IEC Cables: Terminate, Split, or Extend?

Daniel wrote in with four questions about IEC 60320 cables: can you terminate them yourself, do adapters matter, are splitters safe, and how long can a run actually be? The answers turn out to come from different places — a wiring standard, an ampacity table, and in at least one case, an honest "no source says that." Along the way: the odd/even naming rule that unlocks the whole connector family, why the cloverleaf really is called a Mickey Mouse connector, and the C15 trap where a cord fits perfectly and is still the wrong part. Episode #694980 — open it directly at myweirdprompts.com/694980