Blue hook-up cables and Arctic

[Ingwe]

…….carry a 30m & 15m often have to join them last trip a free Spainish Aire had EHU my cables wouldn't reach.

What, did you stay home?

 

[Itsmcb]

What, did you stay home?

I had to join two 25m cables twice on my last trip to France.

 

[Itsmcb]

I've used this type of cable tidy for the last couple of years. Very easy to wind 2.5mm orange cable around even in sub-zero temperatures. Just a couple of quid each from Wilko and they hold 25metres with no problems.

 

[Ingwe]

I had to join two 25m cables twice on my last trip to France.

Wow! We must be lucky. Not had to join cables yet. But we were once on a site at in the Jura where there were lots of vans, mostly French and German who had connections on connections that criss-crossed the site. I think a CMC warden would have had a fit!
The ECU posts were so sparse, we didn’t bother for the four days we were there.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I don't think you will find 2.5mm blue artic cable anymore flexible than the standard orange normally supplied for caravan and motorhome hook up cables. Its a type of cable normally used by the outdoor entertainment industry etc. and more suitable for outdoor use and being left out in the weather. I have a new 30mt 2.5mm blue artic cable unused in my garage from an earlier project and to me it seems no more flexible than the standard cable used.

I have two arctic cables. One was the one that came with my first van, the second was one I bought (longer).

The first actually remains flexible whatever the weather, the second is just a pretty blue colour……..

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[Itsmcb]

Wow! We must be lucky. Not had to join cables yet. But we were once on a site at in the Jura where there were lots of vans, mostly French and German who had connections on connections that criss-crossed the site. I think a CMC warden would have had a fit!
The ECU posts were so sparse, we didn’t bother for the four days we were there.

One of the questions we were asked in Belgium... Do you have a long cable? I do have a splitter too but never had to use it...yet.

 

[ceejayt]

I've used this type of cable tidy for the last couple of years. Very easy to wind 2.5mm orange cable around even in sub-zero temperatures. Just a couple of quid each from Wilko and they hold 25metres with no problems.

Which cable tidy?

 

[Itsmcb]

Which cable tidy?

Don't know why it didn't upload

 

[Tasape]

Have a Read of this first it is interesting
Hook up Cable sizes

 

[DavidG58]

Have a Read of this first it is interesting
Hook up Cable sizes

Pretty much as quoted above by possibly the same contributor while in a grander phase of his life

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[Lenny HB]

Have a Read of this first it is interesting
Hook up Cable sizes

Had a quick look, 3rd post I thought this sounds familar - it was mine

 

[Barryh]

My orange cable was never easy to wind and after much use became a bit of a nightmare. So after investigations I invested in blue arctic cable, which has never been used below freezing and truth be known seems little different. A bit like never using winter tyres in the winter I suspect.

 

[Ian Bosman]

And its normally artic cable.

I have a 13amp extension reel from Wickes bought several years ago which has yellow cable. What is important is that 110volt connectors are different from 230 volt so not interchangeable readily.

 

[Lenny HB]

My orange cable was never easy to wind and after much use became a bit of a nightmare. So after investigations I invested in blue arctic cable, which has never been used below freezing and truth be known seems little different. A bit like never using winter tyres in the winter I suspect.

There is a big difference in cable quality between cable manufacturers Polish made cables have very little chalk in them makes them a pig to get the outer sheath off and seperate the cores. The plastics the cables are made of varies some cables are much stiffer than others.

I would never buy a pre made hookup cable having worked in the industry everything evolves around price.
Far better to buy a decent quality cable and make your own.

 

[Lenny HB]

I have a 13amp extension reel from Wickes bought several years ago which has yellow cable. What is important is that 110volt connectors are different from 230 volt so not interchangeable readily.

???
But you wouldn't buy one of those for a hookup cable.

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[xsparks]

Not interchangeable for good reason.

 

[Ingwe]

Have a Read of this first it is interesting
Hook up Cable sizes

Very interesting read. Good to see at least one poster from this site posting in 2013!

 

[Lenny HB]

Very interesting read. Good to see at least one poster from this site posting in 2013!

Oy! you talking about me ?

 

[Ingwe]

Oy! you talking about me ?

Indeed! And you’re still suave and smart.

 

[Barryh]

There is a big difference in cable quality between cable manufacturers Polish made cables have very little chalk in them makes them a pig to get the outer sheath off and seperate the cores. The plastics the cables are made of varies some cables

I would never buy a pre made hookup cable having worked in the industry everything evolves around price.
Far better to buy a decent quality cable and make your own.

Yep that’s what I did.

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[Ingwe]

Well, we’ve ordered two length’s of cable:
10 metres 1.5mm2 blue arctic, 25metres of 2.5 mm2 blue arctic and two sets of plugs.

Thank you everyone for your helpful, technical and friendly advice and information. We are planning a trip for mid- March so the sub zero temp test may have to wait. I’ll report back in due cours.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I have two arctic cables. One was the one that came with my first van, the second was one I bought (longer).

The first actually remains flexible whatever the weather, the second is just a pretty blue colour……..

Just proved that it works…… frosty morning and as we are going away I had the Arctic cable hook up. Disconnected and coiled no problem - still flexible

 

[Pilote87]

Could only be in the UK, most contentals use black as are lot rubber and its only available in black. Its the ultimate flexibility useful in the mountains in winter i.e. skiing. Only downside is its 4 times the price.

Most of our club members here in France use a normal household extension cable on a drum and then use very short link cables from the "blue" sockets and into the camping car. Many of the outlets on posts here are the normal continental two-pin socket and earth pin centre top. So they only need to use their link cable from the cable drum to the vehicle.

John

 

[Clive Bishop]

We’re tired of struggling to get our orange 2.5mm 16amp 25 metre hook-up cable into our limited storage cupboard. Not so bad when warm and sunny and ii’s nice and pliable but even then, it‘s a pain.
So it’s my intention to buy 2.5mm 16am 25 metre Arctic cable. Comparing prices there are some suppliers selling cable with the right requirements but don’t say they‘re Arctic cable but are blue. Does the fact that the cable is blue mean that it is the highly flexible, so-named arctic cable?

I don’t want to end up buying a new blue hook up cable and find that I’ve got the same old tough, rigid old orange stuff, I currently fight with. I don’t want a reel of any kind. What we currently do is fight to get it into an Ikea shopping bag and shove it in the storage cupboard.

In winter, by the time I’ve got the bas***d cable stowed in the van, I’m usually so bad tempered, it takes 250 miles for my paddy to wear off.

Use a real to wind it on I have never had a problem.

 

[Shrimp]

We have an Arctic cable for the winter, otherwise our cable is a 1.5 normal cable which gets used most of the year. Both our cables are yellow-just how it happened.
We don’t use a reel just loop it up and shove it in the locker! The 1.5 is easier to handle so is the Arctic.

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[Ingwe]

Well, I arrived home from shopping and found that the 25 metres of Blue Arctic 2.5mm2 cable had been delivered and left on the doorstep. Today has been very cold (-3 this morning) and the cable was cold.
Despite that, I was able to fit the two plugs in 10 minutes. After checking continuity both before and after, the cable is coiled as small as it arrived. Well pleased!

 

[Ingwe]

By way of further follow up. Last week I went to where the van’s stored and being a sunny but cold day I decided to give the van a much-needed wash. So I drove her outside into the sun. To do this I had to unplug the van from hook-up. The 10m blue cable had been used. It coiled up easily and fitted into the former battery locker. So I’m well pleased with the arctic cable. The van looks good again cleaned of the dirt with which it was covered after a four day trip in February to test the lithiums.

Today just ordered five new tyres. Just under £800 fully fitted, balanced, VAT etc.

Second photo is before The wash.

 

[Lenny HB]

Today just ordered five new tyres. Just under £800 fully fitted, balanced, VAT etc.

Blimey what are they made of gold?

 

[Ingwe]

Blimey what are they made of gold?

Actually, when I started a thread, just over a week ago about tyres, I’d priced them at just over £700 for 5. Speaking to the garage which will fit them when they arrive, they too remarked on the price increase and also that, whilst they could currently get them, the amount of stock their supplier has, is drastically reduced.
Stand by for more of this as supply lines get stretched.

 

[Lenny HB]

What did you buy?

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