how to coil an extension cord

Guys if you have cords without "memory" lay them out in the sun (uncoiled of course) and preferably on the driveway where it will heat up. Then coil it up (over/under) and put a cord wrap/velcro strap on it and you'll be all set. Within a day or so it will retain its cord memory and be all that much easier to coil from that point forward.

ScottH
 
I mainly use a retractable ($25-$40) that I have connected to the center of my ceiling with clips on the right and left to keep it off the vehicles. Works great. When I use a regular one I hold it in my left hand, I then use an old white athletic sock (I keep a stack in my cabinet for various uses) on my right hand to pull it in and go from right to left making small loops without twisting the cord. The sock helps wipe grime off it as I coil it.
 
VISITOR said:
seems like we all roll/coil up are extension cords one way or another, but this way seems to help prevent problems that you will encounter later...
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Very important video. Thanks for sharing this video.
 
But doesn't temperature affect coiling/wrapping? Absolutely, there's a big difference between wrapping a cord that's warmed up in a heated area and one that sits in a cold garage, no?
 
Absolutely agree, Steve. Electrical cords, like my water hoses, behave differently with temperature and they are tougher to deal with when colder. I let my cords (and hoses) "find" the way they want to be wrapped or coiled. the way i do that is to extend the chord at arm's length and then coil it up the way it wants to coil. When you do that you can see which way it wants to "twist" and wrap it in that direction.

I also "detwist" my cords as i work a few times during the job.

Some GREAT ideas in this thread for a problem i hate...twisted up cords!
 
Over Under method....did it for 12 yrs on the same com chord and never got twisted
 
I will have to give the over under technique a try....
 
I think in the bucket method there is a great possibility for the bucket to fall down when the extension cord is pulled. But all the methods are good..
 
Over / under method for me. Easy and foolproof. Never have an issue or tangle.
 
Dtcjem said:
Over / under method for me. Easy and foolproof. Never have an issue or tangle.
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^^ this. The type of cord is important too. The typical orange and green ones are more of a PIA over time, especially in cooler temps. I have a couple 15ft-25ft ones I use for my leaf blower when drying and I'm not sure what brand they are but they are super flexible and don't "kink" or have a memory like many others. Over and Under gathering it up in my left hand and wrapping it with my right works like a charm.
 
I tried the orange cord rollers and just like they said in that video, they just roll too tight at the bottom, no good.
Used to do the old arm wrap but again, just like they say, makes it a hot mess to unwind.

I have a 100ft cord from the old electric weed eater that I learned to daisy chain on, and for that it works great.
Shorter cords it defiantly works but it isn't as handy.

I really have to get better at the over/under roll.
 
I have started using this and works for me.
 
Capn Blackie said:
I really have to get better at the over/under roll.
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there's a few different ways to do the same thing, just need to find a way that makes it easier for you. here's another way of doing it as well...
 
:bump: extension cords are just as important as the tools we use with them, so avoiding any sort of
(licorice) twist from the start will extend more life to them...
 
I don't think I could get used to that over under method. And don't ya just love it when a person leaves out important information such as how he said to tie it once you're done, but didn't even take a moment to show how to tie it...

It's probably just me though, I'm the type of person that needs the directions to be complete when I happen to be following them... Leave them unfinished and I'm very bad at completing them sometimes. Same thing with typos, they tend to confuse the heck out of me and I have a hard time figuring out what people meant to say if their post is full of typos.

I'll stick to the knot method that's been working for me. Plus it rolls up the cord twice as fast and ties itself.
 
Ive never looked forward to going to roll up an extension cord before...thanks! Gonna try this today.
 
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