Thread: Storing long extension leads

Originally Posted by cookie48

I have a 15mt cord that I roll all the time. All I do is roll it so that it is a least 1mt per coil. Never coil it around the arm but let hang and twist the bends out. Allways coil the same way ie: female plug first. I never have tangles.

This is the way I do it, never had an issue when it comes to unrolling it, will work up to 30+ meters.

Of necessity, we have engine block heaters. Of necessity, most engines need a little warmth for reliable starts at -20C and colder. My 454cid/7.6l V8 is no exception.
Synthetic oil does help. Even the tires freeze with a flat spot. . . . goes away with elastic flexing as you drive!

The power leads are commonly 20-25m in length and the good, home made ones are commonly 12 or 14 gauge stranded wire, thick as your little finger.. They are dang near impossible to untangle when -20C stiff and that isn't WX to play in.
Each loop in the coil-up is my entire arm span, big loops being easier and faster to separate than little ones.Holding the end in my left hand, I swing my right hand as far to the right as is comfortable = loop size. I agree fully = smaller loop size really is asking for a tangle.

Somewhere in the dim dark past this has come up in a thread. Someone (can't remember now) who worked with a lot of cables explained the method of just doing the loop in-hand will eventually cause a memory in the lead due to applying a twist with each loop (which is noticeable as a twist in the yet-to-be-rolled end, which you have to flick out). Some professionals much more experienced than me suggest this ends in fatigue of the cable. I don't roll-unroll leads enough to worry about this but if you are someone who is worried about this sort of thing here is the solution. Alternately applying the loop first to the front of the coil then to the back. One twists one way, the other the opposite cancelling out twist. You apply one loop while holding the coils resting on the palm and the second to the back by pivoting the hand around so the coil rests on the thumb. Someone could probably find the original thread if they searched to find a better description...

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

Of necessity, we have engine block heaters. Of necessity, most engines need a little warmth for reliable starts at -20C and colder.

That is life telling you to move to sunnier climates.

I found the link you guys referred to above. Looks interesting

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaEv9wm6gy0]How To: No Tangle Extension Cord Storage - YouTube[/ame]

Originally Posted by mic-d

Somewhere in the dim dark past this has come up in a thread. Someone (can't remember now) who worked with a lot of cables explained the method of just doing the loop in-hand will eventually cause a memory in the lead due to applying a twist with each loop (which is noticeable as a twist in the yet-to-be-rolled end, which you have to flick out). Some professionals much more experienced than me suggest this ends in fatigue of the cable. I don't roll-unroll leads enough to worry about this but if you are someone who is worried about this sort of thing here is the solution. Alternately applying the loop first to the front of the coil then to the back. One twists one way, the other the opposite cancelling out twist. You apply one loop while holding the coils resting on the palm and the second to the back by pivoting the hand around so the coil rests on the thumb. Someone could probably find the original thread if they searched to find a better description...

Or if they had an index file : https://www.woodworkforums.com/f18/ro...l-leads-89406/

Cheers,
Joe