odd smell

[Vince Shriver]

I just picked up 80' of SO 14-3 cord for 220v extension cords for my garage/shop machines.

This stuff has an odd smell - not really that bad, but kind of pungent and I can see it getting very old after a while. Anyone ever experience this? I thought maybe if I "armol" the thing it might mask it. Any thoughts on this? (I bought it new from an electrical supply house, by the way)

[Tom Veatch]

Can't say for sure, but I suspect that it's fairly new from a recent production run and the outer cover is still outgassing. Unless you need to put it into service immediately, I'd let it hang in a well ventilated area, or even outdoors, for several days and see if that doesn't eliminate, or at least reduce, the problem.

But, then again, it could be something entirely different.

[Mike Heidrick]

You smell it without plugging it in, correct?

Does it smell like Harbor Freight?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

A lot of the new cables I work around will have that smell when new. It eventually goes away. I'd hang it somewhere that is well ventilated.

[Clint Winterhalter]

The company I work for sells imported cords. We print our name and phone number along the length of the cord. It stinks to high heaven for a few days and then it goes away..

Clint

[Norman Pyles]

Sounds like the Chinese rubber ,that alot of stuff coming out of there smells like. I can't have anything in the shop, with that awfull smell.

[Steven Hardy]

I just picked up 80' of SO 14-3 cord for 220v extension cords for my garage/shop machines.

This stuff has an odd smell - not really that bad, but kind of pungent and I can see it getting very old after a while. Anyone ever experience this? I thought maybe if I "armol" the thing it might mask it. Any thoughts on this? (I bought it new from an electrical supply house, by the way)


If pvc coating, it maybe the plastisizer "oil" . As the stuff makes my hands itch,I refuse to handle it until after I coat a wrag with wd-40 and clean it off.When it comes to any product like that,I check country of origin.If China,I assume they dont have the same restricive laws as the usa.iT (could be pcb'S for all I know)

[Randal Stevenson]

In some plastics, it just won't go away.

My father has his old Xcelite (Spelling?) screwdrivers and nutdriver sets from the early 60's. Only one nutdriver was ever replaced, but they still have that pukey/petroleum based smell. I would say they are better tipped then my Craftsman's, but I got tired of the smell and needed a bigger set then the Kliens.
These are known for their smell, due to the type of plastic they used (maybe still) for the handles.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

I had a brother-in-law who raised hogs.

As much as I liked him and as helpful as he was, I hated to have him bring

his tools to help with something.

Did you ever use a 1/2" drill and have the vents give off that fine smell

of hog?:rolleyes:

(sorry for going off topic)

[Mike SoRelle]

In some plastics, it just won't go away.

My father has his old Xcelite (Spelling?) screwdrivers and nutdriver sets from the early 60's. Only one nutdriver was ever replaced, but they still have that pukey/petroleum based smell. I would say they are better tipped then my Craftsman's, but I got tired of the smell and needed a bigger set then the Kliens.
These are known for their smell, due to the type of plastic they used (maybe still) for the handles.


I had a few of those passed down to me, funny how after almost 50 years, you can put them in a toolbox sitting in the sun for awhile and get them to exude a slightly oily residue, probably with the bonus of being a carcinogen :eek:

[Jerome Hanby]

Well, that solves a mystery. I've had a tool box that almost knocks me over with that smell every time I open it. It has some Xcelite drivers left over from some electronics tool kit!


In some plastics, it just won't go away.

My father has his old Xcelite (Spelling?) screwdrivers and nutdriver sets from the early 60's. Only one nutdriver was ever replaced, but they still have that pukey/petroleum based smell. I would say they are better tipped then my Craftsman's, but I got tired of the smell and needed a bigger set then the Kliens.
These are known for their smell, due to the type of plastic they used (maybe still) for the handles.

[Steven DeMars]

It's the smell of the future . . . it's the smell of China, Indonesia, India, Taiwan & all those other "$^1# holes that American manufacturing has run too.

If you want to confirm the odor, go to your local Harbor Freight . . . I was in there recently looking for casters when a clerk walked up and asked if I needed help. Why, I was sniffing the wheels . . . Sometimes they will get a load in that do not smell quite as strong . . . Air hoses & casters seem to be the worse. Now, as to extension cords, wiring devices that could cause death and destruction if they were faulty, I refuse to buy them there. Buy good American brand names so that you and your family may wake up "every" morning. My neighbor recently bought an 50' extension cord that was supposed to be 10 gauge. Every time he pulled the trigger on his brand new Bosch Miter Saw the breaker would kick. He walked over and asked for my help, I handed him an American made 50' 12 gauge and he had no problem. He of course argued the old 10 gauge is 10 gauge and it must be faulty and returned it to get an identical replacement. It too, did the same thing.