2.5mm orange cable.... Where to buy (1 Viewer)

dippingatoe

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Where is the best place to buy top quality 2.5mm orange cabling for hook up purposes?

Many thanks
 

Silver-Fox

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Ebay is your friend

You will struggle to buy cheaper, I'm in the building trade and can't get it as cheap

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dippingatoe

dippingatoe

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Sadly I have tried the local wholesalers, screw fix, eBay and amazon and so far drawn a blank :(
 
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dippingatoe

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Now - how come you lot could find all those. I tried and just came up with 1.5mm :(

Thanks all :)
 

Landy lover

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Do you need 2.5mm?

Most sits are limited to 6A or 10A anyway.

Peter

Very few that we go on - most are 16amp best to have the maximum capability won't hurt going down to 10 amp or 6amp but get 1.5 sq and you will be in probs. on 16amp
 

Techno

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Given that my link is to a 25 metre 2.5 with plugs and delivery for only £28.50 why would anyone want 1.5mm? that does not meet BS 7671 and probably no cheaper.

it is very likely that the earth loop impedance of 1.5 over 25 metres is not low enough for a 16 amp protective device to operate fast enough

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Oct 26, 2014
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Hi all,

is there any reason not to use say 2.5mm blue arctic cable? as I can get it for £44 for a 100m roll,

I have just been given enough fittings to make up 3 leads of varying lenghts plus a RCD protected hookup point to connect just outside the garage.

Andy
 

Techno

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No you won't. 1.5mm flex is rated at 16A.

I do accept the reasons for preferring 2.5mm though (y)
1.5 is rated at more than 16 amp but it does not meet earth loop impedance requirements at 25 metres long. See post above
 

Vlad The Impaler

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You can buy the orange caravan cable in Wilco's .



Vlad

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dippingatoe

dippingatoe

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Many thanks for all the replies - it was needed in a hurry and purchased at a higher price than I might have liked, but will be delivered tomorrow :)
 

ubuntu1

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Nothing wrong with blue arctic cable. Its got 2.5mm conductors the same as the orange. The blue just stays flexible down to very low temperatures.
 

Techno

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Hi all,

is there any reason not to use say 2.5mm blue arctic cable? as I can get it for £44 for a 100m roll,

I have just been given enough fittings to make up 3 leads of varying lenghts plus a RCD protected hookup point to connect just outside the garage.

Andy
Orange is recommended but the regs require BS7919 or equivalent (stamped on outer sheath)
I have been using blue all winter.

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Lenny HB

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Some facts about why 2.5 mm sq cable was specified.
When the NCC & IEE drew the specification up for caravan hook up leads over 30 years ago the standard rating for 1.5 mm sq cable was 15 amps (higher purity copper was available with 16 a rating) the 2 pin & couplers were rated at 16 amps so the next standard size cable available was 2.5 mm sq rated at 20 amps.

I rarely use EHU when I do carry a lead. It's 1.5 mm, 2.5 is far too heavy and awkward to use. don't see what earth loop impedance has to do with it as you are protected by an RCD in the van.

It appears to be only the UK that has this standard, go into any continental accessory shop and the standard cable is usually a 50 m 1.5 mm sq black rubber sheathed cable.
 

Techno

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The RCD requires an earth to operate and the earth is as far away as the cable is long.
This is why you must use the test button on your device every time you hook up somewhere new, to prove the earth.
It probably pre dates vans having their own RCD.

I don't suppose the caravan club or any other organisation is concerned with your RCD that may or may not work correctly but for theirs to operate fast enough at 30ma leakage does require a lead as specified by BS 7671. No one checks until there is a claim.

Couple this with the INCREASED resistance of cable that is not fully uncoiled!

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Emmit

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"It appears to be only the UK that has this standard, go into any continental accessory shop and the standard cable is usually a 50 m 1.5 mm sq black rubber sheathed cable."

That maybe so but in our Hobby Manual it specifically says that 25Mts should be the Maximum length of EHU.

Regards
 

Lenny HB

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The RCD requires an earth to operate and the earth is as far away as the cable is long.
This is why you must use the test button on your device every time you hook up somewhere new, to prove the earth.
No it doesn't RCD is a residual current device with detects an imbalance of current between live and neutral. If the current out flowing around the circuit does not equal the return current it will trip, i.e. You grab a live wire and some current will flow through you to earth so the return current will be less than the outgoing current so the RCD will trip.
The RCD is only connected on the live & neutral lines there is no connection to earth. The trip switch on the RCD just connects some resistors in circuit internally in the device to give a current imbalance to test the action of the RCD and serves no other purpose, it is a crude test and does not guaranty the RCD is fully functional.
 

Techno

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The RCD is to complement electrical safety and not to be used as a substitute for a correctly maintained earth.
I have to concede that the RCD device does not require an earth to operate

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