Extension cable loosing flexibility
On Mar 1, 3:56*pm, The Medway Handyman
wrote:
On 01/03/2011 01:59, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Feb 28, 2:37 pm, *wrote:
*wrote in message
....
On Feb 25, 1:17 pm, Higgs *wrote:
On Feb 20, 7:15 am, "john *wrote:
This is about those extension power leads ( usually orange coloured from
B&
Q etc). Quite often sold for use with electric lawn mowers.
These cables seem to have 'a mind of their own' every time you reel them
up
and unreel them.
It's like a 'memory effect' they have, ( as if they are not flexible
enough ) and want to keep moving in a direction that they must have been
stored in previously.
This probably sounds like a minor thing. But the total time wasted and
frustration trying to unravel the thing mounts up time after time.
I've tried that trick sailors use in giving it a small twist every time
you
reel it around your arm, but its just a bit too stiff to do that
successfully. Has anyone else found a good way to deal with this? It has
crossed my mind that this cable is just too old and has lost what
flexibility it did have once.
I read through this interesting thread dealing with heavy-duty cords/
cables/ropes.
Is there a "right" was to store ordinary household extension cords?
TIA
HB- Hide quoted text -
- Show quoted text -
I have two 25 foot outdoor extension cords that I keep on orange cord
reels.
I "installed" the cords as follows:
I put the plug end through one of the holes in the side of the reel,
and left about 6 feet hanging out. I then wrapped the rest of the cord
around the reel in the normal fashion. Once the cord is fully coiled
on the reel, I wrapped the 6 feet that was hanging loose around the
reel.
What this allows me to do is unwrap the 6 foot length that has the
plug, plug it it into an outlet and lay the reel on the ground. I can
now un-reel only as much of the receptacle end as I need.
The reason for the 6 feet is that all of my garage receptacles and and
the receptacle under my raised deck are 4 - 5 feet off of the ground.
If I started wrapping the plug end tight against the reel, I'd have to
unwrap the full cord in order to plug it in.
.................................................. ..........................*....................... .........
BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE BEWARE.
If you are only using your lead for a short period over a short distance and
with a small load and you leave it coiled, 'sort of OK'
However, if you are running a large load, Electric Fires etc, uncoil THE LOT
and snake it out.
I had an 100 Metre extension lead made just as you described. Some
boatbuilders borrowed it to run an Electric Fire in their 'tea room'.
Overheated and buggarred up the complete reel. "Mike this has burnt out.
|