Short Extension Cord Uses

Why Choose A Short Extension Cord

Extension cords have an essential part to play, when it comes to bringing power outlets that are a tad too far away, right where they are needed, temporarily. While it might sense... Read More

Why Choose A Short Extension Cord

Extension cords have an essential part to play, when it comes to bringing power outlets that are a tad too far away, right where they are needed, temporarily. While it might sense for you to buy a longer solution, you should only buy as much cable as you need. With that in mind, here are some of the reasons why you should consider buying a short extension cord, as well as a list of factors to consider.   

Protect Your Equipment From The Negative Effects Of Voltage Drop

If you only need a short cable, there’s no reason for you to buy something longer; and, your equipment will thank you for it! 

Longer cables experience higher voltage drops; and vice versa. As electricity flows through a wire, it experiences resistance. The level of resistance experienced increases with the distance travelled. Depending on the extent of the drop, you might end up with damaged or poorly performing appliances or gadgets, as they are not getting enough power, or are forced to work harder to get the power they need to work. 

By choosing this option you get to overcome the voltage drop problem and can use your tools/equipment without worrying about damaging them because they are underpowered. 

Safety 

When in use, cables are a trip hazard. If you are using one that has too much slack, it is much easier for people passing by to get their feet entangled in the excess cable lying on the ground. This can lead to dangerous falls. A short extension cord can help solve this problem by eliminating any unnecessary slack.

Get The Right Power Rating 

It is important to ensure that it is capable of drawing all the power required by the intended application, in a safe way. That said, the right solution must come with the right power/Amp rating. If you use heavy-duty appliances on a light duty product, you risk overloading the cable which can cause overheating; thus, increasing the risk of fires. 

The amount of power that a given product can carry is dependent on the thickness of the wires therein. Thicker wires can carry more power than thinner ones. Wire gauge or AWG (American Wire Gauge) is used to measure wire thickness. The thicker the wires, the lower the corresponding gauge number. 

With the above in mind, a cable that’s about 5ft long and made with 12AWG wires can be rated for 15Amps - capable of meeting the power requirements of most home appliances and even power tools. 

However, it is important to note that the amp rating is also dependent on the length of the wires used; increasing the length of the cable, while holding the thickness of the wires constant, results in a decrease in the power/amp rating due to increased resistance. 

If you do not need the additional length, buying a shorter product can save you from having to fork out more cash for longer and thicker wires, just to maintain the amp rating. 

Choose High Quality

To ensure that you end up buying a high quality UL Listed and cUL approved product that comes with continuous ground monitoring and active power transmission indicator lights, and many other useful features, check out the selection at Bad Ass Extension Cords.