Those extension leads, on a drum

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have two of those commercially sold extension leads, on a plastic drum/reel, which have multiple sockets on one face of the reel. The reels are mounted on a tubular metal frame which includes a handle to carry the reel. Clipped onto the tube, alongside the reel, is a plastic thingummy, which almost touches the side of the drum. The thingummy can be rotated around the tube, or slide up and down the tube, but what I have never been able to work out, is the purpose of the thingummy. What is it for? Both have this thingummy, despite being different makes.

 

[SUNRAY]

It is a brake to stop the drum turning and twisting the cable that's plugged into a socket.

 

[jj4091]

Don't you slide it over the winding knob to stop the drum rotating and the cable unwinding once it is wrapped up. Never tried it but always assumed that was what it was for.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It is a brake to stop the drum turning and twisting the cable that's plugged into a socket.

It doesn't quite touch the drum on either reel.

 

[JohnW2]

I have two of those commercially sold extension leads, on a plastic drum/reel, which have multiple sockets on one face of the reel. The reels are mounted on a tubular metal frame which includes a handle to carry the reel. Clipped onto the tube, alongside the reel, is a plastic thingummy, which almost touches the side of the drum. The thingummy can be rotated around the tube, or slide up and down the tube, but what I have never been able to work out, is the purpose of the thingummy. What is it for? Both have this thingummy, despite being different makes.

I presume you mean the thingummy I have indicated on first pic below. As Sunray has said, I've always assumed that it is intended as a brake/lock to prevent the drum rotating. However, mine are all so old/'well used' that although it does 'touch' the drum when rotated (second pic), on none of those I currently have does it very effectively stop the drum rotating!

 

[JohnW2]

It doesn't quite touch the drum on either reel.

As I've just written, on the (several) ones I have, it does touch the drum but now not to the extent of stopping the drum rotating very effectively - but I suspect they probably did work as brakes before I had used and abused them for many years/decades!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I presume you mean the thingummy I have indicated on first pic below. As Sunray has said, I've always assumed that it is intended as a brake/lock to prevent the drum rotating. However, mine are all so old/'well used' that although it does 'touch' the drum when rotated (second pic), on none of those I currently have does it very effectively stop the drum rotating!

View attachment 380706View attachment 380707

That is the thingummy. Mine are old, but little used, but even so they don't act as a brake. Why would the reel even need a brake?

 

[JohnW2]

That is the thingummy. Mine are old, but little used, but even so they don't act as a brake.

Fair enough. However, mine are all 'very well used' ( don';t think any of them are less than 10-15 years old, some probably much older than that), with the result that is quite a bit of lateral movement of the drum possible, which I suspect was not the case when new. Given that the things do actually touch the drum, it wouldn't need much less 'lateral slack' for them to stop the drum moving.

Why would the reel even need a brake?

As has been said, probably to stop them unwinding (and maybe letting the plug fall to the floor (from a shelf) and be trodden on (very painful, as well as not good for the plug ) - but who knows. If your sufficiently curious, you could ask one of the manufacturers.

 

[sparkymarka]

Isn’t it so you can use the drum on its side ? You turn it around and it acts like a leg support ?

 

[robinbanks]

If I want to stop the drum unwinding on mine I just loop the cable round the handle one time

If I wanted the fully coiled reel to not unwind I'd just insert the plug into one of the sockets on the side of the reel

I also tend to thread the cable so it comes off the reel between the bottom two pipes that the reel rests on, as I find it makes the wrap up neater to have just a slight tension on the wire caused by it rubbing over the lower metal tube. I can also set the reel down and its weight, resting on the trailing wire, discourages the reel from unwinding..

All that said I generally run tools that are quite high wattage so the reel is fully unwound most of the time anyway

Isn’t it so you can use the drum on its side ? You turn it around and it acts like a leg support ?

To what end though? The reel will roll without that part lifting it off the ground

 

[SUNRAY]

If I want to stop the drum unwinding on mine I just loop the cable round the handle one time

If I wanted the fully coiled reel to not unwind I'd just insert the plug into one of the sockets on the side of the reel

I also tend to thread the cable so it comes off the reel between the bottom two pipes that the reel rests on, as I find it makes the wrap up neater to have just a slight tension on the wire caused by it rubbing over the lower metal tube. I can also set the reel down and its weight, resting on the trailing wire, discourages the reel from unwinding..

All that said I generally run tools that are quite high wattage so the reel is fully unwound most of the time anyway


To what end though? The reel will roll without that part lifting it off the ground

When I'm rewinding cables I always run it through my hand, it's called Portable Appliance Testing and inspection

 

[ericmark]

I would assume that it is so it can't unreel from the side of the drum and then be rewound by turning drum, so causing twisting of the cable?

 

[Mottie]

Is it to stop the cable twisting around the spindle if it hops off the side of the drum?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Is it to stop the cable twisting around the spindle if it hops off the side of the drum?

No, it still did that, this morning - using it, was what prompted this question.

 

[foxhole]

My reel has no thingummy, should I be worried.?