You have to go with the Watt's Wire family of outdoor extension cords for durability and longevity. The 25 ft., 50 ft. and 100 ft. versions have the same rugged features their only differences being their cord lengths.
Watt's Extension Cords Safely Handle -58 to 220 degree F Temperatures
The Watt's extension cords are safe and pliable in -58 deg. F Arctic cold weather.
You can literally put a Watt's wire in a pot of boiling water (a mere 212 deg.) and it will still work, as it has a heat rating of 220 deg. F (disclaimer, I am not advising you do this).
This is crazy-good durability for an extension cord.
This is how you know these cords will still be working in 20 years.
You might be here because the old cord was left outside and broke. Most cords can't handle winter cold (see my article Can You Leave Extension Cords Outside?), but the Watt's extension cord can.
Thermoplastic Coverings Protect Watt's Plugs
Watts covers their plugs with thick thermoplastic that is impervious to the junk that can get inside the outlet.
Due to the wind, dust, rain, snow, ice and bugs outside, outdoor outlets throw more obstacles at extension cord plugs.
The covering protects the plugs from starting a fire, and tripping the GFI switch.
The protective covers won't break if you drive a truck over them.
Watt's Wire Extension Cords Handle 15 Amps
The Watt's Wire extension cords have an amperage rating of 15 amperes (amps, or A). This means the cord can safely carry that much electrical current.
So to safely use your cord for more than one device, add up the amperage ratings of the devices you will plug into the extension cord.
The total is the amount of draw the devices pull. If you have them on at the same time, they will draw the sum total of their amperage ratings.
It's never a good idea to max out an extension cord, because voltage drops are hiccups that lower the total amperage capacity of your cord.
But in theory, the total amperes your devices draw must be 15 fewer amps.
Watt's Wire Extension Cord Gauges
“Gauge” is thickness of the wire inside the extension cord.
It is often abbreviated as “AWG”, for “American Wire Gauge.”
AWG is a standard in the United States and several other countries that allows you to compare one cord to another.
The lower the gauge, the thicker the wire.
The Watt's extension cords come in 10-gaugae, 12-gauage, and 14-guage thickness.
You use the 10-gauge for heavy electrical current draws from appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners.
Exact Watt's Wire Extension Code Specifications
The Watt's Wire cords are SJEOW, which means the cords:
- S: have stranded (braided) wires (typical for household use)
- J: are built for junior service, or 300 volt (again, household use)
- E: are insulated to -58 deg. F to 212 deg. F
- O:are oil resistant
- W: are rated for outdoor use
Watt's Cords are UL-Certified and Meet OSHA Safety Standards
Watt's submits their cords to third party agencies for testing.
This is how they can say, “You don't have to take our word for it” about the toughness of their products.
What You Get
The Watt's Wire outdoor extension cords:
- contain 14 (lightweight), 12 (heavy duty), or 10 (heaviest) gauge wires
- come in 25, 50, and 100 ft. lengths
- carry electrical current up to 15 amps
- have plastic protecting the prongs
- have all-copper connectors
- have power indicator lights
- accept up to three devices
- handle 1875 max watts
- are oil resistant
- resist extreme temperatures
- are rated for outdoor use
- are UL-rated
- meet OSHA safety requirements
How to Buy the Watt's Wire Outdoor Extension Cords
The entire set of Watt's Wire extension cords is available on the Watts' Amazon page.
You need only choose the lengths you want.
See the Watts Wire extension cords on Amazon.
