suicide cable
A simple electrical cord with prongs on both ends; plugging one end into a live outlet (for example a generator) and the other end into a dead outlet (in a house with no power) allows power to be injected from the live outlet into the dead one.
suicide cable: backfeeding power through a wall outlet
A suicide cable is a length of electrical cord with a male plug (prongs) on each end. One end plugs into a live power source, typically a generator or utility line; the other end plugs into a standard wall receptacle in an unpowered building or section of a building. Current flows backward through the outlet into the wall wiring, energizing the dead circuit.
The cable gets its grim name because it presents acute shock and electrocution hazards. When plugged into a live outlet, both prongs carry full voltage relative to ground. A person touching the unplugged end while it remains live can receive a fatal shock. The cord is also prone to arc and catch fire if one prong makes contact with a conductive surface or wet material before full insertion.
Suicide cables are used in construction, disaster recovery, and temporary power situations. A contractor might run one from a generator to a house being wired to supply temporary tool power; an electrician might backfeed a panel during service work. The practice is strictly forbidden by electrical code in most jurisdictions. Proper temporary power distribution requires a transfer switch, which isolates the generator from the utility supply and prevents backfeeding.
The term is also applied, less commonly, to any cord with male plugs on both ends, whether used for backfeeding or not. Industrial-grade versions exist with heavier gauges and industrial plugs, but the hazard profile remains unchanged. Some shops use the term loosely for any homemade or jury-rigged power extension, though suicide cable specifically describes the backfeeding configuration.
Backfeeding without a proper transfer switch poses a secondary hazard to utility workers. If a generator is connected to a de-energized utility line during an outage, it can energize the line unexpectedly, electrocuting a lineman working downstream. For this reason, utilities have strict penalties for unauthorized backfeeding, and homeowners are warned never to connect a generator directly to house wiring.