Shore power cable

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angelsson

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Tried a search but nothing came up for prefered sizes of shore power cable.
Can someone recommend the best 3 core cable from boat to pontoon, max 10 yds long.

Also for an extension for when on the hard, expect to be approx 100yds away from power source, needs to be flexible of course.
Many thanks
 
Arctic grade flex is usually suggested as it retains its flexibility at low temperatures. But unless you really are going to be using it at -40C.........

Generally available in yellow or blue. Blue seems the usual. I have it listed as 1.5mm² for 15amps and 2.5mm² for 25 amps. It may be worth going for the heavier even if you will not be drawing that much current, especially for the 100 metre run. Remember that you must uncoil the entire length unless you are only lightly loading it or it will overheat!

I have my 100m extension on a modified hose reel. I plug it into the supply, stand the reel in a wheel barrow and walk towards the boat. Cable laying wheel barrow!

Don't forget to use an RCD.
 
Try Your nearest caravan accessories store for the orange artic cable that most folk use, they are normally made up with the plug and socket, and are aprox 45ft long, and cheaper than the chandlers.
I have two of them on board, and a longer one for use in the boatyard, as they do get dirty leaying about.
I will need to type quicker!
I ran a 2kw heater on one of them last winter no problems.
 
Definitely recommed Towsure... i got a 'shorepower' lead with built in RCD and 240v socket for about 28 quid from there ... it's on board now with a dehumidifer whirring away. Great value, would have been 100 squid from a chandlers.
 
The type of cable you use depends firstly on the current you intend to draw. A simple battery charger or electric tools gnerally don't use a lot of current but if you go in for electric heating then current is much greater possibly approaching the limit of the power point. The second consideration is the robustness of the and resistance to damage.

Most extension cords have a stated current rating and are reasonably resistant to damage. So buy one from hardware or caravan store.
olewill
 
[ QUOTE ]
Check out Screwfix - they do arctic cable in 50m rolls

[/ QUOTE ] You should be able to get 100m lengths. Even Maplin list it.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tried a search but nothing came up for prefered sizes of shore power cable.
Can someone recommend the best 3 core cable from boat to pontoon, max 10 yds long.

Also for an extension for when on the hard, expect to be approx 100yds away from power source, needs to be flexible of course.
Many thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Get down to local caravan shop and pick up ready-made power cables ... in lengths to suit. Or they will sell you cable and male - female plugs and socket to make up yourself.

No need to worry then about compliance - as they are made to comply with relevant ISO / EN CE specs.

You can also get "Tent" power pack with RCD ... power out etc. designed for stand-alone portable ...


"Thousands of caravan owners can't all be wrong !!)
 
I agree with all of the advice above. I would add that if you go for the larger size (2.5mm csa) it is more resistant to damage.
Allan
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would add that if you go for the larger size (2.5mm csa) it is more resistant to damage.

[/ QUOTE ] The down side is that it needs a lot of storage space. My 100m of 1.5mm fills a standard hose reel.
 
Yellow is for 110 volts. Blue 220 volts Red for 440 volts this is not to say that eack cable has different character differences but is the prefered
identfications used in industry.
 
Coloured cables ... OK ... but usually the colours are more relevant to the plugs ..... ?

Particularly that most caravan power cables are orange out of the bag ....

(Oh if you leave a caravan orange cable out and it gets in contact with diesels etc. - after time it loses the orange colour and turns black ! Cables fine - just the outer colour changes ... I know - my main cable is black with orange spots now !!)
 
The trouble with 100 metre cables is that you have to reel it all out otherwise you may have inadvertently created a giant heating element. I knew a guy who got a reeled in cable hot in this way. Course, as a chemist, physics probably doesn't bother you...

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
couldn't resist that
 
My ex couldn't understand why there was a burning smell one day doing the ironing ... till I pointed at the extension reel she was using ... she'd only unreeled enough to reach the board .. leaving exactly that - a heating coil in the reel body !

I have a really long cable with multiple sockets on the reel face. I fitted a blue 240V plug so I can use it in siutaions where a long way from power etc.
I chose multiple sockets on it - so that any rafted boat on me could benefit as well ... subject to not overloading it of course - it's fitted with an overload cut-out which really works ! Just needs a conventional plug to caravan plug lead - which I carry a couple, to connect others to it ..
 
not if you make a few cables out of it... i did mine in 25m lengths kept a couple and sold the rest. paid for my initial purchase /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Course, as a chemist, physics probably doesn't bother you...


[/ QUOTE ] Cheeky sod!

If you had bothered to read my first contribution to this thread you would have noticed,
[ QUOTE ]
Remember that you must uncoil the entire length unless you are only lightly loading it or it will overheat!

[/ QUOTE ]

So there! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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