Can I use a heavy duty extension cord with my air conditioner?
Are you confused about how to plug an air conditioner into a wall outlet?Many of the air conditioners that you buy today don't come with a long plug.You need to buy yourself an extension cord for the air conditioner.
Shopping for one isn't easy.If you aren't careful, it could lead to other electrical worries, including the threat of having your house burnt down.Many homeowners overlook this because they don't know what can go wrong.
An extension cord is not enough for your AC unit.There are a few things you need to choose from.These include:
What is the first question you need to ask?How much power does your unit draw?
A medium window air conditioner uses less than twenty amperes.It can be as little as eight amperes.To find the amperes in your AC, you need to refer to the manual or label.
Can't find the manual or instruction booklet?Don't worry.We can still figure it out.The symbol of the power on the AC will tell you how much electric current the appliance draws.A typical window AC will be between nine hundred and fifteen hundred watt.The voltage of the AC should be checked.There are two different options to choose from, one for as little as a hundred and twenty volts and the other for a lot more.
You will need to divide the wattage by the amount of electricity in the room.This will help you find the right amount of power.The current capacity is what you need.You can buy the extension cord for the window air conditioner now.Can you tell me how much current goes through the portable AC?The same method can be used to figure it out.This will tell you how much power is needed for the extension cord.
Extension cords for PCs, washing machines, and other appliances are not compatible with AC.You need a heavy-duty extension cord.A window AC uses a 12-gauge wire that can carry as much as twenty amperes of current.