modern rubber cable.

plugwash · 5 Apr 2021

It seems to be widely accepted that PVC cable, used under typical domestic conditions lasts a very long time.

It also seems to be widely accepted that "old rubber" cable should be ripped out ASAP.

However what of modern rubber cable? Particularly the likes of H05RR-F and H07RN-F? Is modern rubber more stable than old rubber? should such cables be avoided in permanent installations on lifetime grounds?

JohnW2 · 5 Apr 2021

plugwash said:
However what of modern rubber cable? Particularly the likes of H05RR-F and H07RN-F? Is modern rubber more stable than old rubber? should such cables be avoided in permanent installations on lifetime grounds?

I'm certainly no authority but it's definitely the case that 'modern rubber cables' have synthetic rubber insulation which is dramatically more 'stable' than the 'old' (essentially 'natural') rubber insulation.

Whether synthetic rubber insulation is likely to last as long as PVC, I couldn't tell you, but I believe that it is now used extensively in the distribution network, including buried, which seems to suggest that they don't expect it to disintegrate any decade soon! My (fairly wild!) guess is that it may well not be any worse than PVC.

Kind Regards, John

sparkwright · 5 Apr 2021

There's something about modern rubber cable which I find off-putting. I always manage to avoid using it so I don't know how long it lasts.

JohnW2 · 5 Apr 2021

sparkwright said:
There's something about modern rubber cable which I find off-putting. I always manage to avoid using it so I don't know how long it lasts.

I suspect that "something" is probably that fact that (in common with many of us) you cannot get thoughts of the old "VIR" out of your mind - 'understandable', but not necessarily rational.

Kind Regards, John

conny · 5 Apr 2021

I wish machine manufacturers would use "rubber" cable on their DIY tools rather than pvc.
Most of us use/store our DIY tools/machines in a shed. Most of us don't have heated sheds so during winter/cold spells the pvc becomes quite stiff and doesn't straighten out easily when you come to unwind it from it's holder. I'm slowly changing the cables on my power tools, to rubber, piecemeal to over come this problem. Where possible I'm also going up from 0.75/1.0mm to 1.5mm or even 2.5 if the terminals will accept it on the bigger things like table saw.

JohnW2 · 5 Apr 2021

conny said:
I wish machine manufacturers would use "rubber" cable on their DIY tools rather than pvc.

They do for a good few tools - I'm not sure what else.

Kind Regards, John

JBR · 5 Apr 2021

conny said:
I wish machine manufacturers would use "rubber" cable on their DIY tools rather than pvc.
Most of us use/store our DIY tools/machines in a shed. Most of us don't have heated sheds so during winter/cold spells the pvc becomes quite stiff and doesn't straighten out easily when you come to unwind it from it's holder. I'm slowly changing the cables on my power tools, to rubber, piecemeal to over come this problem. Where possible I'm also going up from 0.75/1.0mm to 1.5mm or even 2.5 if the terminals will accept it on the bigger things like table saw.

Ah, I wondered why my Bosch SDS drill came with rubber cable. Not that I keep it in a cold outdoor shed, of course.

RF Lighting · 6 Apr 2021

I don’t have many corded power tools these days but I think all of mine have rubber cables

JohnW2 · 6 Apr 2021

RF Lighting said:
I don’t have many corded power tools these days but I think all of mine have rubber cables

As I implied, so, I think, are most/all of mine.

Kind Regards, John

JohnW2 · 6 Apr 2021

JBR said:
Ah, I wondered why my Bosch SDS drill came with rubber cable. Not that I keep it in a cold outdoor shed, of course.

It's not only the temperature thing. Many of the synthetic rubber cables are also 'tougher' than PVC ones, and often more chemically resistant - hence generally more suitable for 'rough' use, particularly in potentially 'hostile' environments

Kind Regards, John

plugwash · 6 Apr 2021

I was somewhat surprised when I got my cheap Eneger SDS+ from screwfix that it came with H07RN-F on it.

JohnW2 · 6 Apr 2021

I'm no chemist, but I think there is probably some confused thinking about these materials, deriving, as I previously suggested, from persisting memories of 'natural rubber' and derivatives thereof.

As I understand it, synthetic rubbers are polymers of petroleum products, just as are most/all of the things we describe as 'plastics' (e.g. PVC). Hence, I don't see why so many people seem to think very differently about 'synthetic rubbers' than they do about, say, PVC, polythene or any other man-made polymers. All these man-made materials have different properties and characteristics, but there's no reason (that i am aware of) why they should be in any way 'systematically inferior/undesirable' just because they are classified as 'synthetic rubbers'.

Maybe some chemists out there can correct my thinking?

Kind Regards, John

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modern rubber cable.

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