Twist and Seal outlet cover. Source: www.lowes.com
Most gardeners find considerable use for electrical products outdoors—garden lighting, power tools, pumps, etc., not to mention Christmas lights!—and that means connecting the tool, with its short cord, to a power cord exposed to the elements. That’s fine if you’re mowing the lawn or trimming the hedge on a sunny day, but what if the cord will spend months outdoors in all kinds of weather? In that case, you should consider protecting the connection from rain and melting snow.
You can readily find plug protectors in hardware stores. Twist and Seal is perhaps the best-known brand, but there are others. There are even different models. For example, some are designed to protect single connections, others (more dome shaped) multiple connections.
DIY Cord Protector
Or you can make your own electrical cord connector from a margarine or yoghurt tub. Here’s how:
- Turn the tub over and make a straight cut along the bottom with a utility knife (X-Acto).
- Continue the cut on both ends of the slit, down to about ½ the height of the container.
- Cut a hole large enough for the cord or cords at the end of both slits.
- Push the connected cords into the container through the slit so their cables come out through the holes. The slit will close over the cords.
- Put the lid on the container.
- Turn it right side up.
You now have a weather-resistant home-made power cord protector!
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