Sizing extension cords

[Redneck in training]

The saw will take 12 A at rated (highest safe load before it start smoking) load. Depending how hard you push on it or how big logs you will be cutting the current might be less than 12A. 12 AWG would drop about 12 v at 225 ft and 120 VAC/18A.
Online Wire Size Calculators & Tables

 

[ultrarunner]

There was a cabin in the mountains at the very end of a dirt road and voltage was low... so low it affected function.

This was in the 1960's and the owner mentioned it to one of his telephone company co-worker who sugested a buck-boost transformer... made all the difference going from 97 to 127 volts.

I picked up a small boost-buck portable transformer that has 10, 15 and 20% boost terminals... I have never tried it but thought it could be just the ticket in a low voltage situation...

97 volts boosted 20% would provide 116 volts.

We have our own transformers at work... the typical voltage in the hospital is 124 volts... the old line voltage clocks run fast.

 

[4570Man]

You can't get enough amperage to do that.

 

[ultrarunner]

If you had a circuit at the the panel or the existing circuit is 12ga with a 20 amp breaker and the saw requires 12 amps it would seem boosting low voltage would help... just thinking out loud.

I do agree you would hit a wall if the load was higher... but 12 amps of load on a 20 amp circuit?

 

[4570Man]

I thought the transformer went at the end of the cord? This project doesn't make much sense anyway. He could buy a gas saw for what that much cord will cost. If there's some reason he's against gas he could get a battery powered saw.

 

[ultrarunner]

Mine can be hardwired to the panel or use a 24" 10 ga cord to the transformer...

Transformer has a single 20 amp receptacle.

Wonder if a voltage reading has been taken to see what Retiredguy2 has to work with?

I bought a Stihl electric 170 saw thinking my brother could use for the freshcut at the Christmas tree farm.. right now he uses gas Stihl saws and on a busy day the saw will be started maybe a 150 times... and each cut is a few seconds.

Electric just seemed to make more sense but so far has been no sale as he has 3 gas saws at the cashier booth.

 

[prichard]

The problem with buck boost is hi are increasing the current as much as you are the voltage. So if you boost voltage 20% you will increase current through the cord by 20%. Now the 12 amps that the voltage drop was calculated based on is 14.4 so your drop is higher and you're no longer at 116v. You end up chasing your tail.

 

[prichard]

So retired guy, what prompted you to buy an electric chainsaw for remote work? Not trying to give you a hard time I'm actually curious.

 

[ultrarunner]

The problem with buck boost is hi are increasing the current as much as you are the voltage. So if you boost voltage 20% you will increase current through the cord by 20%. Now the 12 amps that the voltage drop was calculated based on is 14.4 so your drop is higher and you're no longer at 116v. You end up chasing your tail.

Outside of boosting 208 to 240 for equipment... what would be the purpose of single phase 120V buck boost transformers?

Last year at the Christmas Tree farm they brought in a center drill machine for spotting and drilling the taper hole in the base of the trunk... it is about 150 from the meter... every time the drill was turned on the LED light string went dark for a moment... the 20 amp breaker never tripped.

I explained it was an effect of voltage drop and certainly not good for the LED lamps...

The solution was having a expensive 150' extension cord made up.

 

[polkwrangler]

best simple answer would be to buy a good gas chain saw,why go through the headache of the electric saw issues