Those extension leads, on a drum

[flameport]

Proper reel brake, no plastic fails here.

 

[blup]

I got fed up of winding and unwinding the crap diy shed cable drums, so made 2 lengths of cable from 1.5mm rubber HO7 RN-F, one about 8 metres for internal work, one longer for outside.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I got fed up of winding and unwinding the crap diy shed cable drums, so made 2 lengths of cable from 1.5mm rubber HO7 RN-F, one about 8 metres for internal work, one longer for outside.

Aside from multiple sockets around my workshop area, I have several rafter sockets, scattered around my garage ceiling, to use when, as now, that becomes a much larger working area. When I sometimes need to work on a patio area, adjacent the my garage's, little side door, I have a short extension there, plugged in and ready to take out side. The extensions on reels, are hardly ever needed, except when power is needed out in the middle of the garden.

 

[Risteard]

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

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

 

[SUNRAY]

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

Oh for heavens sake!

 

[JohnW2]

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

Not necessarily. They sometimes come with indications of the maximum safe loads when wound and when unwound

 

[opps]

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

That is what it is for.

I needs to pushed down the tube (to the bottom rail) though so that it is just under the edge of the outer rim of the reel.

They really are useful when you have a 25+m reel.

 

[opps]

Not necessarily. They sometimes come with indications of the maximum safe loads when wound and when unwound

True.

Some of my smaller cassette reels state the amperage wound/unwound.

That said, when working outdoors in the sun, the thermal cutout kicks in even when taking a lower load.

 

[SUNRAY]

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

I shall not fully unwind the cable when not necessary.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

That is not always necessary. It only needs to be unwound fully, if the intention is to use it close to it's maximum current capacity, and for an extended amount of time.

 

[pete01]

Why does an extension lead need a brake? Has anyone ever had an out of control one?

 

[SUNRAY]

Why does an extension lead need a brake? Has anyone ever had an out of control one?

Yes, most definitely, Hence:

I am in the habit of using (locking) it between uses to stop it unrolling during transportation and handling. The remaining 50%: as described before where the thingummy was never there or long gone, with those I tend to run the end of the lead round the upright tube a full 360° so the cable gets trapped between the drum and tube to act as a brake.

 

[morqthana]

I have a thingymebob, will that do?

Only if you also have a wossname adapter.

 

[morqthana]

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

"IF"??

 

[robinbanks]

The cable shall be fully unwound when in use.

What, even when the load doesn't exceed the rated maximum for a fully wound extension ?