Two prong appliance cords

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allenwayne

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I was asked a question by a homeowner that I didn`t have a readily available answer for.

Why are there two holes on the prongs of that cord cap?

It was interesting some of the answers I found.After reading them I went DU-OOHHHHHHHH.Who wants to take a stab at it ????
 
There was a thread on this a year or so ago, I think. If I get some time I'd do a search on it.

What threads did you come up with?

If memory serves, I believe the answer was that the holes come about from the manufacturing process, but I'm not 100% sure.
 
I didn`t get my answers from here George I went to....how stuff works and found that there are at least three reasons for these holes.
1 - The inside of a receptacle has indents on the contact swipes that hold the plug secure when inserted these holes and the indents line up
2 - As silly as it seems,but I`m sure if you produce enough plugs it adds up.
To save on production materials
3 - To be used as a lock out by using a small tie wrap

If you`ve never checked that site out there is some pretty interesting things on it.


http://home.howstuffworks.com/question301.htm
 
Allen I've been into electrical stuff since I was a kid, and I'm 99% certain that #1 is the reason: the holes were made to mate with little domes on the contact faces for plug retention.

Modern metallurgy has provided us with more springy metals that maintain their springiness better, especially when heated, and many plugs now come without holes anyway.
 
Oh I agree with you that the holes are there for that reason.I was just taken back by the question that I could not readily answer.Just wanted to put it out there
, that if ever handed this question you didn`t look like I did .HOMER SIMPSON DOOOO-OOOOOHHHHH MMMMMMMMMMMMMM BEEEEEERRRRRRR
 
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