Retractable (electrical) Extension Cord Suggestions?

[bdhsfz6]

I have 2 50' 20 amp 12 gauge Coxreels that have been in use for over 25 years with no issues. They are industrial grade and even back then, were expensive. I don't regret spending the money for a quality product made in the USA.

Electric Cord

Application - Electric Cord Products Coxreels

www.coxreels.com

An old timer auto mechanic told me the life of these reels can be extended if you don't extend or retract the cord while under a heavy electrical load. This saves wear on the brushes.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've found that with plenty of available electrical outlets about 8-10' apart along the walls, 3 or 4 20' HD extension cords seems to work out better than my retractable.

 

[chim]

If cost doesn't matter - Hubbell or Woodhead. We used Harbor Freight or Northern Tool reels at work. We didn't use any cord reels with multiple outlets except for a few that had boxes on the end of the cord with a duplex in it. The guys preferred a single outlet (like a female cord end) because that didn't catch of everything when moving around.

 

[D&D]

I have had these for over 14 years now. 2 overhead and one mounted between the doors to reach farther outside. Not 12ga.

SL-8904: 50ft Retractable Polymer Cord Reel w/4 Outlets - 15amp

This Retractable Cord Reel has a 50' 12/3 SJTW Cord. With 4 separate grounded outlets and a 15 amp resettable circuit breaker, powering your projects is quick and easy. The outlet bar even has a built in LED status light to let you know you have power. Includes mounting brackets that allow it to...

www.baycoproducts.com

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a cord reel at each end of my shop on the wall. The one by the door for outside work and the other on the far wall for occasional use. My shop has wall outlets all over the place….and i mean all over.

The one on the far wall used to be located at the roll up front door . But it was a chepo lowes model with 14 ga wire that had a 3 outlet head that failed to hold a plug any longer. I replaced it with a quality 12g single plug end cord reel and i was going to throw the old one out when i decided to cut the 3 prong head off and replace it with a new outlet and heat shrunk the repair. Its still only 14 ga but it works ok for things i need it for which is usually things like drop lights, hand grinder, etc.

The new one is a real industrial unit. It didnt come with a GFCI like the homeowner units do, but it did have an inline resettable fuse. I was going to bypass the fuse if it gave me any issue as its attached to a 20amp protected circuit that is GFCI protected. But it has never tripped in the last 3 years ive been using it.

Retractable Cord Reel - Heavy Duty, 45', Single Outlet H-10990 - Uline

Never wind a cord again. Pull down for safe and easy access. Wall and ceiling mountable. Hardware included. Cord locks to desired length, retracts with slight tug. Single grounded outlet with resettable circuit breaker. Industrial grade polyethylene housing. Requires a 20A outlet. ULINE offers...

www.uline.com

 

[grsthegreat]

One thing i have noticed is 12 g extension cords tend to be downrated to 15 amps once they reach 50 feet and over. If you notice the HUGE 20 amp 100ft extension cords used on construction sites, they have different, thicker insulation materials and have real 20 amp receptacle ends. Not ment to plug into residential 15 amp outlets….at least the real ones ive used over the years.

I think the industrial cord reels ive seen rated at 20 amps have all been 30-45 foot runs for this reason.

 

[bigtiller]

I have a Cox Reel hanging on the ceiling with 50' of 3/8 air hose. I'm very happy with it and glad I bought it. I would think any type of Cox Reel would be worth the investment.

 

[ultrarunner]

Very happy with mine and all have drop cord light with outlet.

Bought my first from Sears made in USA in 1975… have one in my service truck plus I bought as gifts to give to family hanging near the garage door opener…

 

[RayIN]

This is why I like Cox Reels, Reelcraft, and Appleton reels. I have a few reels, most were bought used. I like the Appleton YSRL's because they are compact, and have a built in swivel, also they are made of cast and machined metal so they are very durable. Cox and Reelcraft are the same quality in my opinion, but Cox is normally a little cheaper. There are so many varieties that these manufactures make that it is impossible to point to a specific model that would be best suited to your needs without asking 50 questions. Also are you sure you need a 50'? 30' reels are a whole lot less expensive.

A Wide Range of Cord Reels and Switches | Emerson US

Emerson’s superior design standards and options meet the needs of a variety of applications and offer a range of rocker, toggle and pushbutton switches.

www.appleton.emerson.com

Hose, Cord & Cable Reels | Coxreels®

USA Made - Heavy duty hose, cord & cable reels from Coxreels®. Find the highest quality reels for the job by spring, hand crank, or motorized rewind.

www.coxreels.com

Reelcraft Hose, Cord, and Cable Reels

Reelcraft is the leading global manufacturer of hose, cord and cable reels for industrial, commercial and professional applications.

www.reelcraft.com

All of these are USA made and not cheap, but they are quality. These reels are built to last and are serviceable with the manufactures selling repair parts. None of the chinese reel manufactures sell parts, as they know customers will replace the entire unit.

Made in China ones aren't gonna be cheap much longer. The difference will be quality of workmanship.

 

[SHUNKSTER]

AMZ Has Goodyear cord reels 12 and 14 ga. Their good reels