I have an electric lawnmower that's about 8 years old. I use a 100-foot extension cord with it that's probably 20 years old. While mowing the other day, I smelled a faint electrical smell. When I finished, I noticed that one of the holes on the end of the extension cord where it plugs into the mower was black and slightly melted (see photo). The corresponding prong on the mower was a bit blackened as well (see photo, though it's kind of hard to see).
Melted extension cord:
Lawnmower plug:
I assume that either the mower or the extension cord has a major problem. My main question is which one? Is there an easy way to tell? Is one inherently more likely than the other? Is there some kind of test I could run that wouldn't be dangerous to whatever else I was plugging in?
Obviously, I'd rather replace the extension cord than the mower, but I don't want to get a brand new extension cord and have that melt too, the first time I use it.
Thanks again for your help!
Best Answer
The connector is worn and/or damaged.
The best solution is to replace both connectors (male and female). This is easy for the extension cord but you may need to order a spare-part for the lawnmower connector.
As an alternative, You could probably hard-wire a line connector rated for outdoor use (wet conditions) but you'd need to open up the lawnmower connector and make modifications to remove the existing connector and provide strain relief for the new short cable to the line-connector.
Typical outdoor-rated unearthed line-connector for (double-insulated) lawnmowers etc used in the UK. There will be equivalents for US and other countries.