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What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord?
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cmayna
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 12:24 pm    Post subject: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

My Westy did not come with an extension cord to power the fridge, etc, when we're a a campground that supplies 110v. What is the best gauge and length recommended?
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 12:31 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord ? Reply with quote

Hello, I have something similar to this.
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/25-15-amp-locking-extension-cord-with-light/102463

What makes it nice is the cord has a tiny light to let you know if you have power. Sometimes the breaker is popped. You will also want an adapter since some sites don't have 15 amp service. 15 amp to 30 amp.
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 12:46 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

You really don't need much. A standard 16 ga will work fine. I wouldn't go longer than 50'. The power draw is really low for those items.
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 1:02 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

PDXWesty wrote:
You really don't need much. A standard 16 ga will work fine. I wouldn't go longer than 50'. The power draw is really low for those items.


That's what my van came with, 25' 16-gauge and it's probably 20 years old at this point. I do like that light-up version... Think


Edit Dec. 2017: Replaced ancient 16-gauge with this lighted 25' 14-gauge: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-Pro-25-ft-15-Am...rd/3191689 .
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Last edited by kamzcab86 on Fri Dec 15, 2017 3:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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j.l.godoy
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 1:12 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

14 g wire is practical, and ez to work.. I use that gage regurly..
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bluebus86
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PostPosted: Tue May 23, 2017 1:27 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

j.l.godoy wrote:
14 g wire is practical, and ez to work.. I use that gage regurly..


14G if you can afford it and have the little extra space for it, that way you can use it for say powering an electric heater, a coffee maker, microwave, hair dryer with little voltage drop. Its handy to have over sized for your expected needs, just to cover you for them unexpected needs.

longer cords should be fatter than very short ones for reduced voltage drop.


good luck
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:07 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

25ft or 50ft? I guess it would be really rare that I would need a 50ft. That and it would need to be 12 gauge at 50ft = a lot of space.

Looks like 12 gauge is very common size.

I can get 50ft 12 gauge for same price as a 25ft 12 gauge.

I think most power (possible anyway) is me running a 1500w electric heater. I may have to bypass the breaker system and run the cord in through the window
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:37 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

cmayna wrote:
. . . What is the best gauge and length recommended


Since I've never been into that camping thing, I can't advise you from experience about what drop cord works best for a Westy.

What I can say is roll you're own from some SO cord with industrial grade plug and cap (aka, connector).

By no means cheap. but an SO drop cord will outlive you.

As with a lot of things, when it comes to wire gauge, the bigger the better or, more accurately, the bigger, the more versatile. I would hesitate to make up a drop cord less the 14 AWG in size. Also, I would prefer two 25 ft. cords over one 50 ft. cord.

Richie (near The Burgh)
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 9:02 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

A 50 14ga cord is going to handle a resistance load like a 1500watt heater just fine as the heater isn't going to care much if the voltage is a bit low. The cord will not overheat doing this. It would also handle the fridge just fine, but not both fridge and heater at the same time as the fridge might not like the low voltage cause by the high resistance load of the heater.
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 3:57 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

Extension cords....... a shop by price item for many.

There is a world of difference in extension cords, mainly in Plug end quality and the plastic/vinyl the unit is made of.

Cheap cords cannot handle cold and go all stiff and impossible to handle.

Know what you are buying, cheap is just that..... cheap and often garbage.

As a contractor I've dozens of cords, two or three of the better ones I really like and use frequenly, the others? Not so much.
Some I only use in desperation.

Dave
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:26 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

If you're using it all the time, like once a week, for many weeks, get a good one. Or a contractor might use it several times per day. An old contractor. One that hasn't switched over to 18V battery tools Wink Once you switch over to battery tools the ext cords remain coiled (for long periods).

If using it 3x per year, Harbor freight has a 14ga 25ft with real nice ends for $9.99.

Westy fridge uses a tiny amount of power, any extension cord, even a lamp cord can run a westy fridge. Only worry about ext cord size if you are using a 1500w heater (~13Amps) for example.
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:02 pm    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

I switched the male end of my extension cord to a 90-degree angle plug.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I find this fits better than a standard straight plug by allowing the swing-down lid on most campsite power stations to completely close when plugged in, for better rain protection.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 1:34 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

djkeev wrote:
As a contractor I've dozens of cords, two or three of the better ones I really like and use frequenly


Sodo wrote:
Or a contractor might use it several times per day. An old contractor.


Lol
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:37 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

Mellow Yellow 74 wrote:
djkeev wrote:
As a contractor I've dozens of cords, two or three of the better ones I really like and use frequenly


Sodo wrote:
Or a contractor might use it several times per day. An old contractor.


Lol


Yep..... I'm old.
But
While I've embraced battery powered tools, they are only good for small fast tasks.
Real work still requires the unwavering strength of hard wired tools.

Or cordless battery rechargers need an extension cord to the work area,

True confessions, I carry an uber cheap 16ga extension in my Van. It is small and takes up little space.
I carry it to top off my house batteries when parked for extended time periods.
I've used it exactly once.
Right now at current ourside remoerature of + 12* F it is so stiff that I'd be afraid to uncoil it for fear of cracking!

At home I run a quality commercial cord to my Van. It holds up to the elements well...... and withstands abuse from the snow plow, I just plowed it yesterday, I saw the yellow coil tossed aside..... "crap!" ...... but it was fine, the plug harmlessly pulled out.

Dave
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 5:36 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

Jeffrey Lee wrote:
I switched the male end of my extension cord to a 90-degree angle plug.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I find this fits better than a standard straight plug by allowing the swing-down lid on most campsite power stations to completely close when plugged in, for better rain protection.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


But in the outlet showne the plug has to go in with the cord facing upward which is not desirable.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:32 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The plug ends are available in a variety of orientations, to suit one's needs/preferences.

When I occasionally encounter an 'upside-down' outlet, I've found that a gentle 180-degree bend in the cord suffices, and still allows the cord to lie flat inside the closed power station.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:12 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

I can't think of a camp site we stayed at with hookups that required a 50 foot extension cord. I can tell you, that getting on the road the next morning, the cord is usually covered in dew and dirt and needs to be cleaned/dried as you coil it up to pack it away. So a longer cord is more to deal with if you don't need the extra length.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

MarkWard wrote:
I can't think of a camp site we stayed at with hookups that required a 50 foot extension cord. I can tell you, that getting on the road the next morning, the cord is usually covered in dew and dirt and needs to be cleaned/dried as you coil it up to pack it away. So a longer cord is more to deal with if you don't need the extra length.

Boom this is what I needed. The only reason I thought I would need more than 25foot is for driveway camping. Imma cop a 25 footer.

25ft 14 Gauge Heavy Duty Indoor/Outdoor SJTW Lighted Locking Extension Cord by Watt's Wire for $25

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:49 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

No reason you couldn't get a second 50 footer cord and store it out of the way. This way, if you are driveway camping or where you need some length, you'd could actually combine the two cords and have 75 feet total.
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 15, 2017 11:24 am    Post subject: Re: What gauge wire for Westy 110v extension cord? Reply with quote

MarkWard wrote:
No reason you couldn't get a second 50 footer cord and store it out of the way. This way, if you are driveway camping or where you need some length, you'd could actually combine the two cords and have 75 feet total.


That is exactly what I do. They both store under the rear seat in coils.
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