Cord safety question

[JediKnight2]

I see that a bunch of people use the SPT wires....if I have some of the home lamp extension cords...are they OK to use short distances? We don't use them inside anymore...but I have a few lying around...looks like the same type or wire.

[Anthony in Houston]

I have used these by the hundreds and they worked great.



Anthony

[iresq]

Just as an FYI, lamp cord or zip cord is not rated for exterior use. With that said many of us, myself included, use these cords without issue.

Before the question can correctly answered, it must be correctly asked.

What is the power draw your are trying to feed? What is the distance you are trying to achieve?

Lamp cord is typically 18 guage. For runs under 50' you should be OK to about 7 amps. This is off the top of my head. I will have to look up the actual numbers. There are size distance charts floating around here, PC, and the world wide web.

[JediKnight2]

The distances would be way under 50'...no more than 15 I would say. I am going to do a light count this evening and figure out what I have on each channel....I don't get my LOR unit until next week...but am wiring everything this weekend to where the box will be. I think the MOST I have on any one string/channel is...

two 200 bulb strand minis with two 150 bulb strand mini icicle, I KNOW I KNOW...you guys with 128 channels are like...LOL LOL LOL

...so by my guestimate thats about 1.5 watts

[iresq]

...so by my guestimate thats about 1.5 watts


Probably more like 1.5 amps

You will be OK with lamp cord.

[Jeff Sand]

That'd be about 1.5 amps, or 180 watts, give or take. I'd top out at about 8 amps for regular lamp cord at short distances.

[JediKnight2]

Is there a place I can lookup distances versus guage/amps....

What is the max amp/distance on SPT2 16 guage?

[Frank A.]

Good morning

do not have spt2 info but here is info on cords that I do have

Frank A.

[Frank A.]

Hi

hit the wrong button

I'll try again

Frank A.


Attached files

[LENNY RUEL]

Jedi:
One thing to remember is any one channel on a controller as it comes can handle a max of 8 amps. Not many of us will max out one channel though as it wastes the other 7 on that side. If the cord is good for 7 amps and you are just using mini lights that is about 2000 of them. It would be easy to max out a side if you are punching it out to traditional C7 strings as they chew up some serious amperage, C9 are even worse. Kind of funny, I have a buddy I bowl with that is a fireman and he helps out a little with set up. A lot of my neighbors say lamp cord for extension cords? Is that safe? He says makes sense with the minimal draw, why run 12 or 14 gauge cords for this? plus when the bunnies take a snip its a couple bucks vs much more to replace.
The lamp cord only becomes an issue if you have a higher continuous draw that overheats it which is where most people run in to problems INSIDE their homes.
The key is to make sure EVERYTHING up to the controller can handle the max possible load. 20 amp breakers and outlets and 12 gauge wire.

Lenny

[JediKnight2]

So basically..I can run 100 foot of SPT 16 guage wire from my mini lights to my controller...as long as the controller is plugged in appropriately.

Here is what I have so far...




My plans are to plug one side into a GFI on one side of the house and run an extension cord from the other side to another GFI in the back yard...that way both will feed into the LOR

[LENNY RUEL]

Should be good to go. Just make sure the extension cord to the GFI is heavier, probably at least a 14/3.

Lenny

[smeade67]

And make sure your outlets are on different circuit breakers otherwise you might as well just plug both cords into the same outlet. If you have a 15 amp breaker in the breaker box, the one outlet should be able to handle 11.06 amps anyway, so it wouldn't be an issue.

[JediKnight2]

Thanks...they are on separate breakers...I am going to see if I can't get a few 20A connections next year...I have the room to add on some power.