New Freezer. Extension Cord Use?

[dj_rice]

Purchased a new freezer from Costco last week.

Finally brought her down to the basement and unboxed her and was getting ready to set it up only to realize, I have no useable outlets where I wanna put it. Basement is unfinished.

Only have 2 outlets down there. 1 outlet is by the stairs that is currently used by the sump pump and my CO2 sensor.

2nd remaining outlet is bolted onto where my breaker panel is, on the wall, directly beside my water heater and furnace.

Ideally I would like to put it near the stairs but that would require a long ass extension and reading owners manual says "DO NOT USE" extension cord on this. Plug into grounded 3 prong outlet only is recommended.

Googling says don't use long cord due to voltage drop, which can cause damage to the motor. So I can move it close to the breaker panel and get a small 3-6" cord but it must be 10-12 gauge. Do not use 14-16 as it will overheat and cant handle the load and fire etc.

Okay to use cord? Teach me Beyond old gurus. I dont wanna burn my house down

Or just place freezer in garage and be done.

[ThePenIsMightier]

How big a freezer? If it's a giant, white-trash-Karen, coffin-sized freezer, then its giant motor is really going to hate voltage drop.
Fire is less likely than the motor simply dying early.

[dj_rice]

How big a freezer? If it's a giant, white-trash-Karen, coffin-sized freezer, then its giant motor is really going to hate voltage drop.
Fire is less likely than the motor simply dying early.

Just a small 5.1Cu one from Costco here https://www.costco.ca/danby-designer-5.1-cu.-ft.-white-chest-freezer-with-5-year-warranty.product.100472464.html

[ThePenIsMightier]

Just a small 5.1Cu one from Costco here https://www.costco.ca/danby-designer-5.1-cu.-ft.-white-chest-freezer-with-5-year-warranty.product.100472464.html

So many words and zero mention of the motor size! Anywhere!!! I even downloaded the manuals! That's weird.

Ummm... I would probably get a heavier gauge extension cord and use it wherever.
I'm a bad person with bad ideas and others shouldn't do what I do.
Come to think of it, I think I've been using a window Air conditioner with a cord (not a long one) for years and those are near 1,500W... This is like saying "Gramma smoked for 70 years, so it must be ok" or virtually 90% of the CoVid threads, but... There it is.

A cash electrician could add a roughed-in outlet for cheap. I'll see if I can remember a contact from Edmonton.

[ExtraSlow]

Unfinished basement, yeah why not just add some outlets? So easy, most homeowners could do it themselves, or an electrician could do it really fast.

[dirtsniffer]

Would a heavy gauge extension cord have a higher voltage drop compared to the wiring from the panel to the outlet?

edit..
that's enough thinking. Still on vacation. time for messing around with fun things.

[redblack]

Buy one of these at the dollar store and plug it in

https://i.postimg.cc/jjXsBgKt/267-B02-DD-7609-4659-9-EEB-A3-B93-DFB58-E2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/wt18mk7G)

[bjstare]

Unfinished basement, yeah why not just add some outlets? So easy, most homeowners could do it themselves, or an electrician could do it really fast.

This

If by some chance you don’t want the outlets at their location someday when you finish your basement and have to add more, there is still little to no regret spend, as more outlets are always better.

[killramos]

Do people really think an extension cord is worse voltage drop than the in wall wiring to get there?

I agree with the “just add another outlet” completely, I’m also fascinated by the idea that adding a some extra feet of cord is going to do anything.

[bjstare]

Do people really think an extension cord is worse voltage drop than the in wall wiring to get there?

I agree with the “just add another outlet” completely, I’m also fascinated by the idea that adding a some extra feet of cord is going to do anything.

It's not any worse if you use the right gauge extension cord. But the instructions/manufacturer have to account for the fact that some doofus out there is going to try using 100' 16ga to plug it in.

[saiyajin]

i got the same freezer, and same deal in my basement.

since it's a smaller freezer i just went with the extension cord from my breaker panel :dunno:

[Darell_n]

Just use 12 gauge, any length is fine. Half the commercial coolers and freezers on the planet are on extension cords and they have no issue.

[killramos]

It's not any worse if you use the right gauge extension cord. But the instructions/manufacturer have to account for the fact that some doofus out there is going to try using 100' 16ga to plug it in.

Got it, people are stupid, just seemed like a ridiculous conversation to me.

[dj_rice]

i got the same freezer, and same deal in my basement.

since it's a smaller freezer i just went with the extension cord from my breaker panel :dunno:


Done deal! Just needed confirmation from people before I went ahead

As for adding outlets, I guess I cant just add outlets though? Basement isnt even framed. Just bare concrete walls.

[arcticcat522]

It's not any worse if you use the right gauge extension cord. But the instructions/manufacturer have to account for the fact that some doofus out there is going to try using 100' 16ga to plug it in.

Even still, I bet it wouldn't be a problem.

[The_Rural_Juror]

I bet none of you are qualified to answer this Electrical EIT question.

[littledan]

The instructions state not to use extension cord for 2 main reasons.

1. If you undersize the extension cord you can overload it and cause a fire. The breaker must match the size of extension cord used.
2. Even if you size the cord correctly, there is a risk that the cord at some point gets pulled, yanked, moved, etc. This can cause a high resistance connection at the appliance cord to extension cord interface. This high resistance connection can cause a fire and your breaker wont do shit to protect you from this.

Source: electrical engineer/fire investigator

(Investigated this exact scenario with a small chest freezer in garage plugged in via extension cord)

[Darell_n]

The instructions state not to use extension cord for 2 main reasons.

1. If you undersize the extension cord you can overload it and cause a fire. The breaker must match the size of extension cord used.
2. Even if you size the cord correctly, there is a risk that the cord at some point gets pulled, yanked, moved, etc. This can cause a high resistance connection at the appliance cord to extension cord interface. This high resistance connection can cause a fire and your breaker wont do shit to protect you from this.

Source: electrical engineer/fire investigator

(Investigated this exact scenario with a small chest freezer in garage plugged in via extension cord)

Well, a breaker won’t protect against a high resistance slow burn in any scenerio, including the actual wall receptacle and any splices along the way. The only additional risk I can imagine with use of an extension cord is food loss from accidental unplugging.

[eblend]

I have one of the same size from same company and it's been running through a power bar for 10 years... Its been fine. My freezer is just below and to the left of my central vac so just used an a power bar to extend the high plug for the central vac down enough to plug this in. No issues.

[ThePenIsMightier]

Got it, people are stupid, just seemed like a ridiculous conversation to me.

They're not stupid. China makes the 20 gauge, 30m cord and DurGubmint let's Wal-Mart sell it to us.
The CEC has allowances based on the assumption of ____m of 14-2 run throughout a house accounting for a certain amount of (tolerable) voltage drop.
Connect a >10A large freezer compressor to your 100' Wal-Mart extension with an additional shitty connection within it and you've got some voltage drop that is no longer insignificant.

[Disoblige]

You got someone who isn't he sharpest knife in the drawer in the first place who confirms his decision to use an extension cord from anecdotal information that nothing went wrong.

Nice.

I'll get my EIT on this next week if this is still a problem. I charge 2011 EPC rates.

[bjstare]

Even still, I bet it wouldn't be a problem.

Then you don’t understand how electricity works.

[MPowered]

Just a small 5.1Cu one from Costco here https://www.costco.ca/danby-designer-5.1-cu.-ft.-white-chest-freezer-with-5-year-warranty.product.100472464.html

FYI I just bought one of these from Costco last week for $149. I think they still have them stocked. You should be able to get a credit for what you paid.

[arcticcat522]

Then you don’t understand how electricity works.

Yes, yes I do. You can work out what the volt drop is if you would like. Let me know what the fla of the motor is and what the operating voltage range is. I'm fairly confident this " worst case" wouldnt cause an issue.

[dj_rice]

In the garage she goes. Thanks all! Easiest solution

[Disoblige]

Yes, yes I do. You can work out what the volt drop is if you would like. Let me know what the fla of the motor is and what the operating voltage range is. I'm fairly confident this " worst case" wouldnt cause an issue.
Doesn't matter what range the appliance is unless it is less than 5% :)

[ianmcc]

You realize that for the price of a good 15a 50 foot extension cord you could pick up some 14/2 wire, a utility box and a duplex receptacle and run a line to wherever you want a new outlet to be.
Would still need a spade bit and some staples (hopefully you have a pair of good Kleins and standard hand tools) and just add it in line with the outlet located by the panel. Or remove the receptacle and re-use the box and outlet at the end of the line and install a junction box and cover in place of the current outlet thus keeping it a dedicated outlet.
The time to do things is now since the basement is unfinished. And it is easily removed down the road if necessary.

[ThePenIsMightier]

You realize that for the price of a good 15a 50 foot extension cord you could pick up some 14/2 wire, a utility box and a duplex receptacle and run a line to wherever you want a new outlet to be.
Would still need a spade bit and some staples (hopefully you have a pair of good Kleins and standard hand tools) and just add it in line with the outlet located by the panel. Or remove the receptacle and re-use the box and outlet at the end of the line and install a junction box and cover in place of the current outlet thus keeping it a dedicated outlet.
The time to do things is now since the basement is unfinished. And it is easily removed down the road if necessary.

Will the spade bit help him have the studs that aren't there?

[dj_rice]

You realize that for the price of a good 15a 50 foot extension cord you could pick up some 14/2 wire, a utility box and a duplex receptacle and run a line to wherever you want a new outlet to be.
Would still need a spade bit and some staples (hopefully you have a pair of good Kleins and standard hand tools) and just add it in line with the outlet located by the panel. Or remove the receptacle and re-use the box and outlet at the end of the line and install a junction box and cover in place of the current outlet thus keeping it a dedicated outlet.
The time to do things is now since the basement is unfinished. And it is easily removed down the road if necessary.

I updated my first post to reflect that my basement has no framing. Just concrete bare walls. The only reason theres an outlet by the stairs is theres a metal aluminum stud there added in to mount the outlet I guess.

[SKR]

You realize that for the price of a good 15a 50 foot extension cord you could pick up some 14/2 wire, a utility box and a duplex receptacle and run a line to wherever you want a new outlet to be.
Would still need a spade bit and some staples (hopefully you have a pair of good Kleins and standard hand tools) and just add it in line with the outlet located by the panel. Or remove the receptacle and re-use the box and outlet at the end of the line and install a junction box and cover in place of the current outlet thus keeping it a dedicated outlet.
The time to do things is now since the basement is unfinished. And it is easily removed down the road if necessary.

Also for the price of a house with outlets in the wrong spot, you can buy a house with outlets in the right spot.

[arcticcat522]

I updated my first post to reflect that my basement has no framing. Just concrete bare walls. The only reason theres an outlet by the stairs is theres a metal aluminum stud there added in to mount the outlet I guess.

From the panel, got up to the floor joists, over to where you want and drop it down if you don't want to use an extention cord.

[The_Rural_Juror]

So simple. Move the stud closer.

[sabad66]

Might as well just go ahead and frame the basement.

[ExtraSlow]

Might as well just go ahead and frame the basement.

I think he should just move.

[killramos]

I think he should just move.

Does Aspen have outlets in the right place?

Asking for SKR

[Tik-Tok]

Does Aspen have outlets in the right place?

Asking for SKR

Aspen houses don't have unfinished basments.

[SKR]

Does Aspen have outlets in the right place?

Asking for SKR

Aspen has everything in the right place.

I knew a girl named Aspen once. She had everything in the right place too. I got caught looking at her and her friends with a pair of binoculars. That was a bad day. True story.

[dj_rice]

I think he should just move.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: This is Beyond now. A group of oldies derailing threads

[mr2mike]

Aspen houses don't have unfinished basments.

I hear in Aspen, the studs are on 8" centers.

[killramos]

Studs? I heard the frames are pure timber.

Must be the poor part of Aspen.

[mr2mike]

True but they're 4 sides good lumber.

[ZenOps]

On a side note: My new fridge freezer uses R600A, which I've heard is super duper flammable should it ever leak.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

On a side note: My new fridge freezer uses R600A, which I've heard is super duper flammable should it ever leak.

R500A is literally isobutane. "Super duper flammable" is apt, yes.

[Darell_n]

Nearly all new coolers are either butane for residential or propane for commercial. Both have a very small amount which is limited by the square footage of room it will be in. Basically enough gas to make a bang but not to blow the windows and walls out.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Yeah for sure, they're also using propane for automotive AC systems I believe. At any rate it's absolutely flammable but good luck hitting LEL with the amount that's in your freezer.

[Darell_n]

Yeah for sure, they're also using propane for automotive AC systems I believe. At any rate it's absolutely flammable but good luck hitting LEL with the amount that's in your freezer.

No to propane a/c in automobiles. The dangers are entirely for the technicians repairing them and not the owners. None of my tools are explosion proof so I won't be opening up any of the new units.

[killramos]

Oooo I want explosion proof tools!

Does milwaukee make one in red?

[Darell_n]

Oooo I want explosion proof tools!

Does milwaukee make one in red?

Yes, but only comes with a 100 ft 16 gauge cord so you can’t use it on a freezer in your basement, unless it has solid wood walls in Aspen.

[Maxt]

For years I did service calls for a company that leased ice cream dipping cabinets. Google is right here, avoid extension cords, the wire quality in them just isn't what it use to be.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

No to propane a/c in automobiles. The dangers are entirely for the technicians repairing them and not the owners. None of my tools are explosion proof so I won't be opening up any of the new units.

Ah, I was thinking R-1234yf was a propane derivative but it's actually a propene.

[dj_rice]

Ah, I was thinking R-1234yf was a propane derivative but it's actually a propene.

All the new Benz's are coming with this new stuff, and its expensive af

[Darell_n]

All the new Benz's are coming with this new stuff, and its expensive af

My ‘14 Ram had it until I replaced it with R-134a.