Choosing heavy duty extension cords, from the leading extension cord manufacturer in the Philippines

Unless you have an outlet in every corner of your house, chances are you need an extension cord to plug in your appliances and charging devices like refrigerators, washing machines, and cellphone chargers.

But did you know? Purchasing poor quality extension cords is dangerous since it can cause fires, electrocutions, and other injuries. That’s why as a leading extension cord manufacturer in the Philippines, we want to educate you on the importance of choosing heavy duty extension cords and how to identify whether an extension cord is heavy duty or not.

 

Why choose heavy duty extension cords?

Essentially, an extension cord is a bundle of insulated electric wires that allow electrical currents to flow through. As the electrical currents flow, it generates heat, and when the electrical currents exceed an extension cord’s maximum load capacity, it can result in overheating, melting the wire’s plastic insulation and causing short circuits and fires.

This is why it’s crucial to use a heavy duty extension cord as these are designed to have higher load capacity that is sufficient for your everyday appliances.

In order to identify if an extension cord is heavy duty, we’ve listed down five key things to help you buy the safest and best quality extension cords from the hardware store.

 

How can we identify a heavy duty extension cord?

Proper Load Capacity

Proper load capacity might be the most important feature to look out for in an extension cord as purchasing an extension cord with low load capacity could easily result in fires. So how can you know an extension cord’s load capacity? This is dependent on two things, the extension cord’s wire gauge or thickness, and the length of the wire.

 

Wire Gauge

An extension cord’s wire gauge is measured using the American Wire Gauge (AWG) rating system. In this rating system, a lower number means a thicker wire and a higher load capacity. In the Philippines, the common wires used in extension cords are AWG #22, #18, and #16.

Given that a lower AWG rating means a thicker wire, extension cords that use a #16 wire are considered heavy duty with a maximum load capacity of 2500W and are suitable for both household and commercial use. These extension cords are able to handle bigger appliances like a 1HP Aircon, a Home Theater system, and a Hair Dryer.

To make sure you purchase the extension cord with an optimal wire gauge, all Panther extension cords available in the market use a #16 wire gauge rating. In case you require a lower gauge rating given higher capacity needs, please message us directly with your requirements so we can customize the extension cord based on your specific needs

 

Wire Length

With electricity, a longer wire means more resistance, leading to a lower load capacity. This means that a shorter wire length has a bigger load capacity.

So when you purchase your extension cords, it’s important to take note of the wire length not just to know how long you can extend an extension cord, but also to determine the optimal length that will suit your appliance. If you’re planning to use the extension cord for huge appliances, try to purchase an extension cord that has a shorter wire to ensure a higher load capacity.

Among Panther’s extension cord models, we offer wire lengths that range from 1.75m, 3m, and 5m to suit your differing needs. In case you require longer wire length, you can message us directly so we can customize the extension cord based on your requirements

 

Three-Pronged Plug

You may notice that some appliances have three-pronged plugs while others only have two. Every wondered why?

Here’s a quick explanation for you: the third prong is actually a grounding pin that prevents accidental electrocution in cases of short circuit or loose wires. It also helps prevent fires from breaking out.  This is because the grounding pin routes electricity from the hot wire directly into the ground rather than your hand or other parts of your body. So even if a device malfunctions or a wire comes loose, you’re safe.

Thus, having an extension cord with a three-pronged plug adds an extra layer of protection for you and your loved ones.

However, take note that the grounding protection is only made possible if your house’s wiring receptacles have a grounding connection too.

 

Overload/Short Circuit Protection

Aside from the grounding pin, another important feature of a heavy duty extension cord is an overload and short circuit protection mechanism like a circuit breaker or a fuse.

A circuit breaker or a fuse’s job is to trip and prevent the extension cord from overloading in case the maximum power capacity has been reached. This protects the plugged-in appliances from being damaged while also preventing fires from igniting.

It may seem like an inconvenience for your extension cord to suddenly stop working because the circuit breaker tripped or the fuse became busted, but it’s an inconvenience that will ensure the protection of you and your appliances.

Also, take note, circuit breakers can easily be reset by pressing the circuit breaker reset button. Meanwhile, for a fuse, you can simply replace it by buying the same rated fuse from your nearest hardware store.

 

Voltage Surge Protection

Voltage surge/spikes occur regularly in the Philippines due to power outages or tripped circuit breakers, and this can damage our appliances. This is why it’s important to buy extension cords with voltage surge protection to protect the plugged-in appliances from these sudden voltage surges.

Although most extension cords in the market don’t have this feature, the Panther PSP extension cords are equipped with voltage surge protectors that can handle up to a peak current of 6000 Amps for 8/20 microseconds pulse, with reaction time ranging from 5 to 100 nanoseconds. This ensures that your expensive appliances will not be damaged by sudden voltage surges.

 

Metal Casing

As we usually place extension cords on the floor where people can easily step on them, its casing plays an important protective function for both the extension cord and the appliances plugged in. Because of this, it’s definitely a wise choice to invest in a metal-encased extension cord. This is because the metal casing protects the extension cord’s inner parts from breaking when someone accidentally steps on it.

Aside from this, a metal casing is also less prone to wear and tear and cracking compared to plastic casing which can easily break when dropped or stepped on. And lastly, due to the way they are designed, worn out parts in metal extension cords can easily be replaced and the extension cord itself given a second life, thus making this a great value for money option.

So if you want a heavy duty extension cord, metal-cased extension cords like Panther’s are definitely the way to go.

 

Choose from the full list of available Panther heavy duty Extension cords

Whether you’re purchasing an extension cord for home, for office or for your travels, Panther is here to serve your needs. With our heavy duty metal extension cords, you are guaranteed a lifetime companion for your extension needs.

Features applicable to all:

• Maximum Capacity: 2500 Watts
• Outlet orientation: 0° and 90° orientation
• Wire Gauge (for cord): #16
• Panther Lifetime Service Warranty