Hook up Cables.

[swiftsteve]

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.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

I cut my 25m cable at 10 m and fitted new ends
So I now have a 10m, a 15m and still a 25m
With no extra weight

 

[keithchesterfield2]

I've been using mine for at least ten years and unless yours has any damage I don't see why you need to worry about the date on the cable.

I am not a qualified electrician.

 

[Gellyneck]

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.

You should never winds a cable around your elbow as you've found out.
You should use a method which removes the twist as you coil it up. A cable winder will work.

I cut my 25m cable at 10 m and fitted new ends
So I now have a 10m, a 15m and still a 25m
With no extra weight

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

 

[swiftsteve]

I cut my 25m cable at 10 m and fitted new ends
So I now have a 10m, a 15m and still a 25m
With no extra weight

Not a bad idea, how much were the ends?

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[Cheshirecat57]

Not a bad idea, how much were the ends?

Cant exactly recall, but less than £15 for both off flea-bay
Think you could buy them at any MoHo/Caravan showroom

 

[Richard n Ann]

I wouldn't bother, you're only introducing possible points of failure, points for rain to get in and people to unplug. 25m is hardly enormous is it

Also with a one piece ehu cable, if your van socket is in a locker you can use the cable as a security loop against opportunist thieves. Simply run it through your table and chairs and you have an electrified anti theft device

PS and if you want to save weight downgrade it to a 1.5mm cable

 

[Gellyneck]

points for rain to get in

Making them dangerous and illegal.

 

[Lenny HB]

You are winding them incorrectly if they are getting a twist in them. I don't use EHU very often but when I have 25m is hardly ever long enough, so if I think Igoing to use EHU I carry 2 cables.

 

[Lenny HB]

Making them dangerous and illegal.

No it's not.

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[Fletton]

I cut my 25m cable at 10 m and fitted new ends
So I now have a 10m, a 15m and still a 25m
With no extra weight

Ditto

 

[Fletton]

Making them dangerous and illegal.

I have a waterproof cover for mine - if used as a two-piece

 

[Marvic]

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.

 

[Pausim]

A cable winder is the easiest answer. However, there are two ways of coiling a cable safely. The techies way works if you want all the coils to drop out without a twist whilst holding both ends. I prefer the mariners rope coiling method which works better if, like me, you drop the coiled cable on the ground and pull from one end only, usually as I walk away from the coil. It also works better if you want to hold one end and throw the coiled cable towards the hook up.

 

[tonyidle]

No it's not.

They are IP rated. Their rating allows for water splashes and rain but not direct jets of water or submersion. If plugged out in the open they must be held above any possibility of submersion. The objection on some Club sites to plugs / sockets in the open is that small humans might fiddle with them. They're rated IP44.

http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/

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[Lenny HB]

They are IP rated. Their rating allows for water splashes and rain but not direct jets of water or submersion. If plugged out in the open they must be held above any possibility of submersion. The objection on some Club sites to plugs / sockets in the open is that small humans might fiddle with them. They're rated IP44.

That's just common sense nothing illegal or dangerous if used correctly.

 

[Fletton]

They are IP rated. Their rating allows for water splashes and rain but not direct jets of water or submersion. If plugged out in the open they must be held above any possibility of submersion. The objection on some Club sites to plugs / sockets in the open is that small humans might fiddle with them. They're rated IP44.

http://www.dsmt.com/resources/ip-rating-chart/

And what’s to stop small humans “fiddling” at the post - I wonder!?...

Edit: a live end if joined silly me but they’d have to stick a bbq rod int ole..

 

[tonyidle]

And what’s to stop small humans “fiddling” at the post - I wonder!?...

Absolutely nothing.

 

[tonyidle]

That's just common sense nothing illegal or dangerous if used correctly.

Exactly - I only posted to agree with your brief summary .

 

[Pete5996]

And what’s to stop small humans “fiddling” at the post - I wonder!?...

A thick ear will make them think twice next time!

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[Fletton]

A thick ear will make them think twice next time!

You can get “life” for that nowadays

 

[Silver-Fox]

I cut my 25m cable at 10 m and fitted new ends
So I now have a 10m, a 15m and still a 25m
With no extra weight

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

 

[Pete5996]

You can get “life” for that nowadays

That's true but on the the other hand, it might save theirs....

 

[Nirvanauk]

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

Are you being serious?

 

[ctc]

Far too much fuss is made about so called "safety" with electrics. Plenty of sites have a poor earth, poor connections at the posts and our motorhomes are fitted with MCBs and RCDs, both unreliable. The safest protection was the old fashioned fuse wire, you could see it. Electric shocks can be painful and more than one very annoying, but you are far more likely to be killed driving your pride and joy than plugging it in.

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[Silver-Fox]

Are you being serious?

Ohh absolutly

 

[mitzimad]

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.

which club site is that?

 

[Pausim]

Far too much fuss is made about so called "safety" with electrics. Plenty of sites have a poor earth, poor connections at the posts and our motorhomes are fitted with MCBs and RCDs, both unreliable. The safest protection was the old fashioned fuse wire, you could see it. Electric shocks can be painful and more than one very annoying, but you are far more likely to be killed driving your pride and joy than plugging it in.

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.

 

[Gellyneck]

No it's not.

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.

 

[Richard n Ann]

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

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