On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:21:46 -0600, wrote:

On Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:49:27 -0800 (PST), Bob Villa
wrote:

I bought a non-contact tester for about $5. Plug the cord in and (if
it's the black wire ) check the length. If it's the white, you need to
use an adapter for the plug to reverse the polarity. (You could jumper
*short* the female end and then check going back to the plug...not the
safest!)

To do the reverse thing, just use one of those 3prong to 2 prong
ground adaptors (made to use a grounded plug on a none grounded
outlet). If one prong is wider on the adaptor, just grind it down.


Another thing the OP could do is cut the cord in half. One of the
halves will always work. Out a new male or female end on that part an
toss the other half in the recycle bin. You'll have one working 50ft
cord in the end.

I'm reluctant to do the shorter cord thing, because with 100 feet I
can reach almost the entire townhouse back yard when it's plugged in
at the front. I can also reach my car. I have another 100 foot
cord, but if that were to break, I'd have none, so I have to fix this
one before that one breaks.

Yes I could use more than one cord in a row, but that's not
esthetically pleasing to me. :)