The "screw quality, we want cheap" mindset that has overrun this country is going to cause me to blow a vessel one of these days.

The power cords have some sort of cheesy vinyl/plastic/soybean scum sort of covering that is absolute CRAP. I've seen lumber that's more flexible than this shit. You can NOT route it and get it to lay where you want it. It separates from the molded plug if you look at it crosseyed. It cracks, splits and exposes the inner conductors if you try to move it when the temperature is below 50°.

I needed an outlet strip so I could switch a device with it. In order to get the damn thing to stay where I put it, I had to screw the outlet strip down AND use zip tie anchors and zip ties to force the goddamn cord to go where I wanted it and stay out of the fucking way.

I would cheerfully pay for an outlet strip with a good old fashioned rubber-jacketed cord that actually flexes. In fact, I bought a bunch of SJ cord and have been building my own extension cords because you can't buy a decent one any more.

EDIT: I looked it up. The vulcanizing process was invented in 1839, nearly 180 years ago. Somebody could get RICH if they figured out how to use this stuff for insulation on extension and power cords.

I'm scared and paranoid about any power related stuff from China, especially non-branded stuff.

I try to avoid as much as possible: extension cords, outlets, light switches, chargers, light bulbs. Anything that poses a risk to fire.

Can't avoid completely so I accept things like laptop charges, phone chargers etc.

PRC products are from fly-by-night companies - you have a big issue and the company doesn't exist anymore (assuming you're still alive to pursue recourse after the issue is manifested).

I do a lot of industrial/commercial electrical work. Believe me, you do not want a bargain priced cord from China unless it is carrying small electrical loads.

I had to buy industrial equipment from China and the safety people said I had to get the electrical panel UL field inspected. First time UL field person every came to this company (a BIG one).

Luckily not many issues, but they majorly screwed up the concept of the panel (hot side >50V and low side <50V) to make access to 24V controls easy without locking out the whole thing.

The chinese don't innovate. They steal technology. Then they reduce it to the cheapest possibility, use the cheapest labor, and the result is that their food, steel, technology, equipment, vehicles, and everything else they produce or do is not to be trusted. Whether it's contaminated baby formula or steel that isn't up to spec, or cheap electrical components that fail with some regularity, if it's from China, it's crap.

I used to fly over areas in the middle east at night, orbiting a target or holding, and watch transformers explode. Not insurgent action, but simply transformers explode. I used to see it in my own place in Saudi Arabia; cheap components, high voltages, lots of failures.

I had a new Chinese truck in Tal Afar, in Iraq. I made it less than a mile before the bumper came off as I rolled slowly over a tank track across a road. I've dealt with cheap chinese crap the world over, and it's no different anywhere you go.

I used to train chinese pilots; they had an uncanny ability to memorize, a substandard ability to learn, and practiced a national and cultural central principal; cheat at everything, and they did.

I've no lost love for China.

I do like the food.

Not what I was expecting, but I prefer Pete Townsend power chords.

^^^

I have one or two HF specials like that. I had to replace the ends. Still super stiff but I only use for projects I am right beside it.

quote:

The chinese don't innovate. They steal technology. Then they reduce it to the cheapest possibility, use the cheapest labor, and the result is that their food, steel, technology, equipment, vehicles, and everything else they produce or do is not to be trusted. Whether it's contaminated baby formula or steel that isn't up to spec, or cheap electrical components that fail with some regularity, if it's from China, it's crap.

First part is true, but the stuff they are stealing is coming along quite well for having been stolen. Some of the stuff is true crap, some is quite good.

I bought a magnetic knife strip on eBay and got it apart to mount it, and it's clearly Chinese-made and hopefully the magnets aren't from scrapped nuclear power plants or some such shit!

How hard is it to find any alternatives, and how through the nose to you have to pay for it if you do (especially for commodity type stuff)?

Making your own is a simple task. Go to an electrical supplier or even order on eBay for possibly a better price. The cost is approximately $1.00/ft for US made 12/3 SOOW.

100' or 50' of 12/3 SOOW and a quality male and female plug. Make the connections and you are in business.