I need to temporarily run a 100′ extension cord. The problem is I have two 50′ lines. This is an exterior application for three days.
Would some duct tape do the job or should I use electrical tape? If it was to rain hard I could take it up.
If you’ll allow electrical tape, give a 3M name-number.
I’d like it to be easy to get off and no residue.
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Replies
What are you trying to do?
Waterproof the plug/jack between the 2 cards?
Put a stick in the ground and a couple of foot up put an upside down coffee can or the like.
Get the connection "inside" the can.
I'm trying to change out the panel in the garage. The problem is the electric fence charger is driven by the garage panel. But it's less than 100' to the GFI outlet on the back of the house.
I got so far when I decided I wanted some tools-supplies from the city: spade bits, conduit, wire pulling gell. So the fence is dead. I don't think the cows will bother it.
I bought a Klein #2 Robertson screwdriver like, IIRC, IMERC suggested today.
I was thinking tape would be faster than the can. I've seen a plastic deal from HF.
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Edited 6/5/2005 10:49 pm ET by FarmerDave
Never use duct tape for electricity. It is not an insulator. Electrical tape is an insulator, but won't seal against standing water.
The can idea is good, though I'd use something plastic. You can buy waterproof wire nuts, too. They are used on well pumps.
Another alternative is to buy a roll of Romex.
Based on my experience, no expert but I have run a whole lot of cords or jobsite power and I'm in Florida where rain is nearly a daily occurrence in parts of the summer, I would avoid any tape. Years ago my job was to keep the pumps running day and night on a large site while a hurricanes and summer storms bore down on us.
If the pumps lost power or clogged the pits with the forms in it flooded and it stopped work for a lot of people. If the rod busters or carpenters got shocked they were not shy about expressing themselves. Even when they were doing something stupid.
Take a hollow-core cinder block with the openings facing up and place the connected cord caps on top. That's it. Job done. No tape, ties, mess or roof needed.
The block is ideal but a simple block of wood will work. The cinder block has the advantage of being heavy enough to stay put and gets the connection up a bit higher. Idea is to keep the connection out of standing water. The cord caps are also held essentially in mid air when suspended in the cell of the block.
Any rainwater that falls onto the connection drips off. Any that enters the space between cord caps drips through or gets turned to steam by the current. No problem. If it crosses the hot and ground or if the current makes it to earth the GFI trips. Actually a lot rarer a situation than you might think. Seen these connections in the driving rain for weeks without tripping the GFI. And the GFI was known to be good.
Not essential but I have sprayed these connections with silicon spray. It speeds the running off of the water. Avoid taping or wrapping as it tends to hold the water in the connections and can increase the trip rate and cause corrosion issues.
Of course there are industrial cord caps that are designed to seal and be water tight at the connections. The best of these are even used under water. But they are nothing like cheap. $100 or more, sometimes much more, per cap. Mostly you have to buy two at a time to get any benefit and they won't connect to the normal ones at all.
Never seen one fail. Done this way and I have never seen anyone get shocked. Of course all lines on an exterior job should be on a GFI. Not a bad idea for inside extension cords as well.
A 100' run of extension cord is pretty long. If you have any substantial load, like a circular saw, you better have heavy gauge cords. Use 100' of 16 gauge cheapies and you can smoke the saw.
Because of this, and to eliminate the connection altogether you might consider buying a roll of NM or UF cable and attaching caps. Not exactly kosher but allowable under temporary, testing and emergency power rules. The UF is tougher but the NM is cheaper and likely, with a little care, to get you through the three days you need. Depending on the load you can relatively inexpensively buy #12 or #10.