Southwire Retractable Cord Reel 50ft 12/3 SJTW

The UL Listed mark appears on multiple distributor listings for model 48208802SW (HaneSupply, Toolup.com). However, the certification file number could not be confirmed in UL Product iQ on May 21, 2026 — the database returned an access block during the lookup attempt. Whether the listing is certified under UL 355 (cord reel assembly) or UL 817 (cord set only) is also unconfirmed. The mark is a reasonable indicator, but CCT scores it at the mark-claimed-not-database-verified ceiling of 6 until the file number is confirmed.

Prop 65 warnings on cord reels most commonly arise from DINP (diisononyl phthalate), a PVC plasticizer added to the California Prop 65 list in 2013. SJTW cord jackets use PVC compounds that may contain DINP. The specific chemical(s) are not documented by Southwire for this product; the Prop 65 warning was confirmed on the Toolup.com product listing. The practical exposure from a wall-mounted cord reel in normal garage use is minimal — the PVC cord is handled briefly when plugging in tools, not worn or ingested.

The cord is 12 AWG / 3-conductor SJTW — appropriate for 15 A continuous at 50 ft per NEC Table 400.5 reference for flexible cord. At 13 A continuous (the conservative continuous rating), voltage drop across 50 ft is approximately 2.3 V (1.8% of 125 V), well within the 3% NEMA tolerance. Standard garage loads — battery chargers (4–10 A), work lights (3–8 A), shop vacs (9–12 A), polishers (5–8 A) — fall comfortably within the 13 A continuous rating. A large air compressor or table saw drawing above 15 A continuous is not appropriate for this reel.

Yes. The product description confirms a 15 A circuit breaker with a manual-reset push button on the housing. A circuit breaker on the reel housing adds an overcurrent protection layer beyond the building's main panel breaker — if the load exceeds 15 A or a cord fault occurs, the reel trips before the building breaker. The reset type is push-button on the housing (manual reset — requires the user to press the button after a trip).

No. SJTW is a standard thermoplastic jacket rated for indoor and outdoor dry use. 'SJTOW' designates oil-resistant outer jacket. This reel uses SJTW — appropriate for a dry garage or workshop but not for environments with oil, hydraulic fluid, or solvent exposure on the floor or work surfaces where the cord may contact those substances repeatedly.