extension cord setup question

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  • skamath
    Established Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 171
    • san diego, ca
    • BT3100, 22124

    extension cord setup question

    hi,
    i have a regular california garage as my shop so the installed wiring is minimal.

    after getting tired of connecting and disconnecting power connections to the tools, i made a collection of extension cords to connect them all up. here's how (the wiring is 12 AWG and lengths are shown.)

    Code:
    outlet---20'---multi-prong---10'---multi-prong --- Tablesaw
                        |                    |
                        --- DP               --- BS
                        |                    |
                        --- Planer           --- Jointer
    my question is: is this safe? also will this deprive the tools from getting full amps? i haven't tried connection with a single cord and measuring the amps, etc. thought i'd ask first.

    thanks!
  • eccentrictinkerer
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2007
    • 669
    • Minneapolis, MN
    • BT-3000, 21829

    #2
    First question: Sorta safe - Don't stand in a puddle!

    Second question: You will not get max performance

    Better to spend a little on the wiring and get top performance, IMO.

    You paid too much money for the tools to get only OK performance.

    I used my table saw once on a 100 foot 12ga. cord; never again!
    You might think I haven't contributed much to the world, but a large number
    of the warning labels on tools can be traced back to things I've done...

    Comment

    • Mr__Bill
      Veteran Member
      • May 2007
      • 2096
      • Tacoma, WA
      • BT3000

      #3
      Your table saw is on a 30' extension cord. A 12 AWG extension at 30 feet is rated at about 15 amps or there about. Make sure the connections are good and the plug at the wall is a quality plug that makes a tight connection. You should use, as I expect you know, only one of the heavy tools at a time and you should plug the unused outlets so the electricity does not leak out and make a mess on the floor.


      Bill

      Comment

      • LCHIEN
        Internet Fact Checker
        • Dec 2002
        • 20914
        • Katy, TX, USA.
        • BT3000 vintage 1999

        #4
        i'm going to assume you're smart enough and don't have enough hands to run more than one tool at a time.

        Then what you have is a 30-foot extension cord to your saw and a 30 foot ext. cord to your BS and a ten foot cord to your DP and again to your jointer.
        Actually a bit worse. you don't say if you are using a multi tap adapter outlet at the two junctions or wheter the cord has a built in multi outlet. But each plug is adds some resistance, maybe equivalent to a 5 or 10 foot cord, it depends greatly upon the plug its quality and its condition and tension (friction of the spring contacts) and age.

        plugs tend to be a bit lossy (more resistance) and a mutlitap adapter is really two plugs in a row.

        it would be best if you were to hardwire a junction box and a duplex outlets at the middle (10 ft point) and end of a piece of 12 gauge cord.

        overall that way you won't lose much more voltage drop than a 12 ga romex circuit in the wall. Still extension cords should be considered temporary, they present other hazards because they are trip hazards, can get run over and abraded, wet, get stuff piled on or coiled up and overheat etc. compared to romex fastened to your framing behind the wall boards. If you keep the voltage drop low then you can get pretty much rated current to your tool.
        Last edited by LCHIEN; 03-30-2010, 10:59 PM.
        Loring in Katy, TX USA
        If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
        BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

        Comment

        • skamath
          Established Member
          • Sep 2006
          • 171
          • san diego, ca
          • BT3100, 22124

          #5
          thanks for the quick feedback and pointing out the dangers with this setup and how to mitigate them.

          yes of course i was going to run only one tool at a time.

          the multi-prong attachment is actually two plugs with an adapter in between. here are all the stuff i used.





          the connections are really tight and i have masking tape on the unused outlets (i'll replace it with electrical tape.) the lengths were customized so no coiling.

          Comment

          • dbhost
            Slow and steady
            • Apr 2008
            • 9209
            • League City, Texas
            • Ryobi BT3100

            #6
            Unless you rent, I would suggest bringing additional power into that garage... All those extension cords and connections looks dangerous.
            Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

            Comment

            • crokett
              The Full Monte
              • Jan 2003
              • 10627
              • Mebane, NC, USA.
              • Ryobi BT3000

              #7
              At minimum, here's what I would do. this will be safe enough and a whole lot better than adding extension cords. Surface mount some outlets and run wiring through conduit. Replace the receptacle in the existing box with a blank cover. Drill a hole in the cover for your conduit fittings. You can always take this off if ever you sell the house and just put the outlet back in.
              David

              The chief cause of failure in this life is giving up what you want most for what you want at the moment.

              Comment

              • LCHIEN
                Internet Fact Checker
                • Dec 2002
                • 20914
                • Katy, TX, USA.
                • BT3000 vintage 1999

                #8
                here's my suggestion if you are going to keep on with the extension cords.
                You've already indicated you "made-up" the cords to length with purchased plugs.
                I suggest getting rid of the two triple taps and a bunch of just plugged friction only loaded connectors.

                Buy a deep duplex junction box, two duplex outlets, a duplex cover, and two conduit or cord grip clamps. You can see the grips in the picture below and they will be sold in the electrical dept with the conduit fittings. they come with a threaded stem to go into the box and a nut to hold it. They'll fit the knock-outs on the jucntion box (no drilling required) and they'll strain relieve the two cords entering and leaving the box.

                replace the male and female connector with this box at your 10 foot mark. Wire the incoming cable to the first outlet, use a short juimper wires to connect the second terminal on each contact of the outlet to the second outlet, then connect the exiting cable to the second contact on the second outlet. The jumper can be some of the individual wires from a piece of spare 12/3 cord or some #12 hookup wire. Or just put in one outlet if that's all you need. Now put a second box at the end, only you won't need the exit cable and clamp. For grounds, you will need to use a wire nut and pigtails to tie eveything together.

                now you'll have a solid extension cable with two integral outlet boxes and many fewer plugs. if you notice, I don't particularly like plugs, they are a weak point electrically.

                my picture is a similar box, I just put a switched outlet on an cord with plug. If you want, drill a couple of holes in the bottom of the box, then screw the box to a 6-inch to 1-foot long 2x6 to give it some weight. It'll stay put much better.

                Anyway, you now have all screwed connections between your saw and the wall with the exception of the wall outlet and the saw plug. This replaces 6 plugged connections in your current setup.

                BTW, you asked "will this deprive my tools from getting full amps? I haven't measured..."
                your tools only draw maximium amps when they are under heavy load.
                The thing that prevents full amperage is low voltage.
                The thing that causes low voltage is too much resistance.
                Too much Resistance comes from 1) too small wires 2) too long wires 3)too many and poor connections.
                You have just about the minimum acceptable wire for that length. Your main problem would be too muc connection resistance which I addressed above.
                Finally you can't measure the maximum Amps typcailly until you put you machine under maximum load... then you need to measure the current and voltage at the saw. Its not that easy to set up. The best thing to do is to make sure you have low resistance lines powering your saw/tools.
                Attached Files
                Last edited by LCHIEN; 03-31-2010, 12:23 AM.
                Loring in Katy, TX USA
                If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

                Comment

                • skamath
                  Established Member
                  • Sep 2006
                  • 171
                  • san diego, ca
                  • BT3100, 22124

                  #9
                  thanks again everybody esp LCHIEN! i'll see if i can do some surface mounted wiring. if not i'll at least get rid of the plugs.

                  Comment

                  • cabinetman
                    Gone but not Forgotten RIP
                    • Jun 2006
                    • 15218
                    • So. Florida
                    • Delta

                    #10
                    I've done a similar add-on. I've used #12 (romex or cord, 2 wire plus ground) and made up two galvanized boxes at the lengths from the existing receptacle, and mount to the wall. Those boxes could be just for a single duplex or double. Use romex connectors when you take out the knock outs. At the start, just add a male cap (plug). Along the run of cord add some clips to attach to the wall.
                    .

                    Comment

                    • phi1l
                      Senior Member
                      • Oct 2009
                      • 681
                      • Madison, WI

                      #11
                      ya, .. Since you only have five tools hooked up, I think I would have just gotten something like Power Squid. .. Plug it into the outlet & run a separate dedicated extension cord of the appropriate type to the tool. Keeping all that contact resistance to a minimum.

                      Comment

                      • skamath
                        Established Member
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 171
                        • san diego, ca
                        • BT3100, 22124

                        #12
                        good point. a squid would be a good idea now since i have a cluster of machines.

                        earlier i wasn't sure exactly where i was going to place them and wasn't sure if the tool power cords were long enough.

                        Comment

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