Orange electrical cable
Hi
I have scoured the discussion for the answer but cannot find a comment.
We have the usual orange 25 metre cable, how do you wind it? We have used an old hose reel, the usual orange wheel with the handle (cant recall its name), but when the cable is cold its awful, similarly the connectors get in the way of the cable being reeled
in.....suggestions?
Comments
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Try Arctic Flex which is usually blue. It stays flexible at lower temperatures.
The rest is trial and error until you find a way of coiling it that suits you.
There are earlier discussions concerning types of cable but the search facility is next door to useless.
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The cables are a bit of a problem. Some people just loop the cable over their arm but this can cause knots to form. The only alternative is a cable reel or drum. Dealers sell an orange one you will see on most sites but it may not be any easier than your
drum.0 -
We have an orange cable which goes on the orange cable 'wheel' as you yourself have.
Never had a problem winding it on though. We straighten our cable out prior to winding it up and my OH wears gardening gloves for the job so he doesn't end up with wet and grubby hands.
The 'wheel' has a gap near the 'core' through which the 'bollard connection end' of the cable should nicely fit, thus keeping it out of the way whilst winding. The 'caravan connector end' is then ready for plugging in next trip and the cable should easily
unwind again.Hope this helps.
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Fold the 25 metre in half and reel onto the orange reel, when you get to the end fit plug and socket into each other round the handle and wind tight. Job done.
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How strange. I have never had the slightest problem coiling an orange cable neatly. Must be all those years of coiling ropes on the boat. I prefer a coil about 50cm diameter. If the cable is very cold it can be easier to do it flat on the ground rather
than in your hand.0 -
Google 'how to coil a cable' and you will find links to various You Tube videos showing the over and under method. It never fails with any length of cable.
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Some good videos there, Papa Clyde. Certainly worth a watch. I still prefer to use the orange cable reel, although I always feel that the hole for the connector plug and the handle should be on opposite sides. My wife always says it must have been designed by a man!!
David
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Went to B&Q and bought an appropriate heavy duty reel and removed the double sockets, modified the centre to accept one of the connectors and used my orange cable as it shows better than the blue. Itworks very well and easier to pack up. I am sure i have seen a similar reel available through a chandlery for about £50
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My complaint about the reel I bought is the place to hold the plug is so tight it is very likely to damage the cable and if left in the cold the cable soon looks more like a curly pigtail to trip over once on site. I am back to using the arm method with
an old flannel in my hand that runs the cable through. Occasionally it doesn't unfold well but more often it's fine and lays flat better that way.0 -
I took my first 25 mtr hookup cable and cut it to make one 10mtr mength and one 15 mtr length and bought a male and female connector and duly fitted them hence having two lengths of cable. On pretty much every club site either will more than adequate, if it is necessary one can plug one into the other and you will have your 25mtr back again and either have a purpose connection box that the joint will fit into to protect against rain or wrap a bag around the connection to do a similiar job. The short cable either one then can be easily coiled. I have a damp cloth in my right hand around the cable and one end in my left hand and just pull the cable through the cloth with my left hand to clean it and just make several medium coils and then just pop it into the 'van on the floor before I close the door because when you get onto site it takes a few seconds to take it out and either connect straight away or just put it outside until you are ready to connect it. I did at a later date buy a second hand almost new 25mtr cable to add to my kit in case on a CL or CS site I needed it but to date have never needed to use it. The 10mtr, 15mtr or on a few ocassions both have alway sufficed and coiling took but a few minutes to clean, coil and pop into the van before finally closing the door and moving off. With two shorter lengths it is far easier to coil either one, less than half or just over half of a 25mtr length.
In many, many cases 25mtr's is far more than needed and one can always see metres and metres of cable looped on the ground or stuffed under the caravan, far more cable than you know what to do with.
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Whilst I have been guilty of joining cables, particularly abroad, where it can be common practice. Members should note it is outlawed on club sites. The following is extracted from the clubs Hooking up to the mains leaflet.
B* CONNECTING CABLE harmonised code H07RN-F or H05VV-F or equivalent (BS6007 or 6500) 25 metres maximum (+ or – 2 metres) long of three core cable (live (brown), neutral (blue) and earth (green/yellow)) each core of 2.5mm2 section.
Shorter cables may not reach from the bollard to your van on some sites and extra connector cables toadd length are not allowed. The Club cannot accept responsibility for any damage or injury caused by the use of extra connector cables. It is recommended that the cable is coloured orange for visibility in long grass.
I would have thought the risks minimal, particularly if an approved waterproof cover is used. However, it is not allowed. We carry a 10 metre and a 25 metre and the only time I have used them both on a CC site was when an EHU became faulty and
I had to use a spare socket on another post.
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Whilst I have been guilty of joining cables, particularly abroad, where it can be common practice. Members should note it is outlawed on club sites. The following is extracted from the clubs Hooking up to the mains leaflet.
B* CONNECTING CABLE harmonised code H07RN-F or H05VV-F or equivalent (BS6007 or 6500) 25 metres maximum (+ or – 2 metres) long of three core cable (live (brown), neutral (blue) and earth (green/yellow)) each core of 2.5mm2 section. Shorter cables may not reach from the bollard to your van on some sites and extra connector cables to
add length are not allowed. The Club cannot accept responsibility for any damage or injury caused by the use of extra connector cables. It is recommended that the cable is coloured orange for visibility in long grass.
I would have thought the risks minimal, particularly if an approved waterproof cover is used. However, it is not allowed. We carry a 10 metre and a 25 metre and the only time I have used them both on a CC site was when an EHU became faulty and I had to use a spare socket on another post.
That is applicable to club sites it doesn't mean to say that they cannot be used on CL's & CS 's or abroad if necessary. However I believe a 15 mtr would suffice on 99% of club sites but it doesn't bother me anyway because I don't use club sites.
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For me this type of ruleing is just another case of the CC covering its backside instead of takeing a common sense and practicle approach.As a retired spark i can tell you that the electrical equipment used in the UK is second too none unlike many of the
lashups i have seen on the continant.Not allowing connectors in hookup leads is an outdated and archaic line of thinking.peter.
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Whilst I have been guilty of joining cables, particularly abroad, where it can be common practice. Members should note it is outlawed on club sites. The following is extracted from the clubs Hooking up to the mains leaflet.
B* CONNECTING CABLE harmonised code H07RN-F or H05VV-F or equivalent (BS6007 or 6500) 25 metres maximum (+ or – 2 metres) long of three core cable (live (brown), neutral (blue) and earth (green/yellow)) each core of 2.5mm2 section.
Shorter cables may not reach from the bollard to your van on some sites and extra connector cables toadd length are not allowed. The Club cannot accept responsibility for any damage or injury caused by the use of extra connector cables. It is recommended that the cable is coloured orange for visibility in long grass.
I would have thought the risks minimal, particularly if an approved waterproof cover is used. However, it is not allowed.
We carry a 10 metre and a 25 metre and the only time I have used them both on a CC site was when an EHU became faulty and I had to use a spare socket on another post.This just goes to show that rules can be ignored even on club sites! Obviously the warden must have been aware that your bollard was out of order and yet permitted the use of connecting two cables which contradicts the rule. I agree that with an approved
weatherproof connection box that the risks would be minimal in fact I would go so far as to say the risks would be nil.0 -
Something I will never have to worry about again if I ever did! You just don't need one if you go non EHU with the right kit.
Hi, What is the right kit? will it run all 240v mains appliances efficiently including a TV, satellite receiver, kettle, electric fan heater, independant battery charger etc.etc. I would be interested to know what replaces EHU,
thanks.0 -
We have run two joined 25m cables before now - even done it on a CC site. I do not go anywhere without my orange umbilical - one of my main pleasures on holiday is sitting reading and the 12v lights dont give me enough light, even with my kindle voyage
which is supposed to operate in the dark, so hook up is a must for me.0 -
Something I will never have to worry about again if I ever did! You just don't need one if you go non EHU with the right kit.
Hi, What is the right kit? will it run all 240v mains appliances efficiently including a TV, satellite receiver, kettle, electric fan heater, independant battery charger etc.etc. I would be interested to know what replaces EHU,
thanks.Well seeing as you asked:
TV, satellite receiver, 12v versions are available
kettle, electric fan heater, Gas
independant battery charger Solar Panel
Well that's what I do at least
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There's a long and useful thread on here about surviving without an ehu. Not for everyone. We like to do both.
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Something I will never have to worry about again if I ever did! You just don't need one if you go non EHU with the right kit.
Hi, What is the right kit? will it run all 240v mains appliances efficiently including a TV, satellite receiver, kettle, electric fan heater, independant battery charger etc.etc. I would be interested to know what replaces EHU,
thanks.Well seeing as you asked:
TV, satellite receiver, 12v versions are available
kettle, electric fan heater, Gas
independant battery charger Solar Panel
Well that's what I do at least
Whilst I accept that there are 12v versions available that means spending out pounds and pounds and pounds on new satellite equipment, then having to purchase a new kettle then pounds and pounds on a solar panel, would that also run unlimited power for mains
lighting and everything else and as bmbonanza has said 12v lighting is not good enough for him to read nor I, would it also run fridge/freezer and an electric fan heater (sometime the fan heater is in our awning) efficiently? it doesn't seem to be the solution
for me but I will listen to anything. Having EHU there are no problems other than a power cut which are rare. Gas is expensive and is not a complete substitute for EHU.0 -
There's a long and useful thread on here about surviving without an ehu. Not for everyone. We like to do both.
It's not so much the case about surviving without EHU, we can all do that if we are prepared to sacrifice certain pleasures such as satellite TV etc which we have and is also dependant how long one is away for and if it is winter or summer. We have the TV so we can watch the news and know what is going on around us and in the world amongst other things especially if we stop on site for a day if the weather is vile or watch a DVD on it. EHU is best for us but not for those who don't want certain pleasures.
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There's a long and useful thread on here about surviving without an ehu. Not for everyone. We like to do both.
It's not so much the case about surviving without EHU, we can all do that if we are prepared to sacrifice certain pleasures such as satellite TV etc which we have and is also dependant how long one is away for and if it is winter or summer. We have the TV
so we can watch the news and know what is going on around us and in the world amongst other things especially if we stop on site for a day if the weather is vile or watch a DVD on it. EHU is best for us but not for those who don't want certain pleasures.Get a generator?
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There's a long and useful thread on here about surviving without an ehu. Not for everyone. We like to do both.
It's not so much the case about surviving without EHU, we can all do that if we are prepared to sacrifice certain pleasures such as satellite TV etc which we have and is also dependant how long one is away for and if it is winter or summer. We have the TV
so we can watch the news and know what is going on around us and in the world amongst other things especially if we stop on site for a day if the weather is vile or watch a DVD on it. EHU is best for us but not for those who don't want certain pleasures.There's a long and useful thread on here about surviving without an ehu. Not for everyone. We like to do both.
It's not so much the case about surviving without EHU, we can all do that if we are prepared to sacrifice certain pleasures such as satellite TV etc which we have and is also dependant how long one is away for and if it is winter or summer. We have the TV
so we can watch the news and know what is going on around us and in the world amongst other things especially if we stop on site for a day if the weather is vile or watch a DVD on it. EHU is best for us but not for those who don't want certain pleasures.The solutions I provided above are what I do, not theoretical. So I can watch satellite Tv' without Ehu The fact I rarely do it is my choice. If you want to attack me on having to foregoing "certain pleasures" I can't use the microwave or a hair drier
when I'm not on ehu. Although I believe Merve who's post you originally responded to has had a extensive inverter system fitted so he can use all of his electrical appliances. For me I am happy to do without.As for 12v bulbs not being bright enough the spotlights fitted to our van are eyeball burning bright.
I am afraid if you think that people who arent teathered to the orange cable sit arround in the cold and the dark all day then you are sadly mistaken.
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Surely B B its a matter of choice, I can see where Bofs coming from I too like my home comforts and love caravaning also, I wouldnt dream of going any where without hook up,Ive done all that roughing it, try being in an old Raclet tent ten miles below the
grand Bernard pass in a prety grim thunder storm with two kids, nuh done that many years ago now feet up get a beer out of the fridge and whatch a good film on the DVD player, and cook brekky in the microwave the next morning, oh I use gas for the eggs and
bacon tho, so rough it a little bit...0
yep. thats me
