Flagship Product
Retractile Power Cords
UL/CUL listed coiled power cords that extend when you need them and retract when you don't. Available in TPE, TPR, and PVC — from stock or built to your exact spec.
UL/CUL listed coiled power cords that extend when you need them and retract when you don't. Available in TPE, TPR, and PVC — from stock or built to your exact spec.
Retractile cords — also called coiled cords or curly cords — are power cables manufactured in a helical coil shape. They extend to their full working length when pulled and spring back to a compact coiled state when released, keeping your workspace organized and cable-free.
Cords spring back to compact coil shape, eliminating tangles and trip hazards.
Every power cord is UL and CUL listed for safe commercial and industrial use.
Stock retracted lengths from 12" to 48" with 1:5 extension ratio standard.
Manufactured in North Branford, CT since 1947. Most orders ship within one day.
The two words describe completely different products, and confusing them costs buyers real money on the wrong specification. Both terms appear constantly in search results, supplier catalogs, and engineering specs — but they refer to fundamentally different cable architectures.
| Term | What It Actually Is | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Retractile cord | A coiled cable with elastic spring memory built into the cable jacket itself. No mechanical mechanism — the helix retracts on its own. | Industrial equipment, medical devices, OEM portable power, dispatch radios |
| Retractable cord | A straight cable wound onto a spring-loaded reel. The reel houses a mechanism that pulls the cable back into its enclosure when released. | Garage extension cord reels, vacuum cleaners, ceiling-mounted power drops |
| Coiled cord / Curly cord | Synonyms for retractile cord. "Coiled cord" is the engineering term; "curly cord" is the consumer term (e.g., "curly phone cord"). | Same as retractile cord |
| Coil cord | Same product, abbreviated. Common in industrial purchasing and cataloging. | Same as retractile cord |
If you searched for "retractable cord" expecting a coiled product, you were probably looking for what the industry formally calls a retractile cord. Autac builds the latter — UL-listed coiled cables with no moving parts — for industrial, medical, telecommunications, and OEM applications. We do not manufacture cord reels.
Reels add a mechanical failure point: the spring eventually fatigues, the cable wears against the housing, and dust or debris can jam the rewind mechanism. A retractile cord has no moving parts to fail. The same helical jacket geometry that retracts the cord also distributes flex stress along the entire coil rather than concentrating it at fixed bend points, which is why retractile cords routinely exceed 100,000 extension cycles in normal service. For portable power tools, robotic arms, retracting workbench connections, and any application where the cord moves thousands of times per year, retractile is the engineered choice.
The self-retracting behavior of a retractile cord comes from how the jacket compound is heat-cured around a mandrel. Here is the process, step by step, that produces every Autac retractile cord:
Stranded copper conductors — sized 26 AWG up to 10 AWG depending on the rating — are individually insulated with PVC, polyurethane, or thermoset rubber. The insulated conductors are then twisted together at a controlled lay length to form the cable core. Optional spiral or foil shielding with a drain wire is applied at this stage for EMI-sensitive applications.
The cabled bundle passes through an extrusion die where the jacket compound — PVC, TPE, TPR, or our proprietary Auta-Prene thermoset rubber — is bonded uniformly over the conductor assembly. Jacket compound choice drives every key performance characteristic of the finished cord: temperature range, chemical resistance, abrasion durability, coil memory, and the coefficient of friction that determines how cleanly the cord slides through fixtures and housings.
The straight jacketed cable is wound around a precision-machined heated mandrel sized to the target retracted length. The cable is held in place while the jacket compound is heat-cured at a controlled temperature for a controlled time. The cure permanently sets the helical geometry into the molecular structure of the jacket — not as a temporary deformation, but as the cable's new resting shape. After cooling, the cord retains its coil shape for the life of the product.
Terminations are added next: molded plug ends (NEMA, IEC, or custom), stripped and tinned leads, or specified connectors. Every cord is electrically tested for continuity, dielectric strength, and resistance before packaging. UL-listed cords carry full lot traceability, and all manufacturing happens at our North Branford, Connecticut facility — the same site Autac has operated on continuously since 1947.
The result is a cord that retracts to a defined length and returns to that length cycle after cycle, for the entire service life of the product. There are no moving parts to wear out, no springs to fatigue, and no mechanism to jam.
Our most popular retractile power cords. TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) insulation with TPR black jacket delivers excellent flexibility, oil resistance, and durability in demanding environments.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Cable OD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Heavy-duty retractile power cords built for higher amperage applications. Available in 16, 14, and 12 AWG with ratings up to 20 amps and 600V. Ideal for power tools, industrial equipment, and field service.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Cable OD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Cost-effective retractile power cords with PVC insulation and jacket. Available in black or white. A reliable choice for general-purpose power applications in commercial and light industrial settings.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Cable OD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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TPE-insulated retractile power cords with a TPE jacket and bare copper conductors. These cords combine the flexibility and chemical resistance of TPE throughout, making them an excellent choice for environments requiring full thermoplastic elastomer construction.
| Cat. No. | Cond. | AWG | UL Type | Voltage | Amps | Retracted Lengths | Cable OD |
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Choosing the right material depends on your application environment. Here is a quick comparison of the three jacket and insulation materials available in our retractile power cord line.
We build retractile cords to order — any gauge, conductor count, length, material, color, and termination.
Request a quote on any catalog cord, or tell us your specs and we'll build it custom. Most stock orders ship within one business day.