AS/NZS 3199:2007

Kiwimagic · Veteran Member

power cable for caravan

kiwijims · Guru

Kia Ora Kiwimagic, Welcome to the Forum,

If your new van doesn't have a power cable supplied with it I would be going pretty crook at the Dealer,

Normally new vans are equipped with a 30M x 15 amp cable, that's the standard size used on most vans and 15amp is the standard plug size used in almost every C/Van park.

Happy travels,

K.J.

-- Edited by kiwijims on Sunday 12th of March 2017 07:00:31 PM

Desert Dweller · Guru

We've found an extension 15 amp cable handy at times, available from any Bunnings/Hardware store. Bring the power to your caravan not your caravan to the power. The same goes for

your water supply & sullage hoses. Be prepared was the boy scouts motto. So true when you're moving from place to place.

dave48 · Senior Member

I have a 15 Amp cable as listed above but I also have Ampfibian Mini 15A to 10A RCD Adapter which is excellent for plugging in to the house as well
Dave

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yea just check the wire size is 2.5mm square. Especially on the longer leads..

Mike Harding · Guru

It is worth mentioning:

If your caravan is very close to the power point and you only require a short section of the extension lead then ensure you uncoil all the remainder of the lead and toss it, uncoiled, under the caravan. This is especially important for extension leads on drums or reels. It prevents overheating of the cable.

SouthernComfort · Guru

Do what I should have done - ring the dealer and check exactly what you'll be getting before forking out. I assumed wrongly and bought 2 x 15A power leads, 2 x sullage hoses and 2 x white water hoses in advance of collecting our new van, only to later discover they were supplied - they even supplied me with a garden hose with fittings for washing the van!!! (I suppose you can't have too many spares).

There is no consistency in the ancillary equipment provided by new van dealers/manufacturers, I was pleasantly surprised with what I got, including a beautiful Aussie made hydraulic jack and wheel brace. But then, I know of someone who didn't even get a jack included never mind anything else - how the heck they thought he'd change a wheel boggles the mind. So, go ahead and ring 'em up!

-- Edited by SouthernComfort on Monday 13th of March 2017 08:49:41 AM

-- Edited by SouthernComfort on Monday 13th of March 2017 08:51:15 AM

iana · Guru

Just be aware that all the leads at Bunnings are 1.5mm2, you may have to go to an electrical supplier or further for 2.5mm2. Price will also increase accordingly.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Hi kiwimagic, I completely agree with Mike a couple of weeks ago I was given advice from an experienced traveller in a CP he advised me that it may be a good idea for me to uncoil my extension lead which at the time I had rolled up on the ground beside the van as the power outlet was only 2 metres away. He told me that he had once had a lead coiled on a drum which he didn't know had caught fire until he suddenly lost power and could smell something burning. Our van came with the 15amp ext.lead, fresh water and grey water hoses, later on we added another length of grey water hose after staying in a park where the grey water drain was further away than a single hose would reach.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
It is worth mentioning:
If your caravan is very close to the power point and you only require a short section of the extension lead then ensure you uncoil all the remainder of the lead and toss it, uncoiled, under the caravan. This is especially important for extension leads on drums or reels. It prevents overheating of the cable.

Good point Mike.

It is also illegal to join extension leads together as this can also cause overloading.

Cheers,

Peter

SouthernComfort · Guru

For my benefit, and probably also that of kiwimagic, can someone with electrical technical expertise please expand on this?

The 10m lead my van manufacturer supplied is 15amp / 1.5mm conductor. I also bought (probably too soon) a couple of Bunnings leads of the same spec. So where does 2.5mm come in? Are we saying the supplied 1.5mm is inadequate or dangerous?

Uncoiling I understand. It makes sense.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

1.5mm will take 15 amp.. It just depends on fuse / breaker protection on power feed ?

Tony Bev · Guru

Some people I know stay in caravan parks, they have a normal and a shorter 15 amp extension lead, for when they are close to the power box

There are places who sell shorter 15 amp leads

Kiwimagic · Veteran Member

Ok
I will ring the manufacturer and find out what is supplied with the van.
Public holiday here today. no body working.
Any body with a Blue sky van out there who can tell me what their van came with ??
thank you every body for your replies, muchly appreciated.
Getting a bit excited. Only a couple of weeks till van arrives.
Test run to Halls gap will be the first trip.

cheers
Kiwimagic

SouthernComfort · Guru

All the best kiwimagic, hope you enjoy your travels. We're also new at this and armed with much anticipation!! One thing I've learned quickly is to assume little and ask a lot, which no-one ever minds, especially the good folk on this forum.

macka17 · Guru

I Have a 5m\15m and 25m, ALL Heavy duty cable. Plus
as said. an Amphibian for 10v conversion, That came with the van.
$270 buck worth.

Same with Sullage.
have an extra tank installed under van (60 ltr good) connected to a T piece.
one end in from sink. 2 outlets. One to tank. one to sullage pipe.
Cover you in the places that you have to be independant.
More all the time.
I also bought an extra 10mtrs of sullage hose too. On top of std 20 ft length.

Water. I have short. 20 ft and loooong 30mtr one. with filter inlet to van for any roughage in water supply.

Water punp has two outlets.
one to main sink tap, hws. (and any others)
Plus one to 2 filters under sink to separate tap for drinking.

That will cover 99% of requirements when mobile.
Plus a genny for power.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

SouthernComfort wrote:
For my benefit, and probably also that of kiwimagic, can someone with electrical technical expertise please expand on this?

The 10m lead my van manufacturer supplied is 15amp / 1.5mm conductor. I also bought (probably too soon) a couple of Bunnings leads of the same spec. So where does 2.5mm come in? Are we saying the supplied 1.5mm is inadequate or dangerous?

Uncoiling I understand. It makes sense.

The cable length determines (by legislation) what cross sectional area of copper there needs to be in the conductors.

Can't recall the limits off hand, but "short" 1.5mm2 is OK, "longer" minimum 2.5mm2 required and "even longer" minimum 4mm2 is required.

This is also related to the joining cables. The cross sectional area of the copper may not be sufficient all the way for the added length and overheating and fire can occur.

Cheers,

Peter

SouthernComfort · Guru

Thanks Peter, now I understand. So, if cable length determines conductor size, the 10m cables at 1.5mm2 sold at Bunnings and myriad other suppliers must surely be safe so long as they're not joined.

Murraman · Senior Member

It's funny 1.5mm2 cable is used on lighting circuits in a home and protected by a 10 amp circuit breaker, 2.5mm2 is used on power circuits in a home and protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker, you learn something everyday I would have thought 15 amp leads would be 2.5mm2 min

Kiwimagic · Veteran Member

just spoke to the caravan builder.
The power cable plug has only small three pin plug. Not one with the large earth pin...Told me NOT to buy a cable with large pin. it will not fit.
Any body out there with the same type of connection point on their van.....

cheers

kiwimagic

Mike Harding · Guru

Murraman wrote:
It's funny 1.5mm2 cable is used on lighting circuits in a home and protected by a 10 amp circuit breaker, 2.5mm2 is used on power circuits in a home and protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker, you learn something everyday I would have thought 15 amp leads would be 2.5mm2 min

Cable rating is a bit involved and depends upon the specifics of the cable installation and the insulation material of the cable although electricians don't usually need to worry about the latter.

Multi core three core cable at 1.5mm2 (ie Bunnings extension lead) laid on the ground and *not* coiled is rated for about 18A and circuit protection should be selected to suit.

If I were going to regularly run 15A, say an AC and lights etc, then I'd use 2.5mm2 but it's not essential.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Kiwimagic - As Kiwijims suggested maybe the ext.lead and the other hoses will be supplied by the dealer not the manufacturer I would be asking them what's included. I feel like I've crossed the ditch with all you kiwis on this thread anymore and we will be able to organise a game of rugby what do ya reckon Aus-Kiwi ? biggrin biggrin

PeterD · Guru

kiwijims wrote:
Normally new vans are equipped with a 30M x 15 amp cable, that's the standard size used on most vans and 15amp is the standard plug size used in almost every C/Van park.

That's a new one to me. I have not seen any 30m leads for sale around the traps. Where have you seen them for sale?

Also which dealers supply leads with their vans?

PeterD · Guru

SouthernComfort wrote:
The 10m lead my van manufacturer supplied is 15amp / 1.5mm conductor. I also bought (probably too soon) a couple of Bunnings leads of the same spec. So where does 2.5mm come in? Are we saying the supplied 1.5mm is inadequate or dangerous?

The specifications for power leads provides for a maximum voltage drop is 5% at the longest permissible length for each size of wire. For 15A leads constructed with 1.5 mm2 wire the maximum length is 25m, 2.5 mm2 cable it is 40m and for 4.0 mm2 the maximum length is 65m. If you are going to use the 15m cables for equipment with high starting current (eg large motors) then the lengths are reduced to 15, 25 and 45 metres.

There are two main reasons for not allowing leads to be joined for supplying mobile and portable dwellings is that most people don't protect the joins and also there is a high probability that the combined length of the extended lead will exceed the maximum length for the size cable you are using (and thus the supply will have more than a 5% voltage drop.)

Mike Harding · Guru

PeterD wrote:
The specifications for power leads provides for a maximum voltage drop is 5% at the longest permissible length for each size of wire.

That's interesting, I didn't know that. Which standard specifies that Peter?

PeterD · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
That's interesting, I didn't know that. Which standard specifies that Peter?

Maximum Length of Electrical Cables.jpg

Mike Harding · Guru

Hi Peter

Thanks for that.

Which standard is the table from ? The footnotes reference AS3199 but I'm not clear if that's it's origin?

And, sadly, Australian Standards are not available unless one purchases them which is a travesty of all that is just and honest! Imagine having to buy the Crimes Act in order to find out what was legal!?

PeterD · Guru

AS/NZS 3199:2007

Approval and test specification - Cord extension sets