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Topic: Mains Cable Twist

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Dave11

08/5/2012 at 10:23pm
Location: Sussex
Outfit: Swift 645 Elegance - Range Rover Sport

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I am on my second mains cable in two years because they seem to get twists on them and become difficult to wind on the reel. I tend to wind them on with one hand whilst holding the reel in the other.

I don't know if this is causing the problem, but the type of reel that I have is difficult to turn easily when most of the cable is out.

Any ideas?
Thanks

mark the roofer

08/5/2012 at 10:27pm
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I have one that's not on a reel,I wind it up by hand and don't seem to be having any problems.

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sparky69

08/5/2012 at 10:32pm
Location: west yorks
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Always wind and unwind cable in same direction, this will avoid any twists,

Sparky

jeff juke

08/5/2012 at 10:36pm
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Ive had the same cable/reel for years,i havent a clue what ur doing with it or what type it is but, i have never known anybody to to through so many cable reels as its so sinple to just pull it out and plug it on this is mine without the cable wound on

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JEFF................

mked

08/5/2012 at 10:54pm
Location: Newcastle
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Got the same reel as you, Jeff - never had any problems. However, the centre, where the hand hold is, can get stiff but is easily sorted by an occasional rub with vaseline.

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Regards Kev.

Dave11

08/5/2012 at 11:55pm
Location: Sussex
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Thanks all, Mked I have the same reel as you but ours very stiff and won't turn, so we wins cable on and off by hand, nett necessarily in the same way on and off (sparky69).
We always unwind all cable no matter how close hook up is and place excess under van, it may be as we are winding overhand back on reel that we are putting a twist in it, as when we unwind it there are many small loops/twists in it. I think we will just buy a new cable reel, then can use the reel centre winder!

Hacksaw Bob

09/5/2012 at 12:12am
Location: West Midlands
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Quote: Originally posted by Dave11 on 08/5/2012

...so we wind cable on and off by hand, not necessarily in the same way on and off (sparky69).

Have a look at Freebird's post and link on Page 2 of this thread - think you've probably found the answer though!

Andy JC

09/5/2012 at 12:44am
Location: Clevedon
Outfit: CRV 2.2 i-DETEC & Bailey Pegasus 534

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Quote: Originally posted by Dave11 on 08/5/2012

I have the same reel as you but ours very stiff and won't turn, so we wins cable on and off by hand

Try lubricating it with some vaseline or silicone spray before buying a new one.

Mr Muffin

09/5/2012 at 8:44am
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Sounds to me you need a better quality cable,we have the same reel and sometimes have to wind it round by hand but we have had our cable for about ten years now with no problems at all.

Opensauce

09/5/2012 at 9:14am
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You need to untwist cable regularly, lay it out full length on field & get the twists out, should last a bit longer.

michael

09/5/2012 at 10:08am
Location: Lancashire
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if you buy a thicker cable it will not twist.i had a few that did a twist until a friend who was giving up caravanning gave me this one.i always wrap round hand and elbow making a large loop when packing up.

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Andy JC

09/5/2012 at 10:09am
Location: Clevedon
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If the reel is used as it was designed to be (ie. hold the centre and wind the handle) then you shouldn't get any problems with twisting

birder99

09/5/2012 at 10:34am
Location: Cambs
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Its almost definitely not the cable that is the problem, it is the way that it is wound on to the reel. wrapping the cable around the reel introduces a twist into the cable at a rate of one twist per time around the reel and therefore you are putting a lot of twists into the cable over a 25m length. It is the same if you try to coil a hose pipe. Years ago when I did computer network cabling we used to mount the cable drums onto a spindle so that the drum spun instead of the cable pulling off the side of the drum. If you insist on using a cable reel you should think carefully about winding the cable on and off by rotating the cable reel instead of twisting the cable.

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Dave11

09/5/2012 at 10:50am
Location: Sussex
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Thanks all , I will silicone the centre spindle the reel and use the winder in future. I do have a new heavier cable that came with the new van, I will use this adopting the change and all should be fine.
Thanks again.

bobmel

09/5/2012 at 6:50pm
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Hacksaw Bob, now I know what I was doing wrong, brilliant link.

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Robert (BoB)

janus

09/5/2012 at 11:36pm
Location: Rochdale
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You put the twists in when you unroll it and roll. If you alternate hands for holding the reel in then you will put alternate twists into it and end up with a non twisted cable.

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Bill

For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013

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