Coleman Cable 02589 12/3 100-Foot Vinyl Outdoor Extension Cord, Yellow

I bought this to go along with my electric lawn mower. I bought 12-gauge to make sure it delivered strong, steady power, but I'm second guessing the need given how heavy it is. This gauge in 100-foot length is weighty and takes some room. I was finally able to put it on a cord reel and it barely fit one designed for 125 feet of 14-gauge.

The casing doesn't seem as durable as other cords I've worked with. The vinyl scuffed up roughly very easily on the first use. The plug ends are big and bulky, barely fits into the recess on the mower, and may not fit items that do not have a flat access. so BEWARE! I don't see the lighted feature as more than just a sales gimmick.

I wish I could return it for a 14 gauge, but I'll keep it. Amazon packed it badly and the flimsy box was destroyed when it arrived. I'm just saying make sure you really need this length and gauge before purchasing.

This product is not worth the price. It actually is worse than my old and much lighter 100' cord. I am not sure of the size but it weighs substantially less than the Coleman - it is 20+ years old. I wanted to use this for my air compressor. While the smaller wire will run it the Coleman will not - so I spent more money for the larger wire and the extra weight to haul around and it will not do the job. Bummer. I should return it but after paying the freight and all the hassle it is not worth it. Probably will not be buying Coleman products for a while.

The reason to buy a thicker, more expensive cord is to make sure your tools get a steady stream of electricity and do not overheat, shortening their life span.

You can calculate it yourself using this link

http://www.electrician2.com/calculators/vd_calculator_initial.html

the longer (or thinner) your cord, the more your voltage drops along the way. I think 5% is the most Voltage you should allow a circuit to drop.

With a 15 Amp tool, at 120 Volts and 100' of extension cord at 12 AWG, the Voltage drops 4.9%, which just falls under recommended limit. (I'm assuming it's a copper cable)

I'm not an electrician, but it seems like this cord will do the trick if you need an extra 50' of length, but consult your product manual if you have any doubts.

This is a good quality electrical cord. I suggest buying a reel to wind up this long beast. You don't want to fight tangles with this guy.

I needed this for my new electric mower. A 14 or 16 gage is not rated to carry enough current for the job. Walmart is $65, so if you get free shipping, it's worth it. Also, this cord has lighted ends so you know if it is plugged in and working.