# Does anyone know where I can get a MaleUSB to FemaleAC cord?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 28, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923 "2015-10-28T01:02:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/1 "2015-10-28T01:02:32Z")
I’ve found several different adapters so maybe I could jury-rig something but I’d rather have something actually made for the purpose.
---
### Author:  [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/2 "2015-10-28T01:11:24Z")
> [@Darth\_Ayebaw](#):
>
> I’ve found several different adapters so maybe I could jury-rig something but I’d rather have something actually made for the purpose.
All such things are usually best bought at [monoprice.com](http://monoprice.com)
---
### Author:  [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/3 "2015-10-28T01:13:28Z")
Wait, what do you mean by “FemaleAC cord”?
---
### Author:  [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/4 "2015-10-28T01:23:46Z")
One end is male USB other is female AC like a power outlet.
---
### Author:  [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/5 "2015-10-28T01:25:50Z")
I don’t think those exist. USB is like 5 volts.
---
### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/6 "2015-10-28T01:36:21Z")
Maybe you should tell us what you actually want to accomplish.
---
### Author:  [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/7 "2015-10-28T01:39:00Z")
It’s definitely doable to transform 5VDC to 120VAC that’s what inverters are for.
[http://i.imgur.com/wDjBS66.jpg](http://i.imgur.com/wDjBS66.jpg) is basically what I’m looking for.
---
### Author:  [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/8 "2015-10-28T01:48:02Z")
I’ve seen the opposite. USB to 110v extension cord. It was used at a LAN to make computers sad and prevent people from cheating in games.
---
### Author:  [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/9 "2015-10-28T01:50:58Z")
USB will only provide 1amp. So 5 watts. There is almost nothing that runs at mains voltages that you will be able to usefully power with that. (Except for things that will simply drop the voltage back down to something quite low anyway.) Once you factor in losses in the inverter you will be less than 5 watts.
No doubt, you can make a 5 watt 5v to 110v 60Hz AC inverter. The use case is so limited that I doubt you will find one at commodity prices. There are inverters that create high AC voltages from 5v, usually for things like CFL backlights, but they tend to run at much higher frequencies than 60Hz, and deliver very little power.
---
### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/10 "2015-10-28T10:15:24Z")
> [@Darth\_Ayebaw](#):
>
> It’s definitely doable to transform 5VDC to 120VAC that’s what inverters are for.
>
> [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](http://i.imgur.com/wDjBS66.jpg) is basically what I’m looking for.
I can see no purpose whatsoever for such a device. Seriously, that thing looks like a joke.
---
### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/11 "2015-10-28T11:40:22Z")
> [@Darth\_Ayebaw](#):
>
> I’ve found several different adapters so maybe I could jury-rig something but I’d rather have something actually made for the purpose.
Can you explain what you intend to use it for?
USB power is 5v but can vary from 500mA to 2-3A or higher if using a powered delivery system.
BTW, I think you mean jerry-build or jerry-rigged, jury-rigging is something else entirely.
---
### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/12 "2015-10-28T13:12:04Z")
> [@Sparky812](#):
>
> …
> BTW, I think you mean jerry-build or jerry-rigged, jury-rigging is something else entirely.
> [@](#):
>
> jury–rig
> verb ju·ry–rig \ˈju̇r-ē-ˌrig, -ˈrig\
>
> : to build or put together (a simple device or structure) using the materials that you have available
> …
> jerry–rigged
> adjective jer·ry–rigged \ˈjer-ē-ˌrigd\
>
> : made in a quick or careless way : not built or designed well
From
> **[Definition of JURY-RIG](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jury-rig)**
>
> to erect, construct, or arrange in a makeshift fashion… See the full definition
and
> **[Definition of JERRY-RIGGED](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jerry-rigged)**
>
> organized or constructed in a crude or improvised manner… See the full definition
Both seem to be OK
---
### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/13 "2015-10-28T13:34:49Z")
It would seem for all practical purposes you would need a storage battery to power anything practical with 120VAC from a USB power source, at which case this becomes child’s play to put it all together , but they are all separate pieces.
-A 5VDC USB to 12V step up (assuming the charger can charge off of USB levels that it can supply, I believe they can)
- A plug adapter if needed to convert the 12V step up to the plug that the emergency starter requires.
-A 12VDC Li-ion or lead acid emergency jump starter kit (with proper attachment to allow the inverted to connect, some have build in inverters - so that should eliminate a part if you can find one)
-Normally a jump start output to cig lighter adapter or some other way of attaching the jump start output to the inverter
-A 12VDC to 120VAC inverter if not part of the battery pack
It would take some time to charge up the battery to get run time to power the inverter.
---
### Author:  [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/14 "2015-10-28T13:50:57Z")
I think the OP wants a quick/efficient domestic PC and PC Hard Drive Killer.
Plug 1 end into the USB port and 1 end into a surge protector and wait until smoke/fuse-pop shows that the PC and the records on the drive are toast. 😃
---
### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/15 "2015-10-28T14:02:21Z")
I think he wants to plug his computer into the AC outlet so it’s self powered.
---
### Author:  [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/16 "2015-10-28T14:22:15Z")
The [USB Laptop self-charge cable](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxG6mvw2aDM/Ummkq_MoLqI/AAAAAAAAVyU/mQzd-KVq5iU/s400/self-charger.jpg) comes to mind - NEVER run out of power again.
---
### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/17 "2015-10-28T15:03:40Z")
Jokes aside, my son had his house rewired and it now has several USB charging stations built into 110 outlets. I assume that there is a 110AC to 5DC rectifier built into the socket. I assume that what the OP is asking for such a thing built into a cord. Every laptop includes a 2 part charger of that sort (but not 5 V) that can charge something like a cell phone. Actually, my Kobo reader has a thing of that sort. One end is a box that plugs into a 110 outlet and the other end is a mini-USB connector. The request is entirely reasonable.
---
### Author:  [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/18 "2015-10-28T15:16:33Z")
No I’m pretty much looking for the exact opposite.
And I won’t plug my laptop into it that won’t work for obvious reasons. But other things would!
---
### Author:  [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/19 "2015-10-28T15:18:34Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#):
>
> Actually, my Kobo reader has a thing of that sort. One end is a box that plugs into a 110 outlet and the other end is a mini-USB connector. The request is entirely reasonable.
Actually a lot of electronic things sold these days come with a charger. Which seems to be the opposite of what the OP wants. The OP seems to want to convert USB power to 120V AC power. Unless you are using the more exotic USB 3.0 and USB C power modes which deliver 12 and 20 V with 60W to 100W this seems pretty useless.
---
### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923/20 "2015-10-28T15:38:41Z")
> [@Darth\_Ayebaw](#):
>
> And I won’t plug my laptop into it that won’t work for obvious reasons. But other things would!
What will you plug in that will consume no more than 5 watts? Maybe you could charge some other device that doesn’t have a USB charger. But the loss in converting 5VDC to 120VAC is going to limit you even further.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-where-i-can-get-a-maleusb-to-femaleac-cord/735923.md?page=2)