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20A extension cord

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ollie76

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Before I go searching all around town, does such a thing exist?

I need a fairly short extension cord for my 115v welder which has a 20A plug on it. I have a 20A circuit in my garage now and everything works great, however, some days I weld outside and I just need a little extra length to get the welder out side. A 6ft would be fine but I wouldn't want to go too long as I know it would start screwing up the welder.

I've never noticed extension cords having the 20a style plug on them.
 
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Mr. T

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Make your own. Just get some 12/3 SJ cord, a 5-20p and a 5-20R connector. Should run you about $30.
 
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sberry

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A 12 cord with a 15A end is fine. You do not need to go to the wholesale house and build your own, buy 25 a ftr so you can get around. At 6 ft a 14 would work and in fact in the OM will list the minimum spec for a cord and I believe it is 14 and quite long.
Shorter is better but don't limit it to make it cumbersome.
Is the 20A plug factory,,, I have never seen one with one on it.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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sberry said:
A 12 cord with a 15A end is fine. You do not need to go to the wholesale house and build your own, buy 25 a ftr so you can get around. At 6 ft a 14 would work and in fact in the OM will list the minimum spec for a cord and I believe it is 14 and quite long.
Shorter is better but don't limit it to make it cumbersome.
Is the 20A plug factory,,, I have never seen one with one on it.
Click to expand...

Except that the welder has a 5-20p on it so that wont work.
 
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LS6 Tommy

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Just get a 6' appliance extension cord. They make them with 5-20 ends... If he lived close enough to come by I'd give him one...

Tommy
 
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CGT80

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Another option is to change the plug on the welder out to a 15 amp. The only difference between 15 and 20 is that the 20 amp has a twisted pin and will not allow your 20 amp device to put that load on a 15 amp receptacle, which is often on a 20 amp circuit. Many new welders and plasma cutters use the 15 amp plug, even though they pull 20 amps.

You could make up a cord that has a 15 amp male end and a 20 amp female. This will allow you to use it for the welder, with the same receptacle (at the wall) you are using now or to plug it into any 15a receptacle. The cord will also work with all of your other 120v tools. Go with a 25' 12ga or heavier cord. I have a 50' 10ga that I have 250v 50amp ends on, to use with my MIG or plasma cutter. 10ga is rated for 30amps and those machines don't require more than that, but they come with 50 amp plugs......actually they both are dual voltage and also use the 125v 15a plugs rather than the 125v 20a plugs.

It all depends on how nit picky and cautious you want to be. There is code, which is often setup to be fool proof, and then there is what works and is done by many, and then there are just plain unsafe practices.
 
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ollie76

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Bought everything I needed today but I must have missed something. The male end I bought has the opposite blade turned 90 degrees. Won't plug into my outlet. Welder plugs into the female side perfect.

I did something dumb here.
 
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Slowgsr

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ollie76 said:
Bought everything I needed today but I must have missed something. The male end I bought has the opposite blade turned 90 degrees. Won't plug into my outlet. Welder plugs into the female side perfect.

I did something dumb here.
Click to expand...

You accidentally bought a 250v 20a end instead of the 120v 20a end. They have the opposite pin horizonal.
 
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ollie76

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Son of a.....

Got the right one now. What are these 250v ones used on anyways? I always thought anything other than the 120v gear used those big suckers, like the 240v stove, dryer, and heater plugs.
 
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Slowgsr

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Mainly for appliances, commercial toasters, blenders, ice cream machines etc. Quite often they're shipped without cords. So the electrician (me), gets to supply/install.

You want that bagel toasted in 5 seconds right? Yup that conveyor toaster is probably a 208v 20a circuit.
 
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sberry

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What welder model is this? Its probably so but have never seen one come with a 20A end. I have to think about it but cant recall ever seeing anything but some commercial floor equipment come with 20a end.
 
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ollie76

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I'm glad you asked! It's a Mastercraft Mig/Flux sold here in Canada by Canadian Tire. Bit of an oddball no doubt and it's a dead ringer for the Campbell Hausfeld one I see around. Made by the same crowd I'd guess. I believe they still sell a similar machine but they changed it to have the 15A plug.
 
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csp

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I have a 150 amp Craftsman (Century) welder with the 20 amp plug on it.

The appliance cords previously mentioned have the blade orientation swapped and don't work in 20 amp outlets. Been there, done that when I built my extension cord many years ago.
 
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mike93lx

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csp said:
I have a 150 amp Craftsman (Century) welder with the 20 amp plug on it.

The appliance cords previously mentioned have the blade orientation swapped and don't work in 20 amp outlets. Been there, done that when I built my extension cord many years ago.
Click to expand...

My century-made craftsman also has a 20a plug on it
 
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Dick in Wisconsin

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ollie76 said:
Son of a..... Got the right one now. What are these 250v ones used on anyways? I always thought anything other than the 120v gear used those big suckers, like the 240v stove, dryer, and heater plugs.
Click to expand...

I have a pair of 240volt A/C wall units that use that plug. One is an 18,000BTU and the other is a 25,000BTU.
 
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