You're right (and I'm surprised) -- the supply to a welder can be lower than called for by the peak current draw by roughly the square root of the duty cycle. Given that the duty cycle is defined over a ten minute period, this means you can run double the rated current through a cord for roughly two minutes! Yikes...
Though that's also assuming the welder doesn't have a specified I1eff rating -- if it does, that trumps the calculation.
I've already got a couple of them. I don't use the light cords anymore for anything with a full load draw of over about 7 amps
Did you factor in both the power and the neutral? 100 feet of conductor in total.
The EARLY aluminum wire was awfull. The later stuff is OK with the proper switches and receptacles, which did NOT exist when aluminum wiring was common. I don't like the stuff, but my home was wired with it and I'm NOT rewiring it. I am, however, replacing all devices with co/alr devices.
I'm talking Canada, where copper AWG14 and 15 amps is still the "standard".
I believe it still is in Canada. Our rules tend to be a bit more "conservative" than in the USA.
Lots of window air conditioners up here, 10,000 BTU? are rated at something like 13 or 14 amps, and have standard 15 amp plugs - which fit just fine in a 20 amp plug. Many people have 20 amp circuits installed to run these to avoid the voltage drop associated with lighter wiring, and to handle the startup surge more effectively.
And I'm considerably south of that, too. 43° 27', North
The USA and Canada are different then, in more ways than I was aware.
Yes, splits are MANDATORY in Canadian kitchens, and I believe our code requires more outlets in a room than the US does as well. Likely allows fewer outlets per branch circuit too. I believe we also allow fewer wires in a box of a given size. I know a LOT of devices that are "legal" in the USA do not get approval here.
Yup. This calculator says 33A to get a 14V drop...
Even CO/ALR devices are not immune to trouble. I'd still MUCH prefer it if the folks plagued with AL wiring would rip it all out and start over. But for some strange reason people don't want to spend all that money on a job they can't see any benefits from - at least not until after the fire. Go figure...
The only safe way to handle it is to have all the device locations (receptacles switches and lights) pigtailed to copper wires for the device connections with compression splices - Amphenol makes the special splices, the powered crimpers to apply them, and the heat-shrink insulation sleeves on top. You have to take a factory course and be certified by AMP to buy the supplies and to do the work.
For minor moves and changes where you don't want to pay the crimping guys, the wiring has to be pigtailed out with special purple NoAlOx compound filled wirenuts with extra strong springs - Ideal makes them.
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And they are no safer than a properly installed co/alr. My dad was an electrician through the aluminum years here in ontario.
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