Hook up cable tidy recommendation

[Beehpee]

I’ve inherited a second mains cable that came with my recent van purchase and the cable is much easier to roll up as the cable is a bit thinner so I might and it’s a might have a go at winding it like the guy in the you tube link suggested by John which actually looks easy enough and secondly I think I’ll do what Cheshire mentioned re making 3 cables out of one, makes loads of sense as I’ve been caravanning for a while and I bet the longest I’d have needed ever would be 15 metres, so I’ll be buying some plugs to cut it to lengths, I thought of doing it years ago and never got round to it, one of those jobs that need doing but seems to slip your mind.

BP

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

I’ve inherited a second mains cable that came with my recent van purchase and the cable is much easier to roll up as the cable is a bit thinner so I might and it’s a might have a go at winding it like the guy in the you tube link suggested by John which actually looks easy enough and secondly I think I’ll do what Cheshire mentioned re making 3 cables out of one, makes loads of sense as I’ve been caravanning for a while and I bet the longest I’d have needed ever would be 15 metres, so I’ll be buying some plugs to cut it to lengths, I thought of doing it years ago and never got round to it, one of those jobs that need doing but seems to slip your mind.

BP

Hi Beehpee
You say the cable you have inherited is a little bit thinner! Is it possible it could have come off say a lawn mower or another garden device?
It may be 13 amp which would not be safe for 16amp sites and could be alot easier to damage! Just a thought.

 

[Beehpee]

Actually I’ve been thinking the new van came with a cable and that’s the one I’ve been using and mine that I’ve been using for the last however long we’ve had a van, must be around 15 years and is the thinner one, it’s definitely not a cable off anything else and I think the cable that came with the van was an extra thick cable because it was on a seasonal site so was probably plugged in 24/7 so he probably thought he’d better get something heavier duty, mines been in use ever since we bought our first van 15 years ago with no issues , I think I’ll just have one cut of it which will give me a 15 & a 10 and see how I get on, I also want to see if I can easily replace the mains input socket as well, it’s on the awning side of the van and it sticks out at a right angle, I’ve seen sockets that are angled down, shouldn’t be too difficult to replace.

 

[Jcloughie]

I was given a load of Arctic cable 1.5mm. Nice and supple. I made up a cable with this. Works well for the summer months.

John

 

[JTQ]

I was given a load of Arctic cable 1.5mm. Nice and supple. I made up a cable with this. Works well for the summer months.

John

Its main issue is the voltage drop with high current, thus being better used during the summer where demands are typically more modest and losing some usable power is tolerable.

Even more reason, not to use it wound up.

 

[JTQ]

I also want to see if I can easily replace the mains input socket as well, it’s on the awning side of the van and it sticks out at a right angle, I’ve seen sockets that are angled down, shouldn’t be too difficult to replace.

Is this type of cable end socket an alternative solution to the awning side horizontal mains input? LINK

It is what I use, on a short [2 metre ?] flylead, that enables me to use it with our 10 or 15 or 25 metre EHU leads, with the coupling EHU lead to fly lead, thrown under the van out of the weather.
I picked up mine many years back at a French marina, after noting many Dutch caravanners used them.
It features a Schuko socket for any kit you might want to use in the awning, or to daisey chain a shared EHU between vans, Dutch economy camping style.
NOTE: used, the Schuko outlet is not protected by the van's RCD, only any bollard or inline device.

 

[Beehpee]

Not really, the socket on the side of the van points out horizontally to the van, my previous van had a socket that when you opened the cover was pointing more downwards so the plug on the lead didn’t protrude out so far, once the lockdown finished I can go and have a mooch round accessories dealers, I might have a mooch in the mean time, thanks for looking though.

BP

 

[Beachball]

On our caravan the socket is pointing more downwards probably like your old caravan i hope you manage to get what you are looking for

 

[JTQ]

The right angled cable socket in use.

 

[Beehpee]

I apologise that looks exactly what I want, am I right in thinking that I can plug the lead into caravan and I could also plug another plug into the plug itself? Once I’ve clarified that I’ll order one, I won’t have a use for the other plug access and can’t really see what it would be used for.

BP

 

[ProfJohnL]

I apologise that looks exactly what I want, am I right in thinking that I can plug the lead into caravan and I could also plug another plug into the plug itself? Once I’ve clarified that I’ll order one, I won’t have a use for the other plug access and can’t really see what it would be used for.

BP

You can't plug a plug into a plug. it has to be into a socket.

Did you mean use the right angles plug with a short lead and Ceeform 16A in line free socket?

In my view the cable should be long enough to allow the free socket to be placed under the caravan to provide some additional shelter from splashes.

The standard connectors for caravan mains are coloured blue(200v-250v ac) and are " Ceeform 16A to IP44" There types used on caravan EHU cables are "free plugs (male) and Free sockets(Female) - simply meaning they are on the end of loose cable.

The IP rating IP44, is defined as

IP44

Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter.

Protected from water spray from any direction.

You can get the connectors with a rating of IP67 - whilst they are electrically compatible you would need both plugs and sockets to have the same IP rating otherwise the rating will only be as good as the lowest value.

IP67

Protected from total dust ingress.

Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.

You can connect your original cable to the free socket under the caravan.

It is generally better to avoid using multiple connections in wiring systems as the possibility of developing a poor contact increases. It might be worth considering changing the free plug on your old EHU to the right angled version. It will still be fully compatible.

If you have any doubts about changing plugs or sockets, for safety - get a a competent electrician to do the work.

 

[JTQ]

I apologise that looks exactly what I want, am I right in thinking that I can plug the lead into caravan and I could also plug another plug into the plug itself? Once I’ve clarified that I’ll order one, I won’t have a use for the other plug access and can’t really see what it would be used for.

BP

Whilst it dangles on the powered van end of your EHU lead and is commonly called a "plug" in so far as it "plugs in", it is as stated actually like any other lead live end, a "socket".

As shown in my earlier link features a Euro socket for plugging in any device extension with a Euro plug [ a Schuko],
or you might simply use a travel adaptor like this LINK

However, take on board that unless the bollard like most proper UK site bollards features an RCD, there will not be earth leakage protection.
We use it exactly as it appears you want, as a mains outlet in the awning, in our case for our hotplate/oven unit.

If you are going to use sites with rudimentary unprotected mains outlets, then use an in line RCD or don't use the Euro feature; any proper electricity inspected site is going to be protected.

Edit: you could buy a cheap inline RCD and wire it into the "fly-lead" featuring the right angled socket, or buy a made up expensive unit As this
I have a portable RCD but these days never find I need it camping, only gardening.

View attachment 1094View attachment 1094

 

[bertieboy1]

I was given a load of Arctic cable 1.5mm. Nice and supple. I made up a cable with this. Works well for the summer months.

John

Hi,
Have you bothered to check the rating of your Arctic cable.

 

[JTQ]

 

[JTQ]

Have you bothered to check the rating of your Arctic cable.

Yes, as I have used a 1.5mm² 3 Core Blue Arctic Flex, it is typically rated at 16 Amps.
.Example

As stated earlier, it is going to be the excessive power loss through voltage drop than inhibits its practical use for heavier loads, not its rating, but its fine for light summer touring duties where lacking transmitting the full wack of power is tolerable..

 

[audiorob]

I have an orange cable reel - one that is so old it predates the supposed 'plug sized hole' in the side and there is a certain knack to not getting clouted by the loose plug as you turn the drum to wind the cable in! I also have a couple of these:
MAINS HOOK UP LEAD CABLE TIDY CARRY BAG WATERPROOF - CARAVAN MOTORHOME BOAT | eBay
in which I roll and store the ext TV aerial cable, and another is an ideal size for my direct water connect hose , caps, and ball valve.

 

[Jcloughie]

Hi,
Have you bothered to check the rating of your Arctic cable.

Indeed I did. in fact the electrician I got it off assured me it would be fine. Load ratings can vary depending on cable type and how it is fixed, so can be up to 20 amps for flat twin and earth which is clipped to a wall. (From 17 edition regs).

Some charts say that flex is good for 16amps.

As I stated, I only use it in the summer months.

When I look at French and German setups. I have only ever seen 1.5 mm. But then their vans draw less and they rarely have anything above 10 amps available.

Another consideration is the strength. The 2.5 normally supplied can take a bit more bad treatment. Often seen them running across roads!

John

 

[Beehpee]

Hi JTQ, looking at the pic of your lead going into I assume your caravan I’m puzzled, you have the white lead once might have been orange going in to the blue plug and I’m assuming it putting the main supply into the caravan, so what is the black lead doing, when I asked whether the bit where you’ve got your black lead plugged in was a socket some bright person said no, well it looks to me like your black lead is plugged into what I’d call a socket.

BP

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

If you look at JTQ previous photos of the plug ! To me it looks like a socket for a 2 pin continental plug .

 

[JTQ]

BP, what appears a white lead in these photos is a sun faded ageing orange, 2.5mm2 EHU cable.

The blue connector is a female socket, functionally just as the UK normal straight. Type, but moulded at near 90 degrees and featuring a Euro outlet socket.

Here that secondary outlet has a Schuko plug with a black lead, inserted.

Internally there are just the normal three connections for the “Live”, “Neutral” and “Earth” cores.

These connections are factory connected to the appropriate pin receivers of both the main outlet and Schuko outlet.

I recall mine was more fiddly to assemble than a straight type, but all connections were clearly identified.

 

[JTQ]

If you look at JTQ previous photos of the plug ! To me it looks like a socket for a 2 pin continental plug .

It is a Schuko, so features the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock sprung loaded earthing clips along with the Live and Neutral pin receivers.
Thus, it is an earthed connection.

SCHUKO

It also takes both the French type C and E plugs along with the composite variant, though only those with additionally earthing tabs like Schuko give an earthed connection.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Yeh thats a handy bit of kit! But surely your electric appliances need to be ftted with continental plugs! Can't see a big call for them in great britain.

 

[Beehpee]

We all I’d want to do is fit it to my cable then it’s connecting to the bollard I’d have no use for the other socket on the outside

 

[JTQ]

Yeh thats a handy bit of kit! But surely your electric appliances need to be ftted with continental plugs! Can't see a big call for them in great britain.

Well a couple of appliances are, as kit suitable for camping tends to be readily available in Europe, smaller 1 kW kettles and outside cookers, but we also have an earthed adaptor similar to THIS.
Many are available, but not all have the earth if that is needed or desired.

Clearly there is no big call for them in the UK, though they are not generally retailed here as they feature the Schuko socket.
The lack of availability here, must be a major reason few of us have them, though several people who have twigged our setup, have expressed a keenness to find one.

In our case we wanted its 90 degree feature, as our inlets have been in the awning. Its extra outlet we came to realise was a very useful bonus.

 

[Beehpee]

Hi JTQ, I’m not having much luck with this socket, I decided to go with your link and found it’s a Dutch company so doubt it’ll deliver here, found it on Amazon out of stock and not expecting to get any, not to worry I’ll keep looking.
BP