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I bought a 13.3cu feet standing freezer (2.5amp, 115volt) and it does not fit near an existing outlet. I bought a 15 foot extension cord (13amp) to use to power on the appliance.

I was googling and was worried if this is safe or whether this would void by home warranty? Is the type of extension cord ok to use in this situation or do I need to relocate my freezer to my garage (near an outlet).

I’m terrified it will burn my house and my Insurance won’t cover it. Any help you can give would be much appreciated!

Lola Y
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TL;DR It will work fine

Your freezer runs on a 15A or 20A circuit. But it only uses 2.5A, which is much less than 15A and also much less than 13A. It might use a little more when the compressor starts up, but only for a few seconds, which is not a serious concern.

A "home warranty" usually doesn't mean much, and in many cases they will use any excuse to exclude something from coverage. In this case, that would probably not be "13A extension cord" but "any extension cord". Why? Because your freezer instructions probably say "do not use an extension cord".

From a practical standpoint, what matters is why do they say "do not use an extension cord". The main issues are:

  • Can it handle the load? That is a real issue for some things, but should not be an issue here (2.5A being much smaller than 13A)
  • Is it safe in other ways? The big ones are: tripping hazard and potential damage to the extension cord. If you run the cord along a wall then there is generally not much of an issue. If you run the cord across the floor then these are both big issues. You have a tripping hazard if the cord is exposed and a hidden damage concern if the cord is covered up.

So if you are using the extension cord in a safe manner then this really not a problem. Moving the freezer to the garage may be a much bigger problem. Ordinary residential refrigerators and freezers are designed to work well in a narrow temperature range - e.g., between 50F and 90F. If you install them in a garage that has wide temperature swings (both cold and hot are concerns) then they may not work properly.

manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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A single appliance on a 13A lead should be fine. But if possible, use a higher gauge one.

Motorized appliances, including freezers, can take a large surge of current on start-up. Much higher than the rating plate would suggest. If fed by an under-sized extension lead, the voltage at the appliance end of the lead can drop significantly. This makes it harder for the motor to start, increasing wear on the motor. In extreme cases, the motor could stall and not start at all.

That's why fridge and freezer manufacturers may void the warranty if you've used an extension lead.

Simon B
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If you want to be extra cautious, you could get a power strip with a 15' cable.

These are often required in commercial situations by fire inspector instead of an extension cord. And in dorm rooms.

This has an added protection of ensuring your extension cord itself does not draw more than the cord is rated.

It does not have to have a surge protector (which cost more) -- just a power strip. Also don't get some random non-UL listed one from amazon. Your local big box hardware store will likely have them (from a more reliable supply chain.)

Apparently not all power strips have circuit breakers. I've never seen one, but be sure to get one with a circuit breaker.

rrauenza
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