Heavy Duty Power Strip

[Richard D]

Who makes a good heavy duty power strip with mounting holes? I want it to run a 15 amp Bosch 12" double bevel miter saw and a light.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Due to in-rush current nature of motors, i wouldnt plug a miter saw into a power strip.... If youre short on receptacles, just install some more off the existing circuit.

 

[Richard D]

Understood.

 

[mike93lx]

If a new receptacle is not practical, I'd DIY this. High quality 12/3 cord, strain relief and a box with a pair of duplex receptacles. Keep it as short as possible. I've run my miter saw and table saw off one I built. Allows me to keep stuff like a jigsaw or sander also plugged in

 

[Richard D]

I was just thinking that. My saws are mounted on wheeled carts, and our warehouse is 100' across, no overhead receptacles. I want to mount a box on the cart, how long of cord can I get away with if I go to 12/3 or 10/3? Is 50' impossible?

 

[mike93lx]

I was just thinking that. My saws are mounted on wheeled carts, and our warehouse is 100' across, no overhead receptacles. I want to mount a box on the cart, how long of cord can I get away with if I go to 12/3 or 10/3? Is 50' impossible?

I've run a 12" miter saw on 100ft of 12/3. Probably not the best thing for it long term, but it worked fine.

If I was moving around a lot in a big space like that, I'd be looking at a cordless miter saw, or running a circular saw instead.

 

[Richard D]

I just dropped $600 on this saw, it's gonna need to last me! I also have a "dry cut" saw for steel, want to do the same. So 50' should be O.K. on 12/3? This is not an all day every day tool.

 

[mike93lx]

I just dropped $600 on this saw, it's gonna need to last me! I also have a "dry cut" saw for steel, want to do the same. So 50' should be O.K. on 12/3? This is not an all day every day tool.

That has been fine for me, but I expect the manual will say not to do it.

If it's plugged into a branch circuit with a long run, that could pose a problem. When I've run long cords, I'm almost always plugged in right at the panel

 

[Shiftless]

50 feet of 12 ga. extension cord has always worked fine for my miter saw and vintage Craftsman 10 inch table saw. Plugged in to a 20 amp circuit of course.

 

[Richard D]

Sometimes I AM on a branch circuit. Is there some way I can test the cord and see if it is O. K. to use it on a given circuit?

 

[mike93lx]

The issue is voltage drop at start up, which requires a pretty expensive meter to measure. If it sounds and performs the same as plugged into a receptacle near the panel, you are probably fine

 

[Richard D]

I have access to a "megger", would that be helpful for testing voltage drop? I am on 20 amp circuits I believe.

 

[mike93lx]

I have access to a "megger", would that be helpful for testing voltage drop? I am on 20 amp circuits I believe.

No. Meggers are for testing insulation integrity

 

[Richard D]

Gotcha. Can you recommend a good meter that won't break the bank? I want to get one and learn how to use it. Doesn't need to be gorilla proof, I will be using it personally and take good care of it.

 

[mike93lx]

Gotcha. Can you recommend a good meter that won't break the bank? I want to get one and learn how to use it. Doesn't need to be gorilla proof, I will be using it personally and take good care of it.

A DMM that can accurately do inrush is about $350. Fluke 376

A regular clamp on meter won't give you an accurate reading. Has to show inrush.

 

[Richard D]

They are more like $450. Maybe I just need to get an electrician over here and have him test for me.

 

[vwpieces]

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

I have the 5-15 version of this on a cord. Rarely use it because I have enough outlets and drop reels in the shop to get by. But it is the best strip I am aware of.
Might consider having a few ceiling drops wired into that warehouse by a pro.

 

[duneslider]

I have been running compressors, tablesaws, tilesaws and mitersaws off 100' 12ga extension cords for my whole life and not had any issues. My mitersaw and tablesaw are over 15 years old now and doing great. I honestly don't remember any of our power tools dying unexplainably, falling out of the trailer or off the back of the truck sure. And this was always plugged into questionable power on the jobsite, like temp power run into the house via 12ga romex over the snow straight to the panel and then the one gfci in the house lit up. Less than ideal conditions.

 

[jdm5]

I use this for my miter saw cabinet setup:

Tripp Lite Waber Industrial Power Strip, 3-Outlet, 6-ft. Cord, 5-15P, Switch Guard | Eaton

The Waber-by-Tripp Lite 3SP power strip offers a convenient method of power distribution in workbench, wallmount or floor mount applications. Includes 3 NEMA 5-15R output receptacles with 1.75-inch center-to-center spacing, 6-ft. (1.83 m) AC line cord and keyhole mounting tabs for installation...

tripplite.eaton.com

 

[Richard D]

I just ordered one of those, on a 6' cord should be O.K.

As a side note, I did have drop cords. Until one fell twenty feet to the floor, on the very spot myself and a co-worker had been standing just minutes before. It was installed properly; the housing broke. I immediately removed the other one...

 

[wyliesdiesels]

A DMM that can accurately do inrush is about $350. Fluke 376

A regular clamp on meter won't give you an accurate reading. Has to show inrush.

umm he asked for a meter that can measure voltage drop NOT in rush current....

any DMM that has the hold min max avg function can measure voltage drop such as the fluke 87V

 

[mike93lx]

umm he asked for a meter that can measure voltage drop NOT in rush current....

any DMM that has the hold min max avg function can measure voltage drop such as the fluke 87V

And it will respond quickly enough to be of any value?

Voltage drop while running wasn't what I was thinking to be driving the concern just startup, but maybe that was a bad assumption

 

[wyliesdiesels]

And it will respond quickly enough to be of any value?

Voltage drop while running wasn't what I was thinking to be driving the concern just startup, but maybe that was a bad assumption

yup Ive used my 87V to detect voltage drop with 120v motor loads....worked just fine

the thing is the OP specifically asked for a meter for voltage drop testing after you brought up voltage drop and you responded with a current clamp.... a current clamp wont be helpful for anything in this case. it will just tell you how much current the saw is pulling....

 

[Richard D]

Well that one is even more out of my budget. One of our volunteers, a retired electrician, is here now I'm going to ask his opinion.

 

[walta]

Seems to me the smart move is to install a proper outlet next to the tools especially if you have an electrician on staff.

Understand using an extension cord for more than a short time is a code and OSHA violation most would consider any power strip an extension cord.

When I have opened power strips, I am surprised at how little copper I find. I just finished cleaning up a messy fire blamed on a power strip.



Walta

 

[Richard D]

My main thing is I need portable and don’t have outlets near. My electrician volunteer, who had his 81st birthday today, is going to show me how to check our circuits for voltage drop. Thanks for all the advice I do appreciate it.

 

[Zeke]

I don't understand forums. Here is a guy asking about power strips and 50' cords. That's like asking about jello and motor oil. At least I've never seen a power strip with an attached 50' cord. I would have suggested wire mold with a few receps where there is a lack of shops receps, but the OP throws out that he needs this 50' out in the middle of the shop. Where does the power strip come in with this scenario?

Post no. 8 and others have said just limit the overall distance by plugging in near the panel. Others have said 12 ga. cord has served them flawlessly for years on things like motor drive tools with significant current in rush. Yet this is still going on with an electrician involved?

 

[mike93lx]

I don't understand forums. Here is a guy asking about power strips and 50' cords. That's like asking about jello and motor oil. At least I've never seen a power strip with an attached 50' cord. I would have suggested wire mold with a few receps where there is a lack of shops receps, but the OP throws out that he needs this 50' out in the middle of the shop. Where does the power strip come in with this scenario?

Post no. 8 and others have said just limit the overall distance by plugging in near the panel. Others have said 12 ga. cord has served them flawlessly for years on things like motor drive tools with significant current in rush. Yet this is still going on with an electrician involved?

But boring is no fun

 

[Norcal]

Heavy duty power strip = Heavy duty fire starter.

 

[Shovelhead]

Don't know if this may help you or not.
Just checked voltage drop couple weeks ago with my (15A) 12" miter saw and a (11A) shop vac plugged in to a standard 15A receptacle.

20A Ckt, 12/2 romex, ~100' from panel

Fluke 117 meter
Line Voltage was 124
shop vac running, started saw and voltage dropped to ~106 - 107 if I remember right.

 

[Richard D]

The conversation did go off in a few different directions! Sorry about that. Seems I am going to need to **** **** up and run my saw on a separate circuit than my dust collection. Or get a cordless vac? Anyway, my question has been answered, thanks to all.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I don't understand forums. Here is a guy asking about power strips and 50' cords. That's like asking about jello and motor oil. At least I've never seen a power strip with an attached 50' cord. I would have suggested wire mold with a few receps where there is a lack of shops receps, but the OP throws out that he needs this 50' out in the middle of the shop. Where does the power strip come in with this scenario?

Post no. 8 and others have said just limit the overall distance by plugging in near the panel. Others have said 12 ga. cord has served them flawlessly for years on things like motor drive tools with significant current in rush. Yet this is still going on with an electrician involved?

or how about drop cords in strategic locations...

 

[alfredeneuman]

Who makes a good heavy duty power strip with mounting holes?

My saws are mounted on wheeled carts, and our warehouse is 100' across, no overhead receptacles. I want to mount a box on the cart,

Power Strips are listed with U/L as "Relocatable Power Taps".
The listing says it must plugged into a permanent outlet. (ie: no extension cords or other power strips)

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The conversation did go off in a few different directions! Sorry about that. Seems I am going to need to **** **** up and run my saw on a separate circuit than my dust collection. Or get a cordless vac? Anyway, my question has been answered, thanks to all.

yeah you definitely want those 2 on separate circuits....

 

[American Locomotive]

Guys, job sites run miter saws off miles of extension cords and power strips day in and day out. The universal motors inside basically every miter saw don't care. The tiny voltage drop a powerstrip might have will not matter at all to a miter saw, even during startup.

Tripp Lite (As mentioned) makes some nice heavy duty power strips.

There is no problem at all with mounting a power strip to give you a few more outlets in your home shop.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Guys, job sites run miter saws off miles of extension cords and power strips day in and day out. The universal motors inside basically every miter saw don't care. The tiny voltage drop a powerstrip might have will not matter at all to a miter saw, even during startup.

Tripp Lite (As mentioned) makes some nice heavy duty power strips.

There is no problem at all with mounting a power strip to give you a few more outlets in your home shop.

a heavy duty job site extension cord running off a spider box is not a good comparison to a "relocatable power tap".....

 

[alfredeneuman]

Guys, job sites run miter saws off miles of extension cords and power strips day in and day out.

It's a violation of OSHA Codes also.

 

[American Locomotive]

.

a heavy duty job site extension cord running off a spider box is not a good comparison to a "relocatable power tap".....

I worked a lot and witnessed a lot of construction, everything from small jobs to big 80+ unit apartment buildings. There are tons and tons of saws and other power tools being run off daisy-chained 14-gauge Home Depot orange vinyl cords and and splitters. It's done every single day whether it's UL, OSHA, NEC, FBI or DoJ approved or not.

My barn doesn't have power, but that's where my miter saw is. I can tell you that Makita saw runs off of 10 feet of green "garden cord" plugged into a splitter, plugged into 50 feet of 14 gauge orange vinyl garbage cord, plugged into an outlet strip, that's plugged into 100 feet of 14 gauge cord that I run back to the house.

Guess what? It works fine.

You guys are making an absolute mountain out of a molehill. His saw will be JUST FINE plugged into an outlet strip.

It's a violation of OSHA Codes also.

OSHA doesn't inspect my home garage, so I don't really care what they think.

 

[DHCrocks]

I got the tripplite power strip also and it has held up well since 2016. I used to use just those cheapo strips but they would burn out (circuit breaker wouldn't reset) after a year or so of hard use. This one is doing great. I have my compressor and shop vac plugged in full time and use it for a chopsaw and table saw and its been holding up. One thing about this strip is that it is a 20A plug so it won't work on a 15A outlet.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000L4D3UO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[sparky 1971]

This one looks nice.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FF5YV2T/?tag=atomicindus08-20