HELP my cord's too short!

[da_guy2]

We Just got our Nordic 110v hot tub and I goofed. I knew it had a 15 foot cord, so I planed out the place the tub needed to be. I knew it was going to be tight but I thought I was ok. I got the pad all ready, the tub deliver and in place. I went to plug it in and realized that because of the way the plug comes out I'm a couple feet short!

I don't know what to do now. I can't move the tub as it needs to be on the pad where it is. My options as i see it are

1. Get a SHORT extension cord (12 gauge 3 feet MAX) and a weatherproof connection box. This really isn't an ideal solution and I feel like everyone will advise against it but it's the easiest fastest and cheapest to do. Maybe it might be ok as a temporary thing?
2. Replace the cord on the tub with one like this one https://canadianspacompany.ca/products/in-line-auto-reset-gfci-plug-20-cord?_pos=2&_sid=594d327a0&_ss=r&variant=50750426247 This cord is 12 gauge vs the 14 gauge cord the tub came with so it can be 20' and still have less voltage drop than the 15' one it came with. Biggest problem with this is it's going to take a while to get here and it's going to cost $100+.
3. Probably the least preferred but best technically the best option is to hire an electrician and get them to run me a new line. Biggest problem with that is there really isn't any great option for mounting the outlet, it's going to take a really long time to get someone in to do the work, and its going to cost lots of $$$. 

Related to that last point I decided I'd test that outlet for voltage drop under load. Unloaded It was 114v, and with a 12A load(a kettle) it dropped to 108v! That's over a 5% drop already. If I go up to 15A and 15-20 feet more cord it'll likely drop lower, by my calculation as low as 105v or 8%. This seems bad, no? Maybe it might necessitate option 3?

What do you think? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

[Cusser]

I would not use an extension cord.

I'd install a new 20 foot cord directly into the spa.  Or have an electrician do that as opposed to moving or adding a new receptacle.

[da_guy2]

15 minutes ago, Cusser said:

I would not use an extension cord.

I'd install a new 20 foot cord directly into the spa.  Or have an electrician do that as opposed to moving or adding a new receptacle.

What about using the extension cord for a week or two until the new cord comes? Would it be the end of the world for a short time?

[RDspaguy]

Only if it catches your house on fire, which it could.

[ratchett]

The problem is not the length of the extension cable or the size of the wiring.  Typically the problem is the inferior low-grade connectors used on the ends of the cable.  They are not designed for the continuous high-amperage load you'd be putting on the wire.  If you had access to a FLiR thermal imaging camera, you'd see how hot the extension cord plugs get (not the wire itself, just the ends) - this is where a fire will happen

(Picture for reference to show how a FLiR thermal camera work - you'd see the same white hot spot where the extension cord plugs into your hottub's cable - I tried to find a FLIR picture of an overheating extension cord but my google skills must not be up to par this morning).

Do things the right way - call an electrician and have it re-wired correctly with a longer/larger power cable alternatively move the tub closer to the outlet or run a new outlet closer to the tub. 

Don't risk it, because your insurance company will look for any reason to deny a claim if your house does catch on fire for *any* reason.  And if they see something like an extension cord on a hottub, your insurance claim would most likely automatically be denied. 

[PNW Soaker]

The Canadian spa company cord you linked is perfectly fine to replace the one that came with the tub, it's literally the "right" way to do it (adding length by using a made-to-length cord instead of extending one).

ALSO I'm going to throw a little electrical common sense in here - the warning not to use extension cords is because there is no "extension cord" standard - they are all rated to different values and this is seldom known by the general public. It's way easier to use the disclaimer "DON'T!".  So don't go grab a cheapo pre-made cord from the impulse bin at your local hardware store - do it right way and get a suitable gauge cable, and the correct rated connectors and make your own.

There are plenty of appliances on job sites, movie sets, whatever, that are using 110v 15a with long "extension" cords.

[north_of_boston]

Ya but....

Those extensions on job sites and movie sets may involve drills,  compressors,  lighting,  etc.  - not a hot tub in someone's dwelling.   Different game entirely.