AC Power cord with duck head question, difference?

Just never understood, you've got the white square with the cord that goes to the MBP (which has the light on it), then you get the extra "duck head" cord. Is there a reason to use it other than just extending the reach of your power cable? What is the purpose of three plug cord vs just the two prong attachment on the white block? Is it to ground? I only use the white brick with cord into a surge protector (that is grounded). Just curious as to the reasoning....

powerbook1701 wrote:
so what you are saying is that it is better to use the extra "duckhead" cord from the white power square thing regardless..
Based on experience, I use the 3-prong cord all the time. The reason is that I used to leave the 2-prong hinged duckhead attached, and what happened is that the prong hinge inside wore out and started arcing and failing, and eventually died in hazy smoke and brown scorched plastic. Another duckhead I had for an old iPod USB adapter was so intermittent you had to have it just so or the charge light would not come on, and it was out of warranty so Apple wouldn't replace it. I've concluded that the hinged duckhead is far less reliable simply because it has a moving part. And the way plugs get used, you're always straining that poor little prong hinge that your entire power supply is dependent on, by hanging that big power brick from it, and of course it gets tugged and torqued until one day...
The extension cord never gives me trouble; since I usually don't need the whole cord I tie up a portion of the length. I keep the 2-prong in my bag for the rare times I need to plug into an old ungrounded outlet.

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