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We were on a site in Devon a few months ago and we watched a man next to us making his orange cable look very neat by coiling it in a circle. I said to my wife "should I tell him ? " but she thought that not every one would like being told that was not the way to do things ,so I did nothing. A few hours later when it had started raining and I think the couple next to us must have been cooking with the electric ring on the cooker and we could see that they had the TV on, I noticed that their cable was steaming. I did at this point go round and knock on the door. I said to this very jolly caravanner. " Did you know that your cable is steaming ?" he did not, and we both put our hands on the cable and it was not hot ,but warm. I told him that I got my expertise on cables in a yacht club bar a few years ago, chatting to an electrical engineer as one does in a bar. The talk became very cablely, he said you should never coil a cable that is going to have any power going through it as it does just what it says on the tin ,it turns into a coil and these get very warm. My friend Stewart in the bar said that cables used in this way will over time become brittle. He said all you have to do is lay the spare cable down in a figure of eight or just put it on the floor any old way but not in a coil. The very nice chap next door asked us in for a glass of wine and said perhaps he should visit more bars and he might become as" expert as I am ".  I have not mentioned  Caravan Extendabed once.

Blimey you are taking me back to school days now and science lessons! 

ali

I know people chuckle at OH and I 'cos we always lay our cable out neatly in a zig-zag fashion alonside the van.  Unfortunately there are too many campers and caravanners who just stuff any spare cable under their van in an untidy tangled heap.  The cable will get warm but I wonder if there has ever been a fire?

Hazel

You're quite right, Chris, often see hook up cables a million metres long in a neat coil under a van, not a good idea. Personally, I carry 2 short ones of 10 metres  each and hook them together if needed which isn't very often.

As much as I admire your unmentionable, I must admit I made my own a couple of years ago. Having a 4 berth with side dinette and only being 2 of us, I removed the top bunk and upholstery from the side and constructed a very similar article to give a single bunk at the side which takes a 2' 6" inflatable. So I now use the bunk and oh has front double to herself. Plans are afoot, however, for a 4 berth with 2 singles at the front allowing us to leave them made up and use the side dinette....Mick

I know it all

The other day I had the fan heater and my 50ft cable drying a spillage.

I omitted to unwind the excess cable.

When I returned to it a little while later the cable was nearly as hot as the fan heater.

I have two cables for the van ---a long one and one 1/2 as long

I try to use the shorter one so that there isn't too much randomly arranged excess cable making our pristine pitch look untidy.

First and last sentences with tongue firmly in cheek

John, likewise, I also know it all. After 50 years of driving diesels, yesterday I filled my car with petrol and had to call recovery to fetch me home. Says it all doesn't it.

Mick

If you don't do anything

You don't do anything wrong

Quote: Originally posted by mickeyb on 26/10/2006

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John, likewise, I also know it all. After 50 years of driving diesels, yesterday I filled my car with petrol and had to call recovery to fetch me home. Says it all doesn't it.

Mick

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I'm terrified of doing that!  We put red "diesel" stickers on the petrol cap and the inside of the flap because we've got one diesel and one petrol car and one day one of us is going to get it wrong!

The electric cable thing goes for the vacuum cleaner, too, I think - don't just unwind what you need.

Nora

Electric fire wires are made for coiling, they are meant to produce heat, caravan hook up cables aren't. I'll stay with the funny looks as I play zig zag under the van. Keeps my joints working and also gets you talkng with your neighbours which is nice.

Petrol in diesel tank--been there done that got the T shirt. Also I did know about uncoiling the cable but I havent a clue where I learnt it.

Robin