There are many ways to wrap extension cords. One of the most popular methods currently used by many electricians is the daisy chain.
Daisy chaining is like making a braid that keeps a cable tangle-free. It also allows easy unraveling, where you only need to pull the loop to loosen the wrap.
You can follow the detailed guide below to learn how to daisy chain an extension cord.
Table of Contents
Step-by-step to Daisy Chain an Extension Cord
If you like climbing, you may have heard of a daisy chain rope. Interestingly, it has become popular with electricians and other professionals since it can provide easy and tangle-free wrapping.
If you are interested in how to do the daisy chain trick with your extension cord, here is the complete guide.
What to Prepare
Daisy chaining extension cords do not require tools. You only need your bare hands to make a braid or knot for the cord. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1. Fold Extension Cord to Find the Middle
Before wrapping an extension cord, make sure it’s tangle-free. To do so, grab the male and female ends of the cord and start pulling or unraveling them.
While doing this, you’ll reach the middle of the extension cord, where you want to start your wrapping.
Step 2. Do an Overhand Knot and Start the Loop
- While holding the middle part, you can tie extension cords with an overhand knot to start the process.
- After that, you can now use your most dominant hand to braid an extension cord.
Make a loop and pull it through the first knot. Repeat this step until you’ve gone through nearly the entire length of the cable (the third loop will go through the second loop, and so on).
Step 3. Lock the Braid
You will lock your daisy chain cord to prevent it from unraveling. Just tighten the end of the last loop.
You can now hang your daisy chain electrical cords together with your other tools in our storage.
Unravel Guide
- To unravel a daisy chain power cord, you can simply unhook the last knot that you created first.
- After that, you can pull the cable all the way up to the other end. Each braid will unravel quickly without causing any knots or tangles.
You can also use this trick to daisy chain 550 cord. However, you may need to double the fold to reduce the length of the parachute rope before starting the process.
Pro Tips:
- When making a loop, I recommend keeping it loose to prevent damage to the wire and extend its life.
- Furthermore, always use your extension cord fully unraveled; do not leave any part folded or coiled. It is dangerous since coil or bent parts can result in a higher resistance, which can cause the heating of wires and fire.
Aside from the daisy chain method, there are other ways to wrap an extension cord. You can also try the elbow wrap and the over-under extension cord wrap or what others call the roadie wrap.
FAQs
Is it Safe to Daisy Chain Extension Cords?
Using a daisy chain wrapping technique for an extension cord is safe and makes the cord ready to use. However, it may become an electrical hazard if you fold the wire too hard or make a very small loop.
As a result, you should make your daisy chain wrapping with loose folds. This way, you can prevent damage to the wires inside, and there won’t be too many bends when you stretch the cord.
Can You Chain Together Extension Cords?
Combining two extension cords to extend their length is not a good idea. It may result in a higher resistance, which can make the wires overheat and cause an electrical fire.
Furthermore, excessively long cables have a higher chance of experiencing voltage drop. Using an unstable electrical connection can be damaging to the currently connected device.
Can You Use Power Strips Connected to an Extension Cord for Light Usage?
You may see different answers to this question if you go on community forums like Reddit. However, same as the above question, the answer is no. Connecting two extension cords even for light usage is not a good idea.
It is only safe to use a power strip or extension cord for LED lights or other appliances if they are separated and not plugged into each other.
Conclusion
Knowing how to daisy chain an extension cord will give you a tangle-free and ready-to-use electrical connection. However, you should not over-tighten the braid to prevent electrical hazards.
Now that you know the proper way to create a daisy chain for a cord, do you think you can do it on your own?
Are there any wrapping techniques you want to know? Write them in the comment box below, and we will be happy to tackle the methods for the following articles.
Other ways to wrap an extension cord:
I am Edwin Jones, in charge of designing content for Galvinpower. I aspire to use my experiences in marketing to create reliable and necessary information to help our readers. It has been fun to work with Andrew and apply his incredible knowledge to our content.