Blue 240V Cable

[Bluesman]

This might be the silliest question today - apologies. I want to add another 240V CBE C-Line mains socket in the back of my van (obviously fed power from the EHU). There are currently two of them in what I would call a 'daisy chain' (ie. wire for the second are coming out of the back of the first) and I wanted fix the third 5 feet away (ie. with the wires for it coming from the back of the second one). The consumer unit has a 2 x 10A MCB and a 25A RCD. So far so good (I think) but why does campervan mains cable always seem to be blue? A quick Google seems to indicate that it's this stuff ARCTIC GRADE BLUE OR YELLOW 3183 FLEX CABLE 3 CORE 1.5, 2.5, 4MM CARAVAN CAMPING | eBay
I'm guessing by the name that it's made to cope with extremes in temperature but is it essential here in SW England? Also, it will never be used for anything over 1KW (ie. a small kettle) would I be better using 2.5mm or would 1.5mm be safe?

 

[Salty Spuds]

This might be the silliest question today - apologies. I want to add another 240V CBE C-Line mains socket in the back of my van (obviously fed power from the EHU). There are currently two of them in what I would call a 'daisy chain' (ie. wire for the second are coming out of the back of the first) and I wanted fix the third 5 feet away (ie. with the wires for it coming from the back of the second one). The consumer unit has a 2 x 10A MCB and a 25A RCD. So far so good (I think) but why does campervan mains cable always seem to be blue? A quick Google seems to indicate that it's this stuff ARCTIC GRADE BLUE OR YELLOW 3183 FLEX CABLE 3 CORE 1.5, 2.5, 4MM CARAVAN CAMPING | eBay
I'm guessing by the name that it's made to cope with extremes in temperature but is it essential here in SW England? Also, it will never be used for anything over 1KW (ie. a small kettle) would I be better using 2.5mm or would 1.5mm be safe?

1.5mm will be fine. You should always use stranded flex in any moving/vibration prone application. Solid core will work harden & go brittle. Arctic flex is just a generic term for blue/yellow site cable.

 

[Ayjay]

@Salty Spuds. Thank you for the quick reply as the other chap saved me from making a post.. That's just as I thought but a sanity check is always wise when it comes to electricity and the amateur. I had a similar sort of question but I need to power a small heater and maybe charge my Jackery (but not at the same time).

 

[Pauly]

as above flexible cable should always be used in vehicles/boats etc
its called arctic flex because it can deal with temperatures better, normal cable can crack if the temp gets too low, blue cable indicates 240v and yellow is used for 110v as used on building sites etc

 

[roadtripper]

Worth remembering there isn't anything particularly magic about "arctic" cable and there are more robust options about.

The blue is well known and recognised as mains cable and it usefully differentiates between the other wiring in the van, if you already have existing wiring would make sense to continue using it to be consistent for future you or other owners.

For fresh build you could use the robust rubber sheathed cables used for workshops or sometimes sold as pond cable, most are rated to similar temperatures.

If you are installing out of sight in the van I'd consider getting some decent cable from a well know electrical supplier rather than Amazon/eBay/DIY - a lot of shocking quality "blue cable" about.

If you are adding things like chargers consider discrimination. Just as the 12v system has different fused circuits consider if your mains needs it too, there is often more than one breaker in the consumer unit so consider what goes off if you draw too much current and trip one. For instance if you have mains to a fridge probably a good idea to have that on a different breaker to the sockets. If you are hard wiring a charger I'd be tempted to have that on a separate breaker to the sockets.

Finally I'd advise not putting too many sockets in, with limited supply on most sites it's much easier not to make a mistake if you have to physically change plugs over rather than assuming a heater is off and then it's thermostat cutting back in overnight and tripping things while you sleep.

 

[Bluesman]

@Ayjay. What did you do in the end and where did you buy the blue cable (if you used it)? I wondered as @roadtripper advised caution when buying blue cable,

 

[Salty Spuds]

@Ayjay. What did you do in the end and where did you buy the blue cable (if you used it)? I wondered as @roadtripper advised caution when buying blue cable,

This is my cable of choice for EHU cables. Far superior to “Arctic” cable.

2.5mm² 3 Core HO7RNF Rubber Flexible Cable (Cut Length Sold By The Mtr)

Designed for flexibility, capacity to withstand weather, oils/greases, mechanical/thermal stresses

www.cef.co.uk

 

[Ayjay]

@Bluesman I had to go into my local City Electrical Factors to buy a tube for the bathroom cabinet and took the opportunity to ask if they sold the Arctic Flex stuff by the metre. The answer was a yes and it cost me £3.20 for 2M of 2.5mm - far cheaper than any Ebay listing and I would hope it's decent quality given where it came from (I've just noticed that @Salty Spuds has linked to the same firm). The 1.5mm version would have been about £2 for the same length.