I noticed in the manual it says not to use an extension chord for charging. If you use a quality chord of the proper gauge is it possible to extend the distance of the charging cable? thanks
absolutely. lots of people do. the manual is just cya for the attorneys. just make sure you use the correct gauge for the distance you're running. 14 ga = 25', 12 ga = 50', 10 ga = 100'. or something in the ball park. you can search old threads to see what folks are doing. all the best!
I've been using a 25 ft 12 gauge extension cord I got at Home Depot every day for seven months. No problems, no heating of cord(s). Works fine.
I leave it in my garage. Three are still free Level-2 Blink chargers in the local área until 1 Jan 2013. HTCEVOV4G ? 2
Mine stays running along the driveway most of the time. I have a trash bag that I keep in the car to wrap around the extension cord end when I put it back in the planter, just as a precaution. I was putting the cord away every morning but its a pain, and I get dirt and grime on my arms which isn't ideal if I am heading to a job.
I use a 25ft 12 gauge with no problems. Use 12 gauge, not 14, and don't buy one any longer than you need. There will be more loss with longer cords.
I wired an outlet for my charger... Understand that it's nothing more than insulated copper wire of the proper thickness. If you use an appropriate extension cord, it's electrically no different than running a new outlet. I'm amazed at all the FUD around doing something that's no different than plugging in an electric lawn mower or power saw. It's just plain old electricity, just with lots of lawyers. Of course you need a very thick extension cord, not a lamp cord. Same thing with a power saw.
Unless I back the car into the driveway, I use a heavy extension cord. I also throw it into the car, along with the charger in case I can get access to the 110 socket in the back of the place where I work.
