What is this very short power cable called?

Question

I have a couple of networking components in my rack that take giant AC adapters ("power bricks") that don't fit neatly into my rackmount PDU.

I have one "thingy" that is shown below, and I need to buy a few more. But I have no idea what I'm searching for because I don't know what the "thingy" is called.

My Terrible Drawing

Yes, this drawing is terrible. I would ask my 4-year-old to draw it for me because she's a better artist, but she's taking a nap.

You know they're putting a [tax on thingy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmgcylAxjfY)... — zzzzBov, Feb 04 '11 at 16:33
This is currently the 'hottest' question on the Stack Exchange sites. — Kevin Vermeer, Feb 04 '11 at 19:50
Should I be disturbed that some of the places linked to are selling pigtails for $10+ ? (I remember years ago getting 'em at the Dayton Computerfest for $1 each ... I'd typically get a dozen or more each year) — Joe H., Feb 05 '11 at 03:16
There is no such thing as a stupid question! The answers to this one were great. I had no idea that all these options in "pigtails" existed. — thrillscience, Feb 05 '11 at 04:19
This question, drawing, subsequent answers and comments fills me with great joy and I don't know why. — MattC, Feb 05 '11 at 19:56
That post-it note isn't real. So how in the _hell_ did it get crumpled? Yet more proof that graphic designers are a lazy and slapdash community. I expect my simulacra of adherent notes to be pristine! And I will accept no substitutes! — Parthian Shot, Jul 17 '14 at 21:16

score 148 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:52

148

I would just call it a "very short extension cord", and in fact a Google search for "short extension cord" turns up lots of results of exactly what you're looking for. E.g., these, which have a pass-through plug.

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:52

larsks

41,276
13
117
170

94

Wow. *Extension cord*. I would like to apologize to Planet Earth for the fact I required 12 people to tell me something that obvious. Score: Portman 0, ServerFault 92. – Portman Feb 04 '11 at 18:21
4

Score one for awesome, though, because this is now both your top-rated question and @larsks's top-rated answer. – mattdm Feb 04 '11 at 18:27
3

Oh, ServerFault, you are a silly place. – larsks Feb 04 '11 at 18:31
3

@Portman: apology accepted ;D – sova Feb 04 '11 at 20:09
+1 on the Ziotek's I've got a number of them in the rack for the goofy consumer devices I have to have in the colo. – kashani Feb 04 '11 at 21:49
30

@Portman -- the drawing more than makes up for any weakness in the actual question. There's an artist in New York who makes very detailed sketches (in black-and-white) of US currency and then "spends" them at face value. The Secret Service is always hounding him, calling his hand-made bills "counterfeiting", but art dealers call it art and pay thousands for examples of the work. You could be the serverfault equivalent of that guy, posting questions like "What is this [whimsical drawing of a keyboard]?" – Michael Lorton Feb 05 '11 at 13:36
Hahaha, I was about to answer this question with "it's an extension cord", but you bet me to it. – hookenz Feb 07 '11 at 09:17

score 51 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 17:50

51

"pigtail" is a common term for these (actually any 6" to 1' power cord) in the datacenter environments I've worked in.

answered Feb 04 '11 at 17:50

voretaq7

79,345
17
128
213

`pigtail` is currently most commonly used to describe SMA <> U.FL cables (needed for connecting Wi-Fi antennas to Mini PCIe cards) – anx Oct 13 '17 at 15:38

Dennis Williamson · Answer 3 · 2011-02-04T19:22:23.300

35

You can also get short Y power cords.

These cables (including the single variety) are sometimes called "outlet savers".

I also love the 90° rotating plug variety for some applications. The cord goes flat against a wall.

edited Feb 04 '11 at 19:22

answered Feb 04 '11 at 15:29

Dennis Williamson

60,515
14
113
148

3

Just to join the party, I'll see your Y-power cord and raise you 3 more sockets - http://www.powersquid.com/powersquid-c-66.html – Michael Levy Feb 04 '11 at 18:25
8

http://www.amazon.com/Ziotek-ZT1212518-Liberator-Through-5-Pack/dp/B003YFIRR6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1296844792&sr=8-5 I absolutely love this type of extension cord. No matter what, if you have one outlet, you can plug what you need in. Has saved me arguments many *MANY* times – WernerCD Feb 04 '11 at 18:41
2

@WernerCD: That is the most awesome power-related product I have ever seen. +1 because I just bought a 5-pack. – josh3736 Feb 04 '11 at 19:32
I spent some time in the military... and there are times where there was a line of people needing power, with 2 outlets. Not a problem for me. Two of those and my laptop and gameboy is getting charged no matter how many people are hustling for the outlet. – WernerCD Feb 04 '11 at 19:40
90 degree rotating ones? isnt the flexible wire enough to get whatever rotation you want? sound like the anecdote about the million dollar space pen and the pencil. – Kinjal Dixit Feb 06 '11 at 18:00
1

@kinjal: If it's a 90 degree plug that doesn't rotate then it needs to have the cord exit at a 45 degree angle (they make them that do). Otherwise the cords get in each others' way and negates the benefit of being flat to the wall. This is needed on over-and-under wall outlets, but not usually on power strips. – Dennis Williamson Feb 06 '11 at 18:14

splattne · Answer 4 · 2011-02-04T17:10:51.507

24

I think the official name is "Power Strip Liberator".

Google image check: http://www.google.com/images?q=power+strip+liberator

UPDATE:

Sorry, I think that's a product's name (trademark), not the common name for the "thingy." But I looks like that the product is the "Coke" amongst power extension cords. :)

edited Feb 04 '11 at 17:10

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:55

splattne

28,348
19
97
147

8

Liberate your power strip!! Free it from the heavy burdens of excessively large and bloated a/c adapters! Away with the tyranny of space sucking bricks! To arms! To arms! – squillman Feb 04 '11 at 15:09
4

PS: Interesting results on Google Image if you search for "liberator" alone. :) – splattne Feb 04 '11 at 16:48
@splattne my guess is that there should be a NSFW warning along with that suggestion! – Peter Feb 04 '11 at 17:18
Mmmmmm.... [Liberator](http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/696/15589)! – Dennis Williamson Feb 04 '11 at 17:35
@Peter Oops, sorry! I'm already at home in weekend mode (Europe). TGIF! – splattne Feb 04 '11 at 17:38
@Splattne: you mean searching for liberator, thingy, or liberator + thingy? – Bart Silverstrim Feb 04 '11 at 17:50
@Bart_Silverstrim just "liberator" - I guess the search results are related to the www . liberator . com domain... **NSFW** – splattne Feb 04 '11 at 17:57

joeforker · Answer 5 · 2016-09-27T13:06:31.813

13

It is called a pigtail extension cord. http://www.mockett.com/pt1-90.html

edited Sep 27 '16 at 13:06

answered Feb 04 '11 at 15:45

joeforker

2,349
4
25
34

I usually think of "pigtail" as meaning that there are bare wires on one end. Apparently, people mean different things by it. – Dennis Williamson Feb 04 '11 at 17:37
1

pigtail was the first thing I tought of as well. +1 – Moose Feb 06 '11 at 03:00

score 9 · Answer 6 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:55

9

It's just a short extension cord, like this one from Startech.com.

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:55

gravyface

13,947
16
65
100

score 8 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 15:02

8

it is called: 1ft Power Extension Cord.

I found same here: http://www.cablewholesale.com/specs/power-cable/10w1-04201.htm

answered Feb 04 '11 at 15:02

miro23

198
2
9

Marko Carter · Answer 8 · 2011-02-04T15:03:53.337

6

'Very short A/C Extension' ? That's what I Googled and came up with this

EDIT: 6 inch version at Radioshack

edited Feb 04 '11 at 15:03

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:56

Marko Carter

4,092
1
29
38

score 6 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:59

6

Its called a "Wall wart remover".

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:59

DanBig

11,393
1
28
53

i never heard it before, but it's nice pigtail can be one upped. – Nathan Feger Feb 04 '11 at 21:33

score 5 · Answer 10 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:51

5

Um, an extension cord? (Needed 8 more characters for valid answer)

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:51

mfinni

35,711
3
50
86

score 5 · Answer 11 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:56

5

Power strip liberators... http://www.cyberguys.com/product-listings/?categoryid=588

(No worries about your drawing... I have an art degree and probably wouldn't have done much better on a quick sketch!)

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:56

Erin

51
1

+1 for bringing art to serverfault and +1 for not being able to draw despite of this. – Samuel Herzog Feb 05 '11 at 00:54
@Sam: -1 for leaving a comment in the wrong place. ;) – Dennis Williamson Feb 05 '11 at 16:02
Erin is the artist who can't draw, it was directly related to him, so where to comment instead? – Samuel Herzog Feb 06 '11 at 03:52
@Sam: Erin may be the artist who can't draw, but it was Portman who brought the art to SF. – Dennis Williamson Feb 06 '11 at 20:50
okay, thats bad phrasing from me, but the question got a +1 too, so it isnt as bad as it sounds :) – Samuel Herzog Feb 06 '11 at 20:55

score 4 · Answer 12 · answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:51

4

A short extension cord?

When in doubt, go with the obvious.

answered Feb 04 '11 at 14:51

David Mackintosh

14,223
6
46
77

score 4 · Answer 13 · answered Feb 05 '11 at 13:40

4

Not really an answer, but if you need several of these things, you might want to look into the Power Squid (a semi-genericized trademark, but there's a good example here) instead.

answered Feb 05 '11 at 13:40

Michael Lorton

211
2
5

score 4 · Answer 14 · answered Feb 23 '11 at 15:36

4

Working in data centers for the past decade, I've always referred to these as Pigtails.

answered Feb 23 '11 at 15:36

Doug

646
3
8

1

Pigtails to me, are the ends of fibre on a splicetray. – Tom O'Connor Feb 23 '11 at 16:46

What is this very short power cable called?

14 Answers14

Linked