Camping electrical lead - paying for 'added value'

Forums › Off topic › Camping electrical lead - paying for 'added value'

LittleGreyCat

154 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 11

#71446 10-Nov-2010 18:04

We are looking for a power lead to go with our new tent.

Dick Smith has a 15m lead with blue plug and in line RCD for $150.

Now that looks just a little expensive.
Went to Bunnings to see if I could buy the bits any cheaper.
They had a similar lead, 10m long, for $143.

However, they also had:

2m RCD in line lead (identical RCD) $50
20m building site extension lead $37

So for $87 I have all the bits but the blue plug and a 20m lead as well.
Perhaps the blue plug costs $60?

Google gives me
http://electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=34&DPT=p&DPI=1947&S=1464eabbe6911f48656846a4134ed000
"PDL BALS211 CEE plug 3pin 16A IP44 " for $16.95.

Assume $20 at a local electrical supplier (although the site above is no cheaper than the local stores and in some cases more expensive).

I have a lead 5m longer plus a few extra bits I have put to one side for $100 to $110.

So where does the extra $40-$50 value come from in the packaged item?

Note that I haven't yet tried to source the inline RCD as a seperate item - $50 for the 2m lead seems expensive, but not as much as for the camping lead.

Something makes me feel someone is trying to screw me over.

Grump

LGC

Jaxson

8172 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1332

Trusted

#403275 11-Nov-2010 10:01

Sealed means no joins for water to get in along the length of the lead.
I would get an approved one and not try to be frugal over $40 where safety is an issue.

Try:
http://electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=34&DPT=p&DPI=2243&S=5d3a495b449f81d681860a71f4ea6697

itxtme

2102 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 557

#403333 11-Nov-2010 11:28

Jaxson: Sealed means no joins for water to get in along the length of the lead.
I would get an approved one and not try to be frugal over $40 where safety is an issue.

Try:

http://electricaldirectltd.co.nz/ecommerce.php?func=14&DCI=34&DPT=p&DPI=2243&S=5d3a495b449f81d681860a71f4ea6697

I can vouch for these guys, used them twice, very fast and efficient

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 625
Inactive user

#403339 11-Nov-2010 11:41

+your time to put it together and make sure its safe - lets say one hour at $50 an hour, hey what do you know thats about what they are charging you!

mattRSK

822 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 3

Trusted

#403362 11-Nov-2010 12:37

WAY cheaper if you make your own and your a sparky trust me. Got any sparky mates?

mattk

255 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#403373 11-Nov-2010 13:02

I bought a 16 amp plug an electrical wholesaler and attached it to a $20 warehouse RCD lead. Took 5 minutes and cost ~$40.

LittleGreyCat

154 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 11

#403549 11-Nov-2010 19:15

Jaxson: Sealed means no joins for water to get in along the length of the lead.
I would get an approved one and not try to be frugal over $40 where safety is an issue.

<snip>

What happened to 'can do'?

For water ingress:

the blue plug (which goes into the site power) is waterproof and has a waterproof connection; a gland which tightens down on the cable.
The cable (all 20m of it) then goes across the site and into the tent.
The cable is inherently waterproof - it is classed as a building site extension lead.
Right up the other end is the RCD which has (you guessed) a gland to seal onto the cable. This should not be a problem anyway as this end of the cable is indoors.

Wiring a plug and tightening a gland does not usually require a qualified sparky.
Any 'Do It Yourself' person in the UK should have no problems with this sort of thing.

Note that this is using the same RCD as used in the 'official' lead - there are cheaper options but why skimp when you can save $50 with 10 minutes work?

My remaining challenge is to source the plug at a good price.
$27 at the elecrical retailers but $10 cheaper 'buy it now' on Trade Me.
And it can be picked up in Christchurch.

With regard to labour costs, I don't think that fitting a blue plug to a lead is going to cost $50 NZD in a sweat shop in China.

Cheers

LGC

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

jimbob79

673 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 165

#1941542 17-Jan-2018 14:32

I know this is a very old thread but I just wanted to chuck in my two cents to the mix.

$16 (+$4 delivery) Blue 16amp plug from TradeMe and $16 15-meter power cable from Mitre 10 Mega. All up, less than $40.

The male plug does have a nice firm grip on the power cable, however, the Earth pin is a bit saggy, hopefully, it's not going to be a problem.

I do have a separate 10amp HPM inline RCD breaker that I'm going to use as well.

LittleGreyCat

154 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 11

#1941764 18-Jan-2018 01:02

Nice to be reminded of good times in NZ.

The lead served us well for 4 and a half months in a tent touring all over NZ. We left all our camping kit behind when we eventually flew back.

The only minor issue we ever had was because most leads have the circuit breaker outside in the rain, but visible to the camp site operator. On a couple of occasions the operator asked to see the other end of the cable, and was perfectly happy when the circuit breaker was seen.

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1941788 18-Jan-2018 08:11

If concerned about water getting into the RCD/lead connection, stick it in an icecream container and bag the container. Ive done this down at our pool area for our laser lights.

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree