Do they make a flexible style romex or electrical cable ?

[maradcliff]

Probably about the same as 25 gallons of gas these days. You wont find a Range cord that long.

[krw]

It's a rubber jacketed stranded wire cable. I believe SO insulation is rated at 300V, where SJ is 600V. For 220V (8/3 w/ground) operation, I think you need SJ.

If you have to ask, you can't afford it. ;-) I bought some 12/2 w/ground SO at the BORG last weekend for a little over $1/ft. I'd be surprised if 8/3 was less than $6/7 per foot.

[gfretwell]

J is for Junior, 300v insulation vs 600 for SO.

[krw]

Interesting enough to look up. ;-)

Apparently SJ is lighter S (S = stranded), as you say. The 'O' is for "oil resistant".

I thought the SO had 8/3 and was replacing it. Still, 600V is needed, IMO.

And/or go up a size.

;-)

[Chris Lewis]

According to krw :

SJ is medium duty. SO is heavy duty. SOW is "heavy duty, wet locations".

SO is to be preferred. I'd only recommend SJ if the welder was going to be stationary, and you can keep the cord out of the way of getting cut/hit/splattered/walked on.

The heavy-duty "contractor duty" extension cords[*] you find at the Borg are SO or SOW.

SJ is the step below "contractor duty", and a step above the thin orange-ribbed stuff (light duty). Zip cord is a step below the orange stuff ;-)

You don't need /3 for a welder. /2 will do. /3 in flexible cord is pretty exotic stuff (combined 240/120 devices) except for 4 wire ranges and dryers (preassembled cords).

[There's actually a whole host of "S" series specifications. S, SO, SOW, SJ, SJO, SJOW etc. SJ prefix are medium duty. The "S" are heavier. O means outdoor (ie: UV/freezing resistance). W means wet. etc.]

A welder isn't going to need /3. It sounds like SO (or SJ)

8/2 would be the best choice.

I _suspect_ you'd pay around $3-4/foot for SO 8/2. Some years ago, I paid $1.50/ft for SO 10/2.

Keep it as short as you can get away with.

NOTE that "Northern" (aka "Northern Hydraulics") probably has welder replacement cords for a bit less than you can cobble them together yourself.

[*] The fat things that come in all sorts of pretty colours, massive molded connectors, and cost an arm and a leg.