Homemade yard extension cord from a coil from a welding wire. How to make an extension cord on a spool Homemade spool for wire

Reading time ≈ 4 minutes

A do-it-yourself universal reel for an extension cord is a fairly necessary attribute in any garage or household. With the help of a rotating drum, you can increase the functionality and usability of the portable cable. A coil made from a minimum set of materials will protect the wire from damage, which has a positive effect on durability and reliability of operation.

Key steps for manufacturing and assembling a reel for an extension cord

1. Making a sleeve for a drum. A universal homemade reel for an extension cord will rotate. Therefore, it is important to make a reliable sleeve with locking washers. To do this, you need to take a pipe with a cross section of 20 and 25 mm. The material is cut to the width of the drum, taking into account the installation of the fixing bolt. In this case, the tubular element with a cross section of 20 mm must be cut with a margin of at least 5 mm in width. The smaller pipe diameter must be freely inserted inside. Bushings machined from steel 2-4 mm thick are installed on the sides of the axle. The movable element is fixed with an M8 or M10 bolt.

2. Support for the coil from a profiled pipe. In the instructions in the photo, where it is indicated how to make a coil for an extension cord, there is a structurally important element - a U-shaped rack. This part can be made from sections of a profiled pipe 20x20 mm and 20x40 mm. Initially, it is important to determine the dimensions of the structure, taking into account the dimensions of the rotating drum. A pipe 20x20 mm is cut according to the required parameters and welded together in the shape of the letter P. The central part is marked in the center. After that, a pipe 20x40 mm is vertically welded.

Important: The 20x40 mm pipe must be welded as evenly as possible so that in the future there will be no difficulties with the rotation of the drum. To do this, it is recommended to use a square or building level.

3. Mounting the axis for the drum on the rack. The axle must be welded to a 20x40 mm pipe. First you need to note the position of the drum in height. A round pipe 20 mm is welded to the profiled electrode welding. You will also need a thrust washer, which will act as a retainer for the drum. If necessary, the washer can be welded to the profile.

4. Handles for reel and carrier frame. Handles are necessary for the convenience of using the reel. Handles from a grinder or drill are suitable as the main elements. The large handle must be fixed to the top of the 20x40 mm profile with a nut. The small one should be located on the coil itself. The handle for rotating the drum can be made from a bolt or stud. Also suitable for a handle with a roller. In such a case, smoother operation of the rotating mechanism can be obtained.

5. Installation of sockets on the coil. Before reading how to make a reel for an extension cord with your own hands, you need to purchase all the components for assembling the product. For normal operation of the device, panel sockets must be purchased. This type of socket is quite convenient and most suitable for installation. Mounting options are shown in the photo below. For reliability, the sockets can be fixed on self-tapping screws with a hat. Fasteners of sockets are selected individually, taking into account the width of the plastic drum.

6. Installing the drum on the axle. After mounting the sockets and the handle, the coil must be fixed on the axis. To do this, a drum with a sleeve is put on a 20 mm pipe. The outer part of the axle is fixed with a bolt or nut, depending on the type of design chosen. The tightening of the locking mechanism should be carried out taking into account the free rotation of the drum. After tightening, the coil should not jam.

7. Winding the electrical cable on the coil. For the intended use of the product, you will need to wind the cable. Almost any wire with a core cross section of 1.5-2.5 mm2 will do. Winding must be carried out taking into account the mechanism for fixing the cable. At the end of the wire, there must be a plug for switching on, and the installed sockets must be connected in series. The number of sockets depends on the overall dimensions of the drum.

Important: For safety reasons, all contacts should be isolated.

There are situations when the extension cord is short, and the subject of connection is further than the length of the extension cord. Of course, you can take another one to connect them and connect electronic equipment. And if there is no other extension cord and socket nearby, but there is lighting (an electric incandescent lamp socket), then you can be smart. Do-it-yourself extension cord ideas arise.

How to connect an extension cord to the network using a lamp

So, we need pliers, insulating tape, a lamp, wire cutters and the extension cord itself. We take the lamp, carefully break the glass, remove the glass burrs from the threaded part of the lamp with pliers. We leave the central glass rod, then we bite off the central antennae with wire cutters, leave the side electrodes.

We take an extension plug, one electrode and tightly wrap several turns on the plug pin and isolate it with insulating tape. Moreover, the glass rod should be between the pins of the plug in the middle.

We do the same with the second electrode and part of the plug, then we wrap the entire connection with tape for elasticity and insulation. We screw our knot into the cartridge, turn on the switch and the extension cord under voltage.

Do-it-yourself extension cord

Often, when choosing an extension cord, the question arises: which one is better, and whether it can withstand a large load, well, it seems to be of good quality, but a short cord. In order for the extension cord to be to your liking, in terms of quality, the number of places in the socket block and the length suits you, it is preferable to make it yourself. It's not hard.

Before you start making an extension cord yourself, you need to purchase a cable, an electrical plug and an outlet block. As for the choice of cable: it is necessary to take into account the length and load for it.

Basically, those who make extension cords with their own hands use a cable for large loads from 3 to 5 kilowatts. The most optimal soft two-wire copper cable made from a lot of wire copper is P V C, the cross section of which is 2-2.3 mm.

Let's turn to the instructions on how to make an extension cord yourself.

• It is necessary to remove the top layer of cable insulation 5-7 centimeters, then strip the wires 1-1.5 centimeters.
• Then we disassemble the plug by unscrewing the screw, loosen the fixing clamp in the plug with the screw.
• We connect the wires to the plug contacts and clamp them with screws, fix the cable with a clamp and assemble the plug.
• Let's disassemble the socket block and connect the wires to the contact plates, just like on the plug. Then we assemble the block.

It is not at all difficult to make an extension cord yourself, it will cost you many times cheaper than buying it in a store.

Reel extension

Consider another way how to make an extension cord on a reel yourself.

We will need a cable, the length of your choice, a socket block, a plug, two washers, an 8 mm bolt 16 cm long and a nut, an electric jigsaw, a screwdriver with a 8 mm drill and a reel.

First, let's make a coil. We cut out with a jigsaw two pancakes perfectly even, the diameter of which is 25 - 30 centimeters. The material is suitable - plywood, chipboard. Next, in the pancakes, we drill a hole exactly in the middle, cut off exactly a polyethylene pipe 13 cm long with a diameter of 5 cm.

Then, we put a washer on the bolt, the bolt itself with a washer, push it into the hole in the pancake, then we put on the pipe, then the second pancake, washer, nut and tighten them together.

The polyethylene pipe serves as a sleeve between the pancakes. As you tighten, the sleeve must be centered. We drill another hole on the pancake from the edge 3 cm to the center. On one side of the cable we connect the socket block. We push the other end of the cable from the outside inward until the socket block rests against the coil, we fasten the socket with self-tapping screws. We connect the plug to the cord. And we wind the cord on the sleeve. The extension cord with the coil is ready.

Extension connection at break or extension

With long-term use of an extension cord, sometimes the cable closes due to kinks, blows once applied to the cord, etc. Maybe they wanted to increase the length of the extension cord. Consider how to connect the extension cord with your own hands.

First, unplug the power cord. If the cable is shorted, it will be immediately visible, cut off on both sides from the epicenter of the circuit 10 cm, wipe off the soot. We remove the upper insulating sheath of the cable 5 cm, clean the wires 1.5 cm on both sides.

We twist two bare wires together as tightly as possible, preferably without gaps for good contact, this will prevent the connection from heating up under load. We isolate the twist with insulating tape, and do the same with other wires, be sure to wrap both twists with insulating tape, for twisting elasticity and strength.

Some prefer soldering wires, this method is better than twisting. The soldering of wires and insulation is carried out in the same way. When extending the cable, the same work is done

What can you make an extension cord at home

If there is no purchased cable, then from what can you make an extension cord at home. Some far-sighted people, in the event of a breakdown of any electrical appliance that go only for scrap, for example: a vacuum cleaner, a drill, a refrigerator, an electric furnace, etc., cut off the cords and leave them as they come in handy.

And indeed, from several shreds of cords of different lengths, you can assemble a good extension cord. The old wiring will also fit after replacement.

When connecting, step-by-step assembly of extension cords and instructions for assembling extension cords will help. Of course, this option is a way out for urgent need, but not for permanent operation, in order to avoid fire safety.

Do-it-yourself photo of extension cords

Almost every builder or repairman who uses carriers every day is familiar with such a phenomenon as the appearance of knots on the cable. With them, in general, it turns out directly mysticism - one end is plugged into an outlet, a puncher is connected to the other. Despite the removal of these two ends from each other, knots almost always appear on the carrier in an interesting way - it is impossible to fight this phenomenon. They are absent only in the case of using an extension cord on a reel - this will be discussed in this article, in which, together with the site site, we will deal with the issues of choosing and independently manufacturing such a beautiful and convenient thing as an extension cord on a reel.

Extension cords on a metal reel photo

Extension cord on a reel: how to choose and distinguishing features

By and large, there is nothing to choose on the coil - this product has no varieties at all, and they can differ from each other only by three indicators.

Alternatively, the manufacturer can also be added to this list, but this will not be entirely correct. Nevertheless, paying attention to who made the extension cord on the reel is not only possible, but also necessary - it is from this moment that the quality of the product primarily depends.

Electric extension cord on a reel: advantages and disadvantages

Probably, I started from the wrong place - first it was necessary to deal with the advantages and disadvantages, and then move on to the choice. Well, okay, as they say, better late than never, and everything is known in comparison - of course, we will compare with carrying without a reel. What will we evaluate? Features and ease of use.

In general, an extension cord on a reel is convenient only in one case - when it plays the role of a stationary connection point for other carriers. Well, even when not quite mobile equipment is connected with their help - for example, or. This is if we talk about construction - if you choose such a carrier for home and for giving, then it will be convenient in any case.

Extension cord on a reel with grounding: how to do it yourself

The main problem in the manufacture of such products with their own hands, oddly enough, is not the drum, but the frame on which it is installed. Let's just say that you can't bend it from wire, and not every person knows how to cook or know how. It is for this reason that the issue of self-manufacturing a carrier on a reel needs to be addressed from the ground up - solve it, everything else will not seem too complicated for you. As a hint, I can throw a couple of ideas.

The next carrying element on the reel is the reel. An elementary version of its manufacture is the use of a polypropylene pipe and plywood. If we represent this process in stages, then it will have the following form.

1. We take a piece of pipe (32 or 40 mm in diameter) of the required length and solder the couplings on both sides.
2. Further, again, on both sides we solder pieces of pipes into these couplings.
3. Now we put on the disks pre-cut from plywood on the pieces of pipes and fasten them with standard plugs for this polypropylene pipe.

The result should be something resembling dumbbells. The only thing you need to pay attention to in the process of manufacturing such a drum is the evenness of the soldering. Curvature is primarily a beating during rotation, and beating is an inconvenience to use.

Extension cord on a reel with grounding photo

1. Connect the drum to the base. A threaded stud is perfect as an axis of rotation, it will not be difficult to pass it inside a polypropylene tube through a pre-drilled hole. The only thing that can really turn out to be difficult is to ensure a long-term movable connection between the stud and the frame - this will not work without bearings. In principle, the coil will work without them, at least for some time - but if you want to use it for a long time, then bearings are needed, and you will have to break your head over their fastening and installation.
2. Put a few on the reel (you can immediately block from the old extension cord), connect the required amount of cable to them, then add a handle to the drum and wind up the carrier.

Basically, everything. We can say that the carrier with the reel is ready. Naturally, one should not forget about the correct choice of sockets and cable - in fact, it was because of them that all this trouble was started. At a minimum, you will need a round wire with a cross section of 2.5 squares and sockets with a plug, designed for a working current of at least 16A. With the combination of all this in one scheme, I think you can figure it out on your own.

In conclusion of the topic about the extension cord on the coil, I will add only one thing - in my opinion, the game is not worth the candle. With the manufacture of such a carrier, you are more manure than it will be useful - if you decide that you really need it, then it is easier to buy it. In addition, it is not a fact that the carrier of this type made by you will last a long time and will be really practical and convenient. In general, the chances that you will be disappointed in it are quite a lot.

For manufacturing we need:

• steel square 10 mm - 1 m long.
• stud with a nut with a diameter of 10-12 mm - length 170 mm.
• handle, for example from angle grinders.
• coupling 100 mm and two plugs to it
• two circles of plywood with a diameter of 230 mm
• stud 8 mm - length 1 m and 6 nuts and washers
• three sockets and one plug
• the wire

Making an extension cord on a reel.

I made the base for the coil from a square, bending it according to the dimensions that I indicated in the photo. Then I welded a mount with two nuts, a handle borrowed from a broken grinder will be attached to the top, and you will find out why the second nut is below. To attach the coil, I welded a stud to the base.

So that during winding the wire does not rub against the stud, you need to make a sleeve on it, for example, from a polypropylene pipe.

Now let's start making the coil itself.

In the circles that I made from plywood with a diameter of 230 mm, I made holes in advance. In the center there is a hole for attaching the coil itself to the base, three holes in a circle for the wire to exit the sockets and three more holes for tightening the coil. And one more hole on the outer circle, near the circle, a handle will be attached here. I made the same holes in the plugs.

We prepare the sockets, cut off three parts of about 10 cm from the wire, clean them and attach them to the sockets. Then we push the wires from the sockets into the holes and tighten the sockets, the circle and the plug together. We twist the wires. We drill a hole for the cable in the sleeve from the edge and push it into the hole. We connect the cable with the wires coming from the sockets. We put a second plug on the coupling, take the second circle of plywood and tighten it all with three pins. All the coil is ready.

We put the coil on our base and lightly tighten it with a nut so that the coil rotates freely. In order for the nut not to unscrew, it must be locked.

We wind the wire onto the coil. So that during transportation the coil does not spontaneously unwind, as I wrote above where the handle is attached, I welded another nut next to it, we screw the limiter into it.

When, everyday winding the cable onto your elbow, and then unraveling it gets you, you have to urgently make a device like this.

My version of a homemade garden extension from what was at hand at that time.

And there was this:
A piece of chipboard, a piece of PVC pipe D-40 mm, a piece of laminate, a PVC panel, a threaded stud or a large screw, a small cylindrical handle from an old bedside table and the most important detail is an empty spool of welding wire.

Instruments:
Electric drill, drills, drill bit type-setting, saw, clamp, screwdriver, knife, wrench, el. cable ~ 30 m, plug, socket.

Manufacturing:
We saw off a chipboard with a size of 300 * 300 mm, drill a hole in the center for screwing in a stud (screw), depending on what you have found.

We take a PVC pipe and cut off from it a piece equal to the width of the coil + 10 mm, the margin for the washer, this will be the sleeve on which the coil with the wire rotates.

Now let's select core drills, we need three different sizes, one No. 1 is equal to or slightly less than the inner diameter of the pipe, the second No. 2 is equal to the outer diameter and the third No. 3 is 10 mm larger than the second one and more.

With the first drill, we make several centering washers for the pipe from a piece of chipboard or laminate, put them on the stud and then put on the pipe sleeve.

With a drill No. 3 we drill a PVC panel (laminate), we drill the resulting circle with a drill No. 2, we get a ring, it should be put on the pipe, then we put on the coil.

It is convenient to drill on a wooden lining with a clamp, then the likelihood of PVC breakage is reduced.

Using a drill No. 3, we make the last finishing washer, put it on a stud and tighten the nut with a lock nut or glue, no need to tighten it, the coil should rotate easily but not hang out.

Install the handle for winding the wire.

For the wire, we make a hole in the coil, slightly larger than the diameter of our wire. We push the wire from the inside and connect the plug, on the other hand one or more sockets.