I have a daughter with Breast Cancer coming home to visit in PA. She is concerned that because she is bald and has to wear a scarf all the time, that she will be too hot. So, we are looking at AC for her. My question is. If we get this 15000 +100 BTU window AC, only place we have to put is in a window, with no electric plug near. Would it hurt to use a Heavy Duty extension cord?
It's not usually a great idea to use an extension cord on larger appliances. Especially one that will run for extended times. A better way is to buy a heavy duty extension cord (#12 copper conductors) and wire it in place of your appliance cord. Just cut off the female end and use the conductors where the originals came off. Make it just long enough to make it to the outlet you need to reach. If your house is anywhere less than about 30 years old, there should be an outlet within 6' of any point along the wall. If the receptacle is worn, and the plug doesn't have good tension, go ahead and replace it too. A residential grade receptacle is only about .79 at Home Depot. For a real thrill, put in a "spec grade" for about 2.25. (Home depot calls them "pro-grade").
| | It's not usually a great idea to use an extension cord on larger appliances. | Especially one that will run for extended times. A better way is to buy a | heavy duty extension cord (#12 copper conductors) and wire it in place of | your appliance cord. Just cut off the female end and use the conductors | where the originals came off. Make it just long enough to make it to the | outlet you need to reach. If your house is anywhere less than about 30 years | old, there should be an outlet within 6' of any point along the wall. If the | receptacle is worn, and the plug doesn't have good tension, go ahead and | replace it too. A residential grade receptacle is only about .79 at Home | Depot. For a real thrill, put in a "spec grade" for about 2.25. (Home depot | calls them "pro-grade").
Wiring two cords together is a BAD IDEA for people not experienced in how to do this correctly (and safely). Done by an expert, it certainly is safer than plugging the appliance into an extension socket.
| I have a daughter with Breast Cancer coming home to visit in PA. She is | concerned that because she is bald and has to wear a scarf all the time, | that she will be too hot. So, we are looking at AC for her. My question | is. If we get this 15000 +100 BTU window AC, only place we have to put | is in a window, with no electric plug near. Would it hurt to use a Heavy | Duty extension cord?
Have a look at "stand alone" or "stand up" A/C units. They usually can move around a bit (some have wheels). They will need two air tubes to a window or vent to dump the hot air. Better ones will also take the water that condenses on the coils and pass it into the hot air to dump it out via the air (otherwise you will also need a water drain or have to empty a pan regularly). Anyway, such a unit might work near windows that otherwise could not accept a window unit A/C.
You might also consider the installation of a "mini-split" A/C system. This is a "permanent" type installation of a room size A/C. Part is inside and part is outside. These are actually the most common type of A/C system in the world these days, as they work well for homes with no central air ducting system. It will cost more, but the benefit might be worth it.
Thank you all for the information.
It all depends upon what you mean by "heavy duty."
It might not look good, but you can run some romex directly from your main panel to wherever the air conditioner is. Just run it up the stairs, under the doors, etc.
After the visit you still have the cable and can, in the fullness of time, run a "proper" circuit to the room where you want your girl to stay when she visits.
That's why I said to "replace" the cord, not splice it. It is a "BAD IDEA" for anyone who doesn't know what they're doing to attempt most electrical work, but that generally won't stop them.
|> | |> | It's not usually a great idea to use an extension cord on larger |> appliances. |> | Especially one that will run for extended times. A better way is to buy |> a |> | heavy duty extension cord (#12 copper conductors) and wire it in place |> of |> | your appliance cord. Just cut off the female end and use the conductors |> | where the originals came off. Make it just long enough to make it to the |> | outlet you need to reach. If your house is anywhere less than about 30 |> years |> | old, there should be an outlet within 6' of any point along the wall. If |> the |> | receptacle is worn, and the plug doesn't have good tension, go ahead and |> | replace it too. A residential grade receptacle is only about .79 at Home |> | Depot. For a real thrill, put in a "spec grade" for about 2.25. (Home |> depot |> | calls them "pro-grade"). |>
|> Wiring two cords together is a BAD IDEA for people not experienced in how |> to do this correctly (and safely). Done by an expert, it certainly is |> safer than plugging the appliance into an extension socket. | | That's why I said to "replace" the cord, not splice it. It is a "BAD IDEA" | for anyone who doesn't know what they're doing to attempt most electrical | work, but that generally won't stop them.
It's still a wiring connection requiring that skill level not for average people. Additionally, A/C cords these days now come with GFCI protection. Are you suggesting to defeat that?
O.K., How 'bout I just admit that I'm a bad guy, and we leave it at that. I sense that after I bat down your silliness again, you'll have something else at the ready to fluff your feathers up with. You know more than I do, and now we all know it. Or, at the very least you are oh-so-much-more careful than I am.
It will hurt less to use a heavy duty extension cord than following the advice you have been given so far, if you do it wrong.
The only "right" way to do it is to have an electrician install a circuit for the A/C.
Ed
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