Electric Hook Up - Cable Length

[garrytheskate]

I have a large reel of electric hook up cable which is heavy and takes up a lot of room. This will be first time I have used electric hook and so can anyone suggest an optimum cable length.
Thanks

[OLD ONE]

I carry 2 EHU cables...One at 10 meters One at 30. Thus giving me 40 meters total....So far had no problems with not connecting.

[clift_d]

I believe the default length for most sites is 25m with the hook up points spaced to suit this length of cable. Just take it off the reel and learn to coil it properly like a climbing rope and it will take up a lot less space.

[billybigspud]

The regulations state 25m + or - 2m. So 27m.

[garrytheskate]

Thanks for the info
Garry

[California Dreamin]

I think the longest off the shelf is 25 meters and at full 16amp rating that makes for a pretty bulky wire.

Just an observation but....the French/Dutch/Germans/Austrians don't use anything anywhere near as heavy, perhaps due to the fact that most of there onsite supply is at best 10 amps and normally just 6. As a consequence they use reels with 30 - 35 metres of 6 - 8 amp cable and never seem to have an issue hooking up miles away from the power points.

Even 6 amps is nearly 1.4K so will run most things (excluding heaters and kettles)

Martin

[clift_d]

I think the longest off the shelf is 25 meters and at full 16amp rating that makes for a pretty bulky wire.

Just an observation but....the French/Dutch/Germans/Austrians don't use anything anywhere near as heavy, perhaps due to the fact that most of there onsite supply is at best 10 amps and normally just 6. As a consequence they use reels with 30 - 35 metres of 6 - 8 amp cable and never seem to have an issue hooking up miles away from the power points.

Even 6 amps is nearly 1.4K so will run most things (excluding heaters and kettles)

Martin

If you do decide to go with a longer thinner extension cord then you should always fully uncoil it whenever you use it. This is particularly important if you are going to load it close to its maximum amp rating with heaters, kettles etc. If you don't and you instead leave the excess coiled up on a reel or similar, then cable inductance and general heat buildup in the coil can cause your cable to melt.

[a1winchester]

It certainly makes sense to carry two shorter lengths of EHU cable than a single long one. If the EHU isn't far away, (and they usually aren't) just use one. Then the other can remain tidily stored away, and you won't be tripping up the rest of the campers with an extra long cable.

[billybigspud]

The cable should be 2.5 mm. The cable needs to have a 16A minimum rating as that is potentially what the supply could be as that is the plug size you will have on the end of it. How little the load is has nothing to do with it as loadings are all about protecting the cable and not what is on the end of it. You could get away with 1.5mm but sticking to the rules is better imo.

[garrytheskate]

Thanks again for all that. The cable I have is 25m and is very heavy and takes up useful storage space. I am going to do as suggested and cut it into two, 10m and 15m lengths
Again thanks