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PrintSpecial Report: Plugging into Trouble
Shopper
"I use it quite frequently."
And when you bought them you probably looked more closely at the price than the packaging.
Shopper
"I don't know anything about the quality, so I usually just get the cheapest one."
But you may have unknowingly purchased a product that's unsafe or counterfeit.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"Counterfeit, 99 percent of the time means that the device is unsafe or has not been proven to do the things that you expect."
That could mean dangerous and defective.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"Unlike a counterfeit purse or watch or handbag or anything else that you buy it can hurt you and in some cases even kill you."
Video taken in a safety lab shows the damage these electrical products can cause by melting and even catching on fire! Many worry it's a disaster waiting to happen.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"I can tell you that this stuff hasn't gone through any safety inspection what so ever."
7News went shopping and look at what we found! If you check inside the cheap extension cord you can see the copper wiring is so thin, a pair of scissors can cut right through it.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"This is number one more likely to cause a fire, more likely to electrocute you, but also not give you the performance that you'd expect."
And look at the difference between our sub-standard purchase and a certified cord! Experts say the less copper, the greater the danger.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"It's not worth the safety chance you take in buying this product."
The prong on this extension cord comes right out very easily! That's a real danger because it can increase your chances of getting shocked!
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"We've seen a lot of instances where something just isn't right or something falls out or a button doesn't seem to stick the right way."
These kinds of dangers can be hard to spot in the store, but experts say the packaging can be a much easier way to spot a problem. Both this power strip and car charger have misspellings on the packaging. It should say "power" but the "e" is missing. And "battery" is spelled --b-a-t-t-e-t-y. This extension cord should be certified by a nationally recognized lab, but it has no certification markings, meaning it has not been tested and found safe.
One thing all these products have in common: They're usually very cheap.
Brett Brenner, Electrical Safety Foundation International President
"With the economy the way it is right now, people are looking to cut corners, and it's really one of those places that you shouldn't cut corners."
So to try and safeguard yourself from sub-standard stuff don't go too low: Experts say a really low price can be a warning sign. And it's always important to check the package for the manufacturers contact information, a barcode and a legitimate certification mark.
Additional links:
Electrical Safety Foundation International
Certification Markings:
Underwriters Laboratory
http://www.ul.com/global/eng/pages/corporate/aboutul/ulmarks/mark/
CSA International
http://www.csa-international.org/certification_marks/marks_for_canada/Default.asp?language=english
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