This issue is at the BOTTOM of my worries list. At or near the top of my "non-issue" list.
However I wish I had a dollar for everytime I've had trouble w/ an IEC cord coming loose in the back of a rack. I would like to meet the guy who invented the IEC cord so I can kick him in the butt hard enough to lift his heels a couple inches off the ground for all the extra trouble and headache. GREAT now a regular extension cord won't work AND they come loose alot. Nothing like constant improvement. THANX butthead!
Exactly how these became "de riguer" is a miracle of idiocy I frankly do not understand. (end rant)
Chuck
We've been down this road before on the old forum. Apparently, in order to meet safety regulations, if the line cord is permanently attached, it has to support the weight of the amp without pulling out, OR you can make it detach without breaking anything, hence the IEC connector. QSC (and more recently EV) has started using locking IECs on their equipment (I suspect they will part without damage if you apply enough force).
As for wire gauge, get out a resistance chart, and do a comparison. An 18 inch, 18 ga. IEC cord has less resistance than a 4 ft., 14 ga. cord. And it's the resistance that counts. My amps are older, and don't have the locking IECs, so a ty-rap to the rear rack ear keeps the cords secure.
GTD