Source for 8/3 extention cord wire

[Haywire]

I want to make an extension cord for my welder but haven't been able to source the 8/3 wire anywhere. The ready made cords you buy have the standard welding plugs on them and I'm set up for NEMA 10-50 plugs. I just need the wire.

Any suggestions? The Lowes big wire rack didn't have any and the electrical supply houses around here don't handle anything like that bigger than 10ga.

thanks,
Ian

 

[magicheater]

find a local electrical contractor supplier. 8-3 portable cable is not common, how much do you need?

 

[Haywire]

Not a whole lot, maybe 15 feet. I may end up having to convert to the standard welding plug and just buy a pre-made 25 footer.

Ian

 

[magicheater]

contact a local electrician and pick his brain, maybe he has a piece left over from a job.

 

[rasimmo]

You should be able to find it at an electrical supply store like posted above. What I think you are looking for is called S-O cord(at least in my neck of the woods it is). Round, flexable, rubber coated, just like a regular extension cord, just bigger

 

[eastexan]

Ian, I bet you would do fine with a 10/3 extension cord for your welder.

I had been using a 60' 12/3wg extension cord for several small projects with my Miller Thunderbolt before I found out it wasn't a 10/3 cord. It had been left behind by a contractor several years before.

Bottom line was that it worked fine and never got hot, even being 12ga.
I took my time cleaning the slag between passes and sticking closely to the cycle time and that probably helped the cord from getting too warm.

I wouldn't think there would be a problem at all with using a 15' 10/3 extension cord. I imagine that your machine has only a 12ga cord on it already.

I'm not saying for you to do it, but I'm just relating my experience.

 

[ol'oilburner]

They are not cheap, but you might want to look at a 50amp marine or RV extension cord.

 

[JoeL4330]

why not buy a welding extension cord and make a pigtail ...(or change out the plug and/or receptacle...but the pigtail(s) would give you max versatility) ...25ft 8/3 cordsets start around $55

I've made such pigtails to get around the (stupid) Miller MVP problem

 

[Travelover]

Maybe not totally kosher, but I found lots of new 6 gauge THHN wire at my local metal scrap yard. It seems the electricians sell the ends off big rolls. I found pieces 25 feet or so. I cut three lengths, taped them together well and put plugs on the ends.

 

[Hooked_on_HP]

Cyber weld has a 25' 8/3 for $72. Coleman Cable Extension Cord - 230 Volt , 25' or 50' 8/3
Bill

 

[tglass]

find a local electrical contractor supplier. 8-3 portable cable is not common, how much do you need?

Agree..someone like dealers elec, elliot elec. etc., who sell wholesale and to the public. Not that uncommen at alot of places like this. May have part of a spool left and give a pretty good deal and then again, an 8-3 is uncommen, but might have something larger at the same price. worth a try.

 

[yomax4]

Every welding supply house has a roll of 8/3. They use it every day. Be prepared to pay upwards of 3 bucks a ft.

 

[dstig1]

Hobart sells a pre-made welder extension cord that is 8/3 with a 50A plug on it. Our local Fleet Farm has them. Find a place that sells welding supplies that has Hobart and you should find one. Or frankly any LWS should have something, or can get it.

Or build your own from McMaster, but ouch - like $5-6/foot..
McMaster-Carr

 

[Skyco]

I'd be sure not to downsize the wire. When I got my first mig welder I was pretty disappointed in it. After I replaced the extension cord with the correct gauge it made all the difference in the world.

 

[Haywire]

8/3 w/ ground was $2.79 a foot at Lowes. They had 8/2 w/ground for 1.69/ft but it wasn't the right type of wire. It was flat instead of round.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I want to make an extension cord for my welder but haven't been able to source the 8/3 wire anywhere. The ready made cords you buy have the standard welding plugs on them and I'm set up for NEMA 10-50 plugs. I just need the wire.

Any suggestions? The Lowes big wire rack didn't have any and the electrical supply houses around here don't handle anything like that bigger than 10ga.

thanks,
Ian

If your local electrical suppy houses there don't carry 8/3 wire or couldn't even order it for you then those places are not very good.

 

[Haywire]

I'm sure they could order it if I wanted an entire roll. -shrug-

 

[Chilly807]

You MAY be ok with 10/3, it's what I've been using to run both my AC/DC transformer and the Miller 180. I haven't noticed any performance problems or heating of the wire. Mine is a 25 footer.

I think if you ran at 100% for hours at a time it might get warm, but typical welding use would be fine.

What size cable is feeding the welder now?

Sean

 

[grsthegreat]

What you need is 8/3 or 6/3 SO cord. it is standard at any electrical supply shop ive ever worked thru (Calif, nevada,wash, oregon and idaho). Not cheap though, but is standard. You might have been looking for or asked for romex?? thats not what you want. its called SO cord, and is widely used. My supply house charges me $1.69/ft for 8/3 SO and $2.10 for 6/3 So the last time i ordered some (a few months ago). All that sized wire is sold by the foot, or by the 1000 ft rolls.

 

[Chilly807]

It's called cab-tyre here, or SJTW/SJOW.

Sean