Extension cord help please.....

[Debbie]

I want to make a 35 foot nema 6/50 extension cord. I just need confirmation that the below selected cord will SAFELY work.
It is from a website called wire and cable to go. I will purchase appropriate plugs on Amazon.
THANK YOU for any help.
Debbie


Cut to length - sold by the foot. Enter the desired footage in the QTY box.
Minimum 10 ft. to maximum 1000 ft. Please call for longer put ups.


Color:
Black


Applications:
SOOW Flexible Cord applications include portable tools and equipment, portable appliances, small motors and associated machinery


Features:
Excellent resistance to oil and moisture. Good tensile strength, elongation and aging characteristics. High flexibility. Excellent abrasion resistance. Sunlight-resistant. Temperature range: -40ºC to +90ºC


Standards:
MSHA Approved
RoHS Compliant


Construction:
Conductors:
18 through 2 AWG fully annealed stranded bare copper per ASTM B-174
Insulation:
Premium-grade, color-coded 90ºC EPDM.


Specifications*:


Size: 6 AWG
Number of Conductors: 3
Conductor Strand: 101/26
Insulation Thickness: 0.050 inches
Outside Diameter: 0.790 inches
Weight: 0.510 lbs per ft
Current Amps: 55


Color Code:
3 Conductors – Black, White, Green


*Data provided on this page is subject to change based on different manufacturers variances.

 

[Ampster]

Yes a 6awg cord will carry 50 amps and a NEMA 6-50 uses 3 conductors

 

[FlasherZ]

Yes, 6/3 SOOW cord is the right cord to use if you wish to make an extension cord for NEMA 6-50 and is good to 55A.
6/4 SOOW cord can be used for NEMA 14-50 extensions... I previously had a bit here about needing 4/4, but NEC 2011 clarified this to say the neutral in an unbalanced split single-phase configuration is not considered current carrying...

Keep in mind that using an extension cord is against manufacturer's recommendations and may come with liability and/or insurance implications.

 

[Debbie]

Thank you both for your replies. FlasherZ, what makes the 14-50 require a 6/4 opposed to the 6/3. I saw the 6/4 cord at Home Depot ant it is huge.

 

[Cosmacelf]

The 14-50 has an extra wire for the neutral wire so that it can deliver 120 volts as well as 240 volts. The UMC doesn't need the neutral, so a 14-50 extension cord has one more wire than needed for the Tesla. Incidentally SJOOW cable works just as well and is slightly smaller than SOOW cable.

 

[jerry33]

The 14-50 has an extra wire for the neutral wire so that it can deliver 120 volts as well as 240 volts. The UMC doesn't need the neutral, so a 14-50 extension cord has one more wire than needed for the Tesla. Incidentally SJOOW cable works just as well and is slightly smaller than SOOW cable.

The problem being that if someone uses the 3 wire extension cord for something other than a Tesla, whatever is plugged into it stands a good chance of being fried.

 

[Debbie]

Thanks everyone. I think I will hunt for a sjoow 6/3 and boldly label it for Tesla charging ONLY.
Debbie

 

[mitch672]

There is also this thread, where we had a disssion about this already: How to build a lightweight 50A extension cord

 

[FlasherZ]

Incidentally SJOOW cable works just as well and is slightly smaller than SOOW cable.

The "J" indicates a slightly lighter-duty cord than non-J. Depending upon how much you use it, etc., you can make that choice.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Debbie - I think FlasherZ might have confused the situation. You originally asked advice for making a 6-50 extension cord. The 6-50 plug doesn't have a neutral which is why a 6/3 cord works - 3 conductors, two hots and one ground. No need to label anything, it'll be a proper 6-50 extension cord with 6/3 cable. IF you were making a 14-50 extension cord, then, yes, 6/4 wire would be required or you could optimize and use it for Tesla charging only and use 6/3 without connecting the neutral.

 

[mitch672]

Debbie - I think FlasherZ might have confused the situation. You originally asked advice for making a 6-50 extension cord. The 6-50 plug doesn't have a neutral which is why a 6/3 cord works - 3 conductors, two hots and one ground. No need to label anything, it'll be a proper 6-50 extension cord with 6/3 cable. IF you were making a 14-50 extension cord, then, yes, 6/4 wire would be required or you could optimize and use it for Tesla charging only and use 6/3 without connecting the neutral.

If you look at the link I posted above, this is what I did.. I built a 6-50 extension cord, with 6/3. I then built a short 2 foot adapter that goes from a 14-50 to a 6-50 female, so the cord could be used at an RV park.. You would of course use the 6-50 adapter on the UMC. The idea was, you want the extension cord to be safe, but as low in weight as possible, so no point in carrying the extra #6 conductor for the neutral, since the Model S does not need it. I also didn't want to just use 14-50's on 3 conductor wire, since if that cord was ever use in an RV Park setup, you would have a hazard, since it has no nuetral, hence the short 2' adapter cord to go from a 14-50 to the 6-50.

 

[Debbie]

I have searched for sjoow 6/3 and am only able to find 10/3. I guess I will settle for the larger size of the soow. It is only for occasional use.

 

[mitch672]

I have searched for sjoow 6/3 and am only able to find 10/3. I guess I will settle for the larger size of the soow. It is only for occasional use.

I bought the 25 foot length on eBay, it's not too bulky, a little less than 3/4" in diameter, and the weights not bad, #14 for the 25' piece below, as a bonus the seller is in Fremont, CA so the shipping should be quick to you left coasters: 6 3 SOOW So Cord 25 ft HD USA Portable Outdoor Indoor 600 V Flexible Wire Cable | eBay