Warm Extension Cord. Is this normal?

There is 2 X 600 Watt lights with digital ballasts. And a 6" inline fan.
The lights and the 6" fan are running on a 50-Foot, 14-guage, 15-Amp MAX Extension Cord, into a 15 Amp timer.

The total of the lights and fan is 1,350 Watts... and 11.25 Amps.

The Lights have been on for almost 18 hours and about to be shut off... The Extension cord, and Timer is a little warm, not hot. Warm like if you went jogging for 15 min, then felt your skin.

Is this normal, or Should I be worried?
Do I really need a 12 guage Cord?
Will BatMan Escape the wrath of the Penguin...

you should be fine

Do you have the cord extended or is it rolled up? If you have it rolled up it will get hotter. With all of that on there I would have the shortest extension possible and a 8 guage if you can offord it, cause if you continually keep the wires warm it will degrade the jacket of the wire over time and you could have a fire hazard! If at all possible best to have the wires cool or room temperature. Hope this helps

Your problem is coming from the length of the cord and the 11+ amps your drawing. If it's just warm don't worry.

HappySack said:

Your problem is coming from the length of the cord and the 11+ amps your drawing. If it's just warm don't worry.

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Id go buy a new 12 gauge just to be safe. Especially if the cord youre using now is old and worn.

Get a 12 AWG cord, and run your lights thru a surge strip to prevent spikes in your power supply. 11.25 amps? You should only use 80% of a given circuits amperage rating. So if the outlet you are plugged into is only 15 amps and not 20 amps you are over the limit. Try to find an outlet on a circuit w/ nothing else plugged into it. Some circuits have up to 8 outlets on them depending on thier location. Since all outlets aren't used at the same time the circuit won't trip. Don't take chances w/ fire or having the circuit trip and your lights go out in the middle of thier photoperiod. That would suck.

You could also run another circuit. Called a dedicated circuit. I would recommend a 20 amp circuit. With which you would be safe and happy. It is really not hard.

I agree with Tyrannabudz. Use a strip and a 12 gauge cord. The shorter the cord the better it works too. You can custom make a cord that way you dont have all the excess