Using extension cord for this year?

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Windylou

Windylou

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May 11, 2017
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Groveton, Tx
Ok, this has been such a long drawn out process.... I’m frustrated, I just wanted my daughter to have a nice pool to swim in & everything has gone wrong. So I bought all of the stuff to do the electric, my dad was going to run the electric. But due to some issues, he’s not gonna be able to do it. So my question is, will it be ok to run on an industrial extension cord just for this year? I only budgeted for the supplies, not to pay an electrician & we’ve been working on this for over a year.
 
A heavy duty extension cord plugged into a GFCI outlet should be fine. Just don't skimp on the extension cord, you want a 10 or 12 gauge extension cord depending on the amp draw. It should really only be for temporary usage though, that is what most electrical codes have to say about extension cords. If the outlet you're going to plug into is not a GFCI, I wouldn't do this.
 
Don't run the pump while the pool is in use. Unplugging it when not in use would be best. Keep an eye on the cord and make sure it doesn't get damaged by mowers, people tripping over it, ect...
 
+1 as another person that is running a 100ft heavy duty extension cord to run my pump. I have a large 40 gallon plastic tub that I run the cord into and then plug the pump into the cord in there. Not saying you should follow my example but people are doing it. I did make sure that I had an electrician install the GFCI outlet that I'm plugged into.
 
DaneCE said:
I would have no problem using a temporary 12 gauge cord connected to a GFCI outlet. You can add a GFCI outlet if you don't have a GFCI wall outlet to plug the cord into.

stand alone GFCI:

https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-1669...UTF8&qid=1527980436&sr=8-6&keywords=gfci+cord

50' cord with GFCI:

https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Ligh...980991&sr=8-2&keywords=outdoor+gfci++50'+cord
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I've been wondering about this myself, as we don't have any outdoor electric at this point and it's not in the budget for this year.

We don't have one single outlet in our entire house that is a GFCI outlet. Will the extension cord with GFCI work in place of having a GFCI outlet?
 
kmc_78 said:
I've been wondering about this myself, as we don't have any outdoor electric at this point and it's not in the budget for this year.

We don't have one single outlet in our entire house that is a GFCI outlet. Will the extension cord with GFCI work in place of having a GFCI outlet?
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Absolutely. You still will need to keep the connections from getting wet from the pool water or rain. If the connections get wet, the ground-fault circuit interrupter will instantly cut the power causing the need to reset it after dry conditions return. I've been using GFCI connections in the construction field for many years working in the threat of rain and they've saved me injury on my job. A properly functioning GFCI is 100% trustworthy to save you from electrocution.

Read more about how a GFCI works: How does a GFCI outlet work? | HowStuffWorks
 
SockitboX - Weatherproof Indoor and Outdoor Electrical Power Cord Connection Enclosure Box – Small Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009RX5GI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_i_L2ggBbVEYT5C4

Put the Extension cord end that’s hooked to the pool pump cord in this to keep it more watertight. I’ve been using a heavy duty extension cord plugged into my outside covered GFCI outlet for the past year. I plan to extend my wiring when I do my hard plumbing but just haven’t been able to get to it this year.
 

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chayne said:
as an electrician, i would only run a 10ga extension chord. i actually did that the first year i had my AGP. i never unplugged it...
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12 ga should be sufficient for 15 amps or less if using only a 50 foot cord. Are you considering a potentially long run? The NEC says no more than 60 feet to stay under recommended 3% voltage drop with 12 ga. but this is for proper underground installations. I should have cautioned in my reply to be sure that if using less than 14 ga cord that it only be used where a 15 amp breaker is present and not a 20 amp breaker and stay under 50 foot run if using 14 ga. 14 ga is not recommended overall even for light-duty power tools.

I don't know the HP for the pumps in question but a 1 HP pump should not be more than 12 amps and potentially much less so 50 feet of 12 AWG on a 15 or 20 amp breaker connected with a GFCI should be safe. Of course using a 10 AWG cord is better if you already have it. They are expensive. Working on construction sites I sometimes break the rules plugging into 200' of 12 AWG but I often have little choice for a quick power use. Any electrical device forced to operate in less than ideal conditions will likely cause excess heat and shorten its life,on the other hand, exceeding amperage ratings in permanent home wiring is extremely dangerous.
 
At a minimum you need 12 gauge. If you are over 50feet of cord switch to a 10 gauge cord. Even if your outlet is only on a 15 amp circuit. Size your cord on the heavy side.

The plug ends of extension cords are the week points. The heavier gauge cords will have stronger and longer lasting plugs better suited for the continuous long term you will be using them for.

14 gauge regardless of length is not acceptable for use with a pool pump motor.

Oh and make sure you don't hit the cord with the lawn mower.
 
Wow, thanks for posting those links for the weather boxes. I am looking for something like that before the moonsoons start up over here but those are too small. My pump cord has the GFCI incorporated into the plug end of it so it is large like an ac adapter for a phone charger and then hardwired into the pump/filter housing. I need something that it will fit in like those linked only bigger.
 
FYI ... The GFCI on the pump cord does NOT prevent the ext. cord from overheating and possibly compromising the insulating jacket or protect people from any unseen damage done to the ext. cord itself !!! As CJadamec stated, if over 50', I would use 10ga. But ALSO a GFCI outlet (or circuit breaker) where the ext. cord is plugged into. For example, personal protection would not be offered from a barefoot, wet, person stepping on the ext. cord where a small nick in the ext. cord was!!!!!! ... ONLY IF the cord is plugged into a GFCI protected outlet would there be protection there!!!!!!!!!!
 
niteshift38 said:
FYI ... The GFCI on the pump cord does NOT prevent the ext. cord from overheating and possibly compromising the insulating jacket or protect people from any unseen damage done to the ext. cord itself !!! As CJadamec stated, if over 50', I would use 10ga. But ALSO a GFCI outlet (or circuit breaker) where the ext. cord is plugged into. For example, personal protection would not be offered from a barefoot, wet, person stepping on the ext. cord where a small nick in the ext. cord was!!!!!! ... ONLY IF the cord is plugged into a GFCI protected outlet would there be protection there!!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Very good points. I've never used a pump with a GFCI built into the cord. I would rather have the GFCI located inside anyway. 1.5" PVC pipe could be used to run the cord through for a safer temporary run. Best to have the cord at least not where it can be walked on anyway, and if so, inspect it for damage often if children play nearby.
 
I used a 50 ft, 12 gauge extension cord plugged into a GFCI outlet for about two weeks for my pump and was very nervous about it every single day. As stated above, we never ran it while the pool was in use and I gave it a VERY WIDE BERTH with the mower and string trimmer. :D
 

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