Gift horses ..

[robinbanks]

I was given this..

"It does work, but it's a bit temperamental" they said

Anyone else been gifted something that makes you think "Jesus wept.."?

 

[ETAF]

???

 

[robinbanks]

Image uploading seems broken for me at the moment, still trying to edit the post

 

[Mottie]

Yeah, site is really playing up this morning. Thought it was my iPad.

 

[ETAF]

i would check the cable for any splits or melting and the insulation - also for continuity - insulation resistance may be useful
i would cut the plug off and replace it and also check the sockets - looks very used and probably abused

, but it's a bit temperamental"

personally i would bin it my self and get a new one - as you do not know the history and last thing you need is to be using it and anything happen like a fire , or someone getting hurt etc

https://www.screwfix.com/p/masterplug-sct0410-2-xd-10a-2-gang-4m-cable-reel-240v/55197

Masterplug 13A Cassette Cable Reel

Easy wind. Built in thermal cut out.

www.toolstation.com

 

[robinbanks]

i would cut the plug off and replace it and also check the sockets - looks very used and probably abused

Yes it didn't get much better inside; cable is now 6 inches shorter

personally i would bin it my self

Aye, I've assessed the rest of it to be serviceable enough for what it will be used for, so happy to save it from landfill..

But it's a reasonable point that if someone is going to treat it like that one has to wonder what the rest is like!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Aye, I've assessed the rest of it to be serviceable enough for what it will be used for, so happy to save it from landfill..

But it's a reasonable point that if someone is going to treat it like that one has to wonder what the rest is like!

I chuck that style of extension away, they are the work of the devil....

You cannot see the state of the flex, most of it is hidden, unless you pull it all out, and the rewind is awkward and often jams. The open reel, supported on a tubular metal frame is my go to, for longer extensions, or the simple extension not on a reel, just hand coiled.

 

[SUNRAY]

I chuck that style of extension away, they are the work of the devil....

You cannot see the state of the flex, most of it is hidden, unless you pull it all out, and the rewind is awkward and often jams. The open reel, supported on a tubular metal frame is my go to, for longer extensions, or the simple extension not on a reel, just hand coiled.

My personal assessment of all of the options is the cassette style are aweful unless fully unwound everytime they are used, otherwise they wind irregularly. Yes I have a few on open frame style reels (~20) but the vast majority are loose wound. Having several Km of longer cables (~10 to 200m) across the selection of types I would have struggled with the sheer bulk of cable drums. Added to that; some cable types mustn't be coiled too tightly.

 

[ETAF]

Personally I make sure all cables are not wound with a highish current
Saw that go up in smoke quite a few times
Both in workshops

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My personal assessment of all of the options is the cassette style are aweful unless fully unwound everytime they are used, otherwise they wind irregularly. Yes I have a few on open frame style reels (~20) but the vast majority are loose wound. Having several Km of longer cables (~10 to 200m) across the selection of types I would have struggled with the sheer bulk of cable drums. Added to that; some cable types mustn't be coiled too tightly.

Yep, my loose coiled ones, are coiled in large loops, holding the coil in my hand, letting the bottom of the coil touch the floor, then hung on the wall.

Personally I make sure all cables are not wound with a highish current
Saw that go up in smoke quite a few times
Both in workshops

Some, wrongly suggest that it is inductance between the coils, causing the heating. In fact, it is simply due to lack of adequate cooling of the flex, when it is tightly coiled. The slight resistance of the copper in the flex, creates the heat, if the tiny amount of heat generated, cannot escape...

It's OK using it coiled up, at full rating for a short time, for longer - it has to be uncoiled, to allow the heat to dissipate.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yep, my loose coiled ones, are coiled in large loops, holding the coil in my hand, letting the bottom of the coil touch the floor, then hung on the wall.



Some, wrongly suggest that it is inductance between the coils, causing the heating. In fact, it is simply due to lack of adequate cooling of the flex, when it is tightly coiled. The slight resistance of the copper in the flex, creates the heat, if the tiny amount of heat generated, cannot escape...

It's OK using it coiled up, at full rating for a short time, for longer - it has to be uncoiled, to allow the heat to dissipate.

Years ago a colleague 'borrowed' 50m of 0.5mm² 3 core flex from work to cut his grass (before a pedant mentions it; this was for an extension lead for his mower)
When he got a colour TV he positioned it differently in his room due to the increased bulk - we heard all about this at the time it happened.

I visited him for some reason and my nostrils twitched with the unmistakeable scent of warm PVC and heading to the TV I soon noted the 49m of flex coiled to something under a foot diameter and just as quickly found it was uncomfortably warm to the touch and fairly obviously heat deformed.

At that he mentioned the cat often curls up on it, I shortened it to just the undamaged bit while waiting for him.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I visited him for some reason and my nostrils twitched with the unmistakeable scent of warm PVC and heading to the TV I soon noted the 49m of flex coiled to something under a foot diameter and just as quickly found it was uncomfortably warm to the touch and fairly obviously heat deformed.

One of the big problems is caravanners, hook-up leads. Especially in winter, they can run near the limit, heating water, heating the caravan, running fridge, plus lighting. Many like things, neat and tidy, and so buy those plastic reels, to coil the cable on - except, they tend to leave the surplus cable, on the reel, when on site - resulting in an over-heated hook-up lead.

 

[SUNRAY]

One of the big problems is caravanners, hook-up leads. Especially in winter, they can run near the limit, heating water, heating the caravan, running fridge, plus lighting. Many like things, neat and tidy, and so buy those plastic reels, to coil the cable on - except, they tend to leave the surplus cable, on the reel, when on site - resulting in an over-heated hook-up lead.

My biggest headache has been catering vans requiring hook-up, invariably they pull way over what they request.