| 50 Amp cable problems are simple [message #305087] |
Sun, 07 August 2016 18:20  |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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As someone that spent a long time pulling cables, hoses, hawsers, and wire rope for one thing or another, I don't think our 50 amp cables are all that tough to handle.
Read carefully:
On a warm day, pull the cable out as far as you can.
Lay it out straight in the sun if it is available.
Wait a while.
When the cable is warm, carefully lay it back into the cable box going in a clockwise direction. This gets called flaking a cable (or whatever) the direction is important because of the way the conductor inside are wrapped during the cable's construction.
If it doesn't lay flat in the box, pull it out and try again, but this time grab the cable wind it as you flake it onto the tray. It will go in there and lie as a nice tall coil. When you get it all in there, give it that last little twist so it plugs into the generator plug.
When it is cool and you pull it out, it will behave like the self coiling cord on an appliance - just bigger. When you go to put it away, let the cable have its way and with just a little help, it will go back onto the shelf and it will wait to be plugged in. Mine took a day to train, but it has been more obedient than many people's kids ever since.
Our cables are nice, well behaved and small. The are only #8AWG X 4 and have a nice neoprene jacket and only about coach long.
The extension cable I use at home and sometimes carry to events is #6AWG X 3 and #8AWG in a vinyl jacket. It can only be coiled to about a 2-1/2 foot diameter, and if it gets left outside in the cold, I have to bring it into the barn to warm up before I roll it up. Even rolled up, I can't carry it inside a 23 without giving up the space for something else.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] 50 Amp cable problems are simple [message #305102 is a reply to message #305087] |
Sun, 07 August 2016 21:05  |
Olly Schmidt
Messages: 1265
Registered: February 2014
Location: Germany and Scottsville, ...
Karma: 8
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Senior Member |
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Very interesting tid bit. I'll try that.
One thing that I learned during this vacation was to coil the cable in
the box first, and not coil it outside and try to store push it inside.
Works so good, that even SWMBO can put the cable away (in the current
warm weather).
--
Best regards
Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP Key ID: 0x83E1C2EA
'76a Eleganza II, VA
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Best regards
Olly Schmidt
PGP Key ID: 0x18a9 3a1f 4196 bf22
'76a Eleganza II, VA
'73 Sequoia, SH, Germany
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| Re: 50 Amp cable problems are simple [message #305121 is a reply to message #305087] |
Mon, 08 August 2016 07:11 |
kstockwell
Messages: 367
Registered: May 2016
Location: Putney VT
Karma: 4
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Senior Member |
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This is likely from my post!
I agree, it is much more pliable after warming up, and I always coil it into the box and do as you suggest, try to let it warm up in the sun. Excellent advice.
I'm currently using some microphone cables that were made in the early 70's and was taught to understand how to treat a cable (let it do what it wants).
At this point I need to put a new end on mine, and I'm very interested in one suggestion, cut the cable a lot and put the 50amp end on a 3-4' length. Then I can add an extension cord that's a 30 amp or 50 amp on it and I don't have to change the hookup from generator to coach, and someone in the future could maintain the 50 amp service or go with 30 amp,
I believe the person who says new 50amp cables are more pliable than the one I have. It's the size of my wrist and the little amount I use it- and what I use it for it's just extra hassle.
I'd prefer a longer 30 amp cord than the big 50 amp. As I am now whenever I use it I'm going to a dinky extension cable the size of my pinky finger (and that's what the PO used too)
kelly
ps, i must feel insecure to have to reply to this- when it's a good suggestion for using the cable that came with the coach.
1978 Kingsley
Putney VT
[Updated on: Mon, 08 August 2016 08:32] Report message to a moderator |
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