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220v extension cord for Table saw?
I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt
available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT |
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#2
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"Ron Truitt" wrote in message
I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. IME, 220v extension cords are hard to come by locally, and cheaper to make yourself. Just use the proper gauge wire, preferably stranded for an extension cord, for the amperage of your circuit, and you will be fine. For my table saw I made a 15' extension cord out of the 10 ga stranded wire, which is the same size in the circuit to the receptacle. Male and female plugs are generally available at the BORGs. -- www.e-woodshop.net Last update: 11/06/04 |
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#4
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A good electical house will have them, Grainger, McMaster Carr, MSC
will also have them if you are in the US. You just get some SO or SJ cord the correct gauge. Hubbell is one brand. Pass & Seymour is another brand. (Ron Truitt) wrote: I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT |
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#5
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Howdy
I have seen them in commerical wholesale business. Why not make your own. Ten feet would not require large gauge cable. The main thing is 4 wire cable and 220v m/f connectors. 12 gauge wire should be sufficient. Keep in mind the longer the wire the less voltage at the other end. Ron "Ron Truitt" wrote in message ... I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT |
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#6
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On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:30:06 -0700, Rebel \(Ron\) wrote
(in article ): I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT For a typical 3hp table saw you'll only need 12 gauge wire. Look for sales or buy a 25 foot extension cord. Cut the ends off and install 220v plug and receptacle that corresponds with your 220v socket and table saw plug. You might need to install the receptacle in a metal box with the appropriate strain relief to clam onto the cord. A nicer alternative is to buy the sheathed 10 gauge 3/wire rubber covered (usually black) cut to your required length. One wire to each hot and ground. -Bruce |
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#7
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Install another 220v outlet (or two).
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:47:15 -0600, (Ron Truitt) wrote: I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT |
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#8
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"Rebel (Ron)" wrote in message ... Howdy I have seen them in commerical wholesale business. Why not make your own. Ten feet would not require large gauge cable. 10 guage cable will support up to 30 amps. The main thing is 4 wire cable and 220v m/f connectors. 3 wire is all he'll need for shop tools, unless he's hooking up a clothes dryer next to his table saw. 12 gauge wire should be sufficient. Maybe - depends on the current draw of the tool. 12 guage will support 20 amps - likely sufficient for most tools that will plug into an extension cord. Keep in mind the longer the wire the less voltage at the other end. Not at these lengths. -- -Mike- |
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#9
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"Ron Truitt" wrote in message ... I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT They are hard to find. What I did was to buy a 25 foot, 12 gauge, 120 volt, extension cord. Loop off both ends, add an approprite male plug on the one end and completely remove the original cord on the saw an install my new 25 footer. Cheaper as you only need one plug, and no hassle with "one more cord" lying about. Greg |
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#10
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Phisherman writes:
nstall another 220v outlet (or two). On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:47:15 -0600, (Ron Truitt) wrote: I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. I use two different pattern 220 volt extensions for machines that cannot be moved close enough to any of the six 220 outlets I currently have. In many cases, there simply is NO way to move the machine close enough to the outlet. Short cords. Blocked outlets (with wood or other machines). Those are only reasons. I haven't found any commercially available 220 extensions, but there probably are some. They're easy enough to make. Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken |
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#11
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#12
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Charlie Self wrote:
Phisherman writes: nstall another 220v outlet (or two). On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 16:47:15 -0600, (Ron Truitt) wrote: I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. I use two different pattern 220 volt extensions for machines that cannot be moved close enough to any of the six 220 outlets I currently have. In many cases, there simply is NO way to move the machine close enough to the outlet. Short cords. Blocked outlets (with wood or other machines). Those are only reasons. I haven't found any commercially available 220 extensions, but there probably are some. They're easy enough to make. Lowes usually has some in stock. Typically though you either have to make up an adapter cable to get it to plug into whatever socket you have in the wall and another one at the other end or change the plug on the machine to match the cord. Or you need to cut the connectors off and replace them with connectors that match your machine and outlet, in which case you may as well just get a 110v cord and do the same. Finding plugs that fit a standard dryer outlet can be problematical--you may have to get a replacement dryer cord and put a socket on the other end of it that takes a readily available plug. Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken -- --John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) |
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#13
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#14
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On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 11:32:11 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote: On 29 Nov 2004 09:11:28 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self) wrote: I haven't found any commercially available 220 extensions, but there probably are some. They're easy enough to make. Many times installing a longer cord on the machine is cheaper than an extension cord. One, maybe two less connectors to buy! Barry that's true... I forgot about that... when I had a 220v dryer (yuk!) I bought a new cord for it that was 4' longer, so that I didn't need an extension cord.. (HD has 'em) |
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#16
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(Ron Truitt) writes:
I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Get a 25 or 50 ft, 12-2 /w/ ground, molded cord set of whatever voltage is available at the lowest price. Cut off the female end and wire into saw. If not already 240V, cut off male plug and rewire with 240V plug. It is how I rigged mine. HTH Lew |
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#17
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On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 19:02:54 GMT, mac davis
wrote: In my area, (central CA), you can't GET them.. I had to make my own out of Romex... Don't you also have to show an id to buy spray paint? G Barry |
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#18
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#19
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I have 220 volt extension cords all over the shop. Somebody more
attuned to the regs may tell you I'm crazy, I don't know. I just buy the heavyest cable I can find, #12 extension cord or #10 stranded cable with a heavy jacket off the spool. Put a plug on one end and an outlet to match your tool on the other. Run the tool where you want to, not close to where the outlet is. bob g. Ron Truitt wrote: I am considering getting a 220 volt table saw but have 220 volt available at the entrance to my garage and would have to have an extension cord of 10 feet or so. Is that a problem and if not are they comercially available? I have never seen anything in 220 but am not use to the search. Thanks, RonT |
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#20
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On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 00:53:11 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote: On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 19:02:54 GMT, mac davis wrote: In my area, (central CA), you can't GET them.. I had to make my own out of Romex... Don't you also have to show an id to buy spray paint? G Barry haven't used it in years, but I think you do, if you look young (i sure don't!) between the sniffers and the taggers, they used to sell a lot of spray paint! |
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#21
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Robert Galloway wrote:
I have 220 volt extension cords all over the shop. Somebody more attuned to the regs may tell you I'm crazy, I don't know. I just buy the heavyest cable I can find, #12 extension cord or #10 stranded cable with a heavy jacket off the spool. Put a plug on one end and an outlet to match your tool on the other. Run the tool where you want to, not close to where the outlet is. Hey, Bob, you see that great article in Tools & Shops this month about shop fires?  -BAT |
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#22
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Brett A. Thomas responds:
Robert Galloway wrote: I have 220 volt extension cords all over the shop. Somebody more attuned to the regs may tell you I'm crazy, I don't know. I just buy the heavyest cable I can find, #12 extension cord or #10 stranded cable with a heavy jacket off the spool. Put a plug on one end and an outlet to match your tool on the other. Run the tool where you want to, not close to where the outlet is. Hey, Bob, you see that great article in Tools & Shops this month about shop fires? And why would 240 volt extension cords be any more likely to create shop fires than would, say, 120 volt extension cords? Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken |
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#23
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Yup. Saw it. Don't see where it applies???
bob g. Brett A. Thomas wrote: Robert Galloway wrote: I have 220 volt extension cords all over the shop. Somebody more attuned to the regs may tell you I'm crazy, I don't know. I just buy the heavyest cable I can find, #12 extension cord or #10 stranded cable with a heavy jacket off the spool. Put a plug on one end and an outlet to match your tool on the other. Run the tool where you want to, not close to where the outlet is. Hey, Bob, you see that great article in Tools & Shops this month about shop fires? -BAT |
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#24
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Charlie Self wrote:
And why would 240 volt extension cords be any more likely to create shop fires than would, say, 120 volt extension cords? Just a joke, Charlie. Although, FWIW, I'd tend to be a little more suspicious of shop-made extension cords (whatever their voltage) than of the UL-listed ones. No disrespect to Bob's cable-making in particular intended, though. |
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#25
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My 10-3 awg extension with heavy neoprene cover and carrying 220 volts
will probably stand up to more than most of the extension cords I've seen contractors running around job sites carrying 110 volts. Amps versus wire guage are probably most important in overheating and general construction will determine how well it stands up to foot traffic and having things rolled over it such as mobile base mounted tools or wheelbarrows. bob g. Charlie Self wrote: Brett A. Thomas responds: Robert Galloway wrote: I have 220 volt extension cords all over the shop. Somebody more attuned to the regs may tell you I'm crazy, I don't know. I just buy the heavyest cable I can find, #12 extension cord or #10 stranded cable with a heavy jacket off the spool. Put a plug on one end and an outlet to match your tool on the other. Run the tool where you want to, not close to where the outlet is. Hey, Bob, you see that great article in Tools & Shops this month about shop fires? And why would 240 volt extension cords be any more likely to create shop fires than would, say, 120 volt extension cords? Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken |
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#26
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On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 13:59:47 -0800, Brett A. Thomas wrote:
Charlie Self wrote: And why would 240 volt extension cords be any more likely to create shop fires than would, say, 120 volt extension cords? Just a joke, Charlie. Although, FWIW, I'd tend to be a little more suspicious of shop-made extension cords (whatever their voltage) than of the UL-listed ones. No disrespect to Bob's cable-making in particular intended, though. Well...if you're using UL listed connectors, and UL listed wire, and using both according to how they're supposed to be used, you're fine. An interesting side note - coiling of extension cords while in use is a really, really bad idea. It makes a huge inductor (coil) which blocks AC current and generates a LOT of heat. I have a friend who is a master electrician, and among other jobs always handles the power systems at the county fair. He's got more than a couple trophies which are melted-together coils of what used to be extension cords on reels of one sort or another. Power loss is substantial in a coiled AC cord. That said, I have no hesitation making my own extension cords where appropriate, but I do the calculations before I do so. Dave Hinz |
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#27
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Robert Galloway wrote:
Yup. Saw it. Don't see where it applies??? bob g. Sorry, just the first thing that popped into my head when I read it. Not trying to make any particular criticism of your electrical choices, meant to be lighthearted joshing. |
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#28
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"Brett A. Thomas" wrote in message ... Charlie Self wrote: And why would 240 volt extension cords be any more likely to create shop fires than would, say, 120 volt extension cords? Just a joke, Charlie. Although, FWIW, I'd tend to be a little more suspicious of shop-made extension cords (whatever their voltage) than of the UL-listed ones. No disrespect to Bob's cable-making in particular intended, though. Would you be equally more suspicious of shop made wood products than of commercially manufactured ones? -- -Mike- |
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#29
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Mike Marlow wrote:
"Brett A. Thomas" wrote in message Just a joke, Charlie. Although, FWIW, I'd tend to be a little more suspicious of shop-made extension cords (whatever their voltage) than of the UL-listed ones. Would you be equally more suspicious of shop made wood products than of commercially manufactured ones? Well, I don't believe most common wood furniture goes through quite the UL-sponsored torture testing most extension cords do, so I don't think that's particularly a fair question. I also think most shop-made cords are probably not as extensively designed and engineered as most shop-made wood products. And, finally, if I mess up a bench in the shop, it's probably not going to catch on fire. [Pauses briefly to imagine screwing up a bench so badly that it bursts into flames]. Anyway, I was just trying to make a lighthearted comment and apparently have now offended half of rec.woodworking. I'm sure at some point I'll make an extension cord myself and it'll work just fine. All I'm saying is it'll be six months before I stop looking at it carefully everytime I use it - and that wouldn't be true of a UL-listed extension cord. -BAT |
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#30
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Before you get too happy with the U/L approval remember they approved aluminum
wire, FPE "no-trip" breakers and a back stabber wiring devices. |
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#31
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Would you be equally more suspicious of shop made wood products than of
commercially manufactured ones? Well, I don't believe most common wood furniture goes through quite the UL-sponsored torture testing most extension cords do, so I don't think that's particularly a fair question. I also think most shop-made cords are probably not as extensively designed and engineered as most shop-made wood products. And, finally, if I mess up a bench in the shop, it's probably not going to catch on fire. [Pauses briefly to imagine screwing up a bench so badly that it bursts into flames]. Anyway, I was just trying to make a lighthearted comment and apparently have now offended half of rec.woodworking. I'm sure at some point I'll make an extension cord myself and it'll work just fine. All I'm saying is it'll be six months before I stop looking at it carefully everytime I use it - and that wouldn't be true of a UL-listed extension cord. -BAT I have some nice homemade 220V cords made up from 10GA SJ cable with hubbell twistlocks on the ends. They beat the pants off any factory made cord I could buy at the borg. No need to look at them twice. Can you really be that doubtful about your skills and of electricity? -j |
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#32
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"Greg" writes: Before you get too happy with the U/L approval remember they approved aluminum wire, FPE "no-trip" breakers and a back stabber wiring devices. And the list goes on. It is a test for fee organization, not an engineering design firm. Lew |
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#33
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Brett Thomas notes:
I also think most shop-made cords are probably not as extensively designed and engineered as most shop-made wood products. And, finally, if I mess up a bench in the shop, it's probably not going to catch on fire. [Pauses briefly to imagine screwing up a bench so badly that it bursts into flames]. Anyway, I was just trying to make a lighthearted comment and apparently have now offended half of rec.woodworking. You haven't offended anyone, AFAIK. But, in fact, shop made extension cords are fairly common, both in 240 and 120 volt configurations, and the parts used have--usually--already been engineered and tested. It's a matter of assembly, and that's an individual thing. My hands aren't as able as they were back then, but I used to rewire military helicopters. Those systems were already engineered, but for various reasons (including ****ty engineering) problems cropped up and us avionics types had to hunt it down and fix it, often makikng field changes. So I feel pretty competent to make shop extensions, and I do not feel my level of wiring skill is at all unusual. I'm sure at some point I'll make an extension cord myself and it'll work just fine. All I'm saying is it'll be six months before I stop looking at it carefully everytime I use it - and that wouldn't be true of a UL-listed extension cord. One good examination should do it. If you assemble the cord of top quality components and do the work carefully, it will show you all you need to know the first time you use it. Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken |
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#34
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"Brett A. Thomas" wrote in message ... Hey Brett, I'll throw this in out of order, just to set the stage... not to worry - you didn't offend anyone. Well, I don't believe most common wood furniture goes through quite the UL-sponsored torture testing most extension cords do, so I don't think that's particularly a fair question. I also think most shop-made cords are probably not as extensively designed and engineered as most shop-made wood products. And, finally, if I mess up a bench in the shop, it's probably not going to catch on fire. [Pauses briefly to imagine screwing up a bench so badly that it bursts into flames]. Part of what folks tend to respond to is the drama of statements like this and the drama implied in what you originally threw out there with your first comment. It might be that you intended no such drama, but there is a whole history of usenet that preceeds you and folks become somwhat conditioned. We're used to seeing people who make comments about requireing UL approved cords often times having no clue about building a simple extension cord that is many times more reliable, safe, suited to its use, etc. than the UL tagged product from the local department store that others seem to take refuge in. Too often its the UL tag that satisfies the uninformed user, and not the construction of the cord. Those fires you refer to are typically not "burst into flames" type of fires (drama). In fact, I'd go so far as to say never. Electrical fires are slow starters, and most typically from such causes as under rated UL approved cords. As to most shop made wood products being well engineered, I'd suggest most are very poorly engineered. Over built because of a lack of real engineering. Not that it's such a bad thing, but I certainly would not agree with your statement above. There really is not much engineering to a properly constructed extension cord. If you can trim insulating material, operate a screw driver, and have a modicom of common sense, a well built extension cord is well within the reach of most anybody. Anyway, I was just trying to make a lighthearted comment and apparently have now offended half of rec.woodworking. Nah. No offense. But... your comment above makes it appear you comments are not so light hearted. Maybe because you don't do any electrical work? That would seem reasonable enough. People who don't understand something are often afraid of it. I'm sure at some point I'll make an extension cord myself and it'll work just fine. Just be sure to post pics on abpw... All I'm saying is it'll be six months before I stop looking at it carefully everytime I use it - and that wouldn't be true of a UL-listed extension cord. Oh, take the plunge - build one. You'll never be the same afterwards. Here's a guess - I bet you are using UL approved cords that are more of a fire risk right now than any cord that most people here would build for a given application. Placing too much confidence - any confidence in a UL tag, to the exclusion of any other understanding of electricity is more of a fire/shock hazard than what you'd face with a properly built cord. -- -Mike- |
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#35
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Brett Thomas notes: Anyway, I was just trying to make a lighthearted comment and apparently have now offended half of rec.woodworking. if only yours were the most offensive comments to be found on usenet ... |
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#36
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Charlie Self wrote:
One good examination should do it. If you assemble the cord of top quality components and do the work carefully, it will show you all you need to know the first time you use it. Well, it's probably just me. But I did that with wiring in my house and it was at least three months before I stopped thinking, as I drifted off to sleep, "gee, I hope that keeps working..." My two big goals in life are to make it through without going to prison or burning my house down.  As a serious question - doesn't NEC kinda frown on "permanent" extension cords? Would it be safer to replace the cords on your tools with longer, permanent ones? Or is this what you guys have been talking about, and I misunderstood? -BAT |
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#37
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Mike Marlow wrote:
Nah. No offense. But... your comment above makes it appear you comments are not so light hearted. Maybe because you don't do any electrical work? That would seem reasonable enough. People who don't understand something are often afraid of it. Actually, I do a lot of my own electrical work. I have about twenty years of hobbyist experience with low-voltage stuff, but my recent acquisition of a 60 year-old house that was previously cared for by chimpanzees has forced me to become a hobbyist electrician. I've rewired a bunch of circuits in my house because the old ones were unsafe (and didn't do what I wanted), and I've placed a subpanel in my detached garage (shop), put in powered smoke detectors, replaced a doorbell and tranformer, and run new outlets. I'll be doing all the wiring, lighting, etc. in my shop, starting as soon as I get back on my feet from knee surgery and get all the boxes of stuff out of it. All I'm saying is that, as a Apprenctice-level electrician with no Master in sight, all that wiring's going to have to work for a while before I completely trust it. And that's not true of an extension cord I get at HD - I've never once plugged in a new extension cord and thought, "I hope this works." I don't see why that's controversial, evidence of my lack of understanding of electricity, or proof that I don't trust my own workmanship. Maybe after I've got ten years experience working with 120/240 wiring I'll not think twice about my wiring. But, not yet. -BAT |
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#38
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Brett Thomas asks:
As a serious question - doesn't NEC kinda frown on "permanent" extension cords? Would it be safer to replace the cords on your tools with longer, permanent ones? Or is this what you guys have been talking about, and I misunderstood? An extension is some of an impermanent tool by its very nature. AFAIK, for hobby tools the NEC doesn't say a thing about putting longer cords on the tool itself. I don't do that because I need extension cords for various tools I test, the cords are there, so there's not much point in lengthening the cord on my table saw. Besides, what then happens if I move the table saw closer to the outlet, or further away? Extension cords are temporary, can be replaced easily, and are not any kind of real shop problem that I've ever heard of. Charlie Self "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good." H. L. Mencken |
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#39
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"Brett A. Thomas" wrote in message ... Mike Marlow wrote: Nah. No offense. But... your comment above makes it appear you comments are not so light hearted. Maybe because you don't do any electrical work? That would seem reasonable enough. People who don't understand something are often afraid of it. Actually, I do a lot of my own electrical work. I have about twenty years of hobbyist experience with low-voltage stuff, but my recent acquisition of a 60 year-old house that was previously cared for by chimpanzees has forced me to become a hobbyist electrician. I've rewired a bunch of circuits in my house because the old ones were unsafe (and didn't do what I wanted), and I've placed a subpanel in my detached garage (shop), put in powered smoke detectors, replaced a doorbell and tranformer, and run new outlets. I'll be doing all the wiring, lighting, etc. in my shop, starting as soon as I get back on my feet from knee surgery and get all the boxes of stuff out of it. Ok - I was just taking a guess. I just assumed that if you had done some electical work you'd have seen the similarities between wiring up a plug on an extension cord and wiring in a duplex outlet, and have held a confidence in shop made cords. Having seen some of your other comments about your uncertainty with some of these things I guess it's just your nature to be a little worried about them... and that's fine by me. All I'm saying is that, as a Apprenctice-level electrician with no Master in sight, all that wiring's going to have to work for a while before I completely trust it. And that's not true of an extension cord I get at HD - I've never once plugged in a new extension cord and thought, "I hope this works." Hey - to each his own, right? You're the only person you have to satisfy in this matter, so it doesn't matter what I think or anyone else. I don't see why that's controversial, evidence of my lack of understanding of electricity, or proof that I don't trust my own workmanship. It's not really - that was just an assumption I made base on the way you made your earlier comments more than anything else. Like I said, I assumed that anyone who has wired up branch circuits would feel very comfortable with something as simple as an extension cord, so I assumed that with your reservations, it was possible you hadn't ever done any amount of electrical work. Though... I might suggest that it really is something of a matter of not trusting your own work. Maybe after I've got ten years experience working with 120/240 wiring I'll not think twice about my wiring. But, not yet. Hell Brett, if you never become totally confident about your wiring, it's not the end of the world. It's not like it's a big deal. You're the only one affected by it so it's all just a matter of what you're comfortable with. -- -Mike- |
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#40
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Charlie Self wrote:
An extension is some of an impermanent tool by its very nature. AFAIK, for hobby tools the NEC doesn't say a thing about putting longer cords on the tool itself. I don't do that because I need extension cords for various tools I test, the cords are there, so there's not much point in lengthening the cord on my table saw. Besides, what then happens if I move the table saw closer to the outlet, or further away? Extension cords are temporary, can be replaced easily, and are not any kind of real shop problem that I've ever heard of. To be clear, I'm asking not to lecture, but because my understanding of practical electricity is imperfect, and I want to understand. I get why _you'd_ need to do that, but I don't happen to have manufacturers sending me tools that rotate in and out of my shop on a regular basis. When I put a tool there, it's because (excepting shop reorgs) I expect it to be there until it dies, or I do. I believe that the logic behind the NEC frowning on permanent extension cords (assuming my memory that they do is correct) is that every time you have a non-hardwired connection, it's possible for it to work loose. If it works loose, you can have arcing, which would be doubly bad if it's in a pile of sawdust in a workshop at the time. When I redo all my tools 220, I figured I'd need to replace the plugs, anyway, so I'll make the tool cords be the necessary length to not need extension cords. I'd figured this would be safer and neater. -BAT |
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