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Prices may varyThis product ranks #6 of 6 in Retractable Cord Reel.Three above it ↓
Last reviewed August 13, 2026
TL;DR 50 ft of 12 AWG / 3-conductor SJTW cord on a ceiling-mount steel bracket with spring-loaded locking auto-retract. UL Listed mark on distributor listings · not confirmed in UL Product iQ (database blocked May 2026). Three lighted NEMA 5-15 outlets, 15 A circuit breaker with manual reset on housing. Rated amperage handles standard garage loads · battery chargers, shop vacs, work lights, polishers · across a 50-ft working radius. Prop 65 warning applies. Owner feedback on Amazon skews rough, with a notable share reporting problems; the review base is thin and the underlying reports were inaccessible, but that poor reception is factored into the quality rating.
The Southwire 48208802SW delivers 50 ft of 12 AWG / 3-conductor SJTW cord through a spring-loaded locking retraction mechanism to a lighted tri-tap outlet block. The 12 AWG gauge is adequate for 15 A at 50 ft · voltage drop is roughly 1.8% at 13 A continuous, within NEC tolerance. The UL Listed mark appears on distributor listings; the file number could not be confirmed in UL Product iQ on May 21, 2026 (HTTP 403). A 15 A circuit breaker with manual-reset push button sits on the housing. The locking auto-retract holds the cord at intermediate positions; no slow-retract feature is documented. Owner feedback on Amazon skews rough, with a notable share reporting problems; the review base is thin and the underlying reports were inaccessible for failure-mode analysis.
Right choice for a dry-garage or workshop install where the working radius is 50 ft and planned loads are standard 15 A items: battery chargers, shop vacs, work lights, and polishers. The 12 AWG cord handles those loads at 50 ft without voltage-drop concerns, and the circuit breaker on the housing adds a meaningful overcurrent layer. Skip it if the load regularly approaches or exceeds 15 A continuous (large air compressors, table saws, welders) · a hardwired 20 A circuit is the correct answer for those tools. Also skip if a database-confirmed UL 355 listing is a purchase requirement; the cert mark has not been independently verified. The rough owner reception on Amazon is a negative signal worth weighing against the low price.
UL 355 is the US product standard for cord reels · it covers heat buildup under rated load with the cord partially retracted in its housing, slip-ring assembly integrity, and outlet block thermal performance. The UL Listed mark on distributor listings could not be confirmed in UL Product iQ on May 21, 2026 (database returned HTTP 403); the standard cited (UL 355 cord reel assembly vs. UL 817 cord set) is also unconfirmed. The 12 AWG cord matches the rated 15 A at 50 ft per NEC Table 400.5 reference · the gauge is not undersized and heat buildup from gauge selection is not a concern. A circuit breaker on the housing with manual reset adds an overcurrent layer beyond the building's main breaker. Copper conductors are recoverable at scrap metal facilities; the PVC/thermoplastic jacket is the limiting non-recyclable fraction.
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.
Marketing copy from Southwire, via Amazon. Not editorial.
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