Commercial Snow Blowers

Can a snowblower make an extension cord melt if its the wrong kind of cord?

Extension cord melted had it plugged into an outlet on handle of snowblower. Im not sure if this is because I had a regular extension cord or if I needed to use a special one or if just got a crappy used snowblower for cheap. Help!

Public Comments

1. it has to be a #12 extension cord not over 50 ft long or a heavy duty one to power an snow blower
2. Yes the plug will melt if it is not the right extension cord for the appliance/job.
3. The rule is "the longer the cord, the heavier the wire needs to be to carry the proper voltage." The amount of available useable electrical voltage drops dramatically by the time it reaches the end of any very long cord, so when you use a very long cord, 50 - 100', which is not uncommon for an electric sno-blower, the machine still needs the right amount of voltage and it's not there, so it runs hot, pulls more amperage and heats up, not just the cord, but the motor of the unit as well. You obviously need a heavier duty cord.
4. Yes, if the snow blower needs more electricity to run than the extension cord is rated to handle, the wiring in the cord can overheat and melt the plastic insulation. Your snow blower should have written on it somewhere the number of amps it runs at. Your cord should have the same or higher rating.