Find power cords including power supply cords, electrical plugs, AC power cords and more. From cord covers and cord sets to electrical receptacles, you will find the power cord you need. Use the time-saving Request for Quote tool to submit your inquiry to all the power cord suppliers and manufacturers you select.
Interpower Corporation is the premier supplier of power system components, including North American and International cords, cordsets, electric plugs with agency approvals. 100% tested with no minimum order quantity required, free technical support and free evaluation samples available.
Kord King specializes in many types of cord sets, including power cords, electronic cord sets, appliance cord sets, electric plugs and international cordsets. We are a leader in the highest levels of customer service, offering flexibility in tackling even the most difficult projects. Cord sets are U.L. and C.S.A. approved.
Our customers find we have the highest standards when it comes to quality, delivery and pricing. We offer power cords, cordsets, international cordsets, custom molded cable assemblies, electric plugs and electronic cord sets. Our products are used worldwide across every industry there is.
No matter what your industry, market or application, Americord has the cord set, international cordset, electronic cord set, power cord, electric plug or electric receptacle for you. No other cord manufacturer can offer you a 3-5 day turnaround. Now that is old-fashioned customer service!
2+ million monthly production of power cords and plug adapters for every market imaginable. In-house wire extrusion and connector production assure the best of price, quality and unmatched lead times. OEM custom designs and 200+ styles of stocked cords for ANY country with unbeatable prices.
The best cords, plugs, connectors, adapters, receptacles, power strips & sockets for your power connection needs, offering customers efficient, flexible solutions. Custom cable assemblies for industrial & hospital grade applications, commercial equipment, home appliances, recreational devices, etc.
OEM's select High Tech Connections for quality, AC power supply cords, cord sets, jumper cords, Hospital-Grade power cords, molded cable assemblies, retractile (coiled) cords and related products. We are compliant with the EU RoHS directive, assuring your products smooth entry into world markets.
UUI is a leading supplier of power supply cords, power cords, cord sets, electric plugs, strain reliefs, wiring harnesses and special molded products for a wide range of industries and markets. Family owned and operated, UUI has been providing personal service and quality products for 25 years.
Cord-Sets takes pride in its solid reputation as a manufacturer of top quality power supply cords. We will assist you in finding the right end configurations and voltage for a cord set that fits your application. Four decades of experience ensures an excellent product delivered efficiently and priced right.
Electric Cords is dedicated to keeping our industry lead in the production of UL- and CSA-certified power cords, cord sets, electronic cord sets, electric plugs and wiring harnesses. We are a custom builder, providing products to exact customer needs. Providing quality and competitive pricing since 1964!
Power cords and extension
cords are
detachable means of supplying electricity from a main power source to
electrical equipment or appliances. The electrical energy is in the form
of alternating current (AC). A power cord
set consists of a flexible cord with plug attachments at each end,
one male and one female. The power cord is comprised of a conducting
medium, typically copper, the insulation surrounding the medium and an
outer jacket to protect and insulate the wire. Power supply cords, which
are permanently affixed to electrical equipment, and power cord
sets are utilized anywhere that electrical equipment and appliances
are in use, including industrial, office and domestic settings. Extension
cords, one type of cord
set, are used for electrical power tools, lighting and various other
private uses.
The female plug connects to the appliance or electrical equipment. The
male plug connects the electrical
outlet to the power supply. Power cord manufacturers can group molded male plugs
into North American types and International types, with currently
fifteen different types. The standards of a country will determine which
plug is in common use. A typical North American plug consists of two
blades or prongs, a molded plastic body holding the two blades apart
and a blade/cord connection within the plug body. Inserting the blades
into an electric plug energizes the blades. Electricity then flows through
the blades, the blade-cord connection and the power supply cord, providing
electricity to the equipment.
When determining the appropriate power
cords for different applications, many factors are considered. Power cord manufacturers follow various specifications, including
length, wire shape and size, jacket material, hospital grade,
maximum cable temperature, rated current and rated voltage, as well as
the type of molded plug and female connector. The length of extension
cords is the length of the power cords plus connectors. The shape
of the wire is either flat or round. The electric
cord application determines the jacket material, which includes PVC,
rubber, polychloroprene (neoprene) and textile construction. The size
of the wire is determined by the amount of voltage that will be able
to flow through the cord and is given a designation in accordance with
the American Wire Gauge (AWG) standards for wire sizes.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) sets the standards power cord manufacturers follow
for both male electric plugs and female electric plugs. A male electric
plug may be polarized or non-polarized. An electric plug is polarized
when the physical characteristics of the blades allow the plug to be
connected to the electrical outlet in only one way. Three-prong electrical
plugs are inherently polarized. Non-polarized plugs do not restrict the
way the electrical plug is connected to the electrical
outlet. Two-prong electrical plugs do not have a grounding pin but
can be polarized if one blade is larger than the other. Polarization
and grounding is especially important for certain parts of appliances
and other electrical equipment that could have a higher risk of electric
shock when they become live. Polarization of an electric plug ensures
that the equipment is connected to the neutral, or grounded, side of
the circuit. Sensitive electrical equipment and products should only
be used with polarized or grounding type cord
sets.
Power Cords and Power Cord Manufacturers Image Provided by KordKing
Types of Power Cords
AC power cords conduct alternating current from
one point to another. AC power cords consist of a conducting medium,
typically copper, surrounded by insulation and a jacket.
Business machine cords are used for computers and related electronic
equipment.
Cable assemblies consist of several wires or cables collected into
a single unit with connectors on at least one end.
Cord
covers are cover loose cords and wires from hazardous situations.
Cord sets are power cords with a male electrical plug at one end and a female plug at the other.
Electric cords are conductive cables used to transfer AC power from a plug to an electrical device.
Extension cords are marked with necessary information pertaining
to their use, size and wattage rating. Extension cords are available
in
many lengths and are marked with a size, or gauge, which is based on
the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system.
Heavy duty cords are
specially designed for rough, heavy-usage environments in industrial
or commercial applications. The head is constructed with
large flats having deeply contoured ridges that afford a non-slip grip,
and a heavy molded strain relief shroud protects the cord/plug union.
Hospital plugs are designed to meet the critical needs of medical
equipment applications. Heavy-duty solid brass blades and pins are
soldered or
welded to the conductors for added durability.
Polarized plugs have
one blade that is wider than the other, which helps reduce the potential
for shock. Three-prong plugs are automatically
polarized, since they can be inserted only one way.
Power supply cords are
flexible lengths of cord that have an attachment plug molded to their
ends and are used to transmit electrical energy
from the main supply to an electrical device. A power supply cord,
which could also have terminations or a molded strain relief on the
opposite end of the plug, is permanently installed in the device being
powered, as opposed to a cord set, which is detachable.
Right angle power cord
sets allow users to plug in electrical equipment
close to walls without bending or damaging power cords and are available
in both a two-conductor (polarized or non-polarized) or three-conductor
configuration. The three-conductor plug could have the grounding
pin in the top or bottom location.
Three-conductor
plugs have two vertical blades and a grounding
pin. They are polarized by default, since they can be plugged in
just one way.
Two-conductor plugs consist of two vertical
blades, one if which is neutral and the other is referred to as hot.
Two-conductor plugs,
which
have no grounding pin, are polarized or non-polarized.
Common Terms Related to Power Cords
Abrasion Resistance – The ability of a
power cable
or material to resist surface wear.
Alternating Current (AC) – A current flow whose direction changes
in regular cycles.
American Wire Gauge (AWG) – The North American standardized wire
and cable-sizing system for identifying wire diameter of copper conductors.
The higher the gauge number, the smaller the cable.
Ampacity – Also known as “current carrying capacity,” it
is the capability of handling electric current, as expressed in amperes.
Arc Resistance – The time it takes for an arc to create a conductive
path in a material.
Attenuation – Expressed in
decibels (db) per unit length, it is the loss of power in an electrical
system.
Boot – A protective layer covering any part of a conductor or cable,
as well as its insulation or jacket.
Braid – A covering of one or more wires made from fibrous or metallic
filaments that are interwoven in cylindrical form.
Breakdown Voltage – The amount of voltage at which the insulation
between two conductors or a conductor and ground deteriorates.
Bunch Stranding – The twisting of wires together within the same
frequency, in order to achieve a specific gauge.
Cold Flow – Irreversible damage of the insulation due to the mechanical
force of pressure.
Conductivity – A term describing the capability of any material
to carry an electrical charge, typically expressed in terms of the percentage
of conductivity of copper, which has 100% conductivity.
Conductor – Any material in which electrons can freely move from
atom to atom (i.e. electrical current flow). Conductors, which are usually
metal, could be a wire that is solid or a stranded multi-wire cable.
Conduit – A tube or trough through which wires and cables are run.
Continuity Check – A test used to determine if an electrical current
will flow continuously throughout the length of a wire or cable.
Cord – A small insulated flexible cable made to withstand mechanical
abuse.
Dielectric – An insulating material used in a cable to shield one
conductor from another.
Direct Current (DC) – Electric
current that flows in one direction only.
Electrical Circuit – The complete path of an electrical current.
An electrical circuit is considered to be an open circuit when the continuity
is broken and a closed circuit when continuity is maintained.
Europlug – An international plug used by many European countries.
Europlug is the common name for the CEE 7/16 2.5 amp, Class II plug.
Farad – A unit of electrical capacity.
Fatigue Resistance – Resistance to the crystallization of metal,
eventually leading to the breakage of conductors and wires due to flexing.
Flanged Inlets/Outlets – A flanged nylon housing that permits mounting
in a panel on the front of the equipment for an electrical inlet or outlet,
which is held in place by screws and bolts.
Frequency – The number of times an alternating current repeats
its cycle in one second, measured in Hertz (Hz). The standard international
frequency is 50Hz, while the standard North American frequency is 60Hz.
Gauge – An indication of the physical size of a wire or the wire
diameter specifications. The number of the gauge is in an inverse relationship
to the size of the wire (i.e. the larger the wire, the smaller the gauge
number).
Ground – A complete circuit accomplished through a conductive connection
between an electrical circuit and the earth or another large conducting
body.
Hi-pot – A test applied to a cable to determine whether any damage
has occurred during shipment.
High Voltage – Generally considered to be any operating voltage
over 600 volts.
IEC 60320 – Formerly “IEC 320,” it is the International
Electrotechnical Commission standard that applies to a series of connectors,
plugs, outlets and inlets designed for use on electrical or electronic
equipment, including such portable equipment as computers, printers and
medical equipment.
Insulated Wire – A conductor of electricity covered by a non-conducting
material.
Insulation – Any material having high resistance to the flow of
electric current that protects the inner conductors of an electrical
cord.
Jacket – Material, usually extruded plastic or elastomer, that
covers wire and cable, providing protection and additional insulation.
Line Cord – A cord that ends with a plug at one end and is utilized
for connecting equipment to a power outlet.
Loss – The dissipation of energy without accomplishing useful work.
Molded Plug – A connector molded on one or both ends of a cable
or cord.
Multiconductor – A cord or cable complex containing more than one
conductor.
National Electric Code (NEC) – A compilation of wiring practices
and requirements from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Neoprene – Also called “polychloroprene,” it is a synthetic
rubber that has good resistance to chemical, oil and flame.
Nylon – An abrasion resistant thermoplastic with effective chemical
resistance that is utilized for cable and wire jacketings, wiring devices,
connectors and plugs.
Ohm – A unit of measurement referring to electrical resistance.
Outlet – A female connection that supplies access to electricity
from a source of power.
Pin and Sleeve – A receptacle, connector or plug that has round
pins or sleeve-type contacts.
Plug – Also called an “attachment plug,” it is the
cable mount portion of an electrical connection or male contact device
that has pins or blades protruding from the face.
Sheath – Often referred to as a jacket, it is the material that
is applied to the outermost part of a wire or cable. Sheaths are typically
made of extruded plastic or elastomer.
Shield – In cables, a metallic layer that prevents electrostatic
or electromagnetic interference between wires and external fields when
placed around a conductor or group of conductors.
Signal – An information conveying current, including digital, analog,
audio and video information.
Single Phase – An electrical circuit that has a neutral, a line
and a ground.
Socket – A device that establishes an electrical connection with
plugs through tension connections. Sockets could be metal contacts that
are either bent to receive the blade or pin or spring-loaded.
Surge – Also called a “transient,” it is the temporary
and relatively large increase in the voltage in an electric circuit or
cable.
Three-phase – An electrical circuit that holds three lines and
a ground or three lines, a neutral and a ground. The three lines are
1201/4 out of phase with each other.
Voltage Rating – The maximum voltage that can be continuously applied
to a wire in conformance to standards or specifications.
VW-1 – Formerly designated as “FR-1,” it is a rating
established by UL for wire and cables that pass a specifically designed
vertical flame test for flammability.
W – Any cord that is designated
by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) for outdoor use.
Watt – A unit of measurement that refers to electric power.
Wire Gauge – Any standard system of numerical designations for
wire sizes (e.g. the AWG).
