240v Extension cord?

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krops13

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I've found some for 25ft but not able to find some with 50ft length. I'm interested in a electric system but may be postponed if I can't find a cord. I'm thinking it can't be done. can someone enlighten me please!!!
 
It would be pretty easy to make a cord to the length required. Keep in mind that the longer the cord, the larger the wire required to deal w/ voltage drop.

Purchase wire, and a male and female plug...assemble.
 
You may want to go to a larger gauge than what is required for the current because 50 feet is a pretty long run. The larger the conductor, the less resistance to current flow per foot. If you think about it the wire is just like a resistor with a specific resistance per foot. Take for example 10 gauge wire. It has a resistance of .0018 ohms per foot. Over 50 feet it has a resistance of .059 ohms. If you are drawing 30 amps and calculate the power dissapated by the cable using P=Current squared x Resistance, you are dissapating 53.1 watts of power in heat or about 1 watt per foot. Thats a little high. If you go to 8 gauge wire you will dissipate only 33 watts.
 
I have no idea the answer to this question!

lschiavo made one for me, though. Maybe shoot him a PM and he can give you the details, including cost.

I will say that 50 feet seems excessive. Where are you putting the brewery? I think mine is around 10 feet.
 
I live in an apartment and I plan to put it on My patio. I allready brew all grain out there with propane but propane is expensive. I found a 240v plug with a 50amp dedicated breaker. I planed to unplug the stove which is plugged into the outlet and plug in the berwery.
 
50 amp, you will need at least 6 gauge, for that run maybey 4? that is an expensive extention cord. plus if you want it flexible it will be even more.
 
O so I have to make a cord capable of the 50 amps even if I don't plant to use all 50. I was thinking of putting a 30 amp or so breaker on my control panel for added security.
 
You can't really buy a 240 extension cord, at least I've never seen one, which makes me wonder about the safety.

If you do want to buy one try a dedicated generator supply store or maybe an RV dealership.
 
O so I have to make a cord capable of the 50 amps even if I don't plant to use all 50. I was thinking of putting a 30 amp or so breaker on my control panel for added security.

You want the cord to be rated the same or higher as your breaker. Too small of a wire and you could cause a fire. Even though I am NOT an electrician I have read about this somewhere on this forum. Here is a link to help out with deciding:

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_12/3.html
 
Most welding shop with have one.

For example

Paul

I've found some for 25ft but not able to find some with 50ft length. I'm interested in a electric system but may be postponed if I can't find a cord. I'm thinking it can't be done. can someone enlighten me please!!!
 
Try your local marine supply place for a "shore power" cord. they come in 50ft sections, may have to cut the ends and put diff ones on but should be good to go.
 
forget the marine cords, they're way overpriced for their length.

any decent electrical supply house will have heavy SJO cord/cable all the way down to 2awg. hubbell and other companies make all sorts of cord caps (plugs and sockets) for these heavy cords/cables and it's not rocket science when it comes to putting this stuff together..
 
Here you go:
50' of 8-4 SOOW cable - $100.00 shipped
NEMA 14-50 50 Amp plug - $14.00
NEMA 14-50 50 Amp Receptacle - $10.00

You can substitute the connectors on the end for ones that match your range plug. Both ends must be the same, and that is the plug you will use to feed your brew rig.
Reference here for NEMA plug definitions. The above example is a 3-Pole, 4-Wire, 50 Amp grounding plug and receptacle.

Come to think of it, you'll probably want to get 2 of the NEMA 14-50 plugs, and cut 10' or so off of the 50' SOOW cable. Hard wire the 10' piece in your brew panel, and attach one 14-50 plug. (Green to Green, White to Silver, Black to Gold, Red to the other Gold) Then make a 40' extension with the rest of the SOOW cable. Plug the extension into your range plug, and plug the brew rig tail into the other end of the extension.
Alternatively, you can just wire the brew rig side of the cord directly into your control panel, and just coil it up on the rig.

Total $125.00 for a 50 foot, 50 AMP extension cord.
Wiring:
Green to ground, on both ends. (It's the "U" shaped one)
White to Neutral, on both ends. (It's the center "Straight" one)
Red goes to one of the outside straight ones. (It doesn't matter which)
Black goes to the other outside straight one. (The only one left without a wire)

I have these in 15', 50', 75', and 100' to power my stage distro for live sound. It has worked great for years!

Apprentice electrician's first lesson, on the first day: "Green to Green, Black to Gold, White to Silver. Payday is on Friday, and don't touch the shiny parts!"
I'm not an electrician. My Dad is, and this is what he built for me! YMMV
 


That's basically how mine is setup. I bought a 50amp spa panel and wired it from my 100amp panel in my workshop. Then used about one foot of the 6/4 SJO wire (I purchased from my local electrical supply house) to wire the 50amp receptacle. The rest of the wire (25' 6/4 SJO) will be connected to the sub panel on the brew rig. If I remember right the 6/4 wire cost me about $2.50 a foot.
 
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