Hook up Cables.

[Nigel Tate]

Hi all, I've just bought a cable winder as my cable is becoming a bit twisted just winding it around my elbow.
As I fitted my cable to it I noticed a tag with a date on it (week 36, 2016). So how often should we renew our cables?
I just bought a new 10m one on ebay, as my 25m cable is far too long for everywhere I've been so far, which I think contributes to the twisting.

Don’t know where you camp but I’ve been caught out in Francewhen a 25m cable wasn’t long enough. Therefore I have a 25m, 15m and 10m.
In the UK, it’s only the 10m or 15m that ever gets used

 

[Lenny HB]

Don’t know where you camp but I’ve been caught out in Francewhen a 25m cable wasn’t long enough. Therefore I have a 25m, 15m and 10m.
In the UK, it’s only the 10m or 15m that ever gets used

Most continental Motorhomers carry 50m & often two of them.

 

[tonyidle]

which club site is that?

If it's Burrs Park it's CMC.

 

[tonyidle]

Most continental Motorhomers carry 50m & often two of them.

I carry a 50m & one split 30m / 20m.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

The only time I use 25m lead now is when using Genny....I want that noisy thing as far away from me as possible

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[Silver-Fox]

Isn't anybody going to mention my potentially lethal 1.5mm hook up lead? We could die at any point and you're all chatting about plugs and RCDs

Nope, id suggest coiling it up really tight as it can act as a heat source if you run out of gas



Disclaimer just joking

 

[Lenny HB]

Isn't anybody going to mention my potentially lethal 1.5mm hook up lead? We could die at any point and you're all chatting about plugs and RCDs

I've got at least 3 of them.

 

[Marvic]

which club site is that?

BURRS AT BURY

 

[gus-lopez]

Don’t know where you camp but I’ve been caught out in Francewhen a 25m cable wasn’t long enough. Therefore I have a 25m, 15m and 10m.
In the UK, it’s only the 10m or 15m that ever gets used

& me

 

[Augusta08]

I only need a 2Mtr cable to my genny, simples!

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[Spriddler]

You can get “life” for that nowadays

Yep, and you'd have to pay for the little cherub to attend a 3 day 'EHU Awareness' course.

 

[ctc]

I would rather put my trust in a 30mA RCD that trips in 30 to 50 milliseconds than a burning 3A fuse wire, bearing in mind 100 to 200mA is considered potentially lethal.

Good luck.

 

[franknjan]

[QUOTE="swiftsteve, post: 3319347, member: 53921"
As I fitted my cable to it I noticed a tag with a date on it (week 36, 2016). So how often should we renew our cables?
.[/QUOTE]
The cable should last indefinitely if it is cared for. The date may relate to a portable appliance test.(pat) only needed in a commercial environment.

 

[skylinersi]

I was at bury campsite.i had left my 2j5 my at home.so connected 2x10 mt together. Was told not allowed. Move to another pitch nearer a bollards that is closer to van.

ha, remarkably we had exactly the same 2 weeks ago!, same site! had cut our 25 m into a 10 and 15, and put the join in one of them waterproof thingies wotsists, still got told to either move to another pitch with closer bollard, which there wasnt, or unplug it!!!

fortunately our neighbour swapped his with ours for the last day.

what reason did they give you?

 

[autorouter]

Isn't anybody going to mention my potentially lethal 1.5mm hook up lead? We could die at any point and you're all chatting about plugs and RCDs

Really bad idea. By my calculations you'll need 16,667 of them to make a 25 metre cable.

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[keithchesterfield2]

Really bad idea. By my calculations you'll need 16,667 of them to make a 25 metre cable.

You wouldn't need that many but how you'd fit the connectors might be a bit time consuming and expensive..........

 

[autorouter]

Assuming your in-line connectors are properly IP rated. Don't think the standard "blue" socket \ plug are.

Standard blue connectors are rated IP44. Proof against splashes from all directions, but not powerful jets or immersion. Designed to be left out in the rain, but where they won't be in a puddle.

You can buy IP67 rated blue connectors, which have a screwed sealing ring. Trouble is, the sealing ring stops it plugging into the MH mains inlet.

By the way, all connectors are IP rated. 13 amp 3-pin UK plugs are rated IP20. Protection against water is the second number, ie zero (= no protection at all).

 

[tonyidle]

Standard blue connectors are rated IP44. Proof against splashes from all directions, but not powerful jets or immersion. Designed to be left out in the rain, but where they won't be in a puddle.

............. see post 15 !

 

[tonyidle]

I will stand corrected then!
I understood that IP44 only protects against splashed water and therefore unsuitable for exposed external connections, eg where the connection could be in standing water.

............ see post 15!

 

[SuperMike]

I only need a 2Mtr cable to my genny, simples!

We don’t need any cable. It’s chassis mounted and wired in. It’ll even auto start, if set, and the mains goes off. Makes you jump when asleep at night.

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[swiftsteve]

[QUOTE="swiftsteve, post: 3319347, member: 53921"
As I fitted my cable to it I noticed a tag with a date on it (week 36, 2016). So how often should we renew our cables?
.

The cable should last indefinitely if it is cared for. The date may relate to a portable appliance test.(pat) only needed in a commercial environment.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, unfortunately mine hasn't been cared for, I've always wound them around my elbow, so it's become a little bit twisted. Oh well, time for a new one

 

[glenn2926]

The one that came with my Moho is quite kinked. Anyone know a way of straightening it out?

 

[Gellyneck]

Standard blue connectors are rated IP44. Proof against splashes from all directions, but not powerful jets or immersion. Designed to be left out in the rain, but where they won't be in a puddle.

You can buy IP67 rated blue connectors, which have a screwed sealing ring. Trouble is, the sealing ring stops it plugging into the MH mains inlet.

By the way, all connectors are IP rated. 13 amp 3-pin UK plugs are rated IP20. Protection against water is the second number, ie zero (= no protection at all).

............. see post 15 !

............ see post 15!

The rationale behind my comment is there can be no "guarantee" the connector will remain out of standing water so therefore potentially dangerous.
Not the first time I've stepped out of the van after heavy overnight rain into a few inches of water! My feathered friend wasn't up for splitting the pitch fee and flew after his bath!
It was deeper at the other side where our hookup was lying.

If a member of Joe Public were to be injured as a result would there be a case to answer?

 

[Lenny HB]

The one that came with my Moho is quite kinked. Anyone know a way of straightening it out?

Get it nice and warm (not hot) and rewind correctly.

 

[glenn2926]

Thanks @Lenny HB i’ll try that.

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[tonyidle]

The rationale behind my comment is there can be no "guarantee" the connector will remain out of standing water so therefore potentially dangerous.
Not the first time I've stepped out of the van after heavy overnight rain into a few inches of water! My feathered friend wasn't up for splitting the pitch fee and flew after his bath!
It was deeper at the other side where our hookup was lying.

View attachment 300556

If a member of Joe Public were to be injured as a result would there be a case to answer?

More than likely but one or more safety devices would have tripped anyway. My earlier references did (I thought ) make no immersion clear. Anyway we're both on the same page I think . Any joint I've used I've placed on top of a plastic step - as much to avoid them being a tripping hazard as for electrical safety.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
We were on a CL at Thornton Steward Yorks a few years ago. A chap came and parked at the bottom of the site in a VW camper van,got out and started to "Look" around the site. I went and asked him if he needed any help,because you had to go to the big house to book in. " No" he said. he was a site inspector for the C/Club,add ing." He is still allowing the use of two cables joined together,i have told him once..This is not allowed on CC sites and he is still doing it..."
Note. Up in the corner of the site under a cover are some "Extension?" cables,properly wired and ended supplied by the site owner,so you can adjust the position of your van to take advantage of the super views/Forgotten your cable... should your 25x's whatevers not be long enough. This message will self destruct in 50 yrs!!
Tea Bag.
PS. I..LIED!! about the super views/site.......DON'T GO THERE!!!

 

[Nigel Tate]

Being pedantic you have the weight of the two extra socket ends

And?

 

[DBK]

The one that came with my Moho is quite kinked. Anyone know a way of straightening it out?

I think once the cable outer starts to go stiff there's not much you can do. You could try warming it on a radiator or in an airing cupboard. Then with a person at each end and holding the cable, not the connectors, give it a gentle tug.

I've just replaced mine with 1.5mm Arctic cable.

 

[glenn2926]

I think once the cable outer starts to go stiff there's not much you can do. You could try warming it on a radiator or in an airing cupboard. Then with a person at each end and holding the cable, not the connectors, give it a gentle tug.

I've just replaced mine with 1.5mm Arctic cable.

Thanks for the advice. It’s looped over a radiator as we speak. I had put it on a reel to keep as a spare and as I un reeled it there did seem to be fewer kinks. Maybe I should keep the new one on a reel as well.
I’ll post up the result of warming it after the weekend.

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