[dkillianjr]

Hey guys,

I'm about due for a couple new cords, I bought some yellow jacket cords before. They are real flexible and durable. Well I was looking at some yellow jacket cords the other day and I noticed they seem junkier than my old ones. It seems like the quality has gone down hill from what they used to be! Like everything else!


Well this may be a dumb question:laughing: I am considering just buying a roll of 12-3 SJ cord and just making my own. Its deffinetly more expensive than buying a cord already made.

Do you guys think the regular SJ cord is better quality than a cord you would buy that claims it is sj cord, but feels more plastic than rubber?

Plus I'm bored this weekend making cords would give me atleast something to do:laughing:


Dave

 

[Cole82]

I just bought 2 new yellow jacket cords this week. The ones in the box feel like the old ones IMO. The ones that had just the thin cardboard around them felt different. They were also $10 cheaper.

Cole

 

[dkillianjr]

Thats what I noticed too Cole, the only place I have seen the yellow jacket cords around here is lowes, but now the yellow jacket cords feel just like the lowes brand cords! They have that cheap shiney chinese cord look and feel to them:laughing:



Dave

 

[Cole82]

A little bit of a drive for you but Menards has them. Everybody around here carries them all the tool stores the farm stores and the box stores.

3725 Erie Street South
Massillon, OH 44646

 

[dkillianjr]

That is a little to far from me:laughing:

I've never seen a menards before. I looked at their site, it says they sell building materials as well as grocerys and stuff! Wow I hate going to the depot and lowes because of all the HO's I could only amagine going to menards the all the minivan moms buying groceries!!



Dave

 

[480sparky]

..............Plus I'm bored this weekend making cords would give me atleast something to do.......

Most places (at least stores like Big Orange and Big Blue) I know that sell SO cord sell the botton-of-the-barrell, cheap crap in bulk, not the high-quality stuff you're looking for.

 

[dkillianjr]

Most places (at least stores like Big Orange and Big Blue) I know that sell SO cord sell the botton-of-the-barrell, cheap crap in bulk, not the high-quality stuff you're looking for.

I know I was thinking after I typed that, there is a supplier around here that is open on saturday mornings, but not this weekend because of the holiday:wallbash:

So, 480 if I get some good SJ that should be a lot better than even the yellow jacket cords?


Dave

 

[480sparky]

I know I was thinking after I typed that, there is a supplier around here that is open on saturday mornings, but not this weekend because of the holiday:wallbash:

So, 480 if I get some good SJ that should be a lot better than even the yellow jacket cords?


Dave

SJ cord is only rated for "Hard Usage". SO is rated for "Extra Hard Usage".

 

[dkillianjr]

SJ cord is only rated for "Hard Usage". SO is rated for "Extra Hard Usage".

O ok thanks 480, I did not know that:thumbup:



Dave

 

[480sparky]

O ok thanks 480, I did not know that:thumbup:



Dave

Table 400.4 of the NEC.:thumbsup:

 

[dkillianjr]

Table 400.4 of the NEC.:thumbsup:

All I have is the 08 residential pocket guide, I don't think its in there:laughing:



Dave

 

[mrmike]

Back to my Industrial background again-- We always made our own extension cords using So cord. It is Rubber coated & is much more tougher than a "store" cord. It is also a lot more flexible. We also had the heavier So cord right down to #4 awg for use on Portable pumps , portable power stations, etc.. It does not cut or "chafe" like other cable. It will be expensive for the cord & the plugs. You should find some at Grainger & other Industrial suppliers...................

 

[dkillianjr]

Yup thats what I'm gonna do, some 12-3SO and a few of my favorite pass and seymour cord caps, its gonna be a good time:laughing:


Dave

 

[loneframer]

Yup thats what I'm gonna do, some 12-3SO and a few of my favorite pass and seymour cord caps, its gonna be a good time:laughing:


Dave

Dave, you may as well get some nice 12ga. 25'ers, clip the female ends and put new cords on your power tools, then you can drop some 4-ways on the SO, which you may want to step up to 10-3. Works great when you have a nice work area set up with multiple tools.:thumbsup:

 

[dkillianjr]

Dave, you may as well get some nice 12ga. 25'ers, clip the female ends and put new cords on your power tools, then you can drop some 4-ways on the SO, which you may want to step up to 10-3. Works great when you have a nice work area set up with multiple tools.:thumbsup:

I was acctually contimplating that very idea:thumbup: Especially my circular saw, that cord is never long enough! Then maybe the drill and sawzall. If I do I will deffinetly step up to 10-3 for the leader cord. Its funny, me and my dad used to always use just 14 gauge cords or what ever we picked up. Now that I am more educated:laughing: I use the thickest cord I can.


Dave

 

[Cole82]

Dave, you may as well get some nice 12ga. 25'ers, clip the female ends and put new cords on your power tools, then you can drop some 4-ways on the SO, which you may want to step up to 10-3. Works great when you have a nice work area set up with multiple tools.:thumbsup:

That is a good idea. Do the long cords get in the way when storeing them?

Cole

 

[loneframer]

That is a good idea. Do the long cords get in the way when storeing them?

Cole

My 10-3s are cut to 62.5'ers, I bought 125' and halved it to make it managable. They have single ends on them. Then I took a 10-3 20'er and had an electrician buddy set it up with a quad box. I set the quad under my horses and run my tools off the 25'ers. Whenever a tool loses a ground or gets frayed, I put a 12-3 25'er as a replacement. I found that the rolls of 2 sided velcro are great for cord/hose control.:thumbsup: The 25s on my wormdrives are no problem for storage, I velcro them to the aux handle on top.

 

[Inner10]

Guys does anyone have proof that 14AWG is inadequate for most powertools?

What difference is 10 feet of 10 or 12 AWG do when you are hooked up to a plug with 60 feet of 14AWG behind it?

 

[loneframer]

I was acctually contimplating that very idea:thumbup: Especially my circular saw, that cord is never long enough! Then maybe the drill and sawzall. If I do I will deffinetly step up to 10-3 for the leader cord. Its funny, me and my dad used to always use just 14 gauge cords or what ever we picked up. Now that I am more educated:laughing: I use the thickest cord I can.


Dave

:laughing: When I first got into framing, we would run a 14ga. 100'er from the power pole, branch off with a 3-way with 16ga. 50s for the skilsaws and drills.:whistling Nowadays, I rarely buy anything under 12ga., even if they're only 25s.:thumbsup:

 

[480sparky]

Guys does anyone have proof that 14AWG is inadequate for most powertools?.........

Read the instruction manual. There's always a chart there.

From the Skil 77 instruction manual: