Shore power lead spaghetti

MoodySabre

MoodySabre

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Sits in the locker for months all neatly coiled and then you get it out, spaghetti and kinked wire everywhere Grrrrrr.

Can I just use a normal extension reel and change the plug on the long end and wire in a tail coming out from one the three pin sockets and fill the other holes with mastic? Should be adequately weather proof (for rain overnight) should it?

Other ideas welcome.
 
I have one like that but never bothered to close of the other sockets. It's been carried on board for near 8 yrs.
You can either put reel into a loose plastic bag or turn upside down and cover. Experts and electrical Inspectors may be horrified, but works.
It's been a boon in other ways as well - easier to jump outer raft boat to electric if no socket available ashore.
 
Apologies if I recounting how to suck eggs but the secret is in the coiling...

Never, NEVER, wrap it around your arm, or anything else. If you(or anybody) has done that to the cable and put kinks in it's time to buy a new one. If you get decent cable you should find it easy to coil it loose, rolling the cable between your fingers as you would rope. When you uncoil it rotate the coil as you feed it out so that the twists are removed from the cable. You'll find that it behaves a lot better that way.

Other than that multiple lengths are a good idea. I have coiled an awful lot of cables and while they will occasionally tangle themselves if they're treated well it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
 
I realise that is aimed at me. Guilty as charged - it also gets a bit crunched up the locker. Damn the expense.

Kinky wire for sale will px for used bubble gum etc /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I know you were replying to OP ....

Another point for coiling, is to have the cable laid out and pull it to you for coiling. Then the twists fall out and come out as you pull it along the pontoon.
If you roughly pull all together and then try to coil - you are wasting your time - it will kink / twist.
It's also worth learning the 'frenchman' - where the loop is under instead of over to account for any twist you cannot remove.

I may have a reel cable but also I have 2 other cables coiled. One long and one short. So I can suit what is needed or even join together for extra long.
 
Remember that if a cable is used partly still on a reel it must be down rated.

Decent reels will have the ratings marked on them and have a thermal trip biult in. Even my cheapy from Lidl is so marked and has a trip. (the trip works too!)
 
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If you look in the caravan shops you may find a zip up round bag to put the whole lot in after you have coiled it.About £3 ish.

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Ah but does it have a trip with it? Seriously though it is a fire hazard if not de-rated or the wire fully uncoiled. If coiling by hand then a figure of 8 is the way to go.
 
Dont leave coiled wire on a reel when the cable is in use.
Our local marina had a serious fire several years ago caused by a heater being used on a power boat when the excess cable was still on the reel resulting in at least three boats being written off
 
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Dont leave coiled wire on a reel when the cable is in use

[/ QUOTE ] Mine, which I mentioned earlier, is rated at 10A fully extended but only 5A when on the reel.

Even cable coiled but not on a reel can overheat.
 
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Dont leave coiled wire on a reel when the cable is in use

[/ QUOTE ] Mine, which I mentioned earlier, is rated at 10A fully extended but only 5A when on the reel.

Even cable coiled but not on a reel can overheat.

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Yes, but for many boaty purposes the current taken from shore power is quite small. We use it only for battery charging and I doubt if our 20A charger takes more than 2A from the mains. Recently I used the boatyard mains to top up our batteries [total capacity 200Ah.] over 24 hours and used 0.7 kWh. after the boat had been unused for 3 months.
Re. storing shore power cable, I use a smallish zip up bag which came free with some purchase or other. With luck you can arrange the zip so that any surplus cable remains within the bag whilst in use.
 
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If coiling by hand then a figure of 8 is the way to go.

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A non-seamans way to solve it, but it works !

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Ah but that is the way were told to coil braided line, not that I do mind you.
 
Bought a "handbag reel" today. Cut off the lead inside the reel and drilled a hole so it comes outside. Re-attach proper plug and socket. Job done. Waterproof, compact, 20 metres £13.80. I will of course heed the advice to unreel it when running a load beyond the rating stated.

Thanks for helpful comments all.
 
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