Longest Extension Cord For Charging

[konakid]

Thanks everyone for all the help and feedback.

[Volt_Ampere]

I said it once and I will say it again. This can be a fatal shock hazard. Use a GFI if you do this!

[Helirich]

Originally Posted by konakid

Yes "Clemson" those are pretty much my thoughts. The utility pole is metal, the carport will be steel - so no fire chances there. And the cord will be lying on impassable thick forest floor where no one will ever be walking, digging, etc. The forest is always too moist to burn. And critters that could bother the cord are really not an issue.

So - back to two last questions please.
1) Would/could an inadequate cord set-up damage cart electronics, batteries, and or charger?
2) And shouldn't the breaker trip before any fire situation might develop anyway?

Most people on here iterate my thoughts. The one issue that you seem to dismiss is critters. It would only take a squirrel to cut your cord or worse. Even if the fire hassard is low, you don't want to have to run this again. I would look at regular cable inside plastic conduit. This would not be expensive.

To answer your second question, no, a fire can occur without tripping the breaker.

[gornoman]

A guy at our campground ran an extension cord a long distance. It wasn't quite long enough so he grabbed a second cord, plugged into the first cord, brought the cord into his shed, coiled the excess cord neatly on the floor, and plugged his load into the cord. In the middle of the night the smell of burning vinyl woke him up. He went out to the shed, opened the doors and was hit with a wall of smoke. The coiled cord generated enough heat to melt down its own insulation starting a small fire. Luckily the shed did not catch on fire too bad, he was able to knock it down with a garden hose. The twenty amp breaker the cord was plugged into never tripped.

[Isaac-1]

That is one of the dangers of using an under sized cord

[Frizbgolf]

If it was me and I wanted to run power out to a shed that was over 100' away, I would not use an extension cord as a permanent source of power no way no how, too many variables to make that safe for long term. IE damp/wet conditions, cords deteriorate in prolonged sunlight, animals like to chew on cords etc. I understand the difficulty in trying to bury an underground cable in your location, but how about just laying pvc pipe in a small trench scratched just a few inches wherever possible and exposed where you can't. Then just bring some 10 gauge thhn from the panel to an outlet at you desired location. This is still not an ideal installation, but would provide some degree of mechanical protection, and mitigate some of the inherent dangers of a cord just laid on the ground. Also make sure to use a GFCI breaker.

[konakid]

Again - thanks for the valuable info and safety feedback.
1) Yes - a GFI will definitely be used.
2) And - regarding critters - we don't have many - no squirrels, no rabbits, no coyotes/foxes/wolves, no deer, moose, etc. The only potential problems would be rats, mongoose, or an occasional pig - all of which an electrocution would be an improvement. :) Cutting the cord, fishing the cord through conduit, then installing a new plug might be wise. But I will probably wait to test drive things first and check for heat, etc.
3) I'm thinking the long term solution would be several poles and an above ground run. It would be mostly hidden in the trees, and much much easier to install.

[scottyb]

I don't think you want to put an extension cord in a conduit for the same reason it is not code to put romex (standard household wire) in a conduit. HEAT. The potential exists for the cord or covered wires to overheat in the conduit. Single strand wire is by far the least expensive wire. 3/4" conduit is relatively cheap and mongoose proof (nothing short of a cargo container is pigproof). Use 10g wire and a 20 amp GFI just to be safe, but 12g might do it.... I do believe all the major chargers are recommending a 20a dedicated circuit. Good luck and Aloha

[konakid]

Originally Posted by scottyb

I don't think you want to put an extension cord in a conduit for the same reason it is not code to put romex (standard household wire) in a conduit. HEAT. The potential exists for the cord or covered wires to overheat in the conduit. Single strand wire is by far the least expensive wire. 3/4" conduit is relatively cheap and mongoose proof (nothing short of a cargo container is pigproof). Use 10g wire and a 20 amp GFI just to be safe, but 12g might do it.... I do believe all the major chargers are recommending a 20a dedicated circuit. Good luck and Aloha

Thanks Scotty, I didn't think of that - I was just on Craigslist looking to get a reasonable electrician up here for an opinion and quote. I try and do everything myself, but I'm getting used to a project always ending up double what I plan on anyway. :)

But I figure a professional viewpoint and maybe installing adequate service for some lights and a power tool or two would be worth the expense - if not immediately - maybe when the cash flow resumes. :)

[Clemsoncartguy]

Any real electrician will have or want to do it to code. Th ey won't half trench a wire in run non single strand wire in conduit. They won't recommend useing an extention cord. They will however put you a dedicated 20a receptacle on the pole with proper cover and GFCI installed.