How We Evaluate
Cord Gauge Decoded is a reference site about extension cord, generator cord, and welder cord gauge selection. Electrical safety is the highest-stakes topic in our fleet — an undersized cord is a fire risk — so our editorial policy is built specifically around that risk.
What we do
- Report thermal ampacity figures consistent with widely-published flexible-cord ampacity references (NEC Table 400.5(A)-consistent, 2-conductor cords).
- Calculate voltage-drop figures ourselves via Ohm's law, always labeled "derived" and never presented as if independently measured or code-cited.
- Round every safety-relevant number DOWN and take the LOWER of two competing limits whenever sources disagree.
- Show the formula and assumptions behind every derived number in full, on the page where it's used.
- Carry a visible safety disclaimer on every page: this is general reference, not a code determination; local code governs; permanent/hardwired work requires a licensed electrician; cords must be rated for their environment.
What we don't do
- We never claim to have tested a physical cord ourselves.
- We never link to a specific Amazon product page or ASIN — every product link is a tagged Amazon SEARCH url, so you choose the exact listing yourself.
- We never show exact prices — only price bands (budget/mid-range/premium).
- We never make a health, injury, or "this will never fail" claim.
- We never present a derived (calculated) figure as if it were a directly-sourced code value.
Corrections policy
If we find an error in a cited figure, a calculation, or a product link, we correct it in place and bump the "last updated" date and dataset version shown on the affected page. Our two named datasets — the Cord Gauge Ampacity Index and Appliance Amp Draw → Gauge — are versioned (currently v1.0), and prior versions remain referenced by version-pinned CSV filenames so citations don't silently change under readers.
This page is general editorial policy information, not an electrical code determination.