Using a pump w/ an extension cord (Bad idea?)
rey...@my-dejanews.com
wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
Deb
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
WindSong
rey...@my-dejanews.com wrote in article
<6v1bu8$ir8$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>...
: First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
: wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump.
$$$ I do and they're all on a GFCI outlet thing by the pond.
My
: GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord
is
: about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension
cord.
$$$ The dark green ones are easy to hide.
: The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an
extension
: cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they
cannot
: be used for any extended period of time.
$$$ I have the heavy duty exterior type cord and they've been running the
pumps for months.
--
Carol ... the Frugal ponder
"Cover me. I'm changing lanes."
~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*
: Deb
J. D. Stone
GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an
extension
cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
Deb<<
Although it is not a good idea, I currently use extension cords on both my
pumps for both ponds with no problems. Both are plugged into GFI circuits.
It is not a long term solution, I just haven't finished running power
closer to the pumps yet. Don't think you need worry about house. Too long a
run and you'd most likely trip the breaker. However, I only use a 12' and
25' extension and they are HD - don't use lampcord size.
--
J.D.
http://nrgy.com
szplit
sized under ground wire and exterior male and female plugs which
you plug into your GFCI and plug your pump into the other end.
It would be good to place the wire in some conduit so don't you forget
where it lies.It is good to wrap a Ziploc Bag over the pump end to give it
extra protection from moisture.
szplit & schnauzers
J. D. Stone <jds...@airmail.net> wrote in article
<93208E751F9235CA.0C3E223E...@library-proxy.airnews.ne
t>...
> >>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am
now
> wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
> GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump.
>
>
> Although it is not a good idea, I currently use extension cords >
> J.D.
> http://nrgy.com
>
Jim
>
> Go to your local building supplier and they will sell you the proper
> sized under ground wire and exterior male and female plugs which
> you plug into your GFCI and plug your pump into the other end.
> It would be good to place the wire in some conduit so don't you forget
> where it lies.It is good to wrap a Ziploc Bag over the pump end to give it
> extra protection from moisture.
This is good advice. I just relocated my sprinkler pump some 250 feet
from where it had been. 250 feet of 10' gray plastic conduit and 250
feet of underground wire. All in one afternoon using a shovel and
mattock. My only mistake was I first bought 1/2 conduit because the
Home Depot guy stuck one end of the No 10 wire into the conduit and it
seemed to easily go in. After I had my wire all laid out and started to
slip the conduit over it, it became apparent it was impossible to get
that size wire with anything but perfectly straight wire, which you
can't get after it has been rolled. Took it back and got 3/4 inch.
Then it was easy.
The electrical conduit is cheap ($2.00 and change per 10 ft) and
immensely improves the safety of the wire from accidental digging.
As far as the zip lock bag, that is probably OK. In the case of my
pond, I terminated in a waterproof metal box. But, I was willing to pay
through the nose to install a weatherhead and outlet box. If I were
going to just use a plug and jack, I would put it into the zip lock and
then mount it so that the cables are hanging down and all of it off the
ground. Maybe tie wrapped to a small stake if nothing else.
Jim, in Georgia
MKlun
Deb, I mean the previous advise to be until you get electric line roun out to
your pond. I wouldn't do it forever. (I hope, I hope I won't)
Mary
Zone 3 ponding
MKlun
>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
>wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
>about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
>The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
>cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
>be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
>running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
>blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
>Deb
Deb, I will be lambasted for admitting this but my Oase is still running on an
extention cord- gulp, without a GFCI too. We put the big pond in last summer
and ran out of $ and steam before we could get the electic run out to the pond.
But I didn't want to wait to get it up and running so got myself a nice, long,
ugly orange extention cord for outdoor use and plugged the pump in for
temporary use.
This summer was supposed to be the summer to run the wire out to the pond but
my hubby kept procrastinating so we are still operating with the big ugly
orange cord. I run it on my brick walk and patio so it is never where it might
get mowed, I wrap the joint where it is plugged in, and I hide it behind pots.
NEXT summer maybe I'll get the line run.
I haven't had any problems at all. I run the pump 24/7 but only from the end
of April till early October when I bring the fish into the house for the
winter. In spite of what I have done, I would get the GFCI that can be used
with extention cords though if I were you. I think it is pretty dang dumb that
I don't.. You know how it is- why buy that because I'm going to run the
electric soon.... It's a year later- I should have gotten the extra protection
it can give you.
Mary
Zone 3 ponding
Dave
>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
>wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
>GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
>about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
>The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
>cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
>be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
>running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
>blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
>Deb
>
>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Every outdoor pump I've ever had has been plugged into an extension
cord. Never had a problem. Currently (no pun intended) the pond's on a
GFI breaker, but at a previous place I drained my pool cover with an
LG on an extension cord that ran to my living room. I always use a
3-conductor outdoor cord. I make sure no junctions are actually
immersed, however much they may be exposed to the elements.
Dave (remove the description of noncommercial media to email me)
Bonnie Espenshade
rey...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
> wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
> GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
> about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
> The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
> cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
> be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
> running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
> blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
> Deb
>
> -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
> http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
My DH is an E.E. and any excuse to play with power around the house he does. My
ground fault interupter was in before the pond.
--
Bonnie
NJ
Philip Lewis
> First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
> wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
> GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
> about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
> The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
> cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
> be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
> running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
> blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
well a few of options are available:
run a new line to 25'/pond edge (you could house it in a pile of rocks
or something)
rewire (if possible) the pump with a cord that can handle it.
should be easy with an above the ground pump, but probably not
possible with a submersable....
buy new pump with proper length cord.
move the pond... ;)
i'm not an electrician, but here is what *i* would do. before you do this,
you should probably have the opinion of an electrician or something...
i would bury conduit (pvc or whatever is rated to be buried) between
the two locations putting a "weatherhead on each side (a j bend that
ends up pointing towards the ground)
run an extention cord that is rated for the pump load through the
conduit.
plug the pump into the e-cord and seal with silicon, and or perhaps
electrical tape. (*i'd* use both) put this connection in some sort of
protective housing (perhaps inside the j bend thing....)
note that i would not have the pump cord going through the pvc to meet
the e-cord halfway. this doesn't let you have acces to disconnecting
the pump, and is another possible point of water entry water that does
happen to get into the conduit will lay on the bottom... i cannot
think of a good way to prevent this aside from completly sealing the
conduit on both ends (perhaps with rubber stoppers with the wire
siliconed through a hole drilled into it.)
oh well... that's what i would do... but then, as i've said
before....i'm not an electrician, don't listen to me.. ;)
Wendy Kelly Budd
MKlun wrote in message <19981002015111...@ng120.aol.com>...
>
>Mary
>Zone 3 ponding
Mary,
I just gotta ask - where is zone 3?
-Wendy.... in.. zone nine...
Lotts2c
>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
>wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
>GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
>about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
>The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
>cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
>be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
>running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
>blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
We had a similar situation. Our solution was to run conduit from the GFCI to
the pond. We then installed a waterproof connection box and hard wired the pump
and lighting at the box. we connected the whole thing to the GFCI on the patio
and haven't had any problems in two years.
... see ya at the pond's edge,
Elizabeth
Syed Hussain
out door extension wire and connected my pump with an ordinary three pin
plug and socket mechanism and have covered the connection to make it
weather proof. It works fine until it heavily rains and the moisture
short-circuits the connection. I have a circuit breaker fitted to my mains
and hence it cuts the power for the house without any danger. I then
disconnect the pond wire, let it dry for few hours and connect it back
again. I know it is not ideal but it works for now. I hope this helps.
SH
Philip Lewis <fl...@andrew.cmu.edu> wrote in article
<emacs-smtp-477-1...@unix30.andrew.cmu.edu>...
MKlun
>Mary,
>I just gotta ask - where is zone 3?
>
>-Wendy.... in.. zone nine...
In this case zone 3 is in northern WI at the tip of Lake Superior. I am
officially zone 4b (or 4a- I forget which) becasue the Lake is such a huge body
of water that it actually moderates our temp a bit in the fall so our first
frost is usually delayed by a week or so, but after that our weather is all
zone 3- so that is what I use to determine plant hardiness etc. I'll be
downhill skiing by Thanksgiving weeke nd and at least till the last week of
March as well. Temps to -30f are not unusual and I don't want to talk about
the frost line...... :-)
Mary
Zone 3 ponding
Drew Lawson
fl...@andrew.cmu.edu writes:
>i'm not an electrician, but here is what *i* would do. before you do this,
>you should probably have the opinion of an electrician or something...
I'm not one either.
>i would bury conduit (pvc or whatever is rated to be buried) between
>the two locations putting a "weatherhead on each side (a j bend that
>ends up pointing towards the ground)
>run an extention cord that is rated for the pump load through the
>conduit.
It seems to me that if you are going to the trouble of running
conduit, there is no good reason not to run appropriate wiring
through it. The extension cord doesn't save you much effort, and
may be very difficult to snake through the conduit.
--
|Drew Lawson | Of all the things I've lost |
|dr...@furrfu.com | I miss my mind the most |
|http://www.furrfu.com | |
Philip Lewis
>conduit, there is no good reason not to run appropriate wiring
>through it. The extension cord doesn't save you much effort, and
duh.... i was just being stupid...
was thinking about the question... which was running it with an
extention cord...
i *suppose* if you waterproofed the connection well it would be
ok... but i wouldn't like 50 feet of ugly orange cord going over my
property... not to mention UV damage and weather exposure in general.
this is what comes of being made to get up early...
sigh..
:)
toodols
flip
N Crow
Deb,
I come down on the side of green heavy duty outdoor extension
cords..have used since 1994. I have three in use now. One thing I have
done is to grease the prongs
of the cords with "dielectic grease" which was advised on a similar
thread months ago. I finally found the grease at Auto Zone. Western
Auto, etc. should also have. This year I haven't taken the trouble to
wrap the connectors with anything; instead I put them on a rock with
another rock as a hang-over. So far no problem. As a precaution for
winter, I will probably wrap the connections with plastic wrap then
with the gray masking (?) tape.
Btw, they all hook into a GFCI at the house.
Ok guys what's the correct spelling of dielectic....
Nedra
Zone 5/6
St. Louis, Missouri
Jan Jordan
>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
>wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
>GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
>about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
>The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
>cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
>be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
>running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
>blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
Deb,
Imo, extension cords should be a temporary thing till something
permanent is done. Thus, saying that I've had the ponds in since 1995
and have 75' of extension cord.<s> ~ jan
Rennie Simpson
>First of all, I'd like to thank those who answered my last post. I am now
>wondering if anyone in this NG uses an extension cord with their pump. My
>GFCI outlet is about 50 ft. away from my pump. My pumps electrical cord is
>about 25 ft. long, and I was planning on getting an outdoor extension cord.
>The pump I have is an OASE, and it states that I should not use an extension
>cord. Also, the extension cords I have been looking at say that they cannot
>be used for any extended period of time. I'm planning on having the pump
>running all year round. Should I just get an electrician? I don't want to
>blow up my house:-} Any advises or tips will be highly appreciated. TIA
>
>Deb
>
>-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
>http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
I would only use an extension cord until a better, more permanent
connection could be installed.
In my case, my pond is above ground with a 22 in. high insulated wall
surrounding it, so I was able to include an electrical panel into the
wall. The GFI circuit is the primary junction inside the waterproof
panel, fed by 40 ft. of 3/14 ga. cab tire cable (the type used in
barns and out-buildings on farms) which is buried from the house to
the pond.
I didn't use conduit, but if I were to do it again, I would opt to use
conduit, just in case someone had to dig in the area.
Rennie
KenCo
thats close enough for spelling,
dont use tape!!!! that holds the water in.
just squeeze some diel. into the plug and on prongs of cord.
Radio Shack; dielectric grease $2.00 per tube (do it yourself section)
any auto parts store; ask for grease to mount a distributor pickup
module
--
Ken Arnold,
KenCo Fish & Supplies Pond and Aquarium fish,
Shipping plants/fish etc. a specialty
Imported & domestic Koi,Goldfish,Orandas,
Tropicals,exotics, Piranhas etc.
http://www.kencofish.com mailto:ke...@kencofish.com
Andy1Andy
I use an outdoor extention cord. I burried it 8" deep . its been 3 years
without a problem