Extension cords

[DownTown]

Lastly is the question about what is keeping anything from shorting the cut end. Here you have two contact points open very near each other.

Max... My reference to "osmosis" was in reply to your above statement, where you ask, "what is keeping anything from shorting the cut end." I was trying to imagine what COULD short out the cut end, once it was inside a closed vampire plug, but coming up with nothing off the top of my head, I thought that maybe you were referring to the magical Christmas force, or even osmosis(OH MY!) to short the conductors. Just trying to help you out, since you clearly didn't know.

Lighten up!

D.T.

[Max-Paul]

Well I suppose the only reply I can add is "each to their own". But I did ask a couple of my fellow electricians and we all agree, so I feel the same still as you all do about your opinions. Just seems I am the republican in a room full of democrats .

So, let me just wrap up by saying, that I have said enough. Sure I might use a few vamp connections. But I will not depend on them heavly. And I am glad you all are happy with them.

One last parting shot. Rain water is not that pure anymore. Even if it does not reach the high level called "Acid Rain". Rain has an elevated PH now days. Acid and copper, well just think of it for a bit.. Also DT bare copper exposted to air, what does it do? One word, Corrode.



Max

[melwelch]

Hey there are 2 of us here... I will not use the vampare connectors either... I buy my ext cords at after Christmas sales....

[iresq]

Max-Paul wrote:

This whole set-up is just plain cheap. So the old saying that comes to mind is this "you can pay me now, or you can pay me later.
Frankly, I prefer getting a spool of SPT wire (I paid 78 bucks for 16Ga 500' landscaping wire at HD) and some heat shrink tubing. I spent a little more and got the good stuff with the sealant built in. While applying heat the glue / sealant melts and fills the voids. I will admit to putting a smug of RTV in the groove to help seal it from moisture.

So while you go the extra mile and expense to make better cords, you use low voltage landscape wire that was not designed for 110 application?

Even though the insulation may be rated to 150v, the cord itself is not UL rated for anything other than low voltage applications, 30v.

The 'proper' cord would be SP3 (3 is outdoor rating) designed for 110 application (will usually have 300v listed on the insulation) of sufficient gauge for the load.

Personally, I use both vampire plugs and splice 6' extension cords with SP1/SP2 zip cord and, on occasion, old light strings. :dude:

[Max-Paul]

iresq wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:

This whole set-up is just plain cheap. So the old saying that comes to mind is this "you can pay me now, or you can pay me later.
Frankly, I prefer getting a spool of SPT wire (I paid 78 bucks for 16Ga 500' landscaping wire at HD) and some heat shrink tubing. I spent a little more and got the good stuff with the sealant built in. While applying heat the glue / sealant melts and fills the voids. I will admit to putting a smug of RTV in the groove to help seal it from moisture.

So while you go the extra mile and expense to make better cords, you use low voltage landscape wire that was not designed for 110 application?

Even though the insulation may be rated to 150v, the cord itself is not UL rated for anything other than low voltage applications, 30v.

The 'proper' cord would be SP3 (3 is outdoor rating) designed for 110 application (will usually have 300v listed on the insulation) of sufficient gauge for the load.

Personally, I use both vampire plugs and splice 6' extension cords with SP1/SP2 zip cord and, on occasion, old light strings. :dude:

Well what can I say? Outdoor rating, so what, my landscaping wire is outdoor rated too. Might of fact mine is rated for direct burial. So much for that point. Lets see, my wire's jacket it rated up to 150 volts and yours is 300 volts. Gee, I suppose you need yours rated so much higher because you are going to run 277 volts out to your controllers, right? No? I didn't think so, so why all the bother about 300 volt rating? Lets see, my 16-2 wire is rated for about what 15 amps, give or take. Well I sure dont plan to run over an Amp per channel. Might of fact, far less in most cases. UL rated for only 30 volts you say. Well I suppose I am going to be running a little more than that. But I have to wonder what that is all about? If the jacket is rated at 150 Volts AC why derate the operational voltage? Not being a smartass with this question. I truely do not understand the why of it. Whoa, wait a minute. Is that 30 VAC or 30VDC? Aint some of those landscape lights really DC? Now I know that DC applications usually have a lower rating than AC applications. Might we be confussing the two issues?

Still your friend

Max

[cenote]

Jeff Millard wrote:

Going from the upstairs window in one to the other was one of those Lowes $8 green extension cords we all love so much.

Hey, $8 cord cheaper than paying that electric bill every month. So you risk melting a cord here or there...Do breakers trip when load is going threw the opposite way?

[Max-Paul]

Good question cenote. And the following is purely a educated guess on my part. First most residenual circuit breakers are thermo in nature. As the current passes a certain point. The bi-metal element starts to warm-up. And at a given point it moves enough to cause a latch to release and the circuit is opened.

There is no reason I can see that the direction of the current passing through the bi-metal would cause the breaker to act differently.

And I would also would not expect a breaker that uses a magnetic coil to operate any differntly either.

Max