Yes, there is such a thing, the common name for what you describe is a "suicide cord". Fortunately, they are not commercially produced, you will probably have to make your own if you want one.

And even if you want one........

DO NOT DO IT!!!!!

They are not called suicide cords for nothing!

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk... I remember winding up in that situ many many Christmases ago... Yep, NO UL LISTING there, had to make my own cord. Later on, it became a comedy prop at family get togethers, LMAO!

Given the obvious danger posed, if you do end up making and using a suicide cord, please tape up the dangerous end to the light string with RED electrical tape!

Presumably, you will also wind up with one (or more) light strings with a suicide male plug on the end, so... TAPE THAT UP TOO!! DON'T BECOME A CAUTIONARY TALE!! For the love of Gawwwwwd, GET THE RED TAPE! ;')

Ah baloney, all you need is one of these. Just make sure it's one that's GFCI protected if you're going to install it outside.{{!gwi}}

Please, do NOT make a suicide cord. If it comes unplugged, that make end will be live, and any person who touches it may not me afterward.

why not jsut run a regular cord around to teh male end of the misstrung lights?

A GFCI will do you no good if you place yourself between the hot and the neutral on the circuit it protects.

I had no idea this was such a hazardous situation. I will NOT be making anything called a suicide cord!!! I'll restring the lights. Thanks for imparting wisdom and safety.

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This post was edited by ronnatalie on Wed, Dec 4, 13 at 12:45

When I first saw a male-to-male cord, I couldn't believe that it existed (professionally manufacturured), but then I found out why, years after I tossed it and purchased a home generator - this is a valuable way to provide your whole house with electricity during a power outage (make sure to disconnect the Main breaker first). For instance, I don't know how I would power my furnance without using this cord. Now it looks like I'll have to make my own.

Are you just trolling this thread? Because if you read it, you'd see that it's extremely unsafe to do so and I have a hard time believing that you found a "professionally manufactured" one.

How do you power your furnace? Install a proper transfer switch and a generator inlet.

DO NOT USE A SUICIDE CORD!

Cords with two male ends are commonly called "suicide cords" and for good reason. They're a good way to kill yourself or more importantly someone else. If you need a way to connect your generator, then spend $55 and get the proper equipment.

Of course, you'll still need a transfer switch.

I know what you're talking about. I'm about to do the same thing. I have two strings of lights that have female connectors on them. 18ga wire will be the right size of wire. Hook a short piece of wire between the attachment plugs. They are called suicide cords because the prongs on the other end are exposed and hot. Hot meaning they have 120v ac on the prongs. If you know they are going to be hot plug one end into the lights that need to be connected and don't have 120v AC going to them first. Tape this to the string so it can't accidently come loose. The other plug you plug into the light string that has 120v AC to them. Then enjoy you're Christmas lights. You can go to Lowe's or home depot to get youre parts get two attachment plug caps they need to have two prongs in both for 120v ac 5 amp one will do. I have two strings of lights both have female connectors on them. Just be careful make sure you tape the plug to youre lights so it cant come loose and youre in bussiness.

Yes, and post notices everywhere to prevent someone else from getting electrocuted when you're not around and they undo it. Sorry, but this is just a bad idea.

Always is unless he changes one of the female to a male. He didn't ask that?

I have a hard time believing that string of Christmas lights has two female ends.

But in the unlikely event that it does, instead of making a suicide cord just modify the Christmas light and change the female end to a male end. Much safer and requires the same effort.

Good Lord people, this thread is 9 years old and no the lights don’t have two female ends, I just ran them wrong. Lesson learned the hard way almost a decade ago. BTW, I did not, nor will I ever make a SUICIDE cord!

I also find it really annoying when people revive long dead threads, but my response was to Ronald. I believe he's saying that he has Christmas lights with two female ends.

Well good for you. I would, in stead of taking them down and stringing them again. Still even if a decade old question still a good subject. Just goes to show you nothing is ever lost on the internet. <BG>

So Ronald, you aren't saying that you have a Christmas light with 2 female ends?

Your situation is the same as the OP? So instead of taking them down and stringing them again properly, you're going to go to the hardware store and make a suicide cord? Is that really easier?

It's unquestionably unsafe. And I'd say it's the harder thing to do too. So it makes no sense.

Plus the other end of the Christmas light string will have an exposed male live end if you use the female end as the input.

Get a green extension cord and run it from the female end of the powered string and plug male end of the new, unpowered string into it.

Ah baloney, all you need is one of these. Just make sure it's one that's GFCI protected if you're going to install it outside.

I should point out that a GFCI is not an absolute guarantee of not receiving a fatal shock. A suicide cord is a good example of things it won't stop. If you grab both exposed prongs on that live chord, the's a good chance the electricity won't leak to ground enough to trip the GFCI.

Jeeze Ron, he's gonna wrap the connection in electrical tape, that should make things plenty safe. <lol>

Why is this stuff so difficult for folks to understand? I work weekends for one of the home improvement stores and you'd be amazed at the number of people who will spend 30-45 minutes searching the shelves for a $2 cheaper solution to their problem. In many (most) cases the reason they're in the store in the first place is that the last guy wanted to save $2 instead of doing the job the right way.

Well, I have not strung my lights the wrong way, not do I have a generator. I do have a Home Accents 84in LED outdoor Santa Claus with several plugs to light different portions of his body. However, the lighted "gift" he is holding happens to be a female plug. There is nothing in the instructions on how to arrange the chords. What am I supposed to do with that?

Are you sure it isn't a spot to plug in a cord to feed something else? ie. it supplies power to something that you plug into it

Similar to how most strings of lights have a female end on one side to feed another string.

I'd love to see a picture of this Santa Claus.

Use another extension cord?

That sounds like a factory defect. I'd say return it to the store.

Actually a design that requires multiple connections like that sounds like ---- well, not the greatest. If it were mine, I might return it and get something else.

It was the floor model one, the last they had in stock, and it is a decoration dear to my wife cause she got it as a good deal last year. I'll see If I can get a pic of it for you guys. They sold it at Home Depot

I should point out one of the advice posts given above is DANGEROUSLY wrong. A GFCI won't guarantee that the suicide cord won't indeed be lethal. A GFCI only detects if the current goes to an exterior ground. If you grab both prongs of the suicide cord, you can get a potentially lethal jolt without tripping the GFCI.

I believe that's been covered several times but of course you're still right. Probably can't have too many warnings on this stuff!

If it's too difficult to swap the string of lights around, you should change the plugs on both ends of that string. Don't make a suicide cord.

Yep, if you're going to the effort of making a suicide cord, you could just as easily put a proper plug on the lights you are powering.

I look forward to you guys commenting on this post again In 2025!

aerofan- Those who are still alive will probably comment...;-)

Seems much easier to run a longer extension cord to the other end of the string and plug them in there. No mods required anywhere, no tape, no warnings, no tragic consequences. And if you need an extension cord, just let me know, because my dear wife will not stop buying them every year for the Christmas lights, and we have enough to start a small store.

Still getting traction as long as idiots like me continue to looks for dual male extension cords. This thread has probably saved dozens of lives

I am so thankful this is here! 54 years ago when I was almost 4 years old I died while trying to straighten the bent prongs of a "suicide cord" with my teeth while my dad was hanging Christmas lights on our house. (Brilliant I know!) Obviously I was revived but I lost half of my mouth. After 2 months in the hospital, skin grafts and yearly surgeries till 16 they were able to repair the worst of the damage but the scar has truly affected my whole life. Please heed everyone's advice, there is no reason important enough to ever risk making one of these. Thank you to all who took time to comment. Stay safe everyone!