Maximize Your Outdoor Potential: Selecting The Best Extension Cord For Your Backyard

Are you hosting a weekend party at home or running a workshop in the backyard? Electricity supply is one significant factor that will determine your success. Conventionally, you have no power outlets outside in the open. But you can power your appliances, instruments, and machinery using an extension cord. It helps you connect to a power source in a safer place like your lobby or garage.

Power extenders can save your day and make your work feasible and efficient. This article discusses how you can choose an ideal extension cord to make your backyard activities seamless. You will learn the safety features of electrical cords that prevent system damage, fire accidents, or shock and electrocution.

The following tips will help you buy an ideal extension cord for outdoor activities.

1. Consider the Purpose

Outdoor activities vary from grilling and entertainment to repairs and construction. The instruments, tools, and electricals you need determine the amount of electric power you will use. That directly affects the extension cord choice. Lighting, music, and mobile charging only require low current. You can get away with most power strips.

Cooking appliances, laundry machines, and heating systems are moderate, and you can achieve your goals with a 12 gauge extension cord. You require a heavy-duty cable for power-intensive machinery, like welders, drills, and mowers. The extension cord gauge determines how much power you can draw without causing failure, overheating, and fire accidents.

Nevertheless, outdoor power strips must withstand the elements to last longer. Also, buy a waterproof outdoor extension cord to prevent electrocution when working in a damp location. The frequency of use also determines your choices. For everyday work, consider a heavy-duty extension cord. You can use a lightweight cable for occasional activities in dry weather.

2. Power Cord Length

Your backyard activities will be successful only if the flat cord power strip you choose is long enough to power all instruments. But how long can it be? The shortest choice is a direct line between the outlet to your plugs with a few extra inches for flexibility. A short cable won't be a suitable chpice. That may force you to connect with another, leading to the disastrous daisy chaining.

Buy the best outdoor extension cord that is a little longer than what you need. Longer cables can suffice if they are thick enough to handle the current without much resistance. But ensure they never get entangled and cause accidents at your place of work.

The wire thickness also determines how long your cable should be. A 30 amp power strip can handle high electric currents. The wires are thick and have lower resistance. If you have a high gauge power cord (thinner wires), ensure they are short to reduce that resistance.

3. Ascertain Their Quality Certification

Many power cord manufacturers push low-quality products into the market to target individuals with low budgets. These products neglect the standards to ensure safety. That means some of the purported extension cords for outdoor use stand unfit for the task. An authentic outdoor waterproof extension cord must have passed quality checks by independent laboratories and be approved by authorized bodies.

Certification ensures that the products come from a regulated company that follows strict standards to ensure safety when working with your flat plug extension cord. Check for CE, UL, or ISO marks on the cable or plug to ascertain whether the product fits your regional benchmarks. Also, buy only from a registered dealer or distributor to avoid counterfeits.

4. Consider the Features

What do you get from a heavy duty waterproof outdoor extension cord except plugging your devices? Do they improve your performance and safety? The performance features improve efficiency. The number of outlets on each cord determines how many appliances you can plug in concurrently.

For instance, get three or more outlets to connect your audio player while charging your phone and laptop. However, the power rating and wire gauge come into play to ensure safety when connecting several devices.

A 20 amp extension cord has safety features to prevent accidents while working in your backyard. But not all of them have the protection you need. Your choice determines how safe you will be with your appliances.

CFGI is a fundamental safety feature because it can help you avoid electrocution and shocks. It disconnects power when not properly grounded. Also, determine if the cord uses a fuse or power trip protection.

You will be safer when you have it because it will disconnect the power supply if it determines your appliances are drawing more power than the cord can sustain. That saves you from fire hazards caused by overheating.

Summing Up

Extension cords can help you work more efficiently and safely in your backyard. Outdoor power strips offer more safety features than those meant for indoor use only. You can use them even in the rain without worrying about causing accidents. However, you must be keen when selecting the power cord you intend to use for utmost safety and efficiency.