Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a couple of
years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home made propagators
(subject of a previous post at that time). However, rather than the single
core I was expecting to see I found a thin wire core and a outer sheath. How
do I connect these back to a mains cable?

Michael S

How were the ends previously connected?
I am not 100% sure but the heating cable may be resistance wire which , if
cut shorter may overheat.
Wait for more knowledgeable folks on here to confirm or deny this before
trying to use the shortened cables.
At best it may just blow the fuse,


Do be careful.
regards
Cineman
"Michael Savage" wrote in message
...
Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a couple
of years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home made
propagators (subject of a previous post at that time). However, rather
than the single core I was expecting to see I found a thin wire core and a
outer sheath. How do I connect these back to a mains cable?

Michael S

"Michael Savage" wrote in message
...
Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a couple
of years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home made
propagators (subject of a previous post at that time). However, rather
than the single core I was expecting to see I found a thin wire core and a
outer sheath. How do I connect these back to a mains cable?

Michael S

Most soil warming cables are routed via a thermostatic device from which the
mains leads are routed.
As stated by cineman take care

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:44:55 -0000, Michael Savage wrote:

Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a couple of
years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home made propagators
(subject of a previous post at that time). However, rather than the single
core I was expecting to see I found a thin wire core and a outer sheath. How
do I connect these back to a mains cable?

Michael S

Normally in a simple circuit, one end of the thin core to live and one to
neutral, but you MUST include a fused or circuit-breaker switch as well.

Cutting into shorter lengths might have seemed a good idea, but you really
want a fair length as the resistance will be lowered in a shorter cable,
and could lead to meltdown or just continual fuse blowing.

There should be a manufacturer or at least a serial code stamped on the
cable somewhere - use it in Google to find optimum length's etc...

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Michael Savage wrote:
Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a
couple of years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home
made propagators (subject of a previous post at that time). However,
rather than the single core I was expecting to see I found a thin
wire core and a outer sheath. How do I connect these back to a mains
cable?
Michael S

As the others have replied, it's not really a good idea, I stripped about 18
inches off a 8 foot one a few years back and when re-conneted it just kept
blowing the fuse, it worked, but obviously I had altered the current /
resistance/ whatever and it would only stay on for 30 - 40 mins at a time.

thanks all - looks like I dropped one here. ebay here I come

Michael S


"Michael Savage" wrote in message
...
Hi

I finally got round to cutting the 26m heating cable I was given a couple
of years ago into more suitable lengths for my 2 small home made
propagators (subject of a previous post at that time). However, rather
than the single core I was expecting to see I found a thin wire core and a
outer sheath. How do I connect these back to a mains cable?

Michael S