8AWG Portable Cord - Weight ?

[mobiledynamics]

Pop Quiz....don't really have 8AWG cord on my *reference*

Let's say 40 Feet of 10/4 SOOW cord - compared to 40Feet of 8/5 SOOW Cord.

How much bulkier would you say it is.
I'm looking to make a portable cord for my genset.
I realistically will only really use it maybe once every 2-3 years.

Craigslist has a pretty decent deal on 8/5 Cord Brand New. A bit bigger and extra wire than I want.....not sure if I want the extra *bulk* as well.

 

[abnorm]

40 ft.............14 lbs vs 25 lbs

 

[wyliesdiesels]

An 8/5? That would be for a 3Ø load with a neutral. Comparing the 2 @ the same lengths, 8/5 is gonna be way heavier and a waste because not only is it a thicker gauge but there's an additional conductor!

What's the size of your generator?

 

[malibu101]

As far as weight- Here's a good reference to look at--- http://www.southwire.com/ProductCat...e&token=282&desc=Viper+Rubber+Type+SOOW+Black

 

[wyliesdiesels]

40 ft.............14 lbs vs 25 lbs

I got 14.5 and 29! 8/5 is twice the weight of 10/4!

 

[abnorm]

Depends on the cable supplier and chart you use.............

http://www.nationalsupplyonline.com/Electrical_Wire.html

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I realistically will only really use it maybe once every 2-3 years.

IMO...I wouldnt even debate it...bigger is usually better. You wont be using it every day, so IMO the difference in weight wouldnt be a problem. Plus If you upgrade Genset or whatever you'll still be good.
I certianly wouldnt pay more for the 10 ga stuff...

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Biggest issue is to make sure that the outside diameter of the cable jacket is small enough to fit in the connectors on the ends.

L14-30P and C plugs and connectors....... Bryant are .465 inch to 1.150 inch diameter while P&S is .325 inch to 1.150 inch diameter.

The Southwire Viper cord seems from my research to be the largest diameter cable (thicker jacket) of any I have found. 8/5 is 1.015 inch which just falls inside the above mentioned connectors. Have not looked at Leviton, Hubbell, and Cooper/Arrow Hart plug and connector specifications but I suspect they are probably about the same. I've not had any luck finding out the minimum and maximum wire sizes but I imagine #8 is within the range of a L14-30 plug or connector.

The reason I have found out so much is this thread got me to thinking about Craigslist and I did a search today for "SOOW cord" and WOW!!!! what comes up is a week old ad for "65 ft of 8/4 SOOW cord" for a hundred dollar bill. Well, it turned out to be two pieces of Carol 8/4 SOOW, one piece was 37 ft and the other was just shy of 50 ft. This worked out to less than $1.18 a foot but I have to buy two connectors and plugs rather than one of each, but what I found on the net was $2.15 up to $4+ a foot and then shipping on top of that.

There are no UL markings on the cord, but I found looking on the net that apparently SOOW is offered both UL and non-UL with the UL being quite a bit more expensive. Since its good Carol brand and its for a Generator, I'm not real concerned. I think part of the difference may be the jacket thickness. The specs on the non-UL cable generally reflect (for 8/4) a diameter of about .750" give or take a little, while UL cord generally seems to have a diameter of about .950"

The commercially available cords are all 10 gauge and have the molded plastic ends that use the plastic to apply pressure to the connectors (female end) to grip the male plug. I do not like this and prefer to have a real connector end with double wipe connectors that are spring type. I also prefer a real rubber cord and not that plastic stuff.

I have connectors and plugs coming, and I have the inlet plug box, and PVC conduit to run under the back porch and 10/3 w/grd Romex to run thru the conduit and under the house. Also have the breaker, just need the Square D QO type S NEMA type 1 panel interlock for 150/225 mains. Gotta order it yet. Best I've found it is $73.

Ouch!!!! this generator is costing alot more than just the price of the generator.

Charles

 

[mobiledynamics]

Yeah, connector fitting was one of things to do *homework*.

Hey Charles. You touched upon a subject I've been mulling about as well.
I like molded connectors to a degree. Not for the OSHA inspector, but just for the sealing properties of it.

I finally found a *In Use Generator Inlet Box* I liked. Made by Midwest, it's a bit bigger than what I like, but the cover for *in use* does cover the top and side - not just a flip lid. I did find one in Hubbell, but it was a tad too industrial for me...


Going back to connector bodys and moulded, I am still looking into various options options on L14-30 Connector and Inlets (aka - marine connector style) or weather-proof.

 

[malibu101]

Yeah, connector fitting was one of things to do *homework*.


Going back to connector bodys and moulded, I am still looking into various options options on L14-30 Connector and Inlets (aka - marine connector style) or weather-proof.

Ericson makes REAL nice cord ends.
Many are made in the USA too.
They are pricey though!

http://eselect.ericson.com/pdf/ConnectIt.pdf

 

[mobiledynamics]

I'm familiar with them.

My requirement for the *wall* would be a inlet L14-30 with the plug either facing down and fairly weatherproof with cover over the plug and fairly weather-resistent

The Midwest was the only one that met this and more or less covered the plug as a *in use* style on all 3 sides.
Gentran made one and Reliance that had the plug upside down...but the bottom of the box was still open to the Elements.

I would like a smaller profile of footprint on theinlet *for aesthetic purposes*.
So if there was one that was I could install flush with the wall, flip lid, BUT with a better weatherproof/waterproof connection, I'm all game.

I have a sump pump with such connector and a extension cord with the mating end.....and this is for my SHTF (I need to get the pump in that water to get get water out) situation. I suppose when the weather is warmer, I could just aim at hose at it for 10 minutes and then crack the 2 to see.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

The way I look at it, so long as I get a name brand, Leviton, Hubbell, Bryant, P&S, Cooper/Arrow-Hart, etc. Its for a generator, so its not long term use. A few hours or a couple of days, then it sits in dry storage, so the connectors need to be quality, but not the super heavy duty, everyday use type.

As far as weather proof goes, I have a screened in back porch that is elevated on concrete blocks a couple of feet (yes, redneck trailer trash style, done by the previous owners) and I am mounting the Reliance input box under the porch where it is not in the direct spray of rain. Yes, to hook up means laying down on the ground and reaching up and in a foot or so to access it, but I would have preferred a inlet box with the plug on the bottom where it was more water proof, but they are much more expensive. Again, it needs to work, but its a once in a blue moon thing............. well after 12/21/12 I guess it may not need to work at all

 

[mobiledynamics]

-if someone should come across this thread researching-

FWIW, I prefer Hubbell as my connector systems.
P&S - internally, their wiring setup is actually a bit easier than the Hubbell on their twistlocks

Not a fan of the botton cord connection on the Bryants/Cooper.
AH - some of them are good, some bleh....

 

[wyliesdiesels]

@mobiledynamics- what size generator are u gonna be using?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

OK, I now have two Bryant female cord connectors L14-30 coming for $9.99 each with free shipping, new in the package. (Home Depot wants a insane $40 each for P&S version), and I now have FOUR Pass & Seymour L14-30 plugs coming, all four for $25 with free shipping, new in the packages. (Home Depot wants $20 each for these). Think I did OK today.

There are a bunch of China made connectors out there, and I think some bogus ones also. There was an Ebay listing for Cooper Arrow-Hart L14-30 plugs in boxes with labels that look OK except that they were marked L14-3 with no zero on the end. The seller noted this but I thought the color looked a little different and then I found another listing for a Cooper Arrow-Hart of the same part, in a plastic bag with the Cooper printing on it. I'm suspicious that the ones in the boxes were fakes. Pretty easy to whip out labels on a color laser printer and paste them on white cardstock cartons. Folks in China will make bogus ones if they think they can sell them.

They say that anytime a company has a product made in China, they end up competing against themselves.... and the first production proof batch always is much better quality than anything made after that.

Charles

 

[mobiledynamics]

Just happened to pull up a old order I put. It's Amazing how much copper has risen. I knew it has gone up....but 2 fold plus since 2009.

In 2009, I paid 88 cents per ft of 10/3 SOOW
My current house price is around $2-$2.25 on average

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Well, I got my L14-30 plugs and receptacles. I knew there was a reason I didn't like Pass & Seymour components. I spent an hour and a half trying to fit the end of the plug on the wires without "birdcaging" the strands of wire. Seems the inside of the clear plastic that the wires pass thru has a nearly blunt step at the bottom that does nothing for guiding the wires into the screw clamps and everything for wadding up the individual strands of the wire in a cord.

Took about a half hour to do the female end, using a Bryant/Hubbell end which has long tapered guides for the wire into the screw clamps and good clear plastic that lets you see that the wire is fully in the clamps before you tighten the screws.

I stumbled across the 8/5 SOOW cord you were originally referring to, today, in the New York area Craigslist, 100 ft for $1.25 which is not bad.

Charles

 

[mobiledynamics]

Interesting on the P&S. Hubbell is my go to brand. I was on a job once and needed some turnlocks that I did not have on me. Went to the local orange to grab some some P&S. What I recall was that they WERE easier to wire up than the Hubbells..YMMV I suppose.

I returned the Midwest Inlet. It was nice, of pretty good value, but it was a MONSTER sized inlet.

Looked and went with the Hubbell Safety Shroud Connectors and a fairly compact Safety Shroud Inlet. The + was then when *in use* it was still water-resistant yet the housing was not a huge footprint.

 

[mobiledynamics]

Thread Bump. Whew, glad I did not go with the 8/5 cord.

I did end up using the correct cord 8/4 which means I'll be ready for 50 amp rated if I ever needed to. The 8/4 bulk was more than enough bulk that I want around as is.

I'll make a separate thread on some adapter cords I made as well - with the 8/4 wired up for a L1430 configuration on both ends.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Thread Bump. Whew, glad I did not go with the 8/5 cord.

I did end up using the correct cord 8/4 which means I'll be ready for 50 amp rated if I ever needed to. The 8/4 bulk was more than enough bulk that I want around as is.

I'll make a separate thread on some adapter cords I made as well - with the 8/4 wired up for a L1430 configuration on both ends.

What type of cord did u use? If its like the cord in the link below, then it won't support 50a. #8/4 cordage is good to 35a.

www.southwire.com/ProductCatalog/pr...e&token=282&desc=Viper+Rubber+Type+SOOW+Black

 

[mobiledynamics]

I used Carol cord. You are right. I pulled up the PDF. Is it due to stranded lowering the ampacity,

 

[wyliesdiesels]

No, it has more to do with the insulation. Stranded and solid wire have the same ampacity!