Sponsored Content by InterpowerReviewed by Olivia FrostApr 13 2026
NEMA 5-15, 5-20, 6-15, and 6-20 hospital-grade cables are still in use in North American hospitals, medical clinics, and countless specialized care facilities, supplying critical AC power for anything from robotic surgery to diagnostic tests.
Image Credit: Interpower
During emergencies, surgeons, physicians, and nurses can mistakenly disconnect equipment while hurriedly transporting patients or apparatus for patients, which is why the crimped three-conductor wires inside the outer sheath of the extruded cable must remain permanently in place.
Clamping down on conductors
Interpower's molded North American hospital-grade cables have a stainless steel ring clamped around the ground, line, and neutral wires within the plug. The clamping ring preserves electrical continuity without cutting into the conductors' thin wires, making it virtually hard to tear them away during a medical emergency.
Even if the cord is accidentally yanked from the outlet during patient transport, it should still maintain electrical continuity when reinserted, unless it has been withdrawn so forcefully and frequently that a pin or blade on the plug has broken.
Image Credit: Interpower
This small stainless steel ring can truly help save lives in an emergency where AC power is critical. However, the ring is not a necessary component of any global safety agency standard (that the author is aware of).
Interpower devised the clamp to ensure patient safety and included it in every molded hospital-grade cable it produces. So, how do the Interpower molded NEMA hospital-grade cables perform in UL testing, particularly the Abrupt Removal Test?
Abrupt Removal Test
If hospital-grade cords were humans, the UL 817 Abrupt Removal Test would constitute blunt force trauma. Standard NEMA cables do not go through this test. How it works: Insert a plug into an outlet.
A three-conductor cable molded onto the hospital-grade plug is linked to a 10-pound weight and dropped abruptly. The blades are next inspected to determine how far they have bent, and the conductors are examined to see whether wires have been pulled from the crimp or whether the crimp has been pulled away from the wires.
Image Credit: Interpower
Abrupt Pull Test
The Abrupt Pull Test is a NEMA three-conductor cord test that uses NEMA hospital-grade cables. Attach a 2 ½ pound weight to the plug cable and drop it 25 times from the associated outlet.
Before the initial drop, three lights on the test equipment glow red, indicating electrical continuity. However, if any of the three wires (line, neutral, or ground) fails during the test and one or more lights turn off, the test is considered a failure. If this occurs, the plug is checked to see why electrical continuity was lost.
Interpower Abrupt Pull Test
Video Credit: Interpower
So, do Interpower's hand-wired hospital-grade NEMAs have a stainless-steel ring like their molded counterparts?
The best of both worlds
The molded NEMA medical cables are made in Lamoni, Iowa, while the hand-wired medical NEMAs are made in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Aside from the apparent distinction in that the latter may be disassembled and inspected, each has a unique method of fastening the conductor.
While the molded version uses the stainless steel ring, the hand-wired plug, made of rugged nylon, employs five screws – three robust Robertson screws keep it tightly screwed together from the blade plate downward, and two larger screws from either side allow for the adjustment of the tension of North American cable that lies against a U-shaped groove inside the plug opposite the blades.
Turning the screws moves the groove in a manner similar to a vice. This enables optimal adjustability while anchoring the cable.
Either type of hospital-grade cord is intended to supply the appropriate amperages and voltages for a wide range of medical equipment, including portable CT scanners, X-ray machines, heart monitors, hospital-grade treadmills, and many other diagnostic devices.
Image Credit: Interpower
Cord Clips for safety?
Add Cord Clips to hospital-grade cables to improve patient and worker safety. The clip is formed 4.75 inches behind the socket, but it can be molded farther out if needed. The clips are strengthened with polypropylene resin to maintain uniformity and excellent retention.
Cord clips soak up extra slack, preventing tripping (safety) or sudden plug removal. They also assist in limiting injury while using hand equipment like sprayers and preventing damage from the cable dragging over uneven surfaces.
About Interpower
Interpower is the premier supplier of power system components worldwide.
There is no minimum order or dollar requirements, and same-day shipments are available on stock items.
Interpower wants to make it easy for you to design, build, and maintain products for North American and global markets - that’s our mission. It strives to provide our customers with quality products that delight - fast.
Within the electrical product design you are creating, you need a way to connect to the power source. Interpower is the premier supplier of AC power system components worldwide. A huge variety of products is available, including:
- North American and International Power Cords and Cord Sets
- Country-Specific Plugs and Sockets
- North American and International Cable
- Hospital-Grade Products
- IEC 60320 Products
- Accessory Power Distribution Units
- Country-Specific Socket Strips
Value-added services enhance all of the Interpower products.
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