[ConfusedGardener]

I've just bought a Bosch shredder having seen a recommendation from someone on here, but the description says there's no power cable with it, and I can't find any info regarding the type of cable I should get. I know that I'll need heavy gauge for a long (100 ft) extension cable, but what type of connector am I looking for?

Can anyone recommend what to get? Thanks.

[arugula]

I'm not sure what you mean by "what type of connector". Ours, not a new model, plugs into the normal household supply using a standard three pin plug with RCD a sensible addition in between the plug and the power supply. Do you mean the connection at the appliance end of the cable? I can't remember offhand how ours connects at that end, I'd have to go out and look at it.

[fatcat1955]

I would go for 1.5mm 3 core flex with a UK rubber 13A plug and socket. You can then use this lead for anything .  Or you could try fleabay for a 220v 16A  lead with blue commando fitting's.

[grendel]

well based upon the fact that all of the bosch shredders come in at under 3000W I based my calculation on that, so the minimum core cross section will be 4mm2 (You could just get away with 2.5mm2 but its right on the edge in the calculations) dont use the cable with it coiled as this will derate its capability (it doesnt matter if its laid out and occasionally crosses itself but if fully coiled it will drop the current capacity (or get very warm). looking most extension reels only use a 1.25mm2 cable cross section.
if you buy cable get a multistranded one as solid core cables easily break when used like this, your best bet is a cable supplier on an industrial estate as B&Q want about £66 for a 60m reel.
your best bet is to tell them what it is for, the distance and wattage of the shredded - they will check my calculations and advise accordingly, if you take a photo of the connection end they may be able to supply the connector too.
it wont be cheap as copper is very expensive nowadays.
Grendel

[grendel]

I would go for 1.5mm 3 core flex with a UK rubber 13A plug and socket. You can then use this lead for anything .  Or you could try fleabay for a 220v 16A  lead with blue commando fitting's.

sorry fatcat, I dont think 1.5mm2 will be up to the job, over that distance the voltage drop will be considerable, plus since it is a motor the startup / stall current will be at the maximum rating for the shredder. the 4mm" I quoted will have a 4.5V volt drop over that length, a 2.5mm cable drops 7.8V over the distance (which is the minimum that any cable calculator will allow me)
Grendel

[fatcat1955]

Grendel trust me, i have been a sparkie for over 40 year's 1.5mm is deffo ok.  Arctic blue 1.5 is good from memory for 19A . A 2.5 kw shredder will use approx 10A . Volt drop over 30mts will come no where near causing the lead to get warm. Your tip on unrolling the whole lead was good though.

[ConfusedGardener]

Thank you all for the replies.

arugula - yes, I'm not sure what the connector is at the appliance end.

The PDF I downloaded for the shredder says a minimum of 2.5 mm for extension cables above 25m, and ideally I'd like closer to 50m, so I'm going to buy this 50m reel of 2.5mm I found on Ebay and split it up into a 25m and 15m using these IP44 connectors.

Hopefully that should be OK, but I guess I will have to wait till the shredder arrives before I can get a connector for the shredder end.

[arugula]

Hopefully that should be OK, but I guess I will have to wait till the shredder arrives before I can get a connector for the shredder end.

That sounds like a plan.

[grendel]

I was erring on the 'safe' side fatcat, but as the main draughtsman for a team of electrical designers it wasnt the cable overheating with the volt drop (other than coiled) it was that I knew the volt drop would exceed the 5% recommended, as my designers were sticklers for printing out the calculations for every cable run, so I would have to notify them - even if the route varied by a metre or so as that could throw the cable into a larger size.
Grendel

[fatcat1955]

Grendel do the calc for 1.5 T&E and it comes within the parameter's, Arctic cable has a higher rating because of the sheath and the composition of the conductor's. Confused gardener said that it was for a 100ft run which has now increased to 50mts so i would use 2.5mm cable.

[fatcat1955]

Confused Gardener, before you go paying that sort of money for those connector's please shop around. Better still if can give me a couple of day's i will have a look in my garage. All they will cost you is the postage.

[ConfusedGardener]

Confused Gardener, before you go paying that sort of money for those connector's please shop around. Better still if can give me a couple of day's i will have a look in my garage. All they will cost you is the postage.

Thank you for your kind offer fatcat, but I've already taken the plunge! I couldn't find them much cheaper on Ebay. However, I might be able to use one or two more so I could have an "adapter-cable" to use with other appliances besides the shredder.

[fatcat1955]

No problem, i will have a look and let you know.

[ConfusedGardener]

Thanks again fatcat.

I received my roll of cable today, and the shredder, but it's been a long day so I'll unpack tomorrow.

Hopefully the connectors I ordered will arrive tomorrow so I can get shredding the pile of brush which my partner and I have been collecting together over the last two days:

[ConfusedGardener]

I got the IP44 connectors yesterday, but the internal plastic part that is supposed to grip the cable broke on 3 out of 4 of the connectors when I tried to put my extension together, so I'd strongly advise anyone considering buying some to stay away from them, and if you have bough some, to send them back. Don't try to use them!

The label on them says "ESR" which I presume is the manufacturer.

I'm annoyed to say the least, and have messaged the seller about returning the connectors as well as recommending he remove the auction 

I don't know if it's just bad luck, but this is the 5th ebay auction in the last 2 months that I've had to ask for a refund :blink: Seriously considering giving up on ebay - I've bought well over 250 items since 2001, and only had one or two problems up till a couple of months back!