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Just found out most extension cord ratings are for 25ft max, not 100ft
I was running a 100ft cord to my saw on a job last week and wondered why it kept tripping the breaker. Looked it up on OSHA's site and learned those amp ratings on the package assume like a 25ft length, shorter cord means more amps safely. Anyone else get burned by this?
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the_robin3d agoTop Commenter
Huh, you're almost right but you got the relationship backwards a bit. Actually longer cords have more resistance which means they can carry less current safely, not more. So that 100 footer was likely dropping voltage and causing your saw to draw more amps to compensate, which is why the breaker popped.
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butler.mark3d ago
Man, I've been there with a circular saw on a long extension cord and it's a real pain. You're spot on about the voltage drop, I had the same thing happen with a cheap 100 footer and my saw just bogged down and tripped the breaker. Switched to a thicker gauge 50 footer and it ran like a dream, no issues since.
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