[TheForge] extension chord

[Bruce Freeman]

The problem with ignoring safety precautions, like using the right sized
conductors, is that it can get to be a habit.  THEN you may do it at the
wrong moment.

A couple years back an email acquaintence proudly posted a picture of
his new gas forge, or melting furnace or something, in full blast -
yellow hot.  In the background of the shot was a lawnmower and 2-gallon
gas can.  He'd forgoten it was there!  Fortunately, nothing adverse had
happened, THAT time.

With a too-thin electrical cord, you could easily soften or melt the
insulation.  Then the two leads short together and you've got an arc
where you don't want it.  Now, if you're welding nearby ANYWAY, that may
never cause a problem.  But if that arc just happens to occur near
something flamable that you forgot was there, oops!

I prefer the idea of using extension cords in parallel (tho I see
drawbacks to that too) to using undersized conductors.

Bruce
NJ


>>> sunironworks at yahoo.com 11/4/2004 7:58:21 AM >>>
<snip>

And as someone else pointed out, as long as the wire's not in a wall
somewhere, it'll just hamper your welder's performance and then
eventually burn up like a very long fuse if you overdo it.