In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

Good that you are making sure you replace all cords with grounded ones.
IMO, you should use "standard" length cords; maybe slightly longer ones on
hand drills and other tools you may use on ladders. One of the handiest
long cords I have is on a Weller dual heat soldering gun. It is better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the clutter of
over-long cords everywhere.

Bob Swinney

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?


It depends on whether the equipment is stationary or portable.

Sight unseen, 25 ft of 12-2 /w/ ground, SJO cord should do a great job.

Lew

In article ,
"Robert Swinney" wrote:

It is better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the clutter of
over-long cords everywhere.

Yup. I hate clutter. I can't stand anything underfoot...'cept the rubber
anti-fatigue mats.
Most of my stuff runs along the ceiling with drop-downs here and there.
I have two retractable ones for power and one for air.

I've noticed that some tools come with rather short cords. Things like
small hand-held circular saws etc.

The reasoning, I suspect, is that it's better for you to accidentally
chop up an extension cord rather than the one hardwired to the saw!

There are other tools where an overly-long cord attached to the tool
gets in the way of normal operation. Soldering irons especially. In
cases like this it's better to have a short cord on the hand-held part
and a longer cord on a stationary base.

Don't forget voltage drop etc too as a reason to keep cords only as
long as necessary.

Tim.

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:16:20 -0700, Too_Many_Tools wrote:

In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

Only as long as necessary (or in other words, as short as possible).

Are you talking about stationary equipment or portable?

The longer the cord, the higher the resistance/voltage drop/wasted energy.

For stationary equipment, you just want enough to safely route the
cable to the outlet without straining it.

If it is portable equipment, it depends upon how far from an outlet you
are expecting to work. If you almost always work a few feet from an
outlet, the standard 6' cord may suit you fine, using a proper extension
cord on the few occasions that you need it. It would be silly and
wasteful to wire all of your portable equipment with 30' cords so that an
extension cord is never needed when you usually work right next to an
outlet.

And then the type of tool will also affect cord length requirements.
Something like a circular saw, where you are likely to be making long
strokes and want to keep the cord well out of the way, could benefit from
a significantly longer cord, or you'll end up using an extension cord
every time.

Then there's the issue of storing all of the cords on portable equipment,
budget, etc, etc.

Code says there should be a power receptacle about every six
feet along wall. Therefore power cords are generally about 6
feet long. Maybe 8 foot max to provide a margin of
adjustment.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

On 21 Oct 2005 09:16:20 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT
I have found that with receptacles every 4 feet around the perimeter
in my shop that 6 foot long cords work the best. This allows me to
move the buffers, etc. to a position that works best. BTW, all my
receptacles are 4 feet up the wall too. Makes it much easier to plug
things in. If buying cord in bulk and making up cords with plugs you
install yourself it is often cheaper to but long extension cords and
cut them to length. As an example 14/3 orange bulk extension cord is
..39 per foot at the local hardware store. 100 foot long 14/3 orange
extension cords already made up is $14.89 or .1489 per foot.
ERS

I replaced the cord on my TS with a foot long one. Makes it easy to move the
tool and I can unplug it easily. Then I have a big 10GA extension cord so I
can roll it out into the driveway to work.

May I suggest that if you are replacing them all that you go with a twist
lock.

-j



"Robert Swinney" wrote in message
...
Good that you are making sure you replace all cords with grounded ones.
IMO, you should use "standard" length cords; maybe slightly longer ones on
hand drills and other tools you may use on ladders. One of the handiest
long cords I have is on a Weller dual heat soldering gun. It is better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the clutter
of
over-long cords everywhere.

Bob Swinney

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

"w_tom" wrote in message
...
Code says there should be a power receptacle about every six
feet along wall. Therefore power cords are generally about 6
feet long. Maybe 8 foot max to provide a margin of....


While I think 8 is a good starting point, the distance between outlets is
not the only factor. Length of the stroke of the tool in use is a factor
too. Example: using a jigsaw to cut an arc for the toe-space apron of a
bookcase.

Better example: using your circular saw to rip a sheet of plywood. In
theory, you can do it with a 8' cord, in practice, you want 12'. 3' from
the wall to the sheet and then be able to rip away from the wall.

The 6' cord on my ROS is really inadequte; 8 would be OK; 10 would be
better. You need that much to get all the way around a full-size piece of
furniture.

My solution to this problem is a 10' HD extension cord. A 6' extension would
probably be better, but a 10 is what I have.

Steve

On my hand tools I like longer cords than come standard. The one stock
exception is my contractor grade Skill saw with a 10' cord. It's about
the only one that does not need/have the extension cord plug dragging in
the way.

Stationary tools are pretty much "as required". I have plenty of wall
outlets so things like the band saw (on wheels), belt sander(s),
grinder, etc can all get along with 6' cords. My 240 volt equipment
(saw, planer, dust collector) need longer cords to get to their
respecitve heavy outlets.

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

An interesting thing happened the other day. My wife was cleaning mold off
of a few of our 2 by 2 ft concrete patio stones with the pressure washer.
It was no different then any other time but she was using a 100" extension
this time. The washer would run for a minute or two or three then switch
itself off, after waiting a bit it would do the same again, and again.

I thought that it was simply shutting down as part of it's duty cycle but
my wife (chief user) insisted that it had never done it before. After a
little reading in the brochure I discovered that long extensions were not
recommend as they were known to cause the motor to overheat.

Shortened the extension and it never did it again. Go figure!

Too_Many_Tools wrote:

In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of
power cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

[...]

Easy. Use a length that will reach the outlet but not add unnecessary
clutter.

"Tim Shoppa" wrote in message
ups.com...


Don't forget voltage drop etc too as a reason to keep cords only as
long as necessary.


Though there are no absolutes in the world, voltage drop is really not an
issue when talking about power cords as described by the OP. You've got to
get out to some distance before voltage drop is an issue and for the average
tool cord, it's just not going to be a factor. Having said that...

--

-Mike-

Allen Parks wrote:
An interesting thing happened the other day.
Snipped story.
While using a 100' 14/3 ext. cord with a 110V. welder out in the
driveway I noticed almost too late the wall socket on fire at the plugin
end.
Moral of the story = 100' extension cords = dangerous crap in the hands
of inexperienced people.
and further, 14 guage cords for anything other than electronics, never
again.
granpaw

The tools are both portable and stationary, wood and metal working,
single and three phase, 110v and 220v, motors from fraction of a horse
to over 5 hp.

Good comments so far...thanks.

TMT

granpaw wrote:

Moral of the story = 100' extension cords = dangerous crap in the hands
of inexperienced people.

Heh...to have the same resistance as a 25' 14AWG cord, a 100' cord needs
to be 8AwG.

I don't think I've ever even *seen* an 8AWG extension cord.

Chris

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

I tend to go for longer rather than shorter, as most machines I've wired
get moved around. Then if the cord is too long I'll just make a neat
coil under a bench or in a corner.

Chris

me wrote:
On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 09:16:20 -0700, Too_Many_Tools wrote:


In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?


Only as long as necessary (or in other words, as short as possible).

Are you talking about stationary equipment or portable?

The longer the cord, the higher the resistance/voltage drop/wasted energy.

For stationary equipment, you just want enough to safely route the
cable to the outlet without straining it.

If it is portable equipment, it depends upon how far from an outlet you
are expecting to work. If you almost always work a few feet from an
outlet, the standard 6' cord may suit you fine, using a proper extension
cord on the few occasions that you need it. It would be silly and
wasteful to wire all of your portable equipment with 30' cords so that an
extension cord is never needed when you usually work right next to an
outlet.

When I said "longer rather than shorter" I should have added that most
of my machines have 10' to 12' cords.

Chris

I've replaced the factory leads on some of my portable gear (table saws,
Chop saws and rolling bench gear) with auto rewind units. Bought the
ones you mount on the wall and simply reversed the connections with new
plug/sockets. Makes it easy to keep track of the cords and since they
are 50 foot long you seldom need an extension. I also have a heavy duty
one mounted on the portable welding table/MIG/TIG unit. Works great to
just roll it out and pull out what you need for the cord instead of
tripping over a long cord.
We also use the same type on a couple of our fire engines for portable
tools and lights. Makes it nice to use them that way. Just keep a rag
handy and wipe the cord down as it retracts to keep a lot of crud from
getting inside.
--
Steve Williams

"Robert Swinney" wrote in message
...
Good that you are making sure you replace all cords with grounded
ones.
IMO, you should use "standard" length cords; maybe slightly longer
ones on
hand drills and other tools you may use on ladders. One of the
handiest
long cords I have is on a Weller dual heat soldering gun. It is
better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the
clutter of
over-long cords everywhere.

Bob Swinney

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like
asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the
outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had
may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced
because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for
the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types
but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT







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In article . com,
Too_Many_Tools says...

In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

I have a hard and fast rule that exension cords are never used
in my shop or home. If I find that there's a need for one,
that means I add a power receptacle where the tool or appliance
is in use.

I do on occasion use them out in the garage, but I tend to
keep them under 10 feet or so.

If the tools are fixed, hard wire them or use a short piece
of S cord to a twistlock receptactle. If they are portable,
have enough recptacles available in the use area that a six
foot or so cord on the tool would be adequate.

Jim


--
==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at pkmfgvm4 (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

On 21 Oct 2005 09:16:20 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't find it any more difficult than how
high you should build the workbench, or what color you should paint
it, or how flat it should be. All are personal adult decisions based
upon your personal needs. It's not rocket science.

On a double insulated tool, what are you going to connect the ground wire
to? The plastic case?

"Robert Swinney" wrote in message
...
Good that you are making sure you replace all cords with grounded ones.
IMO, you should use "standard" length cords; maybe slightly longer ones on
hand drills and other tools you may use on ladders. One of the handiest
long cords I have is on a Weller dual heat soldering gun. It is better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the clutter
of
over-long cords everywhere.

Bob Swinney

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

On 21 Oct 2005 11:07:15 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, "Dave"
quickly quoth:

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of
power cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

[...]

Easy. Use a length that will reach the outlet but not add unnecessary
clutter.

I'm with Dave. Use the _shortest_possible_ extension cord and make it
a good, heavy-gauge cord. Contractor cords are one example.

Better yet is to use good quality, heavy-gauge cording on the tool
itself (with a good connector), eliminating that extra connection and
cheaper cords altogether.

Here is the cable rating for extension cords.
------------------------------------
| AMP RATING | LENGTH 25' 50' 100' |
|------------------------------------|
| 0-6 amps | gauge 16 16 16 |
| 7-10 | 18 16 14 |
| 11-12 | 16 16 14 |
| 13-16 | 14 14 12 |
| 17-20 | 12 12 10 |
| 21-30 | 10 10 NO |
------------------------------------
(if you're not running a fixed width font, you'll get dizzy on that)
Figures courtesy of the Grizzly G1012 instruction manual.


--
Strong like ox, smart like tractor.
----------------------------------
www.diversify.com Oxen-free Website Design

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:23:13 -0700, "J" wrote:

I replaced the cord on my TS with a foot long one. Makes it easy to move the
tool and I can unplug it easily. Then I have a big 10GA extension cord so I
can roll it out into the driveway to work.

May I suggest that if you are replacing them all that you go with a twist
lock.

Good ideas. Most air tools either have just a latching quick-connect
or a short pigtail. It's easy to extend a short cord, and keep
extension cords organized.

-j



"Robert Swinney" wrote in message
...
Good that you are making sure you replace all cords with grounded ones.
IMO, you should use "standard" length cords; maybe slightly longer ones on
hand drills and other tools you may use on ladders. One of the handiest
long cords I have is on a Weller dual heat soldering gun. It is better to
keep a few extension cords on hand rather than dealing with the clutter
of
over-long cords everywhere.

Bob Swinney

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

Eric R Snow wrote:
On 21 Oct 2005 09:16:20 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:


In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT

I have found that with receptacles every 4 feet around the perimeter
in my shop that 6 foot long cords work the best. This allows me to
move the buffers, etc. to a position that works best. BTW, all my
receptacles are 4 feet up the wall too. Makes it much easier to plug
things in. If buying cord in bulk and making up cords with plugs you
install yourself it is often cheaper to but long extension cords and
cut them to length. As an example 14/3 orange bulk extension cord is
.39 per foot at the local hardware store. 100 foot long 14/3 orange
extension cords already made up is $14.89 or .1489 per foot.
ERS


You bet, that is what I do, buy a 25 foot 12 gage
cord and cut it up. For example, I rewired my
table saw and needed only a 6 foot cord to make a
4 foot connection(used the end with the plug),
then cut a 6 foot piece for an extension and used
the remainder (about 13 feet) for another
extension cord. The most expensive part was the
two male and two female connectors. With the
regular wire and a 6 foot and a 13 foot extension
cord I can select what I need to get the minimum
voltage drop.

As far as how long you make cords, your should
make them whatever is convenient for what you have
now or expect to have in less than 1 year. If
you need to slightly extend them later, put on a
new cord, or make short extension cords.

Get a higher current extension. Simple as that.
Sounds like the 100' (assumed it was foot not inch) was a 16 when a 12 was needed.
Martin
Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



Allen Parks wrote:
An interesting thing happened the other day. My wife was cleaning mold off
of a few of our 2 by 2 ft concrete patio stones with the pressure washer.
It was no different then any other time but she was using a 100" extension
this time. The washer would run for a minute or two or three then switch
itself off, after waiting a bit it would do the same again, and again.

I thought that it was simply shutting down as part of it's duty cycle but
my wife (chief user) insisted that it had never done it before. After a
little reading in the brochure I discovered that long extensions were not
recommend as they were known to cause the motor to overheat.

Shortened the extension and it never did it again. Go figure!

Too_Many_Tools wrote:


In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of power
cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.

So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?

It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's like asking
"How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.

Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches the outlet
but how much extra cord should one allow?

Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it had may
not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords got
shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced because
of damage or old age.

As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate for the
currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation types but
the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have your
opinion on.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

TMT



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The hot socket wasn't the extension cord issue - it was the socket and plug issue.

I suspect the socket was a bit stretched and wishy washy. Those heat up.
And the socket was a 15 amp socket (and plug) not a 20 amp socket and plug.

If the welder didn't function well - low arc... that would mean the copper loss
or simple ohms law voltage drop in the wire = current in the wire * resistance of the wire.
So simply have lower resistance (larger wire) and you get less voltage (drop).

Sometimes if you baby step up from 18 to 16 - when you need 12 - the drop is about the
same as the machine starts to work more and takes more.

Martin

Martin Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
NRA LOH, NRA Life
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder



granpaw wrote:
Allen Parks wrote:

An interesting thing happened the other day.

Snipped story.
While using a 100' 14/3 ext. cord with a 110V. welder out in the
driveway I noticed almost too late the wall socket on fire at the plugin
end.
Moral of the story = 100' extension cords = dangerous crap in the hands
of inexperienced people.
and further, 14 guage cords for anything other than electronics, never
again.
granpaw


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Chris Friesen wrote:
granpaw wrote:

Moral of the story = 100' extension cords = dangerous crap in the
hands of inexperienced people.


Heh...to have the same resistance as a 25' 14AWG cord, a 100' cord needs
to be 8AwG.

I don't think I've ever even *seen* an 8AWG extension cord.

Chris

RV's have pretty large cords. My travel trailer
is only 30 amp, but I think the cord is either 10
or 8 gauge, Don't know what trailers and motor
homes with 50 amp service use, but it has to be a
minimum of 8 gauge, maybe 6 gauge. Course most
are only 25 feet long.

According to J :
I replaced the cord on my TS with a foot long one. Makes it easy to move the
tool and I can unplug it easily. Then I have a big 10GA extension cord so I
can roll it out into the driveway to work.

O.K. I was scratching my head over the "TS" above, thinking "A
powered Tailstock on his lathe?" -- and then I noticed that this is
cross-posted to the woodworking newsgroup. (I'm reading it in
rec.crafts.metalworking.)

May I suggest that if you are replacing them all that you go with a twist
lock.

Particularly nice with a drop from the ceiling to power a given
tool

Enjoy,
DoN.
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According to Mike Marlow :

"Tim Shoppa" wrote in message
ups.com...


Don't forget voltage drop etc too as a reason to keep cords only as
long as necessary.


Though there are no absolutes in the world, voltage drop is really not an
issue when talking about power cords as described by the OP. You've got to
get out to some distance before voltage drop is an issue and for the average
tool cord, it's just not going to be a factor. Having said that...

That depends on the tool, of course. There was a mention of a
table saw being wheeled outdoors somewhere back in the thread (though I
think from some other than the OP), and some of those can be a
significant current draw. Most things which can be a serious draw in my
shop tend to be rather stationary (lathes, mills, etc). But if he is
using a serious sized welder on wheels, the current draw may call for
significantly larger wire.

From my own point of view, stationary tools want a cord just the
right length to reach neatly to the wall outlet or the permanent wiring
box. This might mean that it drops to the floor, runs flat, and then up
to the outlet, or that it goes to a strain relief on the ceiling, across
the ceiling, and down the wall to the outlet.

Portable tools may want a longer cord -- especially if the
weight of the cord and a plug in line can make manipulating the tool
more difficult. Such things as die grinders, Dremel tools (Foredom will
have a flex shaft, so that does not apply), soldering irons and similar.
For fine circuit work, it is nice to have the soldering iron's cord
supported by a pivoted overarm.

However -- tools likely to cut their own cord are better with a
short cord -- short enough so that the connector will be unable to get
into the path of the blade. And for those, a twist lock (as suggested
elsewhere by several) with a *good* strain relief for the cord are
probably the best choice.

As someone else mentioned -- what will you do with the ground
wire on double-insulated hand tools?

Something light enough to normally live in one place (say a
bench drill press), but to be possible to move at need, might want a
short cord with twist lock, joined to a longer cord to actually reach
the wall outlet. That way, when you move it for a special job, you
leave the existing power cord to the wall behind, and simply plug it
into one of the prepared extension cords.

If you go with the twist-lock -- make at least one short one
with the twist-lock male, and a standard duplex quad outlet box on the
other end for newly-acquired tools which have not yet been modified, or
for ones which have been borrowed or rented, and for which the actual
owner would not appreciate getting it back with a twist-lock connector. :-)

Anyway -- next hamfest, I'll be looking out for more good
twist-lock connectors. I'm slowly converting certain things to
twist-lock, including the floor-standing drill press, which is now
powered from a box screwed to the ceiling, with the other end plugged
into a normal duplex on the wall for the moment.

Enjoy,
DoN.
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I like to use long cords that are a just a little too small a gauge for
the tool. That way I can wrap them around the base a couple of times
and provide a free space heater to keep my feet warm.

JP

For the sake of easy and neat storage, you might consider putting just
a 6" cord on each tool. More often than not I have to pull out an
extension cord anyway, so it's not much extra work. It is definitely
nice not to have to deal with a bunch of loose cords on the tool shelf.

I have thought of this approach...how has the long term reliability of
the rewind units been?

TMT

"Martin H. Eastburn" wrote:

Get a higher current extension. Simple as that.

Yes,, but that's pretty much a given.

Why did the motor over heat? Does the loss of voltage across the line automatically
cause a motor to overheat? I am sure it did, but it is not something that I would
intuitively think.

"jim rozen" wrote in message
...
Jim Says;

I have a hard and fast rule that exension cords are never used
in my shop or home. If I find that there's a need for one,
that means I add a power receptacle where the tool or appliance
is in use.

It must be nice to have such an area to work in that a hard and fast rule
of no extension cords works. I don't discount that extension cord use
should be minimized but when your in a 50' by 100' shop those outlets every
4' along the wall as posted by another don't cut it when there is a job that
must be worked on in the middle of the shop. Even with electrical drops out
in the middle of the shop extension cords are necessary, and those reels in
the ceiling are extension cords.

That said to reply to the OP I prefer to have a long enough cord on portable
tools that when moving around the plugset does hang up on the work, such as
cutting a piece of plywood with a hand saw and having the plug hang on the
edge of the ply part way through the cut.
lg
no neat sig line

In article , larry g says...

It must be nice to have such an area to work in that a hard and fast rule
of no extension cords works.

Well it didn't start out that way.

:^)

Basically whenever I found I was working in one spot a great
deal of the time, that's where I put outlets in. If they
were in the middle of the shop, they get installed up in
the overhead - which I can do because the ceiling is quite
low.

For shops with higher ceilings, drop cords work very well
and can be tied up out of the way when not in use.

Jim


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BigBunion wrote:
For the sake of easy and neat storage, you might consider putting just
a 6" cord on each tool. More often than not I have to pull out an
extension cord anyway, so it's not much extra work. It is definitely
nice not to have to deal with a bunch of loose cords on the tool shelf.


Makes sense, except I'd make it a bit longer so
the connection isn't in the way. Probably the
worst choice is 6' which is the length of many
original cords.

Why did the motor over heat? Does the loss of voltage across the line
automatically
cause a motor to overheat? I am sure it did, but it is not something
that I would
intuitively think.

A motor needs power to do the job. P=V*I. If the voltage sags the
motor draws more current to make the same power. The higher the
current the more the motor heats up.

In general, long enough to reach an outlet in the most likely
places it will get used. Different tool family, different
lengths, most likely.
That -might- result in a re-think of the shop wiring: I've
found overhead outlets handy in the extreme. I use the conduit
type with the swinging ball joint at the ceiling box. Keep them
above head level and out of the way of wood movement though or
plan on tying them up out of the way. I put one purposely where
it'd be inthe way and then bungee'd it up out of the way - no
problem at all for the functionality I gained.
I also added two 25' reeled cords; also very handy.
Then I placed the Master switches in the shop just inside the
door to the laundry room - so I can know ALL power is off out
there without having to walk out. Painted all non-switched
outlets reddish orange, and added something noisy or that puts
out light to each one. Plus, a set of motion activated lights
to walk-thru on th eway to the garage.
I think I'm FINALLY read to start actually using my shop again
now! Wonder what I missed? Oh yeah, surface mount all wiring in
conduit; you won't be sorry down the road; made it real easy to
rewire a couple of things.

JM2C

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
ups.com...
: In about a month, I will be replacing a significant number of
power
: cords on a variety of metal and wood working machines.
:
: So how long of a cord should a person replace them with?
:
: It's a harder question to answer than at first glance. It's
like asking
: "How high should I build my workbench?"..it depends.
:
: Of course one should replace the cord so the new one reaches
the outlet
: but how much extra cord should one allow?
:
: Over the years, machines have come with a variety of lengths in
: relation to their power cords so just replacing it with what it
had may
: not be a good approach. When copper was expensive, the cords
got
: shorter to save costs. And over the years, cords are replaced
because
: of damage or old age.
:
: As a matter of good practice I will be installing wire adequate
for the
: currents needed, using grounded plugs, appropiate insulation
types but
: the simple question of "How Long?" is one I would like to have
your
: opinion on.
:
: Thanks in advance for suggestions.
:
: TMT
: