DeWalt 12/3 Lighted CGM Extension Cord (25 ft)

I put this 25‑foot DeWalt cord to work on a mix of jobsite and garage tasks—miter saw setup on a driveway, a small compressor in a basement, and temporary power to a shop vac while sanding outside. For a simple extension cord, it packs a couple of genuinely useful touches, and it’s built like something you won’t hesitate to throw in the truck. It’s not perfect, especially if you rely on bright status lights in full sun, but as a 12‑gauge, outdoor‑rated work cord, it hits the fundamentals well.

Build and materials

The cord is a 12/3 SJTW design rated 15 A/125 V (1875 W). Translation: three conductors of 12 AWG copper inside a weather‑resistant PVC jacket, appropriate for outdoor use and tough enough for jobsite abuse. Each conductor is multi‑strand (65 strands of 30 AWG copper), which you feel immediately—there’s more flex than you’d expect from a 12‑gauge cord, and it coils without fighting you. The jacket is rated down to −40 °F, and while I didn’t hit anything that extreme, a couple of frosty mornings around 20 °F didn’t turn it into a rigid hose. It stayed pliable, kept its shape, and didn’t crack when bent around ladders or sawhorses.

The ends are properly built: oversized strain reliefs, thick premolds, and nickel‑coated blades and pins. The nickel plating isn’t just marketing—it resists corrosion and heat discoloration better than bare brass, a plus for damp garages, occasional rain exposure, or storage in less‑than‑ideal conditions. UL listing and cUL approval add the compliance box I look for on anything I plug into a wall.

At 3.5 pounds, it’s sturdy without being cumbersome, and 25 feet is a sensible run length for most small tools without inviting large voltage drop.

CGM and indicator lights

The party trick is continuous ground monitoring (CGM). The female end has a green LED that illuminates when ground continuity is present through the entire cord. The male plug has an amber LED that lights when there’s power at the source. These are more than novelties. The amber LED tells you at a glance if the outlet is live; the green LED tells you the ground path is intact. If the ground pin in your tool, cord, or receptacle is compromised, that green light won’t come on.

In practice, the indicators are helpful in shaded or indoor environments. In bright midday sun, both lights are on the dim side. I could see them if I cupped a hand around the plug or checked from a shallow angle, but they’re not the high‑intensity style you can spot across a sunlit driveway. At dusk, in a garage, or under a deck, they’re easy to read. If you care about quick visual confirmation outdoors at noon, plan on checking in the shade or using a tester.

One note: CGM isn’t the same as a full GFCI or wiring tester. It won’t diagnose reversed hot/neutral or detect ground faults like a GFCI device would. It’s a single‑purpose confirmation that your ground path exists end‑to‑end.

Performance under load

Running typical 120 V jobsite tools, the cord behaved exactly as a 12‑gauge should. I pushed a 15‑amp circular saw through PT lumber, cycled a 12‑amp shop vac, and ran a small oil‑less compressor that peaks near 13 amps on startup. Plugs stayed cool to the touch, the jacket never softened, and I didn’t notice any sluggishness on startup. On a 25‑foot run of 12 AWG copper, round‑trip resistance is low enough that even at the full 15 A you’re losing roughly a volt or so—well under 1%—which lines up with what I experienced.

Remember that the 15‑amp rating means this cord is for standard 15‑amp circuits and tools. If you’re feeding a 20‑amp tool with a T‑blade plug or pulling continuous full‑load current for hours, step up to a 20 A circuit and appropriate cord. For most carpentry, paint prep, and general maintenance tasks, this 12/3 cord is the sweet spot of flexibility and capacity.

Handling and ergonomics

The jacket’s texture has enough grip to keep the cord from sliding off sawhorses but isn’t so tacky that it snags on everything. The molded ends are easy to pull even with gloves, and the strain reliefs keep kinks from forming right behind the plugs. Because there’s a single receptacle on the female end, you’re less likely to overload the circuit by daisy‑chaining multiple tools—sensible from a safety standpoint, though it does mean you’ll want a proper power strip or separate run if you’re powering lights and a vac together.

The cord lies flat after a quick unroll and doesn’t hold a memory coil, which is especially nice in colder weather. It also doesn’t get that “springy” twist some PVC cords develop; the multi‑strand conductors help here.

Durability

Between the SJTW jacket and nickel‑coated blades, this cord is clearly designed for outdoor and semi‑rough duty. I dragged it across concrete, gravel, and damp lawn without nicking the insulation. The premolded ends took a couple of drops from tailgate height with no cracks. As with any non‑locking cord, yanks can still pull connections apart; the hefty molding helps, but if you need a lock or twist‑lock, this isn’t that product.

Keep in mind “weather‑resistant” doesn’t mean “submersible.” Keep connections off the ground and out of puddles, and use a GFCI‑protected source outdoors or in wet areas.

Safety and compliance

• UL listed and cUL approved
• Grounded 3‑prong connections
• Amber “power present” indicator on the plug
• Green CGM indicator on the receptacle end
• Rated −40 °F jacket for cold‑weather flexibility

The CGM feature adds confidence, especially on older properties where grounds are suspect. It’s quick feedback that the ground pin on your tool is actually connected back to panel ground through the entire chain.

What I’d change

• Brighter LEDs: The indicators are useful, but they wash out in direct sunlight. A higher‑output LED or a light pipe would make the feature more practical outdoors at midday.
• Optional multi‑tap variant: A two‑ or three‑outlet female end (with proper ratings and overmold) would add flexibility for lights plus one tool. I appreciate the single outlet for safety, but options would be nice.
• No locking connection: A locking sleeve or compatible accessory would reduce accidental unplugging when dragging a tool.

None of these are deal‑breakers, but the visibility of the LEDs is the standout nit.

Best uses

• Portable power for saws, routers, shop vacs, and compressors up to 15 A
• Temporary outdoor use where a flexible, cold‑rated jacket helps
• Work in older buildings where a quick ground check is valuable
• Garage and yard tasks where a 25‑foot run is sufficient

If you routinely need 50–100 feet, step up in length (and accept a bit more voltage drop) or move the source closer.

Tips for getting the most from it

• Check the green CGM light before you start. No green light? Investigate the source outlet, adapters, or your tool’s plug before proceeding.
• Use GFCI protection outdoors or in basements/garages.
• Keep connections elevated and covered in wet conditions.
• Don’t exceed 15 A continuous load. If a tool is tripping breakers or dimming lights, reevaluate your run length and gauge.
• Coil loosely and avoid tight kinks to extend jacket life.

The bottom line

This DeWalt cord gets the essentials right: 12‑gauge copper for low voltage drop on a 25‑foot run, a cold‑weather SJTW jacket that stays flexible, robust molding and strain reliefs, and corrosion‑resistant blades. The continuous ground monitoring adds a meaningful layer of safety awareness, and the power‑present indicator is handy when you’re troubleshooting on site. The only real miss is LED brightness in full sun; the lights are visible, just not at a glance outdoors at noon.

Recommendation: I recommend this cord for anyone who wants a durable, flexible 25‑footer with a legitimate safety feature baked in. It’s a solid everyday choice for pros and serious DIYers running 15‑amp tools on standard circuits, especially if you value quick visual confirmation that your ground path is intact. If bright, daylight‑visible indicators or multi‑tap ends are must‑haves for your workflow, you’ll want to look for those specific features elsewhere. For most use cases, though, this is a well‑built, confidence‑inspiring cord that I’m happy to keep in my kit.