Malevolent Mains Cables

[Dave225]

Has anyone else got a malevolent mains cable like me? I just wonder if I am the unlucky one or not. When I connect to the electrical hook up I run the cable as straight as possible and any excess is laid out in large loops. All is fine until the following morning when I go to wind it up. During the night it has decided to twist itself into loops and knots that are a b....r to straighten out and it takes me a while to get it back under control again. It is even worse when it is wet. I thought my problem was due to the cable being quite old, so I bought a new one. This was nice and flexible but after a year of use it was as bad as the old cable.

 

So for my trip to France later this month I am resorting to Plan B. A few years back we were on a site in France where the nearest EHU point was beyond the 25 m cable I had so a trip to the nesrest DIY store was required and I bought a French outdoor extension cable. This even had the French pluig on the end so all I had to do was add a blue socket to the other end and I was in business. Of course we never found another site where I needed the extension cable so it has lain in the garage gathering dust. Not any more I am resurrecting it for use this trip as folding it up is a piece of cake. Now some may argue that the cable is only rated to 10 amps or so but I have not seen that many French sites where you can actually get more than 10 amps and the norm is 5. Plus the only high power item I have in the truck is the 1800 watt central heating, and as I will be in France in June, I hope not to need this. If I do, I will use gas. Everyhting I use is low wattage so I doubt that I will ever need the full 2300 watts available to me.

 

I does make me ask whether having 16 amps on UK sites is really necessary, unless you are one of those people who insists on having a 3 kilowatt electric kettle. I note all our EU cousins seem to manage with the 10 amp cable and it certainly makes coiling it up a pleasure instead of a task. Anyway, as I am a chicken I have thrown the 16 amp cable at the back of the boot... just in case.

 

[malc d]

I used to have problems when I used to wind it up around my hand and elbow - it was always getting twisted.

 

Bought one of those gadgets to wind it onto ( a reel ) and have never had a problem since.

 

;-)

[Tracker]

You need to pick a very warm day, climb to the very top of a 25 metre high tree and dangle the cable all the way down to not quite touching the ground, fix it in place and leave it all day to unkink itself in the warm sunshine whilst you sit and watch whilst being suitably fed and lubricated for such a responsible job!

 

How hard can it be?

[candapack]

Tracker - 2016-05-06 6:17 PM

 

You need to pick a very warm day, climb to the very top of a 25 metre high tree and dangle the cable all the way down to not quite touching the ground, fix it in place and leave it all day to unkink itself in the warm sunshine whilst you sit and watch whilst being suitably fed and lubricated for such a responsible job!

 

How hard can it be?

 

After the feeding and - especially - the lubricating, how long do you think the OP should wait before retrieving the cable?

[Tracker]

candapack - 2016-05-06 6:21 PM

 

After the feeding and - especially - the lubricating, how long do you think the OP should wait before retrieving the cable?

 

That's a thorny question!

 

Can I just say that it is indeed a foolish man who winds his wife up when he should be winding his cable up!

 

Winding it laid flat (the cable not you) on a cable drum or spool helps a lot.

[Dave225]

I would like to suggest to the OH that winding the cable is a job for a woman, but I am a coward. My taks involve things like the cable and emptying the loo and waste water. Hers involve making the beds and sometimes the tea, so I guess I should be happy. Actually a 25 metre tree is a bit big, in real monmey that is nearly 80 feet, mind you down the road from me there are trees that have been there for over 200 years and are well inexcess of 100 feet. All I have to do is climb one, well perhaps not.

 

Seriously though to members....do we really need to have 16 amps on sites, especially when you usually get a note asking you to be accomodating as if you all use 16 amps, the system blows. Maybe if the backed it down to 10, then we would all be happy all the time.

[everhopeful]

The problem with your suggestion is that your 10 amp cable will be fused at the post at 16 amps. Normally that wouldn't matter, but if a fault developed or you accidentally turned on more than 10 amps, your cable could seriously overheat to the point of fire. If on a foreign 10 amp supply then no problem, but unless you can incorporate a 10 amp fuse at the supply end of your cable then you are taking quite a risk.

 

Winding cable up is simple if you are always sympathetic to the natural characteristics of it. Hold one end and form a loop, but watch where the cable wants to go. If the cable doesn't want to naturally go where you want it to then rotate the coil with your wrist until it does. This must be followed at every loop, never forcing the cable to twist. The same applies when uncoiling the cable - just rotate your wrist to undo any twists that may appear at each loop. Sounds like hard work but once you are used to doing this it takes no longer than any other method. :D

[Colin Leake]

It's quite simple it's all to do with twists building up,in the cable. Lay it out flat and get all the twists out before winding it up. When you connect it plug the motorhome end in first and unreal towards the bollard. When you disconnect do the reverse and start coiling from the bollard end. This prevents twists building up. We do this and it works a treat.

[Tanera]

Your education is lacking a life under the red ensign.

First you need to take out the fankles, this is a game for two players, stretch the cable between you and stretch it. don't pull on the plugs but hold the ends a metre or so from the plugs, pull gently and twist until it is straight and the stress is off it.

Now be aware that inside the cable are three twisted wires, how much they are twisted was ordained by a necromancer at the factory and recognizing this twist is fundamental of how to successfully coil it, experiment a bit.

Hold the wire near one of the plugs in your right hand, if you're lefthanded you are a freak and must still hold it in your right hand, wrap your left hand loosely, thumb down around the cable and slide out to loose arms length and pull a coil in to the right hand pinning it with your thumb. do it again. Now turn your left hand thumb up and pull in again, doing this will put a twist in the cable (to the politically incorrect hairy arsed sailor it's called a frenchman-awkward and drives on the right) One frenchman in three usually works depending on your reach, but you could try one in four if smaller coils are needed. the bigger the coill the less it will twist...

[Tracker]

Dave225 - 2016-05-06 7:15 PM

we would all be happy all the time.

 

Ah now we are getting to the nub of it and I have long since found the secret of camping happiness in perpituity which I will gladly share with you.

 

Get more batteries, solar panels, inverters and bigger gas bottles and that way you won't ever need a mains lead at all and if you don't carry one (we don't!) you will never have to either dangle, stretch or wind it up ever again.

 

Such is the meaning of deep and true happiness and so simples!

 

[Rod_vw]

And when you have tried all of the above tricks and learned them off by heart only to find that none of them work try this one...

 

When you wind the cable up coil a few turns on one side of the loop then turn the loop and wind a similar number of turns onto the other side. Keep repeating this until you have wound all of the cable up.

Equal and opposite turns nullify the twists that you put into the cable as you wind it up.

 

Similarly when you wind a cable around two pegs as on many vacuum cleaners don't wind in a circle but in a figure eight, this provides the same solution.

[Dave225]

everhopeful - 2016-05-06 7:49 PM

 

The problem with your suggestion is that your 10 amp cable will be fused at the post at 16 amps. Normally that wouldn't matter, but if a fault developed or you accidentally turned on more than 10 amps, your cable could seriously overheat to the point of fire. If on a foreign 10 amp supply then no problem, but unless you can incorporate a 10 amp fuse at the supply end of your cable then you are taking quite a risk.

 

Winding cable up is simple if you are always sympathetic to the natural characteristics of it. Hold one end and form a loop, but watch where the cable wants to go. If the cable doesn't want to naturally go where you want it to then rotate the coil with your wrist until it does. This must be followed at every loop, never forcing the cable to twist. The same applies when uncoiling the cable - just rotate your wrist to undo any twists that may appear at each loop. Sounds like hard work but once you are used to doing this it takes no longer than any other method. :D

 

I did state that I was using this in France where as mentioned, more than 10 amps is unlikely. I also hava never used more than 2000 watts even in the UK, so there is little risk. I also would ask how our EU cousins cope when they come here with their 10 amp cables. I appreiciate your advice re winding but doing this on a wet day...............mmm? I prefer a quick up and go routine.

 

Again, my point is do we really need 16 amps? If not then easier cable would be a bliss.

[Fellbound]

Can I just say that in my relatively short experience of this site this is the best thread I have ever read so well done to Dave the OP for introducing it and to all the other repliyees (made up word). So much nicer to see humour than some of the snippy comments that go on. As a newbie to motorhoming my technique with the 25m long orange snake is to unplug and then stuff it in the external locker. This then gives hours of amusement to other motorhomers when I arrive on site and have to untangle it. I regard this as a form of therapy for other members of our community and thus a social service or charitable act. Spread a little happiness is my motto (when I'm not moaning about the idiocy of the rest of mankind).

[Tracker]

Fellbound - 2016-05-07 7:37 AM

As a newbie to motorhoming my technique with the 25m long orange snake is to unplug and then stuff it in the external locker. This then gives hours of amusement to other motorhomers when I arrive on site and have to untangle it. I regard this as a form of therapy for other members of our community and thus a social service or charitable act. Spread a little happiness is my motto (when I'm not moaning about the idiocy of the rest of mankind).

 

Your gift of free therapy is a very generous one and I do so agree that cable untangling as a national onsite pastime can be a great spectator sport - but it's nothing like as much fun as watching a tugger or two putting up or taking down an awing - even more so if it's breezy!

 

And then they start wheely water walkies - and that always makes I smile too!

[gocro]

You could buy some 15 amp flexible cable which has a rubber/ silicone sheath which is easier to wrestle with than the orange vinyl stuff , especially y on cold mornings, Selling on Amazon in black or white though I have seen it in yellow.

[Harvey]

Since I have been using this method demonstrated on youtube:-

 

 

I have had no problems with leads. You only need to undo as much as you need and leave the rest 'coiled' on the ground. Plenty of cooling air around the 'coils' so no overheating problems as with a partially unwound cable on reel. My wife refers to it as 'crocheting'.

 

I did have a link to a much better youtube demo of this but I have lost it.

 

Harvey

 

[Dave225]

Harvey - 2016-05-07 12:07 PM

 

Since I have been using this method demonstrated on youtube:-

 

 

I have had no problems with leads. You only need to undo as much as you need and leave the rest 'coiled' on the ground. Plenty of cooling air around the 'coils' so no overheating problems as with a partially unwound cable on reel. My wife refers to it as 'crocheting'.

 

I did have a link to a much better youtube demo of this but I have lost it.

 

Harvey

 

I looked at your video, but dare I say he ain't handling the thick cable we are stuck with.

[Dave225]

Appreciate the comments and yes, I too have on occasion become so frustrated that I have thrown the whole lot in the boot, or the back of the car, and sorted it out at the other end. I guess someday a better option will be invented. Meanwhile i will try the lighter cable and see how we get on.

 

As for the 'fun' of awnings, we have been there and done that. However, we gradually learned that getting a simpler EU style of awning was much better, especially as we tend to only camp in the sunny parts of Europe. Can erect it in 10 minutes and although ti takes a bit longer to pack it all away....neatly, it is fairly easy. As we use the caravan for long stays ( 2 months or more), this is not an issue. For short stops we have a simple flat sheet awning that goes up and down in minutes.

 

However, we also have a campervan and during the next week I, and my son, are going to have the fun of fitting a roof moubted awning to it. It is now sitting in my garage, all 12 feet of it, so should provide lots of laughs.

[Harvey]

 

You wrote:

 

"I looked at your video, but dare I say he ain't handling the thick cable we are stuck with."

 

My cables are 8mm thick and 10mm thick. Method works with both.

 

I suggest that you try it before dismissing the idea: you may find that it works ok for you .... or not. Give it a go.

[747]

Ask someone to demonstrate how to coil a cable and you will have no more problems.

 

It's all in the wrist action. :D

[Charles]

It's about time we had wireless hook up. We've got wireless everything else. What about cordless pylons? Hmm (^)

[Tracker]

Charles - 2016-05-07 1:51 PM

 

What about cordless pylons?

 

 

I believe they are called 'trees'?

[Tall_Mike]

Fully agree, - We have 25 mtr hook up cable, (in fact 2 but i,ve never had to unbag the second), firstly it's heavy duty cable and it's pretty heavy, it get,s twisted and either show it to itself or another cable and you can be sure of a tangle which takes some undoing - generally it's wet and slimy, try to coil it nicely on my arm but it's just too much, - did wonder if the van could have a fitted cable roll that you simply extend when you need it, bit like our hoover,?

 

[aandncaravan]

gocro - 2016-05-07 8:58 AM

 

You could buy some 15 amp flexible cable which has a rubber/ silicone sheath which is easier to wrestle with than the orange vinyl stuff , especially y on cold mornings, Selling on Amazon in black or white though I have seen it in yellow.

 

Motorhome/Caravan EHU lead should be 25amp, not 16amp which is a fire risk.

BS7671 stipulates it should be 3 x 2.5mm cores, when 16a is usually a much thinner 1.5mm core.

 

Using a lower rated cable will not only affect safety but usability as the 'real' power available inside the Motorhome can be a lot less than you might expect?

 

The '16A' reference to EHU 'Cable' is the Commando Connector rating, not the Copper wire, as the Commando Plug/Socket is available in 32A sizes as well.

 

See : http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/hookup-leads.php

 

 

[StuartO]

aandncaravan - 2016-05-08 1:34 PM Motorhome/Caravan EHU lead should be 25amp, not 16amp which is a fire risk. BS7671 stipulates it should be 3 x 2.5mm cores, when 16a is usually a much thinner 1.5mm core. 

As I undertand it, from Wikipedia, so it must be right, BS7671 "wiring regs" have evolved through many "editions" over the years and now align in most respects with a European harmonisation version.  Except for the plugs and wall sockets of course.  Yet you don't see thick orange cable like the standard stuff sold in UK when you are abroad do you?  I bought an extra supposedly caravan extension cable on EBay last year, orange cable with blue connectors, and it turned out to be 1.5mm rather than 2.5mm.

 

Rules are made to be broken?