Hi, we have a small Honda em2200 generator. The in-laws gave it to us because they never used it. Two winters ago we had an extended power outage and attempted to use it. First we spent an entire day trying to figure out why it wouldn't start (had to clean out a minuscule air hole with an equally minuscule piece of wire (twist tie). Anyway, we got it going, plugged the orange extension cord we use for the leaf blower into it and discovered that the cord got hot. I've asked at Sears and Lowe's and from the looks they give me, I guess no one else has ever asked this question. We don't want one of those super generator cords that you plug into your breaker box, just one that won't get hot if we have another ice storm and we want to turn on a lamp or a space heater.

What size cord did you plug into it? One of those dinky extension cords you typically use indoors that is brown and looks about as thick as a power cord on a lamp?

Was the cord strectched out or wrap around itself .

Well it is a 50 ft grounded extension cord that is for outside use. It is stamped "Jason" but I can't find that manufacturer on the internet. I thought perhaps someone else who has a small generator could tell me what the specs are on the cord they use.

What we are getting at is what gauge wire is in the cord, was it damaged in any way, etc. If you are using an inductive load such as an electric motor you want a larger gauge than if the load is lighting etc.. 50 feet really is a pretty long cord. Cheaper ones might use 14 gauge or smaller wire in them when in fact longer cords need a larger gauge wire in them (smaller numbers). When 10 or 12 gauge is really needed.

maine15:contact me for information at [email protected]