Cord Reels

[chperry]

Someone told me that a UL listed cord reel can only be used when the entire length of cord has been extended. I do not have a copy of UL 355. Is this true? I am talking about a wall mounted, 120V, 15A cord reel.

Thanks

 

[TOOL_5150]

Someone told me that a UL listed cord reel can only be used when the entire length of cord has been extended. I do not have a copy of UL 355. Is this true? I am talking about a wall mounted, 120V, 15A cord reel.

Thanks

There have been a few cord reels I have seen that state in the instruction manual, that all the cord should be extended before using.

~Matt

 

[Buck Parrish]

I too, have no book, but IMO it would defeat the purpose of the reel. Wouldn't do it , just wouldn't be prudent. You could trip over it and get hurt...

 

[chperry]

Cord Reels

I looked at the manual of our cord reels and it does not state that they must be fully extended. I ran into a dead end when I looked up the UL listing and discovered I needed UL 355 to answer the question ($500).

 

[jeremysterling]

I too, have no book, but IMO it would defeat the purpose of the reel. Wouldn't do it , just wouldn't be prudent. You could trip over it and get hurt...

I agree with Buck. Back in the day when I worked on overhead cranes, we would utilize cord reels to provide power to bottom block mounted utilization equipment such as lifting magnets. As the crane hoist raised the bottom block, the cable reel would take up the slack.

As far as homeowner versions, why would they come equipped with a pawl to stop the retraction at "infinite" points along its length if it is only to be allowed to be used at full extension?:-?

 

[SG-1]

Someone told me that a UL listed cord reel can only be used when the entire length of cord has been extended. I do not have a copy of UL 355. Is this true? I am talking about a wall mounted, 120V, 15A cord reel.

Thanks

The cord reel instructions should say. The danger would be operating the cord near it's maximum capacity. Akin to putting an extension cord under a carpet. It cannot dissipate enough heat & you get a 120V meltdown.

 

[chperry]

I have asked for a user manual from the manufacturer. This cord reel has a breaker on the output plug that limits current to 10amps. As far as I can tell from the manufacturer's website they mean for it to be used with the cord partially retracted. That may be why they limit the load current to 10 amps.

Thanks for all who replied.

Charles

 

[One-eyed Jack]

If you use the cord reel partially extended at high loads, at or near the capacity of the cord you will generate excessive heat. I have seen this done with very bad results. The operator smelled a strange odor,turned around and the cord reel was in flames. Try wrapping a 100 ft cord in a coil and plug it in and put a full load on the other end. Ever see a welders cables jumping every time he strikes and arc?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

We had 250' cord reels on our rescue truck and used them to power light stands with two 500 watt quartz lights on them. Often they were not fully unrolled when in use and the jacket got hot enough that it fused to the other wraps on the reel. These light were often in use for hours at a time at the scene of a multi-alarm fire. You could not unwind the bottom 3 layers on reel. After I replaced all of the cords our SOP was changed to require that they be fully unwound when powering portable lighting. We did not require them to be fully unwound when powering portable tools such as a reciprocating saw.