Length of hookup cable needed

[Lost in the Forest]

Hi All,

Like an expectant parent we are buying bits for the Cali before we have collected her. :?

From GoOutdoors we have bought a 10M hook up cable. Based on your camp site experiences is this long enough typically ?

Should I return and get a 25M cable length ?

Cheers
Mark

 

[calikev]

I have a 10 metre and a 15 I join them if needed or just use the short one

 

[2into1]

I agree that 2 cables is the way to go if you've the room. I've just wound mine on to a custom made winding frame I made for it. It must be 30m long, rigid and thick enough to take a direct feed from a power station! I'll be sorting that soon......10m and 15m, thin-ish and flexible cable.

 

[muttley]

We have only been on 5 or 6 campsites, but I have never needed more than my 10m cable. I am sure there must be some sites where a longer cable is needed but, as always it is a trade-off between convenience and space needed for storage.

If we are only staying on a site for a day or two, then we don't bother with hookup now.

Simon

 

[Martin]

It is more common in France to require a longer hook up cable, we have been to some sites where the socket has been four or five pitches away.


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[Barryjm]

I frequently need my 25m cable, especially in France. Not sure I like the idea of joining them and leaving the connector on the ground, but someone may be able to comment on whether the standard connectors are rated for lying in the wet grass, or thinking of the general weather these days, a flood! [WINKING FACE]

Good luck and enjoy your new van [SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH AND SMILING EYES]


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[Stu]

We have a 25m cable and to be honest rarely use it. The batteries last a good few days and if you use the van at all between that it charges them.

On the occasions we have use EHU then it's been a mix of short and longs runs so I guess the two cable solution would be useful. The standard blue 3 pin plugs are IP44 which is -

4 Protection from entry by solid objects with a diameter or thickness greater than 1.0mm
4 Protection from splashed water (Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect. Test duration: 5 minutes Water volume: 10 litres per minute Pressure: 80–100 kPa)

So I think general weather conditions should be fine, after all you plug into a socket on the site which is exposed to all weather conditions.

I have tried commercially available cable reels but didn't find them that useful. I now use a small hold all and coil the cable into it.

 

[Dibz]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that you shouldn't leave connected cables on the ground, probably for pooling/standing water, I think it comes into the category of risk, rather than full no-no. I would just wrap the connection in something water repellant like a plastic bag and keep it up off the floor if possible. Maybe resting on an upturned small plastic box or something.

I just bought a 25m cable to cover most bases. It doesn't take up much room really (it is the kampa one) it coils into a circular bag which fits on a shelf in the rear cupboard along with my water fill up hose, chocks and other bits n bobs.

 

[Andy]

You should not ehu cables with some of it still coiled up acts like a resistor & gets hot. I lay my surplus in large loops beside the van

 

[MisterTea]

I think the advice is to never leave the ENDS of the cable note floor, you can safely leave the leads/flex on the floor, they are waterproof, but must be laid so no one walks on them (damaging the outer & tripping hazard). you shouldn't coil them up when connected to mains as explained above by Andy

 

[Bjohnson]

We were going to buy a 10m and then get a second to join together if we found it too short. In the end I just bought a 25m to cover all eventualities.

I store the hook up lead in the rear tailgate with the chairs

 

[Dibz]

Sorry, yes, I just meant the connection of joined cables shouldn't be left on the ground, not the whole cable!

I will always uncoil all the cable, I just lay it out behind the Cali under the rear bumper

 

[Pistolknight]

I'd go for the 25m cable, sometimes you may need the extra length and it's a pain if your cable doesn't reach.
Better safe than sorry.

 

[mikeelawson]

Rubber or orange? What spec should I go for?

 

[wilburthewombat]

I'd go for the 25m cable, sometimes you may need the extra length and it's a pain if your cable doesn't reach.
Better safe than sorry.

I've seen that some people (not me) have gone for two cables like 10m and a 15m, so you can use just one or both together if needed.

 

[BrendanJ]

So far 10 metre for me which has been good for most pitche and occasionally on battery is perfectly good enough , just means can’t use microwave

the other point is the 10 metre fits nicely in engine compartment over the battery, very convenient

 

[mikeelawson]

Rubber? Any spec (AMP) that I need?

 

[ThomasHJ]

Over here we all use cables that look like this:

They are neoprene (synthetic rubber) and are thick. They are 16AMP cables.

 

[mikeelawson]

great thanks

 

[ThomasHJ]

Maybe smart to add that we also carry one of these. Several sites in for example France, Slovenia and other countries sometimes have EHU-poles/boxes that need this type of connection. Although the CEE-connection (the blue one) is most common. With these 2 options we've never found a site/spot where we couldn't hook up. Sometimes they have both options. Another advantage of having this, is that you can also hookup when there's no EHU specifically designed for campers/caravans/etc but there is electricity hookup that's meant for other purposes.

 

[capt kirk]

In croatia we had to use the whole 25 meters and still had to move the van closer so to connect, also vehicles were driving over it as it had to cross a road to the post. never had this since and 10 meters has been fine. Also short cable sits nicely next to the battery in the engine bay. Some say its not the best place but as long as the battery has ventilation it seems ok.

 

[LRGS253]

25M one from shop is excellent and I would of been caught out twice this year with a 10/15M cable!

 

[Moakesy]

If I were buying again, I’d go for 10m + 15m cables, rather than the 25m cable I actually have.

More often than not I have far more cable than is needed. At least with the two cable option I have some choice.

 

[WelshGas]

If I were buying again, I’d go for 10m + 15m cables, rather than the 25m cable I actually have.

More often than not I have far more cable than is needed. At least with the two cable option I have some choice.

You could buy the socket and plug and chop your cable accordingly.

 

[Vagophile]

You could buy the socket and plug and chop your cable accordingly.

When using the full length just make sure that everything is properly connected and won't shock anyone who innocently moves the wet live joint when it's lying on the ground.
I think that some sites frown on intermediate EHU cable connections.