Electricity experts weigh in - using an extension cord for an appliance (kegerator)

[Raizinman]

Lets think about this:

Plan A) Purchase a 12/3 heavy duty extension cord 25 feet - $20

Plan B) Hire electrician to install underground wiring in conduct, install outdoor recipticle and tap into fuse box with 12/3 wire. - $300

I'll take the extension cord.

 

[Iron Woode]

I'm going to run a new outlet to the other side of my patio where it will be placed, but that won't happen for 3-4 weeks. In the meantime I was going to connect with a 12- or 10-gauge outdoor extension cord to get it running for the holiday this weekend.

It sounds like a short run like this shouldn't be that big of a deal, especially since it's temporary.

absolutely no.

house outlets are 14 gauge rated for 15 amps. Plugging that in will mean nothing else should be on that circuit. Plus running an extension cord will mean more resistance and will cause a voltage drop possibly damaging the unit. This is also a fire hazard. The cord will get very hot and continuous max amp pull on the outlet can also overheat the wiring causing a fire inside.

You need a dedicated outlet with 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp breaker.

or alternatively, buy or rent a portable generator for it.

 

[Golgatha]

A 25ft 12ga wire will have around 0.1 Ohm of resistance.

V=IR

Voltage = 15A * 0.1 Ohm

Your voltage drop with be 1.5V our of 120V or 118.5V. The kegerator's compressor will draw 1.5V*(1A/120V) or 0.0125A of extra current to compensate. Hardly a fire hazard or of any major concern, as a 12ga wire can realistically handle 17A safely anyway (as can a solid core 14ga house wire).

Don't believe me? - http://mypq.epri.com/tools/voltagedrop.asp

 

[Golgatha]

absolutely no.

house outlets are 14 gauge rated for 15 amps. Plugging that in will mean nothing else should be on that circuit. Plus running an extension cord will mean more resistance and will cause a voltage drop possibly damaging the unit. This is also a fire hazard. The cord will get very hot and continuous max amp pull on the outlet can also overheat the wiring causing a fire inside.

You need a dedicated outlet with 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp breaker.

or alternatively, buy or rent a portable generator for it.

So now we're to

Plan A = $15-$20 for a good 12ga extension cord.

Plan B = Pay $200-$300 for an electrician to put in another circuit outside.

Plan C = $1000+ for a loud ass gas powered generator.

 

[edro]

Lets think about this:

Plan A) Purchase a 12/3 heavy duty extension cord 25 feet - $20

Plan B) Hire electrician to install underground wiring in conduct, install outdoor recipticle and tap into fuse box with 12/3 wire. - $300

I'll take the extension cord.

Just to increase your point, $300 is very cheap for that.
I would estimate closer to $1000 depending on length.

 

[seepy83]

absolutely no.

house outlets are 14 gauge rated for 15 amps. Plugging that in will mean nothing else should be on that circuit. Plus running an extension cord will mean more resistance and will cause a voltage drop possibly damaging the unit. This is also a fire hazard. The cord will get very hot and continuous max amp pull on the outlet can also overheat the wiring causing a fire inside.

You need a dedicated outlet with 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp breaker.

or alternatively, buy or rent a portable generator for it.

That's just crazy...even the manufacturer says it doesn't need to be on its own circuit.

 

[dullard]

The cord will get very hot and continuous max amp pull on the outlet can also overheat the wiring causing a fire inside.

Do you really think a small fridge uses 15 A continuously? If it does, it is a very, very poor design. In realilty, its energy use would be quite intermitant, giving the wires time to cool down and it would likely be far lower than 15 A. If he keeps the wires thick and the length small, there is no problem doing this short term.

Edit: just checked the Specifications: 1.7 A is listed.

 

[highland145]

That's just crazy...even the manufacturer says it doesn't need to be on its own circuit.

True but if you are on a 15 amp breaker and the unit is pulling 15 amps, there isn't room for anything else on the circuit.

 

[dullard]

True but if you are on a 15 amp breaker and the unit is pulling 15 amps, there isn't room for anything else on the circuit.

The unit pulls 1.7 A according to the specifications.

 

[Golgatha]

Do you really think a small fridge uses 15A continuously? If it does, it is a very, very poor design. It'll quite intermitant, giving the wires time to cool down. If he keeps the wires thick and the length small, there is no problem doing this short term.

That's a good point. We're not talking about continuous pull of 15A here. Only on startup maybe would you ever pull 15A, but that's going to be a brief period of time.

 

[Golgatha]

The unit pulls 1.7 A according to the specifications.

OMG how could I have missed that!

 

[Iron Woode]

That's just crazy...even the manufacturer says it doesn't need to be on its own circuit.

Do you really think a small fridge uses 15A continuously? If it does, it is a very, very poor design. In realilty, its energy use would be quite intermitant, giving the wires time to cool down and it would likely be far lower than 15A. If he keeps the wires thick and the length small, there is no problem doing this short term.

Edit: just checked the Specifications: 1.7A is listed.

True but if you are on a 15 amp breaker and the unit is pulling 15 amps, there isn't room for anything else on the circuit.

I went by what the OP stated: 15 amp draw.

he said nothing about running current vs starting current draw. I made the assumption it will max out at 15 amps.

sorry guys.

 

[highland145]

I went by what the OP stated: 15 amp draw.

he said nothing about running current vs starting current draw. I made the assumption it will max out at 15 amps.

sorry guys.

this.

 

[artikk]

The unit pulls 1.7 A according to the specifications.

In the OP it says 115 V, 15 A for the kegerator(appliance), unless I misread it.
Edit Nevermind, it was posted later in the thread.

 

[seepy83]

Sorry - specs in the OP came from the specs listed on the website for the reseller that I purchased from.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Romex would too on a long run. The longer the run the more the resistance meaning you need a larger gauge.
http://electrical.about.com/od/wiringcircuitry/qt/wiresizeandcablelength.htm

Romex comes in more than one guage and with more than one covering.

 

[Possessed Freak]

Simple... buy 3 extension cords, splice all three sets of wires together for a thicker gauge... brilliant!

 

[highland145]

Romex comes in more than one guage and with more than one covering.

Was assuming apples to apples. Something like 12GA <50' vs 12GA >50' scenario.

 

[dmcowen674]

absolutely no.

house outlets are 14 gauge rated for 15 amps. Plugging that in will mean nothing else should be on that circuit. Plus running an extension cord will mean more resistance and will cause a voltage drop possibly damaging the unit. This is also a fire hazard. The cord will get very hot and continuous max amp pull on the outlet can also overheat the wiring causing a fire inside.

You need a dedicated outlet with 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp breaker.

or alternatively, buy or rent a portable generator for it.

Get a grip on yourself, it's a small fridge with 1.7 Amp draw not a huge Freezer with 17 AMP draw.

 

[edro]

LOL, 1.7A?
You could safely run it on 22ga speaker wire. Non jacketed wire cools quicker too!

You will honestly be safe using almost any extension cord.

 

[ShawnD1]

The problem isn't the life of the compressor but the extension cord heating up and catching on fire.

The main risk is voltage drop. Motors try to maintain constant power or constant volt-amps. Lowering the voltage because power is running through a long and shitty extension cord makes the motor draw a hell of a lot more current.

The effect of that depends on how big the motor is. If it's supposed to run at 13 amps or something, a really long extension cord might just trip the breaker, which isn't a big deal. If the motor is a 5A motor and the long/thin extension cord causes the motor to pull 8A instead, the motor will destroy itself.

If you run an extension cord to a motor of any kind (lawn mower, weed whacker, air compressor) make damn sure you use a thick extension cord. I've seen lots of people use little shitty 18 gauge cords to power a lawn mower. That's a great way to destroy a perfectly good motor.

 

[brblx]

i don't see the issue here. if he's running a good quality cord with good terminals that is (being a longer outdoor cord) most certainly much beefier than the stock cord, i don't see it causing an issue. if the vdrop in the stock cord is so bad that tacking on a much thicker 15ft cord trips the breaker, he already had a problem. and that's all he would do- trip the break for the outlet he's using. it's not going to start a fire- that's usually from splitters and old, tiny gauge cords that are fire hazards even while within the amperage limit of the power outlet circuit.

 

[DominionSeraph]

The main risk is voltage drop. Motors try to maintain constant power or constant volt-amps. Lowering the voltage because power is running through a long and shitty extension cord makes the motor draw a hell of a lot more current.

The effect of that depends on how big the motor is. If it's supposed to run at 13 amps or something, a really long extension cord might just trip the breaker, which isn't a big deal. If the motor is a 5A motor and the long/thin extension cord causes the motor to pull 8A instead, the motor will destroy itself.

If you run an extension cord to a motor of any kind (lawn mower, weed whacker, air compressor) make damn sure you use a thick extension cord. I've seen lots of people use little shitty 18 gauge cords to power a lawn mower. That's a great way to destroy a perfectly good motor.

300'+ runs with multiple extension cords != 25ft/1 cord. I'd really like to see you try getting a 44V drop in 25ft. 300W dissipated in a thin filament of copper...