For years, extension cords have grown to become one of the most essential electrical items. You can hardly miss one in any household that you step foot in. But the most vital question we need to ask ourselves is, do these households have the correct extension cord?
Well, most extension cords in households are bought by standard consumers who walk into a store and pick the first extension cord that meets their eye. To them, features like wire gauges, safety measures, and outlets barely matter, and as such, they end up purchasing any extension cord and using it for all purposes.
However, a well-informed consumer understands extension cords differently. They acknowledge that extension cords exist in varying lengths, types, and materials, and each is designed for a particular use or environment. By environment, we mean outdoor or indoor.
So sit back and read this article to the conclusion to understand all the tips you need to choose the perfect outdoor extension cord for your outdoor space.
1. Assess Your Outdoor Space
The first tip that can help you choose a perfect outdoor extension cord is assessing your outdoor space. Most people fail to look at the layout of their outdoor space and the activities they will be conducting before buying an outdoor extension cord.
Understanding your outdoor layout in terms of where you will be placing your outdoor appliances is key to selecting the ideal cord length. Also, thinking about the activities that will be undertaken in your outdoor space that require power is vital when it comes to cord length and gauge.
2. Measure the Distance
After assessing your outdoor space, the next big step you should take in your journey to selecting a perfect outdoor extension cord is measuring the distance. You might wonder about the relevance of distance in outdoor extension cord affairs, but let me enlighten you.
A perfect outdoor extension cord should cover your designated area, which, in this case, is your outdoor space. Thus, measuring how far your ground extends, with regards to where your power source is and where you will be placing your powered appliances, is essential to determine the precise and accurate length of your extension cord.
3. Purchase a Longer Cord Than You Think You Will Need
Regardless of what you will be using your outdoor extension cord for, it is always best to opt for the longer choice. We agree that the shorter or more precise measured option is highly affordable and has less hassle.
But when it comes down to Do It Yourself (DIY) activities, there is nothing as frustrating as realizing that your extension cord needs to extend farther for safe and easy work. Thus, one of the possible options you’ll have to turn to is daisy-chaining.
However, unlike a longer outdoor extension cord, daisy-chaining, connecting one cord to another is unsafe as it contributes to increased electrical resistance. This, in turn, heightens the chances of one of the cords melting or even starting an electrical fire.
4. Consider Your Cord Gauge
Considering cord gauge is another tip that will help you select the ideal outdoor extension cord for your space. Like length, cord gauge, which is basically the thickness of the wires, plays a significant role in the extension’s performance.
Thicker cords have reduced gauge numbers; thus, they can transmit electrical current over long distances without dropping voltage. For instance, the 10 AWG is suitable for intensive power-consuming devices. It can transmit an electrical current up to a cord length of 100 feet.
5. Check for Safety Features
A perfect outdoor extension cord is usually built with certain safety features to help shield you and your loved ones from any electrical danger. These features include weather and water resistance, heavy-duty insulation, and grounded plugs and outlets.
It is also made of highly visible colors like orange to allow for easy spotting and reduce the likelihood of tripping. Thus, looking at and comparing these safety features in various outdoor extension cords when shopping for one can be a worthy trick to help you land the ideal one.
6. Choose A Cord With Multiple Outlets
Another tip for choosing a perfect outdoor extension cord is to pick one with multiple outlets. At first, you might consider yourself to be the only person enjoying the special moments in your outdoor space. Thus, you may not need an extension cord with several outlets. Two or three may be enough.
But over the summer holidays, your relatives may come over, and what better place to enjoy a nice meal and breeze than in the outdoors? They may want to charge their phones and laptops, listen to music, and grill some meat and chicken, all simultaneously.
7. Opt for a Cord Marked for Outdoor Use
The last tip to selecting a perfect outdoor extension cord is settling on one labeled for outdoor use. Most people may regard this tip as a light note, but it is one of the vital ones. How so?
Well, settling on the ones marked for outdoor use means you will be exposed to features inherent only in them. These features include improved amperage ratings, three-prong plugs, thick gauge wire, and weather resistance.
Also, opting for the one marked for outdoor use means you will have to compare only those available in the outdoor section and single out the best.
Conclusion
Selecting the perfect outdoor extension cord is barely a hard task, as most people think. All you have to do before buying one is evaluate your outdoor space, measure the distance, consider the cord gauge, and check for safety measures.
Afterward, you can purchase an extension cord with multiple outlets, marked for outdoor use and longer than you may need. If you stick to these principles, you will walk out of the store with a one-of-a-kind outdoor extension cord that will serve you well.
