How-To: Rotary Cord Extension

**justin_murphy** · 03-16-2007, 01:38 PM

How-To:
Rotary or PC Cord Extension

Tools needed:

Rotary or PC
25 foot extension cord
3/8" Heat Shrink Tubing
(2)16-18AWG Crimp aka Butt Connectors
Crimpers
Wire Strippers
Heat Gun
(Hair Dryer will work but will take longer.)

The Process:
As I'm getting ready to really start learning my Chicago Tools rotary (awesome machine for 30.00!), I really didn't like the fact of a 5 foot cord. So, since it was raining today, off to Lowes I went to gather my supplies.

First, here's a look at the goods.

You want to cut off the male end of the rotary's cord and also cut off the female end of the extension cord. Then you want to expose about a 1/4 of an inch of the inside wiring of the white and black wires. Ignore the green wire on the extension cord.....this is for a ground and the rotary has a floating ground.

Next, just match up the colors and crimp away. Make sure you slide the heat shrink tubing over one of the cords first.

Slide the tubing over the crimped wires like this.

Break out the heat gun or hair dryer. Careful, this thing gets hot!

After heating (will not take long) the tubing constricts over the mended wires and crimps. This makes for a water tight seal too. The tension is also now exerted on the tubing and not the crimps if pulled upon.

All done! 30 feet of "non'cussin' if my cord come out" length!

Thanks to all!

justin30513

**Russecu** · 03-16-2007, 01:49 PM

Thats Niiiice!! Were those items samples from Lowes? lol jk Great idea

**HighEndDetail** · 03-16-2007, 01:50 PM

sweet

**Whitethunder46** · 03-16-2007, 01:51 PM

Cool man!!! Good idea. I'm glad on I got the HD version of my PC though!

**HighEndDetail** · 03-16-2007, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Russecu

Thats Niiiice!! Were those items samples from Lowes? lol jk Great idea

**Al-53** · 03-16-2007, 05:00 PM

Justin..a little hint...paint the connectors with non conductive silicone grease and then heat shrink them....safe way of doing it when used in wet conditions...also stops any corrosion ..I use to put in well pumps for artesian wells and when we did slices we that were going to be submerged or wet we used silicone on the butt connectors...saves from getting a zap also...

Nice right up also...

Al

**BILL** · 03-16-2007, 05:49 PM

Wish i had seen this before buying a 25 ft extension cord

**justin_murphy** · 03-16-2007, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by BILL

Wish i had seen this before buying a 25 ft extension cord

Well now you know what to do with that cord!

By the way, my PC has been modded like this for over 5 months now with no probs or shocks!

**Nica** · 03-16-2007, 07:55 PM

Very nice, as always very nice write up and love the pictures.

really good idea and simple too.

**Stittville Ed** · 03-16-2007, 07:56 PM

Justin, I'm looking for the UL Lable

If you stager the butt splices so the are not on top of each other you will get a longer but smaller in diameter splice, if you think that would help.

For the shrink tube if you go to a Electrical supply house get the good T&B shrink tube. It will have a sealer inside of it that will seal out the water.
I will look and see if I have any of it left over and get it to you if I do.

I think you should look into a GFI for your cord with all the water you are standing on time to time.

Of course all of this will all be in your book