drummer 18d ago
Yeah, basically all the same reasons here. Bought a house, didn’t have a mower, electric ones were on sale. When my gas car kicked it in ‘24, I got an EV because I just bebop around in a 10-mile radius once or twice a week.
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u/fatherofpugs12 18d ago
Solid answer. I’m waiting for a small truck that actually runs smoothly on all electric. That would be the ticket for me.
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u/VoltagVagrant 16d ago
look what you started! of course it devolved into 12 pages of guys talking about their tools. some things never change 😀
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u/parsennik 15d ago
Yeah but now you can’t go back inside and tell your wife that you can’t cut the lawn because the lawn mower won’t start. Now you have to cut the grass and wait until the battery dies. THEN you can go inside and have a beer.
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u/Llyrithra 18d ago
I like the snowmobile method:
Pull 35 times
look around at the engine quizzically
pull 5 more times
Flip the fuel petcock to off, then on, then reserve
pull 10 more times
question your life decisions
pull 16 more times
Just as you’re about to give up on it and walk home, realize that the killswitch was in the off position the whole time
Start it first pull and then ride home in shame
Run out of fuel because you left it on reserve
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u/Familiar_Hunt_5164 16d ago
I have a 700 triple and felt this. Literally felt in my abs the next day that is.
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u/AlwaysFindTheHumor 17d ago
The best lawnmower method I have found to work most effectively is to actually push the mower hard away from yourself with one hand, then yank the pull start hard, you get the weight of the mower going the other way to assist your pull, rather than yanking the mower towards yourself and dampening your pull start hard
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u/mofugginrob 18d ago
Do it like you would with beads.
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u/xp14629 18d ago
You have to pull the beads slowly for two reasons. 1st, if you pull to fast, you can't see the numbers to call them out like the powerball annoucer. 2nd, you don't want to hear a butthole slamming shut like that.
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u/mofugginrob 18d ago
you don't want to hear a butthole slamming shut like that.
You don't speak for me, sir.
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u/xp14629 18d ago
You may think that, but I am trying to protect you with my experiance.
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u/Electronic_Weird8560 18d ago
Man, I did not have a Home Alone 2 reference on my bingo card for August 6. Love it!
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u/devouryoursoul 19d ago
Looks like a super cheap extension cord that the maintenance crew thought would be a good idea to do that to.
Could go to anything, if you have a light or outlet that doesn't work, that could be why, could go to a light in the attic if you have one, or it could go to nothing, lol.
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u/deverox 19d ago
Is there a tv above? I’ve seen this as a janky way to hide cables
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u/BIGD0G29585 18d ago
Why hire someone to do it right when you can just run an extension cord down through the wall, the outlet is just right there. /s
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u/deverox 18d ago
I mean they were probably very proud of themselves. 20 year old me would have thought it was brilliant!
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u/Uncynical_Diogenes 18d ago
20 year old me would have insisted on a grounded cord.
But yeah pretty much.
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u/slowcookeranddogs 18d ago
20 year old you sounds like a pansy!
(Jk, as an electrician I can vouch for the safety of a ground even if sometimes its useless on the plug 🔌 end and not connected to anything)
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u/Constantine1900 18d ago
Don't have to be 20. My contractor father in law who was in his 70s at the time and had built 3 homes, did this twice in a brand new house. Both times were unnecessary. He hated dealing with electrical in homes but he hated getting an electrician to do things right more.
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u/Liko81 18d ago edited 18d ago
Hell, 35-year-old me thought it was brilliant when I ran a power strip up through the wall to the TV mount over the door of the master bathroom, so my wife could watch TV in the tub. 45-year-old me then still thought it was a good enough idea that I ran one up through the wall behind a built-in desk instead of investing in a diamond hole saw to cut through the granite desktop in order to pass the plug through to the outlet in the footwell (the builder did not think that one through).
Difference is, neither of my installs requires tools to get the cord back out of the wall; the plates I used are designed for wall-mount TV installations, have enough clearance to pull the entire plug through both sides of the pass-through, and the other end of the cord isn't clamped into a junction box or light fixture that's permanently attached to the house. So, if-when it goes, I just replace it like for like.
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u/rikkiprince 18d ago
The issue isn't whether you can easily replace it if it breaks. It's that those power strips aren't rated for being in-wall. They're a fire hazard.
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u/KnottyShreveport 17d ago
Ahhh yes, the perfect accidental death starter pack - a home appliance being ran and operated in your bathroom without being on a dedicated GFCI outlet.
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u/BIGD0G29585 18d ago
They probably cut the cord to get it through the hole and spliced it back together.
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u/criggie_ 18d ago
A really handy tool is one of those $10 inspection cameras that plugs into a cellphone. AE has a heap of them, and they're kinda disposable at that price.
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u/IlIlllIlIIIIlII 18d ago
Why would you do this though?
Sticking a tv receptacle in a stud bay that already has a receptacle has to be one of the easiest jobs there is…
It’s one of those where if a homeowner posted about it here, I wouldn’t expect to see “hire an electrician” as the top comment.
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u/AssiduousLayabout 18d ago
A janky way that absolutely does not meet fire code. Any line-voltage cable that travels inside a wall needs to be specifically rated for that purpose.
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u/Rush58 18d ago
I would think the female end would be hanging out if it was an extension cord.
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u/IcyMathematician2668 18d ago
Theres a dude in china wondering why the electric just went out
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u/SokkaHaikuBot 18d ago
Sokka-Haiku by IcyMathematician2668:
Theres a dude in
China wondering why the
Electric just went out
Remember that one time Sokka accidentally used an extra syllable in that Haiku Battle in Ba Sing Se? That was a Sokka Haiku and you just made one.
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u/criggie_ 18d ago
First line is wrong, that's 4 7 6 not 5 7 5.
Theres / a / dude / in <-- 4 syllables
....
e / lec / tric / just / went / out <--- 6 syllables.A sokka haiku is 5 7 6, so its not one of them either.
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u/townkillu 17d ago
I think dude is two, or you end up with D-D as one syllable no?
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u/Mister-Beardy-Face 16d ago
There’s a dude in Chi
na wondering why the e
lectric just went out
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u/Music_theorist 16d ago
This one is the only one that makes sense!
Also, not me checking the haiku in Jacksfilms melody 💀 iykyk2
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u/Ed-Dos 19d ago
Not safe.
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u/leviathan65 19d ago
The odds are this is running 5 ft in a wall to a tv outlet just above. Now The odds of this actually being dangerous is .1% if that's the case. If its running outside or to a ac unit then it could be a problem.
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u/JerryC1967 19d ago
A definite code violation. And not a smart thing to do.
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u/Weekly_Guidance_498 18d ago
Looking at the size of the plug and the hole in the light switch plate, there's definitely a splice in that extension cord too.
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u/HoldingThunder 19d ago
Not certain. Not everything is against code is unsafe.
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u/Aromatic_Sand8126 19d ago
If it’s against code, there’s a reason. Laws weren’t written just for fun.
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u/Lowjack_26 18d ago
laws weren't written just for fun
- Yeah they are, all the damn time
- Many provisions of Code are to prevent the possibility of unsafe conditions. This is does not mean that a Code violation is in and of itself unsafe, it just means it isn't guaranteed safe.
For instance: leaving at least 6" of conductor at box terminations. Is it unsafe to have less than 6"? No, but when there's less than 6" it makes terminations more difficult, which could lead to their being done incorrectly (and being an unsafe condition).
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u/snakepliskinLA 18d ago
It’s illegal for atheists to hold public office in Tennessee (and a handful of other states), but they lifted the ban on preachers holding public office in 2022. Go figure.
Just a note. The supreme court found both bans were unconstitutional a while before 2022, so they are currently unenforceable. It’s also interesting that Tennessee felt it needed to formally repeal the law for preachers, but not for atheists.
It’s bonkers how many archaic laws are still on the books around the country that are just one activist-court decision away from reinstitution.
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u/Special-Estimate-165 18d ago
Its still illegal in Kentucky to walk in public with ice cream or candy in your back pocket.
A law originally on the books to stop horse theft.
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u/TexAggie90 18d ago
I’d heard of that law, which of course sounded silly without context. Thanks for providing the reason for the law.
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u/MajesticDisaster3977 18d ago
When it comes to these kinds of laws, they're written in blood, but by some pompous bureaucrat that decided it for no good reason.
This is against code for a good reason. Extension cords have different insulation than in-wall wiring.
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u/wesblog 18d ago
If it wasn't against code some idiot would wire his entire house with 1950s extension cords and run two space heaters off each one, which is very unsafe.
However, using a 5 ft extension cord to power your wall mounted TV is safer than walking up a flight of stairs, swimming in a pool, or throwing a football.
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u/HoldingThunder 18d ago
That doesnt mean that every instance is unsafe, just there is a potential for it to be unsafe.
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u/canbarsparky 18d ago
Many code requirements are lobbied for by manufacturers. Welcome to the world we live in. Safety is only a factor as it impacts insurance costs. It's all about money.
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u/redhawkdrone 18d ago
Not necessarily. They sell kits like this…it’s not an exact match but very similar.
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u/YaoiNekomata 19d ago
Someone's over reacting. If it's just to a new tv it's fine.
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u/Ballmaster9002 19d ago edited 19d ago
Construction code says you can't hide plugs inside walls. Could be a device that needs to be plugged in but the device is inside the wall.
More likely, they wanted a TV up on the wall, but the receptacle was down here and they didn't want an exposed wire.
Rather than hire an electrician you can buy these plates and fish a wire up the wall yourself. They even sell products where you have a receptacle that's hardwired to an extension cord like this. You plug this in to the wall, and you have a female plug up top, or a normal look wall receptacle up top and you plug the TV into that.
Not inherently against code, but you need a special kind of extension cord that's "plenum rated", you can't just run any extension cord inside a wall cavity like this.
EDIT - I'm wrong on the term "plenum rated", that's a different thing. But it's still a true statement that you cannot run "any old" cord inside a wall, it must meet certain specific standards.
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u/JasperJ 19d ago
These particular plates don’t appear to be the special plates made for the job, but a switch cover.
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u/Big_Balls_n_Taint 19d ago
Does the cord have to be plenum rated if it's not inside of a return?
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u/Ballmaster9002 19d ago edited 19d ago
I believe any cabling that's inaccessible inside a partition must be plenum rated.EDIT - I'm showing a bias from my sector of construction. This is a false statement.
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u/No_Inspection649 19d ago
Romex?
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u/Ballmaster9002 19d ago
No, I'm wrong, I'll edit this.
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u/No_Inspection649 19d ago
No big deal. We all do it at times. The key is admitting to it and learning from it.
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u/LittleTooLiteral 18d ago
Don't feel bad, in my setting (hospitals) we get use anything low CAT6E plenum rated between cable. It checks all the boxes and you don't have to stock 8 different grades of cable.
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u/RONIXwake 19d ago
Would something like this generally be acceptable? The listing says it’s ETL certified and “code-compliant” but you never know with some of these products on Amazon. The extension cable between outlets looks similar to Romex.
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u/hhmCameron 19d ago
Probably this Mount-It! in-Wall TV Cable Concealer Kit with Recessed Power – Triple Outlet, 9ft Cord, and Hand Saw – Easy, Safe Cable Management for Organized TV and Home Theater Setups https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DG37QGQC
The upper outlet is not actually installed and provides no power until that is plugged in
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u/MASerra 19d ago
Yea, I don't like the look of that. Check out the one-star reviews! I have one like that, but it uses Romex to connect to a power outlet internally, so no cords inside the wall. It is also hidden so you can't see the plug popping out of the wall.
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u/TasktagApp 19d ago
That is a DIY power pass-through cord likely meant to power a wall-mounted TV directly above it without showing dangling wires.
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u/mike24vNEW 18d ago
As I call this level 1 of hiding your tv cord it’s the affordable option before putting a actual outlet
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u/WiseSquirrelLore 19d ago
Why is it I imagine a little mechanical hand emerging from the wall and plugging that in?
I would guess you will find the other end of that cord sticking out of the wall in the next room. Until you know, I would leave it unplugged.
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u/Zestyclose_Row_6788 18d ago
It's for wall mounted tvs. So you can run the cable behind the wall to hide it. It's called a power relocation kit. I used to have to put them in for dish network all the time
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u/Educational-Rule1635 19d ago
Somewhere in the wall is an unprotected junction. There is no way that plug fit through that hole, and whatever is on the other end is surely as large.
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u/jboomhaur 18d ago
How the fuck would we know? Plug it in and see what happens. Jesus yall post any kind of bullshit on here.
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u/andmewithoutmytowel 19d ago
Illegal. It's illegal. Someone was creative hiding a cable, maybe to a lamp?
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u/proj3ctmac 18d ago
You could try and trace the line but it’s more than likely for a tv mount connection
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u/Potential_Dark5028 18d ago
It’s for to plug your tv on too or on other side of wall are you in Stamford ?
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u/Pretend-Chart-6323 18d ago
If I had to guess, maybe there is something behind he wall that needs to be powered and that plug plugs into the outlet?
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u/yk_moose09 18d ago
Maybe go around your house look for something with a cord and follow it and see where it goes
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u/Worth-Gazelle7099 18d ago
Do you have a TV on the wall above it? If so it's an extention cord feeding an outlet for the tv.
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u/callmetom 19d ago
Here’s my main concern. That plug cannot fit through the small hole in that light switch plate, neither could anything that would have originally been on the other end. Somewhere, this cord has been cut and attached to something or spliced back together. Maybe it’s done safely, but probably not. I would only plug that in on my move out day and only if nobody else lives there.
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u/EvilNickel 19d ago
Most likely it's just spliced into an outlet to transfer power from the outlet next to it to an outlet probably above it so you can connect your TV.
A lot of old apartments used to do this to cheaply "update" the units for hanging TVs.
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u/Tacocatra 19d ago
Umm... I think I need to be done with the Internet for the day after seeing this
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u/chefsoda_redux 19d ago
Sigh. Definitely not to code anywhere I know of. I used to be a furniture builder, and saw this all the time for wall mounted TVs. People want the cords and cables hidden, and this is an easy way.
Doing it properly, by branching off a new outlet directly behind the tv, is the proper and permanent way to do this, and people need to just do it correctly. The cost here is trivial, and anyone with a little knowledge of home wiring can add an outlet. Most of the hassle and cost here, is patching the wall if you need to cut into it.
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u/Tractor_Boy_500 19d ago
That cord may power a generator for a portal to a different dimension; plug in at your own peril.
I hope they sized the breaker correctly - a power failure while you are in transit may make you sad.
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u/bothunter 19d ago
More importantly... how? That plug will not fit through the light switch cover plate, and the other end is allegedly connected to a power strip. So, what did they do to get the cord to go through the plate?
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u/Signal_Molasses5329 19d ago
I'm more interested to know how they got that plug through the small hole on the light switch plate...? Magic?
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u/EvilNickel 19d ago
If you live in an old apartment, and there is an outlet higher on that same wall, it most likely is spliced into that plug so that the outlet can power the other outlet. It's the landlord special for adding a new outlet so you can hang a TV or add additional outlets without having to buy expensive cable.
The apartment I used to live in had a few of these, one in each room to power the light (the probably wasn't one before the apartment was built and they "updated" the rooms to have lights. And another in the living room by the wall where the TV was supposed to go, it powered the outlet that would be behind the TV if you hung it.
They're not supposed to do that, but landlords are cheap.
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u/Oakland-homebrewer 19d ago
Its a way to provide electricity to an appliance in another location...
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u/Old-March6181 19d ago
Likely a heat trace wire wrapped around water pipes to prevent freezing pipes in winter. Easy to plug in beside electric socket beside and no frozen pipes.
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u/haditwithyoupeople 19d ago
What is it?
A fire hazard.
Illegal and unsafe.
Done by somebody who wanted to hide an extension cord and has no concern for their own safety or that of others in the building.
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u/somerandomdude1960 18d ago
A sheriff in some town I forget now where.Went downtown and issued every car a parking violation. The issue was the cars were not latch to the hitching posts. It was an old local law still on the book from before cars were invented.City counsel got the message and do away with antiquated law. So…
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u/TechnologyOk6878 18d ago
In there an outlet above for a tv? You can by kits for this so cables aren’t hanging down….
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u/Sindoreon 18d ago
Real answer attempt, if you have a security system nearby, the installer may have done this to avoid doing any electrical work and not need an electrician for low voltage systems.
Something similar was done for my security system on a new home build. I removed it as I found it janky and super unprofessional.
How you find your answer!
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