Warning - potential time bombs in your house

As is well known, energy prices are rising rapidly. For this reason I scoured the household for unnecessary power supplies that live in some corners - and I actually found a few.

But what really freaked me out was the condition of 2 multiple extension cables that came to light.

A lot of things in my house - including myself - have aged quiet a bit.
So have also these multiple extensions, with lightning strike protection and switch - one even has a master / slave circuit for power saving and was not cheap. Both are around 15 years old, I can't remember exactly anymore.

Apparently, plastic is said to last forever. These socket housings are probably biodegradable because the plastic has lost it solidity.
Here's a picture that shows at least part of the problem:

Particularly clear: the red part of the top bar has the firmness of a dry biscuit. When I pressed the switch to remove the power supply units, I pushed it straight into the housing. Fortunately, I didn't get a electroc shock. After carefully disconnecting the part from the mains, it turned out that you can easily push into the plastic with your finger - and the electrical parts underneath .

In the case of the lower one - by the way from Hama brand - the halves of the housing came apart because the clips and screw connections all broke off when I lifted the thing. Then the inner workings tumbled out, like the metal strips that serve as contacts for the plug pins, the circuit board, etc. If that happens while its plugged in, a incident is guaranteed.

To cut a long story short: this is f****** dangerous ! Not only can you get an electric shock, it can even lead to a fire!

Therefore, with this post I would like to motivate everyone to take a close look at the multiple sockets at home (and pretty much everyone has them) and to check them for such defects. That can save you some serious trouble - and maybe even save lives.

But, despite this and all other hardships, have a nice week, yours