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DickweedMcGee t1_ixo4i58 wrote

Reply to comment by DaweiArch in Can I use a block heater cord/power strip for my Christmas lights? by DaweiArch

Oh, yeah I think you mean your heater cord has a Three-Pronged Head. A power strip is a stand alone, grounded device that plugs into other extenion cords, heater cords, etc. It has multiple, 3 prong plugs and usually an on-off switch + replaceable fuse.

Anyway..uh what makes a heater cord different than a regular extension cord is the thickness and ....I've never heard of a heater cord that wasn't rated for outdoor/all weather.

Let's just assume your heater cord is 'all weather'. If you are concerned about moisture, your biggest risk would be if the end ended up laying in standing water and a little electrical tape wont help that. If you have a stake or something you could zip-tie the end to o its elevated a couple of inches off that ground that be best.

Or not. This is holiday lighting we're talking about. Just be cognizant of it possibly popping a breaker at any point so make sure you don't have something crucial on that circuit, like a fish tank or something...

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DaweiArch OP t1_ixo4wuc wrote

Thanks for the clarification. I’m probably just overthinking this. I think the thing that worried me a bit was how much cheaper block heater cords are as opposed to a regular extension cord. My 3 pronged block heater cord is 32 feet and was 15 dollars. At the same store, a regular 32 foot extension cord with 3 prongs was 60 dollars or more.

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DickweedMcGee t1_ixpbwtc wrote

Hrmm. Well my first guess, on the price difference, would probably be the gauge of the extension cord.

Thicker Gauge = More Copper.

More Copper = More Expensive.

16 gauge is the minimum gauge for running a high wattage heater, like a block heater, but that is only considered 'medium duty'. For running generators or high amperage motors you would need heavy duty or ultra heavy duty power cords and those need a lot of copper.

$15 for 16 gauge/32 ft is about right. $60 for a 32 foot cord should be at least a 12 gauge but, idk, sometime getting ripped off is your only B&M option. If that is the case, explore online options for a more fair price...

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