hook up (1 Viewer)

Lord Mac

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Feb 5, 2013
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I see hook up cables in 10,20 and 30 metre lengths. Whst realistically is the average lengths?
 

keith

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Most people have 25m ones, which seem to do the job but, with maybe a shorter one to add if you are a long way from the bollard.
 
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laneside

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nowhere near long enough
If you are coming over here ie Spain and Portugal about five meters longer than the one you have :thumb:

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Spenders

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It's all in the length....

I have two cables..... a 10m and a 25m.

If I can get away with it I use the 10m one... much less hassle (especially when wet!) to roll up after use. Obviously for times when you are further from the hook up box the 25m one is used.

I think I can join them together if I really need to, but haven't even come close to needing that option yet.

Simon
 
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TheBig1

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a 25m cable is normally ideal, but as mentioned carry an extra 10m in case the power socket is just beyond this. dont forget to unwind any excess cable from the coil when in use though, as leaving it coiled risks a fire. also common sense, but always route cables where they wont be driven over and damaged. have seen people ruin good cables both ways. laying out the cable to avoid these 2 potential problems will save you a lot of hassle even if it means using a longer cable than it would running it straight from socket to van.
 
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marymary

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I have a 25m and a 10 too, love itwhen I can get away with the 10m as the 25 is soooo heavy to wind up even with one of those spool things....:Smile:
 
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MikeandCarolyn

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We carry 3 leads and have used all 3 joined together a couple of times.
I started with 2 25mtr leads but soon cut one of them into 6mtr and 19mtr (figures are arbitrary-it's how they ended up ::bigsmile:)

Like others I always avoid having a coil of spare cable because of the potential,under certain cirumstances, for a coil of cable with a current passing through it to heat up.
However,I can't help noticing that Camping stores in Europe sell huge reels of EHU lead with no advise concerning this issue and that our Continental brethren just wind out what they need,plug in,and then put the reel under their vans.

Mike
 
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Wildman

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An electric fire element is a coil of wire so work that one out for yourself, needless to say it is adviseable to uncoil the entire reel and even then do not leave it under the van. The distance you have o park from a power point can be anything from 5 mtrs to 50 mtrs at a show assuming power is available so most people carry an assortment of lengths plus a polarity change lead.

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JJ

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Ok.

Coiled up EHU cable is dangerous...

Yeah right...

Whatever...

I am pretty certain this is theoretical nonsense.

With the sort of current used by your motohome there is NO WAY your coil of cable will heat up so much as to become dangerous.

A challenge... which Funster has set fire to anything with a coiled up cable?

More or less than those who have been gassed?

Motorhome myths...

JJ :Cool:


PS. The coiled up (high resistance) THIN wire used in electrical heater elements is NOT the same as an EHU cable.
 
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MikeandCarolyn

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Ok.

Coiled up EHU cable is dangerous...

Yeah right...

Whatever...

I am pretty certain this is theoretical nonsense.

With the sort of current used by your motohome there is NO WAY your coil of cable will heat up so much as to become dangerous.

A challenge... which Funster has set fire to anything with a coiled up cable?

More or less than those who have been gassed?

Motorhome myths...

JJ :Cool:


PS. The coiled up (high resistance) THIN wire used in electrical heater elements is NOT the same as an EHU cable.

Say it like you see it JJ :thumb: I did try to indicate a slight element of doubt as to the actual perceived risk of fire from a coiled EHU lead-but not you :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
Mike

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Spenders

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All coiled up...

Like others I always avoid having a coil of spare cable because of the potential,under certain cirumstances, for a coil of cable with a current passing through it to heat up.
However,I can't help noticing that Camping stores in Europe sell huge reels of EHU lead with no advise concerning this issue and that our Continental brethren just wind out what they need,plug in,and then put the reel under their vans.

Mike


I certainly noticed that.... I was advised by a number of folks when I started not to leave the cable coiled etc. but was surprised to see just how many folks in Europe just unreeled the minimum amount of cable from a drum and plugged in. Do they have different cables over there that don't get hot or catch fire?
 
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Feb 16, 2013
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Ok.

Coiled up EHU cable is dangerous...

Yeah right...

Whatever...

I am pretty certain this is theoretical nonsense.

With the sort of current used by your motohome there is NO WAY your coil of cable will heat up so much as to become dangerous.

A challenge... which Funster has set fire to anything with a coiled up cable?

More or less than those who have been gassed?

Motorhome myths...

JJ :Cool:


PS. The coiled up (high resistance) THIN wire used in electrical heater elements is NOT the same as an EHU cable.

Not a hookup cable, but I have had a ordinary extension cable on a reel that melted itself in to one big lump of rubber and copper before tripping the electric breaker :Sad:
 
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Dec 28, 2011
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Ok.

Coiled up EHU cable is dangerous...

Yeah right...

Whatever...

I am pretty certain this is theoretical nonsense.

With the sort of current used by your motohome there is NO WAY your coil of cable will heat up so much as to become dangerous.

A challenge... which Funster has set fire to anything with a coiled up cable?

More or less than those who have been gassed?

Motorhome myths...

JJ :Cool:

PS. The coiled up (high resistance) THIN wire used in electrical heater elements is NOT the same as an EHU cable.


This is not a myth as I have personal knowledge of two cables melting on sites due to being coiled. One was at a site in North Yorkshire where the cable was so hot you couldn't touch it with your bare hands and the other was in my brother-in-laws drive because he couldn't be bothered to wind the cable off the reel when hooking up his caravan.

Both leads were destroyed but any other damage was avoided because they were discovered in time. Basically because the mains electric went off due to the trips doing their job.

Oh, I have never, I repeat, never, been gassed. :winky:

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