Extension Cords

[Cecil]

I am looking for extension cords that lay flat and are flexible in the cold.  I see Flexzilla makes one.  I am very happy with the quality of their air hose.  I hope I am correct in assuming the power cords have the same high quality.  Does anyone recommend another extension cord which stays flexible in the cold and lays flat in all weather?

I plan on picking up a 25' 14/3 version.  I may, at a later date, grab a 50' 12/3 cord.

[lift mechanic 2]

I put a 25' extension cord on my Mag 77 skill saw for a replacement cord that stays flexible in the cold. It is pink with a yellow strip not expensive from Home Depo. I replaced my other skill saw with one from HD that is orange with a black strip not nearly as flexible.

[Admiral]

I am looking for extension cords that lay flat and are flexible in the cold.  I see Flexzilla makes one.  I am very happy with the quality of their air hose.  I hope I am correct in assuming the power cords have the same high quality.  Does anyone recommend another extension cord which stays flexible in the cold and lays flat in all weather?

I plan on picking up a 25' 14/3 version.  I may, at a later date, grab a 50' 12/3 cord.

I've had one for at least a decade or more and can't remember who made it, but it does make a difference.  I think I got it at Lowes.  But I've made it a practice not to get 14/3 anymore, always 12/3 gauge, and I usually buy the 100' length and cut it down, installing a quality plug and socket at each cut, it was always cheaper that way (may not be so anymore, its been a while).

[Lynden]

An extension cord with a black all-rubber cover will be very flexible in cold weather. Not cheap but they last a long time. Prime Wire & Cable makes them.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/..._200660356

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...nsion+Cord

http://www.primewirecable.com/extension-...ather-cord -- cold weather cords

[photobug]

An extension cord with a black all-rubber cover will be very flexible in cold weather. Not cheap but they last a long time. Prime Wire & Cable makes them.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/..._200660356

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...nsion+Cord

http://www.primewirecable.com/extension-...ather-cord -- cold weather cords

The key to these extension cords are the cable.  SJTW or SJOOW are what I use when I want to put a new tail on a power tool.  It is also what you want to use to make a superior extension cord.  I like the idea of buying a 100 footer and cutting it down to a 50 and two 25 footers.  One thing you want to factor in is voltage drop, unless you want the cord for a particularly small amperage tool, any extension cord over 15 feet should be 12/3 over 75 feet consider a 10/3.

[KyleD]

An extension cord with a black all-rubber cover will be very flexible in cold weather. Not cheap but they last a long time. Prime Wire & Cable makes them.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/..._200660356

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...nsion+Cord

http://www.primewirecable.com/extension-...ather-cord -- cold weather cords

Where do you guys live? Is it a security concern just to add a state or area to your profile?

Where I live, and you can see that right below my name to the left, it gets cold enough to freeze flat spots in the rubber tires on the vehicles. Makes for a rough ride when first going down the highway. For the same cold reason, most vehicles also have block heaters so they will start in sub-zero weather. If one uses anything other than a 100 percent silicone jacketed extension cord they get real hard to roll-up and put away. The vinyl cords will actually shatter if bent when cold. My dad had a real heavy high quality rubber cord and it stayed on the ground in the winter as it would get too stiff to effectively roll up as well.

[fredhargis]

Like you I have the (and love) the Flexilla air hose, and I highly recommend their garden hose (I got one for my HVLP). I keep eying their extension cords, and the first time one shows up on my shopping list the Flexilla is what it will be.

[Cecil]

Kyle: I added my location my profile ages ago.  It still does not show.  I am in western NY.  On time, in my 50+ years here, it got down to -40*C.  If you Google that, you will find that to be -40*F.  while that is unusual, it gets down to -20*F most winters.  I don't work in the wood shop at those temps, but I often work for a while at +20*F and above.  I just need to bring stuff inside and let it stabilize to glue up and to finish.

Admiral: I purchased a couple of 50' cold whether cords, 25-30 years ago.  One of them did not get along with me.  It left in the middle of the night, along with a box of drywall screws and a few misc. items.  It broke the door on the way out too.  The other one I still have, and it does make a difference.  They are less of a tripping hazard, since they lay flat, and handle better when coiling/uncoiling.  

Photobug: thanks for the info on cord designations.  I did not know that.  A Google search using those terms showed a few more options.  Thanks.

[KyleD]

Kyle: I added my location my profile ages ago.  It still does not show.  I am in western NY.  On time, in my 50+ years here, it got down to -40*C.  If you Google that, you will find that to be -40*F.  while that is unusual, it gets down to -20*F most winters.  I don't work in the wood shop at those temps, but I often work for a while at +20*F and above.  I just need to bring stuff inside and let it stabilize to glue up and to finish.

Yeah, I should have thought about the clunkiness of this forum as a reason your profile is not filled out. I am thinking of giving up on the whole woodnet forums. I just tried hyperlinking two pictures in another post to which I wanted to reply but gave up after a while. Someone will come on here and say it is so easy you just have to do this, this, this, and that, then change that setting, and finally hold your nose this particular way and whala- there are the pictures. Whatever. This is something I could easily do in the old woodnet forums.
Anther thing this forum does that bugs me is when I reply to someone, it adds the whole person's post into my reply. This forces me to go and highlight then delete all the post to which i am trying to reply. Isn't this what "quote" is for?

[KyleD]

Kyle: I added my location my profile ages ago.  It still does not show.  I am in western NY.  On time, in my 50+ years here, it got down to -40*C.  If you Google that, you will find that to be -40*F.  while that is unusual, it gets down to -20*F most winters.  I don't work in the wood shop at those temps, but I often work for a while at +20*F and above.  I just need to bring stuff inside and let it stabilize to glue up and to finish.

I spent time at Camp Drum freezing my butt of in the distant past. Nice area. It sounds like you can get just as cold as we do here in North Dakota. The duration could be different though. Most home craftsmen here have heated shops. If we waited for +20 weather we would easily miss more than five months in the shops. My well insulated 625sf shop (detached garage that rarely sees a vehicle) has a 45,000 BTU heater. I keep it about 45 degrees and just bump that up when I am out there. Thank goodness natural gas heat is reasonably priced here.