Switchable Extension Cord

We have an extension cord that is meant for Christmas lights. It’s a foot-pedal switch, intended to save you the hassle of crawling behind or underneath a Christmas tree to plug or unplug the lights. It looks pretty close to this:

picture of green foot-pedal switch for Christmas lights

This year, we put Christmas lights around the railings of Beta’s bunk bed. It was a pain turning them on and off, however, because the best plug was behind Alpha’s dresser. I figured we could go buy another switchable extension cord and make life easier. But once we found out it was $7.49, we decided otherwise.

Then I went to a hardware-type store on the way home from work one day. I found this

picture of plain white 6-foot extension cord

and this

picture of small inline switch for extension cords

for a total of this

picture of receipt for extension cord and switch

which is a savings of 33% off the pre-made switch. For $4.96, you too can make your own light switch extension cord. There was another switch that was almost a dollar cheaper, but it was the rotary kind that comes with lamps and is not as easy for little fingers to work. And for less than a dollar (that’s $3 less than the switch I used), you can just use a normal light switch. But then you really should have an enclosure (non-conducting and fire-resistant) and I didn’t want to get into that.


So start with these two things:

picture of materials needed for making switchable extension cord

and in 4 easy steps, and for less than $5.00, you too can build your own Christmas light switch (indoor use only)

Step 1

Open the Switch

picture of the inside workings of the electrical switch

Step 2

Cut the Cord

photo of the cut extension cord

photo of extension cord ready to be installed in the switch

Step 3

Attach the Wire

photo of the switch installed in the extension cord

Step 4

Close the Switch

picture of the completed switch installed inline on an extension cord

Total Time: 10 minutes

It works well. Beta is happy because he can turn on the lights while he is in bed. And I’m happy because I don’t have to crawl under his bed and reach behind the dresser to unplug the lights after the kids are asleep.

Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!

Psalm 2:3

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This little article thingy was written by Some Guy sometime around 6:06 am and has been carefully placed in the Projects category.

8 Responses to “Switchable Extension Cord”

  1. Charity Says:

    That’s a far cry from the robot you made out of a garbage can when you were younger.

  2. Some Guy Says:

    But this works much better. That thing only looked like a robot, kind of.

  3. Ricky Anderson Says:

    You wouldn’t be an engineer by any chance, would you?

    Reminds me of the engineers I worked with at Intel. Very analytical.

  4. Some Guy Says:

    Why yes, I am an engineer. Four years of college to be able to screw two wires into a box.

  5. phoebe Says:

    Because you’re an engineer and I am not, I would’ve spent the $7.49.

  6. erin Says:

    Ditto Phoebe.

  7. Burrill Says:

    Pfffft. I would have given Some Guy the $4.96 and had him make the switch for me!

  8. Some Guy Says:

    I’d charge $1.00 labor for that, so make it $5.96 and you got yourself a deal.

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