White hook up cable

[LMH]

Hi

Is it legal or safe to use the white hook up cable on campsites? A friend has a large Mercedes van which he puts his morgan in and the van has sleeping area, etc, etc.

Lisa

 

[davedee]

Hi Lisa. I don't know about legal,but we were pitched at Cotherstone,near Barnard Castle a couple of weeks ago and the vans either side of us had white ehu cables.Site supply is 10Amp.

I never thought to ask them why theirs were white not orange.

Dave

 

[LMH]

Thanks Dave, I thought I'd read on here a year or so ago that the white cables are 'illegal'. Whether that means they are not up to certain BS standards etc I don't know.

Thanks.

Lisa

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

Hi Lisa, We use a royal blue ehu cable and we used to use a blue one. I taped some yellow pvc tape at intervals along the grey one to make it better to see. We have never had any problem or complaints with either cable.

I'm sure that some anorak on one of the club sites we have stayed at would have been quick to point out any legal or safety objections if there were any.

 

[Clive-Cardiff]

Hi Lisa, We use a royal blue ehu cable and we used to use a blue one. I taped some yellow pvc tape at intervals along the grey one to make it better to see. We have never had any problem or complaints with either cable.

I'm sure that some anorak on one of the club sites we have stayed at would have been quick to point out any legal or safety objections if there were any.

Sorry the second mention of "blue" should read "grey".

Not the sort of stupid mistake that would be picked up by spellcheck

 

[Surfer]

Colour is not really the issue but the standard of the cable would be and issue. However having said that I suspect that a white cable will become brittle a lot quicker than an orange cable.

 

[ThePlotter]

This has been discussed recently I cant remember the detail but the colour is indicative of the amp it is suitable for and its intended usage for example white cable is usually houshold extension cable for low loads ,blue I think is for 110 volt and orange 230volts and is 'armoured' so anything other than this is 'illegal' and as usual if an accident occured as a result of its use ,any insurance would be void.

 

[paulktnichols]

The colour of the cable is relevent - if it is yellow.

Yellow cables are normally 110v whereas blue - and most white - is 230V.

If your yellow cable is only rated for 110v then it is potentially dangerous to use ot for 230V

 

[RogerL]

Orange fades to yellow - what do we do then?

I've seen orange, yellow, red, blue, black as well as white - all in use with 230v blue plugs/sockets.

 

[LMH]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies.

As there are a few differences of opinion, I think I'll err on the side of caution and say the information I received on the caravan forum was inconclusive so:

1. The cable might be unsafe and kill you

2. It might be perfectly ok to use and you shouldn't have any problems with it.

He's well insured if he croakes it.

Many thanks.

Lisa

 

[rosies]

It doesn't really matter what colour a cable is , its what size the copper cores are IE 1.5 mm squared cable is 20 amp rated usage , 2.5 mm cable being 30 amp usage . the reason 230v cable on ehu is mostly orange is for the high visibility when in grass but any good quality 1.5 mm cable is actually suitable . yellow cable is used to denote 110v on building sites and now for elf and safety reasons in most industrial surroundings , 110v is classed as safer for work use . One of the most important things is the actual colour of the plug and socket on the extention leads -- yellow 110v -- blue 230v -- red 415v all being 16 amp ( 32 amp ends being larger diameter ) , different colour ends will NOT fit each other . So in the end its your choice , but recommended to use the orange ehu for safty and visibility . I actually have a 25m orange and a 15 m blue which I both portable appliance test ( P.A.T ) at least every year , this is MOST important for your safety !!! .

--- Steve .

 

[BrianStAlbans]

The orange cable I use at home has faded to pink.

AC or DC ?

 

[Carli_374365147]

It doesn't really matter what colour a cable is , its what size the copper cores are IE 1.5 mm squared cable is 20 amp rated usage , 2.5 mm cable being 30 amp usage . the reason 230v cable on ehu is mostly orange is for the high visibility when in grass but any good quality 1.5 mm cable is actually suitable . yellow cable is used to denote 110v on building sites and now for elf and safety reasons in most industrial surroundings , 110v is classed as safer for work use . One of the most important things is the actual colour of the plug and socket on the extention leads -- yellow 110v -- blue 230v -- red 415v all being 16 amp ( 32 amp ends being larger diameter ) , different colour ends will NOT fit each other . So in the end its your choice , but recommended to use the orange ehu for safty and visibility . I actually have a 25m orange and a 15 m blue which I both portable appliance test ( P.A.T ) at least every year , this is MOST important for your safety !!! .

--- Steve .

Sorry but I don't agree with your rating of 1.5mm cable.

From my records it shows that 1.5mm cable has a maximum rating of 15-16 amps and not 20A. As a hook up cable, due to the long lengths involved, you need to use 2.5mm to compensate for voltage drops over the length.

There is a specific standard for EHU cable, I'll post it when I've double checked it.

 

[JohnM20]

Hi All

I believe that most cables supplied with continental caravans are black. Talking to someone recently with a Hymer, he told me that a UK site warden almost banned him from using his 'because it couldn't be seen in the grass'. Where do owners of continental vans stand on this issue, I wonder.

John M.

 

[rob_jax]

John,

There some truth to the "European black cable" - at least in Holland - where you have a choice of a heavy duty (synthetic rubber) black cable, or the more familiar orange or blue (plastic polymer) "arctic" flexible cable...

Robert

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I once inadvertently parked with one wheel on a black hook up cable to the annoyance of the owner who soon informed me

If it had been white or orange I might have seen it easier

My failure to see it was in no way to do with the very voluptuous young lady wearing a nice smile and little else on the adjacent pitch.

 

[LMH]

I've just been on a campsite and seen someone using a black cable. LOL!!

I'm off there again in a mo so if I pluck up courage, I'll ask them why they are using that instead of orange.

Lisa

 

[Woody3]

The yellow, orange and blue cables are normally a type known as 'Arctic' cable which is made of a very soft/flexible form of PVC and is usually double skinned. It is specifically designed not to go stiff when cold and is UV stable.

Black or white cable in the UK is usually plain ordinary PVC, black will last longer as it is more UV stable.

The black cable found on the continent is - more often than not - rubber.

 

[DeliDave]

I once inadvertently parked with one wheel on a black hook up cable to the annoyance of the owner who soon informed me

If it had been white or orange I might have seen it easier

My failure to see it was in no way to do with the very voluptuous young lady wearing a nice smile and little else on the adjacent pitch.

lost my no claims bonus like that once guy I ran into was very sympatheticas he was looking at the same hot pants as I was

 

[JTQ]

Don't panic, my German van came with a reel of black cable specified as "neopreen",to us neoprene.

So its not rubber; its a synthetic polymer and mine is now in its' seventh year and not perished.

Orange seems a UK thing.