Is a special cord required? I have an electric lawn mower and I connect it to one of those 100 - foot orange regular extension cords. Will this also work with the snow thrower or do I need a special type? Thanks to anyone who can help and I hope I get an answer before the snow comes! Is a special cord required? I have an electric lawn mower and I connect it to one of those 100 - foot orange regular extension cords. Will this also work with the snow thrower or do I need a... » Read More Is a special cord required? I have an electric lawn mower and I connect it to one of those 100 - foot orange regular extension cords. Will this also work with the snow thrower or do I need a special type? Thanks to anyone who can help and I hope I get an answer before the snow comes! « Show Less
854599
I also use the standard orange cord. Works well. They do make a cold weather cord that is blue in color. Say it is much more flexible than the orange (also more expensive)
854600
I have this electric snow thrower and use a heavier gauge cord. I can't recall if this was recommended in the owner's manual or by the salesperson at Home Depot. Kind of a pain because the thick cord was stiff and not very flexible to maneuver in the cold weather, though the cords seemed to have loosened up with use. Snow thrower does pretty good some of clearing snow.
854601
I would base your decision on the length of the drive. If less than 50 feet, a 14/3 guage outside cord will be perfect. If more than that a 12/3 gauge is recommended. The lower the the number, the more current it can carry. The motor is rated at 12 amp. I would also recommend purchasing a new outside cord. Remember, you are using electricity out in the snow. Be safe. Here is another reference if desired: http://www.ehow.com/how_5236098_choose-extension-cord-power-tool.html
854602
I just received the Toro 1800 and purchased Coleman 14/3 100 ft cord with it. The cord fits just fine as the space around the socket is quite generous. I now realized however that the manual suggests a 16 guage cord up to 100 feet. Plus only two conductors are needed (two prong plug). Not sure if the generic 16/2's will stay flexible in the cold though. They sure are less expensive.
854603
The main thing is to get a high-quality cord so it will stay flexible in the cold. I have a very stiff cord that's orange and black that is difficult in the snow, or an orange one that is quite soft/flexible, which makes a HUGE difference. Spring for a really good cord and you'll find it easy to flip out of the way, instead of having it constantly wrestling with you.
854604
Your best bet is a 16 guage heavy duty cord. Now depending on the lenght of the cord, the manual may recommend a 14 guage. These cords btw, come in different colors.
1600459
Your local hardware store will have the orange extension cords most everyone uses. Some will argue that you need to get a certain gauge/thickness of cord but I have used an electric lawn mower for decades and have never had an issue using the least expensive orange cord. If you have "thick" grass and plan to mow it while it's wet then you would want to spend the extra money and get the heavier gauge cord. The orange cords are available in various lengths up to 100' so be sure to measure the furthest distance that you will be mowing from your outlets. I find the best way to estimate the distance is to walk from point A to point B and count 2 feet for every step. You could measure your stride if you want a more accurate measurement.
324916
This is corded, no charge required. Since this is only 10 amps, you can use a light duty (16 gauge) orange extension cord up to 100 feet. Over that and you need to go to a lower (heavy duty) gauge cord. The more powerful models occasionally go on sale, so it may be better to pick one of those up instead, depending on your needs and prices.
1705587
The cord on the mower is roughly about a foot long. It is only for connecting to a power cord. I use one of those 75 ft orange power cords.
646289
I used a regular outdoor extension cord and it works fine. Did you try the bowl and the cord seperately to make sure they work? Remember it only keeps the water from freezing. It does NOT warm it up..
1444080
No... I have a 100 ft cord which I bought with the snow blower and have had no issues
2207326
No. It has a short cord at the handle and you need a long outdoor extension cord. I purchased the Extreme Weather Cord on the Amazon site.
326268
You will want to purchase a 12 gauge chord for this blower that can handle the amps. Amazon sells them. Search for US Wire 74100 12/3 heavy duty 100ft yellow extension chord. That's the one I use with my snow joe.
1848451
The mower's connection is 2 prong FEMALE, so any 2 or 3 prong connection will work. What's more important is the gauge of the extension cord. I have a 14 gauge 100ft extension cord. For a 50, 75 and 100ft cord, 14 gauge is recommended. For 150ft, you'll need a 12 gauge cord. http://www.homedepot.com/c/factors_to_consider_when_choosing_extension_cords_HT_BG_EL
855938
As several people have stated, it dosn't come with a cord. You must buy a separate outdoor extension cord long enogh for your use. One person stated he used a 100 ft 10 amp cord. I hope he ment a 10 gage cord. I wouldn't recomend running a 13 amp motor on a cord rated for 10 amps. I use a 100 ft 14 gage cord. 14 gage wire is rated for 15 amps, 12 gage for 20 amps and 10 gage for 30 amps. I find the mower runs on the 14 gage without heating the wire at all. If the wire gets hot, you are using to small of a wire. Go to a smaller gage number to carry more amps.
1429731
You're way over thinking this just find an outdoor rated cord. If you want longer than 50ft get a 12 gauge cord and less than 50 ft get a 14 gauge cord. If your really concerned this cord is marked SJTW in the description and that means its a hard service weather resistant cord. If your getting a cord for a lawn mower I would recomend that brightest color jacket you can find... helps in avoiding running it over
1839456
I am using a heavy gauge wire( 12 gauge ) It is heavy, but it ill supply sufficient electricity to the mower and the motor will not burn out. There are a few manufacturers listed on the Amazon site. I am personally using the cords manufactured by " US Wire and Cable" BUT that is strictly my preference since I am also using those same cords for my snow blower. Hope this helps
714154
I used a 100 ft heavy cord..............but frankly the mower sucks. It's very light weight, doesn't cut well and unless you have very flat ground and grass that isn't thick you're wasting your money. I sent mine back within two days of trying it.
1316226
I belive in the instructions somewhere there is a statement about not using an extention cord. I would need to check. Since I also bought the cart, I just roll it over to the outdoor outlet. I could use the heaviest outdoor cord.
2058390
O have an outlet box close to where I use the heater so I don't use any extension cord, however, you should be able to use a outdoor extension cord. I would also use a cord lock cover to protect the connection from rain or snow.
841739
Do not use a 10 amp extension cord -- the engine will have to work much harder and hotter with only a 10 amp rated cord and so will wear out faster due to the drop in voltage by the added resistance of the cord. It will also void your warranty and could be dangerous to your house circuit. Using two cords together is also a BAD idea. You want a single 100 ft extension cord that is rated for at least 12 amps. see: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/kind-extension-cord-electric-lawn-mower-97517.html
2209417
You'll have to have an appropriate extension cord, that is not included in the purchase of this item. Do not use in home type of extension cords. This is a good blower with variable speeds.