Making my own mains power extension cord

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casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#86989 16-Jul-2011 19:37

I have made my own mains power extension cord by buying a heavy duty (1.5mm core) 20m cable and a heavy duty male plug from Bunnings.

The guy there also gave me a leaflet on attaching the plug (I cut off the existing molded one first).

I am pretty sure that I am allowed to do this, right? It will provide an extension cable to a Dryer (which interestingly seems to have 1.0mm 3G something something written on it's own power cable that I am extending)

It says here:
http://www.energysafety.govt.nz/upload/31994/brochure.pdf

The following:
"You can fi t plugs, cord extension sockets or
appliance connectors to a fl exible cord. You can
also replace fuse wires and fuse cartridges.
However, you cannot accept payment or reward
for this work."

hdinsider

552 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494106 16-Jul-2011 19:50

Hi, Why did you cut off the moulded plug? Wouldn't it be better and safer to leave it on??

don't mess with me.... i'm the hd insider....

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494159 16-Jul-2011 22:28

So I could shorten it. It was difficult finding very short heavy duty extension leads and cheaper/easier to cut a long one to size and re-fit a heavy duty plug.

wmoore

510 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494165 16-Jul-2011 23:07

Why didn't you just buy the cable off the reel and cut to the size you want ?
Dryer manufacturers don't recommend using an extension cord. but if it's short and not coiled up you should
be fine.
Any sparkies on here might give you a better answer.

"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." -
-- Abraham lincoln

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494222 17-Jul-2011 09:57

Cutting cable off the reel was more expensive. You need to buy both ends (the socket and plug end). By buying the pre-made heavy duty cord and cutting one end I was still having to do the same job - but just once, and it was cheaper.

The main thing is checking that I am right in my interpretation of the guidelines from that site above.

richms

28172 posts

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#494253 17-Jul-2011 11:24

So long as its in your own house and you would get it test and tagged before selling the extension cable then yes you are fully legal in doing it yourself.

Why the 1.5mm cable tho? its only 10 amps so 1mm is all you need.

Richard rich.ms

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494295 17-Jul-2011 14:21

richms: So long as its in your own house and you would get it test and tagged before selling the extension cable then yes you are fully legal in doing it yourself.

Why the 1.5mm cable tho? its only 10 amps so 1mm is all you need.

This is an area that I'm not too familiar with. The guy at Bunnings said that a dryer drawing current for that long should ideally have a heavy duty extension. I had not thought of this and so took his word, bought the heavier cable. When I got home I looked at the cable attached to the dryer and it said 1.0mm. The dryer cable does get warm during operation (but nothing alarming).

I figured that the other option was to take the heavy cable back and get a cheapo 2m standard extension cord but decided just to use the heavier option + plug to be on the safe side.

sbiddle

30853 posts

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Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#494303 17-Jul-2011 15:00

1mm cable is rated at 10A, 1.5mm cable is rated at 15A.

A domestic power circuit and plugs are only rated at 10A.

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richms

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#494307 17-Jul-2011 15:08

Its only an issue on long cables because of voltagedrop, for that sort of distance you wont notice it.

Richard rich.ms

casewindow

310 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494314 17-Jul-2011 15:35

So I guess now the question is - should I stick with my home-made extension cord (which I am fairly sure I made ok) or just get a plain old 1.0mm core 2m extension which is factory built (and probably therefore safer)?