We finally bought a small generator, it has the capacity to power one 220v appliance for a few hours, which will likely be our fridge.
Problem is that there's a roughly 60ft run between the generator and the fridge. Some cursory searching looks like welding shops offer the most variety of extension cords. I'm electricity ignorant, what important stuff do I need to know before I purchase one?
You have a 220V fridge in Texas? Big industrial thing?
You'll need to know the voltage and watts or amps of the load. There are wire size calculators on line that you can use to size and type the wire for distance run.
matthewmcl said:You have a 220V fridge in Texas? Big industrial thing?
Yes, any normal residential refrigerator will likely be 110 volt. Any decent extension cord rated for outdoor use and ~20 amps should work fine.
I'm dumb, it is 110. That makes things much easier, thanks gang!
How many amps is your Fridge? The interweb say between 5 and 6 amps so a 100' 12 gauge extension cord sounds about right.
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
I'm slightly confused. A three prong 16 gauge can carry more amps than a two prong? But the third prong is a ground that is only there for surges.
In reply to Stampie :
I have no idea and I am not an electrician.
Stampie said:In reply to VolvoHeretic :
I'm slightly confused. A three prong 16 gauge can carry more amps than a two prong? But the third prong is a ground that is only there for surges.
The two prong does all the work of a three prong, just not as well since one wire is trying to do its job and have enough left over for safety. Perfect world they do the same; safety regulated world has the two prong derated, if I understand correctly.
In reply to matthewmcl :
Damn safety people.
When I made my 220v cord to extend my welder's range I was told to only go 30' before loss of current.
In reply to preach :
Really minor correction.
The longer distance of the cable increases the resistance which causes voltage drop. The thing you're powering requires the same watts in order to operate. Since watts are volts multiplied by amps the actual available wattage drops as the length/resistance of the cable increases. Increased current flow can compensate for the voltage loss to some degree but that has it's own issues. None of this matters to most people and as long as your stuff works, the cord isn't getting warm and the breaker isn't tripping all is usually good.
Yes, I are
calteg said:I'm dumb, it is 110. That makes things much easier, thanks gang!
Dont mess around, get a 10 gauge extension cord. I use a 100' long, 10 gauge when we are on the generator. My generator runs in my yard building locked up, windows open, fan blowing out for exhaust, and my truck parked in front of the door so there is no risk of theft. Yes, im paranoid. The 1 10 gauge cable keeps the refrigerator (or 2) going, 2 window ac units and whatever other lights, fans, etc we have powered up.
my father in law tries using a junky old 16 gauge cable and it can barely run a coffee maker
Since we started with 220V , does anyone have a diagram about all the 220 plugs ,
I know of 30A and 50Amp are available , maybe others but are the are others and do they all fit in the same 220 wall plug ?
Thanks
californiamilleghia said:Since we started with 220V , does anyone have a diagram about all the 220 plugs ,
I know of 30A and 50Amp are available , maybe others but are the are others and do they all fit in the same 220 wall plug ?
Thanks
Do a favor and do some shopping. When it comes to run-of-the-mill extension cords, it's often cheaper to buy the actual cord pre-made. When you start getting into larger conductors or specific connectors, sometimes it's cheaper to buy 75' of the cord and your own plugs for the ends.
For example, this one is a 10-ga 50' cord for $150, while this cord is a 10-ga 50' cord for $80. The only difference is that the cheaper one has a normal, household three-prong plug and is marketed toward contractors and homeowners. The expensive one has twist-lock connectors and it's marketed toward hurricane preppers who need "only the best for their generator."
But they will both perform the same. The only thing the first one does better is drain your wallet. If I needed something like the $150 cord, I would buy the $80 cord and add my own $10 connectors on the ends.
So you need to run from a generator to a fridge? Just buy a 12 gauge cord from the hammer store in the length you need. Modern fridges dont draw much.
TJL (Forum Supporter) said:californiamilleghia said:Since we started with 220V , does anyone have a diagram about all the 220 plugs ,
I know of 30A and 50Amp are available , maybe others but are the are others and do they all fit in the same 220 wall plug ?
Thanks
Tag yourself.
I'm feeling pretty 6-30R personally.
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