Cheater Cord

[ptemko]

Anyone make up a cheater cord for when they are working on equipment that has no available 120volt outlet around to power trouble light or other equipment needed.
I was in a basement the other day walking around with my flashlight with my trouble light looking for a outlet and there was not one anywhere to be found. So I was think about building something I could plug onto the circuit board of the furnace to get the 120volts needed to power my trouble light.

[tarheel_tech]

Mine is a yellow jacket one I got from a local parts house when I first started as a tech.I have made a longer one out of a old extension cord.I got the heavy duty clips from graingers.

[James3703]

I made one by using the female end of a rigid extension cord that lights up when 120v applied, lowes sells large alligator clips in sets of 2 that you can solder onto the wires (or crimp on if you like). then you can buy a female repair thing for the extension cord, or use a junction box with plug. works nicely.

[yellowirenut]

a must have for working on any equipment on the roof...even though its now code i can never find an outlet

[Texas-Tech]

You can buy them at parts houses which include a fuse for protection, but be careful where and how you connect them.

[raidersfan7]

how do u connect themmmmmmmmm ? :)

[Amechanical]

they come in real handy, just be careful...:eek:

[4x4freak]

I used to have one that I made out of a cheap 25' extension cord. It worked great, most of the time it was long enough to not need any other cord. I lost it a while back, need to make another one.

[mike robinson]

I have one I use I made out of extension cord works great be carefull of the good old wild leg sure makes vac. pump run fast for about 5 seconds.

[papa_jo]

I have one I use I made out of extension cord works great be carefull of the good old wild leg sure makes vac. pump run fast for about 5 seconds.

lol yep done that myself several yrs ago -- it will smoke

[Profiler]

IVE GOT THE YJ ONE. PICKED IT UP AT THE SUPPLY HOUSE FOR $18. damn capslock!

[jpsmith1cm]

how do u connect themmmmmmmmm ? :)

If you can't figure it out, then you probably shouldn't be using one.

Not knocking you or anything, but....

[Profiler]

If you can't figure it out, then you probably shouldn't be using one.

Not knocking you or anything, but....


AGREED

[jpsmith1cm]

They call them "widow-makers" for a reason.

[ptemko]

Well I made up a small cord today for working on residential furnaces. I figure I can use the EAC spades on the circuit board to get my 120 volts needed to run my trouble light and mini shop vac when needed. Just have to remember to plug the EAC back in when done.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7136/img00054.jpg

[beachtech]

have several that i have made. i usually use 12ga wire and alligator clips as well :) the y/j set up is too short IMO thats the only reason why i make my own :) my latest version is one with the three plug end on it, and i put in one of those gfci's :)

[monkeyman#1]

If you are going to make/use one of these be sure to incorporate a GFI. Your safety comes first!!!:)

[Twilly]

Well I made up a small cord today for working on residential furnaces. I figure I can use the EAC spades on the circuit board to get my 120 volts needed to run my trouble light and mini shop vac when needed. Just have to remember to plug the EAC back in when done.
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/7136/img00054.jpg


Hey thats Twilli's invention

[shaygetz]

Showed my assistant how to connect one....fired up my shop-vac and had the most amazing .05 second display of horsepower one could have until the motor spit out the magic blue smoke...sigh... Needless to say, to this day I hook them up. I also wire tied a 2" spring clamp to mine to clamp it onto the box I tap from to keep it from pulling out on me.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p96/1shaygetz/blogger/the_chair.gif

[ptemko]

Hey thats Twilli's invention
I know I found it in your invention book. I modeled it after yours.:D

[Armament]

Alot of stuff I work on is 208/600 single/3 phase. Neat idea though.

[mgould2]

Yes, but our new pumps have a switch on the back that changes the voltage.
We have also used 230 volt drop lights. Now if they only make those recovery machines that way.

[Engineman1]

Seems like even when they put the outlets on the roof at the units that they never have power to them and it ain't worth the time to chase down the breaker.
Anyone use one of those pigtails with the light that lights up real bright when you hook it up to 240V?
What do guys do for 120 on the 440V units?

[raidersfan7]

where is 440v power at man in texasssssssssss?

[hearthman]

Well, first of all, I would inform the client code requires a 110vac ground fault protected outlet within 15 feet of the equipment for your service. If it is not provided, then they can contract with you or an electrician to provide it.

Until proper power is available, you can carry a fluorescent flashlight powered by your screwgun battery. My 18v DW is awesome.

If you are going to be there for awhile, just bring in a HD extension cord for your drop light. BTW, I recommend the Stubby flurorescent light. These are tough as nails, come with dual hanger hooks, optional magnets, which are a must, and have a convenient tool tap 4ft from the light and a 15ft cord.

I highly recommend against tapping into any appliance circuit. For one, you probably won't have a great ground to protect you. Also, you need to be able to kill the power to the appliance instead of working on hot circuits. If you kill the power, you would lose your light source. Not a safe way to work.

Just my tuppence,
Hearthman

[yellowirenut]

the 15ft code may be for residential...good luck getting a Property manager that owns 20+ strip malls and countless stand alone retail outlets to put a plug within 15 ft of every rooftop. Now on a building being built that is a different story. The plugs i find are usual full of bees, ice, or broken. U tap into the disconnect of the nearby unit so you are not shutting your own power off..Those cords are a must for your reclaimer and vacuum pump.

[skwsproul]

Take your cheater cord, a hard start kit, a multi cap and a couple switches and you got a good hermetic jump start/testing kit.

[James3703]

Seems like even when they put the outlets on the roof at the units that they never have power to them and it ain't worth the time to chase down the breaker.
Anyone use one of those pigtails with the light that lights up real bright when you hook it up to 240V?
What do guys do for 120 on the 440V units?

sometimes when you cant get 120v from the unit you can find it on an exhaust fan on the roof.

[Poodle Head Mikey]

I always have six or ten on my tool pounch strap anyway. I use two of them to hook up the extension cord prongs to the power whereever I can find it.

I have two cheater cords - but I haven't used them for many years.

After burning up that GE H-10 in about 1987 - I ALWAYS check to make sure that I have 120 between the one leg and ground. I highly recommend that you do the same.

[brooklyntech]

Carefull when u use ur jumper to get 120 volts off of board. I found out the hard way, that if u over amp the circuit (usually 5 amp auto fuse in Trane units) & u dont have a spare--turns into extra 1-2 hour service call by the time u to go to nearest supply house or autozone to get other fuses. As far as using a cheater with 440 volts-- swipe out of old units or truck stock a 440/115 step down transformer. Usually does the trick. Oh by the way- in my company if u get caught using cheaters it can lead to termination- i say balls to that- im old school- becareful out there.

[James3703]

I thought it was now okay to use a cheater cord as long as you had 2 grounds.

[Pascone10]

I thought it was now okay to use a cheater cord as long as you had 2 grounds.

2 grounds??? To where?:confused:

[TCreacy]

2 grounds??? To where?:confused:

To the ground of course.....:D

Got my orginal suicide cord at Johnstone/Airtrol for like $8. Hooked it up on a 440/480 Vacuum pump started running Like crazy....Told my helper its so we can get done quicker.

[madhat]

For Mall work I had a step down transformer that I could go from 460/230 to 120, it had a switch to go back and forth betwen the two voltges, BTW both sides were hot to ground, leg to leg was 120 vac. Legal, probably not. One day a helper was wondering what the switch was for and gave it a flip, we had 4th of July early. :eek: :D