I had an extension cord at my work outside for charging that was 50 foot that I would charge off of on a 110v. Good enough to cover my daily commute. Unfortunately, someone decided to steal it over the weekend. I will just start taking it home with me every night. Unfortunately, I don't know if it was 16/3 or 14/3 for 110v. I know it was not 12/3 because I have a 12/3 at home which seemed quite a bit thicker. Has anyone charged at 50ft with 16/3 or 14/3 so I know which is possible? 16/3 is less expensive so I would go for it if I can charge on it, but I will get 14/3 if needed. Thanks for any feedback!
14/3 works, but it does have about 10v of drop across 50 feet, so if you are at a location with already low voltage, it might not work. 16/3 is not a good choice.
Great, thanks! I used to have a 50ft extension cable there that worked perfectly, so it should be OK. I just wasn't sure if that was 14/3 or 16/3.
16/3 is undersized @ 12A/120V, NEC 400.5 lists ampacity (column B) at 13A rating (you need 15A rating for 12A continuous load) for 16/3, and 18A for 14/3. I'd recommend a nice, flexible 12/3 cord, you'll lose the least amount of voltage through it and some 12/3's are compact enough. There are big differences between manufacturers - for example, I have a 12/3 cord that is a smaller diameter than a 14/3 I use in my shop.
FWIW I went ahead and purchased this cable (14/3): Woods 2452 14/3 SJTOW Agricultural Extension Cord, Black, 50-Feet - Outdoor Extension Cords - Amazon.com At 50 feet and a 110v line, I am seeing 12 Amps, 114V and a charge rate of 3.5mph.