# Help a Framer please.



## Juliet (Jun 23, 2012)

We use a Yamaha generator with a 100 foot 10 gauge lead which splits to about 6 100 foot 12 gauge lines. I got tired of using a saw from the yard and wanted to treat myself so I bought a new worm drive and now I actually care if my power line has at least 15 amps or not. My question is not about what extension cord to use or any of that stuff that has been talked about over and over. 

You guys that know about this stuff please help me with this. I want and think it would be fun in my spare time to build something at the end of my personal power line that would tell me how many amps I was getting from our generator. Some of the lines have a female that lights up if there is power flowing, can I make that only light up if i have >15amps? please help me with something like that. I don't want to carry around a mulit meter i just want something simple that I can always have near the end of my line.

Thanks.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

It ain't the amperage that will be an issue.

It's the _voltage_. Or, lack of it.


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## Mr. D (Jun 7, 2006)

move the generator closer. ditch the hundred footers and switch to 50's & 25's


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

You can get plug in volt meters at any place that sells RVs or camping trailers:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/ac-voltage-meter/29375

http://rvtruckparts.com/ProductDetail.asp?PID=25630&SID=90&DID=192&CID=738&B

Cheap, simple, does exactly what ya want. :thumbsup:


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## aptpupil (Jun 12, 2010)

i don't think that a 12 gauge 100' after a 10 gauge 100' will get you 15A, but i'm not sure. you can find a voltage calculator and figure it out. you can also plug them in once, use the multimeter and know from then on whether it's good or not. don't need to check each time.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

480sparky said:


> It ain't the amperage that will be an issue.
> 
> It's the _voltage_. Or, lack of it.


Ouch.


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

I find it's easy to tell if I have too many extension cords on my skil saw, the saw will sound like it's dying. It's the voltage that goes down and the amperage that goes up when you add too many cords. There's no device that I know of other than an amp clamp to tell you what's going on when you run your saw, when the amperage gets too high is when it will put wear and tear on your saw.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

KennMacMoragh said:


> I find it's easy to tell if I have too many extension cords on my skil saw, the saw will sound like it's dying. It's the voltage that goes down and the amperage that goes up when you add too many cords. There's no device that I know of other than an amp clamp to tell you what's going on when you run your saw, when the amperage gets too high is when it will put wear and tear on your saw.


As the wire length increases you get a drop in both voltage and current carrying capacity. The drop in voltage is what causes your saw to have trouble starting...that is what is murder on the motors. If you plug in the 20 dollar device that I listed and check that you are not suffering from a significant voltage drop you should be fine.


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## Juliet (Jun 23, 2012)

*so will this help me*

So can I put this in a pig tail and be able to throw it between my saw and power line? Something like this?

http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/dc-amp-meter.html

http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/dc-amp-meter.html


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Juliet said:


> So can I put this in a pig tail and be able to throw it between my saw and power line? Something like this?
> 
> http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/dc-amp-meter.html
> 
> http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/dc-amp-meter.html


Did you even read what was posted above or read the specs on what you posted in the link?

Read the description of the devices and tell me why it won't work...

Or buy it and tell me how it works. :laughing:


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## Juliet (Jun 23, 2012)

*yeah*

yeah it says 60v but it looks like it does what i want for a different application. thats why my last sentence was "something like this" it looks to me like something like that would work if it were 120 volts so I was asking people that know if there is something like that.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Juliet said:


> yeah it says 60v but it looks like it does what i want for a different application. thats why my last sentence was "something like this" it looks to me like something like that would work if it were 120 volts so I was asking people that know if there is something like that.


I'll speak slowly, it's for DC.

You can't put a meter on a wire and check if it has "15 amps" you have to wire an ampmeter in series with the load and see how many amps it is drawing.

But as was previously mentioned multiple times what you are concerned with is the voltage drop due to the increased resistance of long cords...so but the fvcking device I listed.


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Inner10 said:


> I'll speak slowly, it's for DC.
> 
> You can't put a meter on a wire and check if it has "15 amps" you have to wire an ampmeter in series with the load and see how many amps it is drawing.
> 
> But as was previously mentioned multiple times what you are concerned with is the voltage drop due to the increased resistance of long cords...so but the fvcking device I listed.


:laughing: Yeah, the one you posted is probably the closest thing to get what he's looking for. Although they don't specify the load inside that meter which would make me skeptical, the load in the meter would have to be close to whatever it is you're running to be accurate.


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## Juliet (Jun 23, 2012)

I don't believe you.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Juliet said:


> I don't believe you.


Don't believe who?

There is no such thing as a meter you can plug in and tell you how many amps are available.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)




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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Inner10 said:


>


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

480sparky said:


>


Next time I'll preview it first. :laughing:


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Don't believe who?
> 
> There is no such thing as a meter you can plug in and tell you how many amps are available.


You mean you cant do what any 12yr old does and put the terminals on your tongue to check for voltage and amperage? :whistling


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Mr. D said:


> move the generator closer. ditch the hundred footers and switch to 50's & 25's


X2, probably the best solution if your unsure of the voltage at the end of you cords.


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

480sparky said:


> There is no such thing as a meter you can plug in and tell you how many amps are available.


To be fair, there is such a thing as a dummy load setup. Though that consists of more than just a meter.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Tinstaafl said:


> To be fair, there is such a thing as a dummy load setup. Though that consists of more than just a meter.


Yup, meter and hair dryer...


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