Electrical cord storage

[/pine]

I'm waiting for them to come out with cordless extension cords...!

(Steven Wright, paraphrased)...

 

[MossRoad]

Yesterday I went down to my MIL's to pressure wash her vinyl siding garage and carport. My FIL has been gone now for close to 2 years. Looking for some tools in his garage to help with his old pressure washer, I came across this one electrical cord. I have to admit, I thought is was kind of odd looking, but knowing my FIL, there was a specific reason why he did this and not just because it looks interesting. Anyone store cord like this, and why? He spent 30 years as a power lineman, and he always had his reasons.

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I've seen that method several times in my life. I don't care for it. Probably because it takes more work and time, and if you've ever tried to undo one in very cold temps, you'll curse.

I roll mine up by making loops onto my hand with a twist, which greatly reduces tangling, or the elbow method if I'm in a hurry, which tends to put a twist in the wire and is harder to unwind.

I keep a loop of rope on my extension cords, and just use that to loop around the bundle and hang it by when I'm done.

That being said, your FIL seems like someone that took pride in their work and tools.

 

[tradosaurus]

Why I buy the cord on a reel.

30 ft extension cord reel

 

[mrmikey]

I use the twist method also. My daughter had a really nice 14ga 100 ft extension cord. It looked like a snake that had swallowed ping pong balls along pretty much the complete length. It was so bad the black line that was on the cover of the cord would make a complete revolution around the cord in less that 5-6", it was pretty much ruined. She grabbed one of mine tp coil it up for me the other day when I was at her place. One, "LOOK" from me and she dropped the cord lol.
When I was married, I had a 100' cord on a reel, just an old welding wire reel, and when I was done I'd roll the reel on a shovel handle to wind up the cord. The ex wouldn't, she'd just wrap it around the reel and wonder why the cord was all screwed up in knots

 

[/pine]

Tradesmen, construction mechanics, millwrights etc., etc...that use cords every day know what works best for them and where they store them day to day...

Personally anything over 50' I coil on the ground and can do it much faster than holding the coil with one hand and giving it a twist with the other...

Picked up this habit from coiling 600' of anchor line way too many times than I like to remember...!

 

[grsthegreat]

I roll all my long 100’ cords by daisy chaining them. Really easy to do, never tangles. Just comes second nature after years in the const trades. On smaller 25’ cords, i just roll them up. In my shop i have auto retracting cord reels on opposite sides of shop. Also self roll air hoses right next to the power cords.

all my long 100’ 12 g cords are all weather rated. Expensive, but dont freeze up in sub zero temps.

 

[Fixastuff]

I like this method also. Google crochet knot if you don't know how to do it. Lol.

 

[tshep]

It does seem like a user of this method would mark the middle.

I was an industrial electrician, and occasionally someone would do this, but rarely was an outlet very far away - shorter cords made more sense.

I have seen 'roadies' do this with band gear.

I elbow wind - even my long cords - and half hitch high, go backwards, and wind down some like a noose and then lock in the other end in the fitting. Works, throwable, etc. The 'back' is random enough that they don't show wear/kink.

 

[newbury]

I prefer reels and wraps when possible but the main thing is every cord and hose should be put away so it's easy to use the next time.

 

[ruffdog]

My MIL was throwing away a garden hose reel one time so I grabbed it. It works great for holding a few 100ft cords on it at one time and it reels/unreels fast.