Jack Goff wrote:
On Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:52:56 GMT, Dan Krueger
wrote:


Wayne.B wrote:


On Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:54:50 GMT, Dan Krueger
wrote:



Contractors use 100' 12ga extension cords every day to power large saws,
rotary hammer drills, and other big tools powered by their generators.
10ga or bigger would be expensive, hard to find, and not necessary.


I built my own 10ga extension once upon a time for doing boatyard work
at a distance from outlets. I bought a 250 ft roll of 10/3 from a
distributor at a half decent price, put my own connectors on it, and
stored the whole thing on an inexpensive garden hose reel.

Worked great, cost less than $100, everthing included.


There's nothing wrong with that provided it's not a job site OSHA might
visit. The hardest part of making an extension cord like that would be
finding 10ga male and female ends. If they are rated for 12ga then the
250' of wire between the two might as well be 12ga.

Dan


Actually, that's not true. If what you are trying to accomplish is
less voltage drop under load, having the larger wire is exactly the
ticket. The drop is along the entire length of wire, and going to a
larger gauge means less resistance per foot, so less drop.

Now if you were to exceed the current-carrying capacity of the ends,
that's a different story. But that is not what was under discussion
here.

Besides, why would OSHA care? Unless they have a rule concerning an
extension cord's length, they aren't going to care if you're using an
extension cord that's over-engineered for it's use. Now if you tried
to do that same thing with lamp zip-cord, they'd nail you!

Jack

OSHA doesn't like homemade extension cords. While it my be over
engineered, it's not UL listed. They live for those sort of things.
Even properly installed replacement plugs are not allowed since it is no
longer a factory cord. Of course that doesn't mean it doesn't happen
all of the time.

BTW - based on this application, I was incorrect about the plugs. I
forgot what he was trying to do.

Dan