why do people cut the cords off?
NightMist
When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
the cord off.
Pourquoi?
I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
of.
NightMist
--
I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?
Peter H. Coffin
>
> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
> the cord off.
>
> Pourquoi?
>
> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> of.
I cut the cords off of things that don't work and that I've already
established cost more to repair than replace. I cut MANY disc cables,
mouse cables, joystick cables, network cables. that have been determined
to be faulty in one way or another.
I have no clue why someone would do that *then donate the thing to be
resold*. It its, to me, an unambiguous "don't even bother" signal.
--
71. If I decide to test a lieutenant's loyalty and see if he/she should
be made a trusted lieutenant, I will have a crack squad of marksmen
standing by in case the answer is no.
--Peter Anspach's list of things to do as an Evil Overlord
NightMist
> On Fri, 27 May 2011 19:08:44 +0000, NightMist wrote:
>>
>> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people
>> cut the cord off.
>>
>> Pourquoi?
>>
>> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
>> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
>> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord
>> off of.
>
> I cut the cords off of things that don't work and that I've already
> established cost more to repair than replace. I cut MANY disc cables,
> mouse cables, joystick cables, network cables. that have been determined
> to be faulty in one way or another.
>
> I have no clue why someone would do that *then donate the thing to be
> resold*. It its, to me, an unambiguous "don't even bother" signal.
Maybe it is in the same class as people who cut all the buttons off of
clothing they are getting rid of. So far as I can tell that is an even
bigger problem at charity shops.
Keeping stuff you are actually going to use, or replacing parts that are
hopelessly defective is something I get.
Though I'll bet you that most of the cord cutters and button snippers out
there that are doing it to be frugal have pounds of buttons and boxes of
cords that they have never even thought of using.
We have such here at my house, but we actually use the stuff.
Korin
>> On Fri, 27 May 2011 19:08:44 +0000, NightMist wrote:
>>>
>>> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people
>>> cut the cord off.
>
> Maybe it is in the same class as people who cut all the buttons off of
> clothing they are getting rid of. So far as I can tell that is an even
> bigger problem at charity shops.
Wait, people do this? The mind boggles.
--
Korin
(DJ Catnip)
http://www.danse-macabre.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/DanseMacabreGlasgow
oonh
>
> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
> the cord off.
Even weirder, I saw a monitor with an integral vga cord (no cable
slot, just the cable coming of the back) while I was walking somewhere...
and when I came back, this had been cut off. Um. The hell?
oonh
TenshiKurai9
> Though I'll bet you that most of the cord cutters and button snippers out
> there that are doing it to be frugal have pounds of buttons and boxes of
> cords that they have never even thought of using.
> We have such here at my house, but we actually use the stuff.
What would they do with a box of cords?
-TenshiKurai9
TenshiKurai9
> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> of.
Is she allowed to refuse the donation with a cut-off cord? Can she ask
the attempted donater why?
-TenshiKurai9
TenshiKurai9
> the cord off.
>
> Pourquoi?
>
> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> of.
With some googling, I've found people in other forums claiming that they
take cords to reuse them. My question would be reuse them for what? An
appliance that someone else has cut a cord off of? (I'm wondering about
the safety of even attaching a cord from another appliance to a
different appliance.)
-TenshiKurai9
NightMist
We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
line think they can do it.
NightMist
Not how it works, people usually bring stuff to outside collection points
and drop it in the labeled bin.
They just sort stuff after the bins are brought in to the shop.
Both hubs and I have helped out doing repairs on stuff, he with
electrical and electronics, me with sewing. Part of what we have used
our excess cords and pounds of buttons for. Only the best of the lot
gets fixed though, the mediocre and less gets sent on to the landfill.
So we get to scrounge that stuff for parts ourselves.
NightMist
"Said to myself this is very strange"
Somebody going for the copper would have gone after the coils inside.
Maybe they needed the connector and took the rest of the cord just
because? Why they would need the connector in this day and age is a
puzzler, but you never can tell with mad scientists.
Peter H. Coffin
> On Sun, 29 May 2011 23:02:06 -0500, oonh wrote:
>
>> NightMist <night...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people
>>> cut the cord off.
>>
>> Even weirder, I saw a monitor with an integral vga cord (no cable slot,
>> just the cable coming of the back) while I was walking somewhere...
>>
>> and when I came back, this had been cut off. Um. The hell?
>>
>>
> "Said to myself this is very strange"
This is not my beautiful house.
This is not by beautiful wife.
--
I love the way Microsoft follows standards. In much the same manner that
fish follow migrating caribou.
-- Paul Tomblin in the Monastery
![Cao [the] royg's profile photo](http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a-/ALV-UjUOcyRuIzePVaxticdH4DpjgQbSZzFUFxjD4Kyyrpk6f_4e4Hs=s40-c)
Cao [the] royg
> On Mon, 30 May 2011 19:25:28 +0000, NightMist wrote:
> > On Sun, 29 May 2011 23:02:06 -0500, oonh wrote:
>
>
> >>> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people
> >>> cut the cord off.
>
> >> Even weirder, I saw a monitor with an integral vga cord (no cable slot,
> >> just the cable coming of the back) while I was walking somewhere...
>
> >> and when I came back, this had been cut off. Um. The hell?
>
> > "Said to myself this is very strange"
>
> This is not my beautiful house.
> This is not by beautiful wife.
>
> --
> I love the way Microsoft follows standards. In much the same manner that
> fish follow migrating caribou.
> -- Paul Tomblin in the Monastery
One day I pulled the cord off of my big screen television and made a
bad ass belt out of it. At a later point I had it to the reaper shop
to recommission a new cord for it. I cut the cord off of the VCRs
because I am using them for their solid height, and nothing
electrical. There was another further reason I have pulled off cords,
but we'll have to talk about that in private.
Whisky-dave
> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
> the cord off.
>
> Pourquoi?
1/ H&S
When disposing of equipment that is faulty it's a good idea to cut
the cord off
as this makes it less likely that someone will try to repair it that
doesn't know what they are doing.
I always cut the cord off none working equipment for disposal.
You don;t want kids/anyone taking stuff out of skips to plug it in to
see if it works.
Or selling it on to the vulnerable or stupid
Most UK charity shops that I know don;t accept electrical appliances
so I've no idea why
someone would cut the cord off then take it to the charity.
2/ Items can get dragged along by the cords or played with such as
dangling
from buildings swinging around the head etc....
3/ Animals dogs especially might try eating/playing the cord if left
out on the street
or in a tip that's not good for them.
4/ As copper isn;t cheap some might think that collecting cables
for scrap is worthwhile, it is for Rag 'n' Bone men as they collect it
by the ton.
>
> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> of.
Maybe 20-30 years ago few things came with a plug on in the UK you
had to wire it
up yourself, some still think like this so may well want to keep the
plug.
My dad still has this attitude at 85 and is unlikely to change when
throwing something away
he just ends up with a draw full of plugs and leads
Whisky-dave
wrote:
> On 2011-05-27, NightMist <nightmi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
> > the cord off.
>
> > Pourquoi?
>
> > I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> > refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> > store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> > of.
>
> With some googling, I've found people in other forums claiming that they
> take cords to reuse them. My question would be reuse them for what?
Replacing damaged or cords that are two short can be lengthened .
> An
> appliance that someone else has cut a cord off of? (I'm wondering about
> the safety of even attaching a cord from another appliance to a
> different appliance.)
if you do it correctly it';s not a problem I have a fume extractor fan
where someone put a soldering iron
on the cord melting it. I can either buy a new unit £45 or replace the
cord.
I plan to replace the cord at some point.
Ren
You know, someone cuts our umbilical cord and then we go raging into
the world with bitter revenge in mind.
TenshiKurai9
> We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
> can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
> and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
> parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
> been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
>
> I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
> line think they can do it.
I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
to improper attachment of cords.
Apparently some of them claim they're taking them for the copper.
-TenshiKurai9, wonders if any of them assume an appliance is faulty.
Peter H. Coffin
> On 2011-05-30, NightMist <night...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
>> can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
>> and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
>> parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
>> been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
>>
>> I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
>> line think they can do it.
>
> I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
> to improper attachment of cords.
I found a cite from The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that
claims repairing microwave ovens kills 4 people a year. I'd think
fucking with power cords would raise that number somewhat.
> Apparently some of them claim they're taking them for the copper.
I would be interested to hear how much copper these people actually sell
in a year. I expect that it's not really very much at all.
--
Technical points aside, you could probably beat someone to
death with a Newton if you had to. Try that with a Palm Pilot!
--Dan Duncan in comp.sys.newton.misc
Whisky-dave
wrote:
> On 2011-05-30, NightMist <nightmi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
> > can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
> > and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
> > parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
> > been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
>
> > I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
> > line think they can do it.
>
> I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
> to improper attachment of cords.
Well when a friend of mine got burgled, they burglars cut through the
cable of the VCR
which was still powered, the police told them because they could seen
the burn/flash marks on the cable where it was cut.
>
> Apparently some of them claim they're taking them for the copper.
That could be true, there was a documentary about recycling on the UK
the other week
despite the recession copper prices are high.
It happens in the USA too although stealing it in larger quantities
seems to be key to making real money ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0f-zxqm-vI
There was an incident a few weeks ago outside a friends were youths
were removing copper
sheet from a building in a school playground.
Also TVs/VCRs DVD and almost any electrical aplpiances that are sent
to recycling plants for proper disposal are sometimes' hijacked' by
criminals
and get sent away to places like Africa where they are sold on
even if they don;t work to unfortunate people that dont; know the
condition until they get them home.
When they don;t work the people throw them in dumps which contaminates
local water supplies etc....
So for me before taking a none working electrical item to the local
government tip I cut the cord off
as close as I can to the item, hoping that it's not worth trying to
sell.
>
> -TenshiKurai9, wonders if any of them assume an appliance is faulty.
Bargains are bargains or a lottery ticket :)
TenshiKurai9
> On Thu, 2 Jun 2011 16:58:08 -0500, TenshiKurai9 wrote:
>> I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
>> to improper attachment of cords.
>
> I found a cite from The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that
> claims repairing microwave ovens kills 4 people a year. I'd think
> fucking with power cords would raise that number somewhat.
Fucking with power cords in general might be highere. You only found a
cite for specifically microwaves.
-TenshiKurai9
Bruno Kazer
> On Thu, 2 Jun 2011 16:58:08 -0500, TenshiKurai9 wrote:
> >> We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
> >> can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
> >> and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
> >> parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
> >> been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
>
> >> I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
> >> line think they can do it.
>
> > I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
> > to improper attachment of cords.
>
> I found a cite from The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that
> claims repairing microwave ovens kills 4 people a year. I'd think
> fucking with power cords would raise that number somewhat.
>
> > Apparently some of them claim they're taking them for the copper.
>
> I would be interested to hear how much copper these people actually sell
> in a year. I expect that it's not really very much at all.
They sell very little. Maybe ten dollars worth. Most of it is used
for fillings for their teeth.
J
Bruno Kazer
> On Jun 2, 10:58 pm, TenshiKurai9 <ten...@nibelheim.ninehells.com>
> wrote:
>
> > On 2011-05-30, NightMist <nightmi...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > We do it here at my house, but my husband is one of those magic men that
> > > can just threaten an electrical or electronic device with a screwdriver
> > > and it will instantly start working again. He can indeed safely replace
> > > parts. He has built some of the scary hardware professionally, and has
> > > been an electronics amateur since he was a child.
>
> > > I have no idea why people who do not know the power feed from the ground
> > > line think they can do it.
>
> > I wonder how many people electrocute themselves from accidents related
> > to improper attachment of cords.
>
> Well when a friend of mine got burgled, they burglars cut through the
> cable of the VCR
> which was still powered, the police told them because they could seen
> the burn/flash marks on the cable where it was cut.
Do you ever get that baby reflex looking at those cords? They look
just like black licorice. Nummy!
J
Whisky-dave
No, but I've had the urge to wrap them around a students neck at
times
and I prefer the orange cables as they have a citrus flavour to
them. ;-)
Kara
> Also TVs/VCRs DVD and almost any electrical aplpiances that are sent
> to recycling plants for proper disposal are sometimes' hijacked' by
> criminals
> and get sent away to places like Africa where they are sold on
> even if they don;t work to unfortunate people that dont; know the
> condition until they get them home.
> When they don;t work the people throw them in dumps which contaminates
> local water supplies etc....
In Norway they actually decided that it is illegal to take electronics
from the collection points. Appearantly stealing garbage is still
stealing. So now all of the collection points have to be locked in and
only open during store opening hours. (Which means no Sundays, for we
are good Christians in this country)
But I still wouldn't bother cutting the cords off. That just seams like
extra, pointless work.
Kara
Whisky-dave
> On 03.06.2011 11:15, Whisky-dave wrote:
>
> > Also TVs/VCRs DVD and almost any electrical aplpiances that are sent
> > to recycling plants for proper disposal are sometimes' hijacked' by
> > criminals
> > and get sent away to places like Africa where they are sold on
> > even if they don;t work to unfortunate people that dont; know the
> > condition until they get them home.
> > When they don;t work the people throw them in dumps which contaminates
> > local water supplies etc....
>
> In Norway they actually decided that it is illegal to take electronics
> from the collection points. Appearantly stealing garbage is still
> stealing.
Same here mostly, you can't take things from skips or dumps without
permission.
At the recycling centre they ask if an electrical item works on not,
if it does it goes
on to a separate table where others can take them as seen. I took a
dyson cleaner once for the hose.
I always cut the plugs off electrical items that don;t work just in
case anyone gets confused.
>So now all of the collection points have to be locked in and
> only open during store opening hours. (Which means no Sundays, for we
> are good Christians in this country)
We have the same here although it does open on sundays but you aren't
allowed to take stuff in
a van on sundays it's OK the rest of the week.
I guess only the devil uses van on a sunday.
>
> But I still wouldn't bother cutting the cords off. That just seams like
> extra, pointless work.
I don't mind the extra work if it means that the item is less likely
to end up in
my local brook. People rarely take electrical things that don't work
without a cord,
but if it has a cord there's just a chance it works, when they find it
doesn't they toss it anywhere
on the street in a river, in someone else's garden.
TenshiKurai9
> Do you ever get that baby reflex looking at those cords? They look
> just like black licorice. Nummy!
No. Even if I liked black licorice, no.
-TenshiKurai9
Whisky-dave
wrote:
> On 2011-06-04, Bruno Kazer <hostilnak...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Do you ever get that baby reflex looking at those cords? They look
> > just like black licorice. Nummy!
>
> No. Even if I liked black licorice, no.
>
> -TenshiKurai9
I have some nice orange cable here, I've never thought of adding vodka
to it either.
bains...@gmail.com
> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people cut
> the cord off.
>
> Pourquoi?
>
> I have no idea why they would cut the cords off everything from
> refrigerators to radios. Daughter says it is a problem at the thrift
> store she volunteers at, people donate things they have cut the cord off
> of.
>
>
> --
> I'm raising a developmentally disabled child. What's your superpower?
Whisky-dave
earltw...@gmail.com
> On 29/05/11 05:41, NightMist wrote:
> >>>
> >>> When throwing away things that have a power cord, a good many people
> >>> cut the cord off.
>
> >
> > clothing they are getting rid of. So far as I can tell that is an even
> > bigger problem at charity shops.
>
> Wait, people do this? The mind boggles.
>
> --
> Korin
> (DJ Catnip)
>
> http://www.danse-macabre.co.uk
> http://www.facebook.com/DanseMacabreGlasgow
They cut them off for the copper. 10,000 cords equals about $1.50 at the recycling center llol
adam3...@gmail.com
GothiKitty--Posting ADHD ramblings since 2001
Cables are the first part of an old (40+ years) device to start deteriorating. I have a friend who repairs old sewing machines as a hobby. She says it’s easier than you think to replace an electric setup with a treadle and then it lasts for decades.
For appliances where that’s not an option, I imagine putting in a new cable is still much cheaper than buying a whole new device.
kmil...@gmail.com
kiaw...@gmail.com
Than a "bum" homeless person rescue it to use or sell. It's a fact that they will proudly share.