How Long is Yours?

Tim McGann

Tim McGann

Joined
May 3, 2022
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Adria Compact DL
I need an EHU cable and I was wondering what length is recommended. I don't want to bother with a lot of unneeded cable.
 
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I have 25m very heavy orange cable =- can anyone recommend a cable reel that is EASY to wind up? Have got two and both are incredibly difficult and awkward to wind with pathetic handle. :)
 
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Freo said:
Just out of curiosity, did I read somewhere that you don’t need to worry about polarity with an EU manufactured Motorhome because it has circuit breakers on both Positive and Negative wires - which is not the case with UK manufactured vans which only have a breaker on the Positive?

I, too, have a polarity switching lead, tester, etc. I never actually used the polarity switching lead because on the occasions with reversed polarity that I encountered, these were all fed from EU EHU supplies using the ‘2 central pin and edge earth’ type connections. I simply turned the 2 pin plug through 180 degrees to give the correct polarity.
Click to expand...

Its like that old joke innit?

Motorhomer 1. "What's that, mate?"
Motorhomer 2. "Its a polarity checker. I plug it and and it tells me whether the campsite is wired up in reverse. If it is, I put in a reversed polarity jobby."
Motorhomer 1. "Does it matter?"
Motorhomer 2. "Certainly does If I don't do it, the sky goes green."
Motorhomer 1. "That's never happened."
Motorhomer 2. "I know. Works great doesn't it."

I don't really bother anymore, because my bus is an EU bus, with circuit breakers and other stuff, and anyway, I think a green sky would be double cool.
 
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ceejayt said:
I have 25m very heavy orange cable =- can anyone recommend a cable reel that is EASY to wind up? Have got two and both are incredibly difficult and awkward to wind with pathetic handle. :)
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I don't use a cable reel, instead I loosely coil mine into a plastic box. It takes up a little more room than a reel, though.

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Freo said:
did I read somewhere that you don’t need to worry about polarity with an EU manufactured Motorhome because it has circuit breakers on both Positive and Negative wires - which is not the case with UK manufactured vans which only have a breaker on the Positive?
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Not always true. I have an Autotrail Apache 2010. One of the circuit breakers went and I had quit a time finding the required double-pole breaker to replace it.
 
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Hi there. We carry a 25m with a range of short leads as adaptors. I also have a short one that changes the polarity - sometimes needed.
having said all that, we very rarely hook up anymore.
Something to think about, check the connections at the ends of the cable every so often- they can pull out, with exciting ramifications if they cause a short.

I have made up a special lead for home when we are parked up, just the right length from garage to parking spot. This does not come with us on trips - but could act as an extension.

D
 
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Rocking Rivet said:
View attachment 711246 You may Need one these in abroad 230v to euro connector
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I also happened to take my 3 pin uk connector, which came in handy when visiting a friend who now lives in Spain. His extension which I had to us was a UK type........you never know what you might need on your travels 😁
 
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I started out with 3x 25m (2 bought then 1 donated, 2 thick one thin) 1 chopped to 10, 15m now carry 25m coiled in box in battery box used 2ce in last 4 years. One of the short ones is now used at Christmas and when Cooling fridge when on drive.
I've used my hook up cables more for power in the garden and chain saw than out on road. The power of solar and lithium. We have even brought our washing machine back into use having bought matched size invertor.

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I’ve used one of these for last 10 years and by found it to work really well.
1675006313649.png

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008OTE8DY/?tag=mhf04-21
 
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Now the rules!
If over 25M then you should use 2.5 mm sq cable due to voltage drop. A, standard 25m hookup lead uses 1.5 mm sq cable and this is domestically rated at 14.5 amps if a 3 core cable and for us used to connect a 16A hookup!! . Always fully unwind the cable as they rely on air for cooling. Coiled up the core gets hot, the insulation soft, then melts, then catches fire.. Not good if running 3kw of heating. Or 2kw and a 1kw kettle or hot plate. Dont forget that your 800 watt microwave oven will actually take about 1.5kw to run it.
There should not be any midway connections, such as joining 2 cables together. This because the fixed connectors are positioned to ensure any water runs out, never in.. And NEVER lay mid point joining connectors on the ground in a puddle.
Ours? 30M long 1.5 mm sq Arctic grade (blue) cos its what the professionals use!! I keep an eye on the load.
 
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ceejayt said:
I have 25m very heavy orange cable =- can anyone recommend a cable reel that is EASY to wind up? Have got two and both are incredibly difficult and awkward to wind with pathetic handle. :)
Click to expand...
Easier just to coil loose cable. Once you've figured out that it remembers it's original coils it's easy.
 
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ceejayt said:
I have 25m very heavy orange cable =- can anyone recommend a cable reel that is EASY to wind up? Have got two and both are incredibly difficult and awkward to wind with pathetic handle. :)
Click to expand...
Recently purchased a cable reel off of Amazon for 12 quid and looked at it so far. Says it can take 30 metres and it is wind up.

If you can wait a month for a review ................................ I juat cant be bothered to coil it up yet !

We have one 25m cable and 200ah of lithium and never needed an extension (but i rarely plug in)
 
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Started with 2x25m orange cables. Too heavy. Too difficult to coil, and a reel would add even more weight and bulk. However needed both on several sites in Italy.

Now carry a 25m and a 10m blue cable. Lighter, easier to coil, and I keep them in lightweight zipped bags.
 
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You're not allowed to join them together on uk sites I don't know in EU
 
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😂😂😂😂. I take it you’ve never been abroad , a lot of vans just have uncoiled coils of extension cables thrown under the van .

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