Vacuum cleaner cord question.

[G_P]

I recently snagged an old upright vac that someone put out by the trash. I wanted the long cord off of it to replace a taped up cord on a drop light. The vacuum stated in huge letters "15 AMPS" so I assumed the cord would be fairly beefy.

I took the cord off and it appears to be either 18 or 20ga wire inside! It is very thin and I see no way that it could be rated for 15a use. Is it some kind of specially rated wire or do vacuum makers use some fancy numbers to rate the vacuum amperage? I'm thinking the 15a rating is if you clamped the motor shaft in a vise so it couldn't turn and powered it up?

 

[HOTFR8]

Well you have the lead so why not make it into an extension lead and so how it works ?

 

[G_P]

Well you have the lead so why not make it into an extension lead and so how it works ?

It's wire so I know it will work as a cord. I just don't want to start a fire with it. The light I want to replace the cord on also has plugs on it that I sometimes use to plug tools into.

I think I will just toss it in my wire box and save it for something with very low amperage draw.

Maybe If I get bored I will put a female plug end on it and bring it outside and plug a space heater into it and see if it melts.

 

[HOTFR8]

For a small light it would be ok. You can never have to many extension leads.

 

[G_P]

Actually I think I may have too many extension cords! They seem to multiply and then I can never find the one I'm looking for!

 

[sweetcretin]

The 15 amp claim is largely a marketing claim. The standard load amp draw for the vacuum was definitely significantly less than 15 amps. Probably closer to 5 amps. In all likelihood, the 15 amps claim was done in a lab with a very particular configuration for a VERY limited period of time.

 

[rlitman]

A 12 gauge wire is rated for 16A continuous use in a wall, buried in insulation (a worst case scenario).

Assuming that vacuum actually used 15A (unlikely), the cord is expected to be unwound, and in open air. Most vacuums with cord reels specifically say you must unwind the entire cord out of the reel before plugging it in, so you do not accumulate too much heat in the coils on the reel.

Out in the open, that wire will get hot, but will be exposed to enough air to stay sufficiently cool for the duty cycle of the machine. That's how they get away with something so thin.

 

[Zeke]

And my house vac cord end gets hot. A worm drive SkillSaw is rated and something like 13 amps but start up amps and hogging the thing will pop a 14A breaker even on a short 12 ga. cord.

I think I agree with sweetcretin that household rated motor amps are not what they seem. My WDSS sure feels like its doing a hell of a lot more work than the Hoover.

 

[G_P]

A 12 gauge wire is rated for 16A continuous use in a wall, buried in insulation (a worst case scenario).

Assuming that vacuum actually used 15A (unlikely), the cord is expected to be unwound, and in open air. Most vacuums with cord reels specifically say you must unwind the entire cord out of the reel before plugging it in, so you do not accumulate too much heat in the coils on the reel.

Out in the open, that wire will get hot, but will be exposed to enough air to stay sufficiently cool for the duty cycle of the machine. That's how they get away with something so thin.

This makes a lot of sense.

Thanks everyone!

 

[madosta]

Dude GP, don't lie. You were vacuuming in your nighty and the cord was warm so you started looking at the wire. Then you realized "Oh I have a trouble light with a heavier cord in the garage I can use to finish my house chores." You proceeded to replace the cord with the one from your garage, because, admit it, you hardly go out there anymore cause you're not allowed!

 

[G_P]

Dude GP, don't lie. You were vacuuming in your nighty and the cord was warm so you started looking at the wire. Then you realized "Oh I have a trouble light with a heavier cord in the garage I can use to finish my house chores." You proceeded to replace the cord with the one from your garage, because, admit it, you hardly go out there anymore cause you're not allowed!

 

[madosta]

 

[sberry]

Why would you put a heater on it and intentionally overload it? Its fine for a light or short use with a power tool, I believe it is 16.

 

[G_P]

Why would you put a heater on it and intentionally overload it? Its fine for a light or short use with a power tool, I believe it is 16.

Just to see how badly vacuum manufacturers lie. If that vacuum really did draw 15 amps then this cord should be able to handle a space heater that draws about the same. Although Im almost positive it would fail since even the short 5ft cord on the heater uses wire almost twice the size.

 

[kbs2244]

I salvage them all the time.
I use them a lot on window fans.

I have had a vacum cord on my leaf blower for years.
It works fine.

Befor you just cut it off it may be worth while to open up the vac.
I was suprised to find the on I put on the leaf blower to have a molded female end that pluged into a PC board.
It pluged into the blower like it was a factory design.