Extension Cords For The Shop

[John Ziebron]

I wired a ceiling outlet and mounted a 35 foot reel cord up there that has a triple outlet on the end. The reel is mounted in between my 4 x 8 assembly table, my woodworking bench and my TB outfeed table but will reach almost anywhere in the shop. This way I don't have to worry about a cord dragging on my cement floor or me tripping on it. You can adjust how far it hangs down when not being used which should be just above your head.

[Cameron Wood]

Cords, you say?


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[Steven Cooper2]

Coming from theater, lots of soow or sjoow. Mostly 12 awg but some 14.

It's great and the smell of new cable is heavenly.

All just made from bare cord. Coleman, southwire etc...

[Rich Engelhardt]

yeah I don't need heavy duty, these would be for routers, sanders Etc.

what weight cord for these type of tools, 10/4, 14/3, Etc?

Check the amperage on the tools. If the amps are 12 or above, then I use 12 ga.
Under nearly all circumstances, I try very hard not to exceed 25 feet.

[Jack Frederick]

Extension cords are maddening when too long…or too short. Per Jim’s suggestion, I use the SJ cord by the foot and make up cords. My 50’ers are all rolled up and out of the way. 6, 10, 12 and 15’ are now my most used now in the smaller place.

[Curt Harms]

.............
That said, if you can also grab an "on sale" 10 or 12 gage 50' extension cord at the borg, cut it up and put new connectors on of the type you need to make up multiple extension cords. I've done that multiple times to serve a custom need with no issue. Just be careful stripping the cover so you don't nick a conductor.

You have to do the math but yup, often times in the past at least, a 50 foot extension cord wasn't much more money than a 25 footer. Male and female plugs and you have 2 25 footers. My experience is that extension cords are nearly all stranded wire so I try to get ends that are stranded wire friendly, they use a clamp rather than a screw to hold the wire.

[Bill Howatt]

I have #12, 14, 16 cords in various lengths. I mark the wire size on each end of each cord for easy identification - not always easy to see what is embossed on the cord itself, if anything.

[Josh Molaver]

Hope ok to share this here, it's topical:

25 foot Coleman 12/3 extension cord with triple outlets, $19 (Amazon). Seems like a great deal if you need another one.

[Jim Becker]

I have #12, 14, 16 cords in various lengths. I mark the wire size on each end of each cord for easy identification - not always easy to see what is embossed on the cord itself, if anything.

I decided to keep things simple...any 120v extension cord I use in the shop for general utility is 12 gage and that will cover any use I'd throw at it. Anything smaller out there is "up in the rafters" extending a light fixture to an outlet or similar. Any "permanent" extension I use for a 240v machine is 10 gage which matches the machine circuits.

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Josh, that's a very typical "budget" cord that I've used to provide the material to make up shorter ones.

[John Downey]

I like rubber cord with plugs I put on. I don't like PVC cords, too stiff, too easily sun damaged.

I use 14 awg for general use but also have a couple 12 awg cords around. 10 awg is overkill unless you are going 150' or something.

[Pat Germain]

Joe, make up your own from the heavy rubber coated cable you can buy by the foot and use quality connectors. You can't beat them. That said, if you can also grab an "on sale" 10 or 12 gage 50' extension cord at the borg, cut it up and put new connectors on of the type you need to make up multiple extension cords. I've done that multiple times to serve a custom need with no issue. Just be careful stripping the cover so you don't nick a conductor.

Whenever I have looked at electrical cable sold by the foot, it was ridiculously expensive; like buying dinner a la carte at a fancy restaurant. I agree about buying heavy duty extension cords, cutting off the ends and attaching my own connectors. It works really well.

[Patty Hann]

Saw this listing on Amazon. I read the questions and am posting one in particular.
Obviously not everyone who answered got the joke.

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[Richard Coers]

I use as cheap as possible. I have yet to wear out a cheap cord over the 5+ decades of home ownership. I've damaged a few, but never wore one out. I don't leave them sitting in the sun, so UV resistance is not an issue for me.

[John Ziebron]

Saw this listing on Amazon. I read the questions and am posting one in particular.
Obviously not everyone who answered got the joke.

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That's funny Patty. I would never have thought to look at any questions for something simple like an extension cord. This could go in the Levity thread as well.

[Patty Hann]

That's funny Patty. I would never have thought to look at any questions for something simple like an extension cord. This could go in the Levity thread as well.

Did you notice the first answer was not just another customer (such as moi) ...it was from the seller. Too funny.