drop chord or generator

orange150

orange150

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Fairfax City, VA
talking to my bro-in-law about using a generator to run my grinder and other small tools while working on my CJ-5. He asked why not just run a drop chord from the house to to the barn where it is, about 250' maybe more. He's saying that that much drop chord will put just as much load on the tools as a generator will. I don't really think so, so before I start fueling up the generator which is it, the drop chord or the generator.
 
just use the drop cord...

we do it all the time in industrial construction as outlets are usually few and far between in some of these industrial facilities. I've had over 600' of drop cord for a sawzall and grinder before. No problems.
 
I'd imagine the key is just to use a good cord, 12 ga or so - not a cheapo $10 18 ga or something.
 
there is so much voltage drop at 200+feet,it will work,it will shorten the life of motors in the tools you use.
like RatLabGuy said ,be sure to run a good gauge wire.
 
well if youve got the Generator, why not just use it?

Gas isnt terribly expensive now, and putting away 250' of drop cord is just going to be annoying.
 
Macdaddy4738 said:
Gas isnt terribly expensive now, and putting away 250' of drop cord is just going to be annoying.
Click to expand...

As if listening to the generator will be less annoying?

Run good cords and forget about it already. I wouldn't try using more than one tool at a time but it will be fine.
 
I'm thinking the voltage drop over that distance would require cable over cord, for it to be safe for the electric motors in things such as grinders, saws-all, and such. Most likely need to use a light at the same time. The worst thing you can do to any electrical devise is starve it for power. I am no electrician, so
SKYHIK5, chime in here. I think Ron will know
 
Depending on the quality of the generator you are likely to have as much if not more voltage drop as you will in the cord, and you will almost definitely have much dirtier power.

Any idea what kinda AMP load you will be pulling?

At 250' you aren't extreme distances if you have a good 12gauge drop cord you should be fine.
 
call duke power an have them put a meter in at your shop. up to a certain distance from the pole is free if i remember correctly.
 
at 250', running #12THHN, you'll lose 17% voltage - so you're running your tools at 99.6volts! That's alright, if you're buying the cheap/replaceable junk from HF, but not my tools.

#10THHN is a little better - 10.75% or 12.9V drop
#8THHN is much better - 6.7% or 8V drop, but I think that "drop cord" will pay for the gas to run the generator.

Just my $.02 since I've got the Vdrop calculator sitting in front of me...

JayT
 
JayT said:
at 250', running #12THHN, you'll lose 17% voltage - so you're running your tools at 99.6volts! That's alright, if you're buying the cheap/replaceable junk from HF, but not my tools.

#10THHN is a little better - 10.75% or 12.9V drop
#8THHN is much better - 6.7% or 8V drop, but I think that "drop cord" will pay for the gas to run the generator.

Just my $.02 since I've got the Vdrop calculator sitting in front of me...

JayT
Click to expand...

You simply can not calculate that without knowing his load.
(BTW THHN IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY SO or SJ much more reasonable)

But....
225' at 10 Amps would give you a 9 volt drop
" 15A a 13 volt drop
" 25A 22V drop


Remember 3% is the max allowable by NEC ( but we are not talking permanent installations here) so your calculators will be biased to 3%. Also one of the popular suppliers of voltage drop calculators are wire manufacturers. They are notoriously conservative (and why not each time you upsize the more they make)


Those numbers are hand calcs not using a calculator, but here is an independent application that i bet will back my numbers (though Ill admit I didnt check 'em)

http://www.csgnetwork.com/voltagedropcalc.html
 
the Hitachi grinder i have is 6 amps. which is probably the only thing i will be running. I would like to hook two grinders up though so my buddy and i can wire wheel the frame together... might want the generator for that.
 
BigRedB2 said:
call duke power an have them put a meter in at your shop. up to a certain distance from the pole is free if i remember correctly.
Click to expand...

Only with a permit.
That's true.. But I heard they would install a pole for an electric fence, with no permit.
 
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