Dont know the extension cord value

I came across an extension cord that the previous owner left in the shed. I= looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none= . Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in usi= ng it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Reply to
Novel8
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looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in using it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Voltage drop with a known load will tell you the wire gauge. Do you have a volt meter?

Reply to
diy savant

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none.

on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Most positive way is to take an end off and measure the wire with a gauge.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none.

it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

No, I have neither volt meter nor know what is a gauge measurer. Thanks

Reply to
Novel8

In a moment like this, I'd try to find a small town hardware store. Carry the cord in, and ask the people there. The old guy with the grey hair should be able to heft the cord, look at it, and guess pretty close.

Old cords often have corroded plug and socket, and might not be worth the effort.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

By the time you go to all that work, might have been easier to go buy another cord. I've put ends on cords, over the years. Hardly worth the effort.

I'm guessing you are a home user. I was told (and found it on the net) that business users are not allowed, by OSHA, to repair extension cords. Nor, to tape the cords when they wear or fray.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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No, I have neither volt meter nor know what is a gauge measurer. Thanks

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in using it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

I would be dubious of any cord that was not marked. U/L and NEMA require marking every couple feet along the cord jacket. Have you had a kid look at it? Sometimes those embossed markings are hard for old guys to read ;-)

Reply to
gfretwell

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in using it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Hey, don't worry about that. I've been using an electric lawnmower for at least 4 years. I have a heavy duty 50 or 100 foot cord, but the outlet is hard to reach so I plug it into a 12 foot indoor light gauge extension cord and everything works fine.

Just feel the cord to see if it's getting hot, expecially at the plug and the wire within a half inch of the plug. My thin cord doesn't.

Also, if the voltage were so low the blade slowed down a lot, or at least if it stopped altogether. that might burn out the mower, or maybe there's a thermal fuse, but the same thing can happen if you try to mow really heavy grass. You should know the sound of your mower when it's spinning at or near the right speed. Get out of the grass or turn the t hing off it is much slower than it shoudl be.

Reply to
micky

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in using it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Maybe there's a way to brush dark dust over the cord to read the embossed print, like they do in detective stories.

Reply to
micky

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. >

on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Personally I'd be more concerned if it's outdoor rated than guage rated.

As for the gauge: 12 amp lawnmowers, which most are, only need a light duty 16 guage for the first 50 feet. But keep in mind that you shouldn't put more than 80% of the rated load on a cord.

I only keep 12 gauge extension cords in my garage, that way I never have to worry for 15 amp tools or heaters in case I have to run the cord 100 feet or longer. I can run my electric lawnmower or an air compressor or table saw and not have to worry about the cord overheating.

Yeah they are bulky and thick and heavy and more expensive but they are better insulated and much longer lasting.

Reply to
Duesenberg

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none. Is there a way to check the gauge of it? It is usable, but nervous in using it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Hi, If the cord is warm to touch when you use it, you know then.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

A decade or so ago my son was helping a rich lawyer guy clean out his garage. When I went to pick my son up, I saw a 25' 12 gauge extension cord with a reel on top of the trash heap. It looked brand new.

I looked at it and found that the cord had been cut about 6' from the end. Both pieces were still there.

I took it home, put a plug on one piece and a socket on the other.

All these years later I'm still using both extension cords on a regular basis. It was well worth the minor effort and cost.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

With the price of copper these days, it does pay to salvage 12g cords. Amazing how the price escalates when you compare 18/16/14/12 g cords of the same length and number of conductors.

Reply to
Peter

looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely none.

it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Reply to
Bennett Price

just monitor the cord temperature as you mow, just feel it up:)

Reply to
bob haller

d. I looked for any writing of the size of this cord...there is absolutely = none.

ing it on my electric lawn mower, as an example.

Yes, my lawn mower is a 12 amp job according to the manual, but I was using= it with an outdoor cord that says on it "13 Anp,125v, 1625W for a couple = of years with no problem, though the orange cord was getting 'rings' around= it. Finally the other day after using it a couple of minutes, the motor we= nt "dead'...i thought i blew a fuse. That was when I noticed another orange= colored cord with no info on it at all, albeit shorter than the one I had.= I think its about 15'. So i tried the mower on solid ground and it worked = just fine...but I am still nervous in using it not knowing about its limita= tions. This is NYC and there is no small town hardware that I know of to br= ing it too. I did see a 16 gauge extension cord by accident in one of those= .99 cents stores of all places...albeit it was like 9' long ( too short ) = and fragile looking..more for indoors, I think. Why would they rate them th= e same 16 gauge? I wouldn't even attempt to buy that one.

Reply to
Novel8

On 7/29/2012 2:26 PM, Novel8 wrote: ...

More than likely just broke a conductor. NEC ratings are 15A for 14 ga conductors so one can assume that's what that one is...

...

That it ran on the other cord is even more indication that all that happened is a conductor broke on the other--likely could be near the plug or receptacle end and could be repaired w/ $2 replacement.

The inexpensive cord is undoubtedly 16 ga at best and is an appliance cord for stuff like a lamp or similar loads indoors, indeed.

Nothing really drastic is going to happen using a 15-ft cord unless it's so warm after use you can really tell it easily--the length is simply too short for the voltage drop owing to the conductor size alone to be an issue--so, if it's warm it's clearly because the conductors are small for the load and you need a heavier cord. If it carries the load w/o being noticeably warm, its heavy enough it's not going to cause a fire or do damage to the mower motor because of low supply voltage.

How long a cord do you need and what could it possibly cost to go to a WalMart or whatever is similar nearby where you buy stuff in general and buy a new outdoor cord of 14 ga that will be rated adequate and quite worrying, though? $15 at the extreme outside, maybe?????

Reply to
dpb

Tell us why you are nervous - you may be trying to solve the wrong problem.

Reply to
HeyBub

Take a lot more time and effort to run out and buy a new one instead of taking the 10 minutes to repair the end.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

...assuming you don't have to run out and buy a new end.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

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