Cheap or expensive wanderlead?

[HappyHippyDad]

I nearly always buy quality tools, however I just want something to tell me if the gas/water is bonded. Do I really need quality is this instance???

This one is £36 - (cant see any brand)



This one is a metrel ML30 £56

 

[sparkless]

hmmmmm personal choice

could be same said for most tools

 

[Elmer BeFuddled]

Where'd you find the cheap one?

Tbh, I contacted someone on ebay selling 55/0.1mm Extra Flexible Test Lead Cable in 5m lengths and asked for a single length of 15m (green of course!!). That and a male and female banana plug bought total outlay to the region of £6 or £7. For the times I've needed it, its proved adequate and sits nicely in a zip-lock bag in the top of my Fluke case.

 

[sparkless]

you get what you pay for

 

[Geordie Spark]

I nearly always buy quality tools, however I just want something to tell me if the gas/water is bonded. Do I really need quality is this instance???

This one is £36 - (cant see any brand)

View attachment 17059

This one is a metrel ML30 £56

View attachment 17060

The first one is the one I have and I think Telextrix has too.

It's for sale on E-Bay - and is made and sold be a bloke called 332billt In Seaham Co. Durham and costs about £29.

It does exactly what you need it to do. There is NO POINT in paying the silly prices some companies are asking !!

NOTE!! I have no connection with this seller - other than being a satisfied customer.

 

[barneybhoy]

For years I've used a drum of 4mm green/yellow and it hasn't failed me yet

 

[grantr37]

worst is that I have seen the second one priced at £106.00 in shops, think it was that price truefix

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Cheers guys,

Thats decision made then . I dont normally mess around with quality and electrics but this time I thought I could probably get away with the cheaper option.

Didn't realise they'd be so many others working nights!

 

[grantr37]

am in the teahut eating the gaffers jaffa cakes.........

 

[telectrix]

the only thing wrong with the £29 one off fleabay is the 4mm socket in the centre of the drum. you need to make up a short lead with a non-standard 4mm plug. the old type that's not approved as it got to be exposed metal end.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I made my own, bought a cheap exten lead (about 12 quid) 30metres long, soldered cores together & hearshrunk & soldered the plug & socket either end. Cost about 15 quid & its just the same as the £69.99 one. Apart from only being 100 feet long instead of 200! But never needed it that long anywa

Just remember to zero it out!

 

[wildgoose]

Buy a cheap 240v cable reel from one of the big sheds and take it apart to remove the mains cord.

Mount a banana socket onto the drum.

Fill the drum with 4mm earth cable, connecting one end to the banana socket and the other wander end, to a large crocodile clip. You can get both of these parts from Maplins for less than £5

Measure the total resistance and write it on the side of the drum. This is just in case you forget to zero your meter when measuring!

I've used this cheap and cheerful method for years and it's fine.

 

[telectrix]

why not use the existing 3 core, all 3 joined together?

 

[wildgoose]

why not use the existing 3 core, all 3 joined together?

Reeling back-up cold 3core isn't always easy but the cable reel loaded with single core is quick and smooth. Plus you can get well over 50meters onto the reel without it being too heavy.

 

[telectrix]

yeah. know what you mean about cold cable .

 

[sparkdog]

I made one out of a Morrisons cable reel as someone here suggested.It got nicked when my van was broken into.Glad it wasn't an expensive one.I didn't use a 4mm socket,you can use a 13A R1 R2 adaptor and just plug it into the 13A socket on the reel.

 

[amlu]

I had a 20 odd meters of old yellow flex lying around. stripped external sheath, used one of the cores with banana plug on both ends. does the job, fits in a pocket of my toolbag.

 

[Elmer BeFuddled]

I'm glad the sense of "necessity is the Mother of invention" is still alive and well.

Blue Peter has a lot to answer for.

 

[telectrix]

but coiling a waNDER LEAD ON A TOILET ROLL CARDBOARD CENTRE IS GOING A BIT TOO FAR.

 

[Des 56]

but coiling a waNDER LEAD ON A TOILET ROLL CARDBOARD CENTRE IS GOING A BIT TOO FAR.

Especially when its covered in Elephant poo