Kettle leads

Lestratcaster

I think I've lost my power kettle lead for my 6505+ at a gig, either that or someone else in the group has picked it up. It wasn't in my bag when I checked yesterday.

May seem like a silly thing to ask but to get a new one all 13a kettle leads should be the same whatever amp model you use right? As long as the wattage is different it shouldn't overheat and blow up? Like the ones you use to power PC monitors, etc they're the same thing?

Roland

New ones should be the same, just different lengths, and most come with 13amp fuses. Some very old ones from the back of your cupboard can have inferior cable.

I like to use 2m lead for an amp. It saves on mains extension cables.

ICBM

Any cable that will fit the amp will be of adequate gauge and should be fused correctly for the amp - the absolute minimum would be a 2A fuse, and even that should be OK since the amp will only draw about 1.5A maximum. (Although there is a possibility that a 2A fuse might blow on the power-up surge.) A 3A fuse or above will be fine. Most 'kettle' leads will be fitted with a 3A, 5A or 13A fuse, although you may rarely find a 10A - technically the correct value, but rarely used in the UK.

A true kettle lead has a notch in the plug, by the way… that's properly called a 'hot condition' plug, but will still work with the amp if you need it to, although they're usually short.

Don't let anyone tell you that the cable makes a difference to the sound . If it did, it would be an inadequate gauge and would be so thin that you'd spot it as not being up to the job straight away. No commercial IEC/kettle lead will be made from cable like that, it would fail safety regulations.

John_A

They are called IEC cables, a 'kettle lead' has a little cutout in it, so will work in an amp, but an IEC cable wont work in a kettle.

5A is high enough for most amps.  Have a look on the back of the amp to see what input power it draws (in watts), then divide that number by 240 (volts) and that gives you the value of the fuse required (in amps) 

Lestratcaster

So something like this would be ok? its an IEC 13 amp fuse.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Mains-Power-Lead-Cable-For-Gear4Music-Gear-4-Music-Guitar-AMP-Amplifier-5M-/152234201646?hash=item2371dd922e:g:eekAAOSwFdtX0URd

Lestratcaster

Says in the instruction manual (amp is in storage at guitarist's house at the moment) 400 watts 50/60Hz. 5 amp fuse.

John_A

This ones a lump cheaper

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2m-Long-IEC-Kettle-Lead-Power-Cable-3-Pin-UK-Plug-PC-Monitor-C13-Cord-/322430238351?epid=862609161&hash=item4b1256fe8f:g:JFcAAOSwtfhYq9lq

grab a pack of 5A fuses from the £ shop

Lestratcaster

John_A said:

This ones a lump cheaper

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2m-Long-IEC-Kettle-Lead-Power-Cable-3-Pin-UK-Plug-PC-Monitor-C13-Cord-/322430238351?epid=862609161&hash=item4b1256fe8f:g:JFcAAOSwtfhYq9lq

grab a pack of 5A fuses from the £ shop

Want a 5m one if I can!

John_A

Sorry - missed that.  The one you posted will be fine

Sporky

John_A said:

They are called IEC cables, a 'kettle lead' has a little cutout in it, so will work in an amp, but an IEC cable wont work in a kettle.

"IEC cable" is arguably worse than "kettle lead" - at least the latter will work, whereas the IEC have defined thousands of different connectors so the chance of getting the right one at random is pretty slim.

They are correctly called BS1363-1 to IEC-60320 C13 cables.

John_A

Sporky said:

John_A said:

They are called IEC cables, a 'kettle lead' has a little cutout in it, so will work in an amp, but an IEC cable wont work in a kettle.

"IEC cable" is arguably worse than "kettle lead" - at least the latter will work, whereas the IEC have defined thousands of different connectors so the chance of getting the right one at random is pretty slim.

They are correctly called BS1363-1 to IEC-60320 C13 cables.

That rolls off the tongue

Sporky

Good pedantry always does!

John_A

Sporky said:

Good pedantry always does!

LOL

Lestratcaster

I don't think I'm going to need it for an actual kettle haha.

exocet

John_A said:

Sporky said:

John_A said:

They are called IEC cables, a 'kettle lead' has a little cutout in it, so will work in an amp, but an IEC cable wont work in a kettle.

"IEC cable" is arguably worse than "kettle lead" - at least the latter will work, whereas the IEC have defined thousands of different connectors so the chance of getting the right one at random is pretty slim.

They are correctly called BS1363-1 to IEC-60320 C13 cables.

That rolls off the tongue

The IEC Kettle Socket is actually a C15 which is rated for higher temperatures. You can distinguish them by the notch that is present on the lower edge....


http://cpc.farnell.com/schurter/4781-0100/iec-connector-hot-condition/dp/CN03854?mckv=soFlHHKtP_dm|pcrid|72935646737|kword||match||plid||pid|CN03854|&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-GEN-SHOPPING-SCHURTER-Connectors-CN03854

As you were gentlemen.

hywelg

And it pays to get a long one, like 5m or so.

And a whole ruck of these cable ties, then you'll know which is your stuff. Sugges to the rest of the band that they use their own colours.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100PCS-Reusable-velcro-Cord-Adjustable-Cable-Tidy-Strap-Ties-Tidy-Wrap-Hook-Loop-/152632276123?hash=item238997b49b:g:0xcAAOSwfjhZccVn

Lestratcaster

hywelg said:

And it pays to get a long one, like 5m or so.

And a whole ruck of these cable ties, then you'll know which is your stuff. Sugges to the rest of the band that they use their own colours.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100PCS-Reusable-velcro-Cord-Adjustable-Cable-Tidy-Strap-Ties-Tidy-Wrap-Hook-Loop-/152632276123?hash=item238997b49b:g:0xcAAOSwfjhZccVn

I normally have green neon tape on my gear which labels its mine. Just that I tech for a mate and he's using my amp. The band use a backing track off a laptop and whilst I set up the guitar rig he's busy setting up the laptop and mixer. So in the rush to get off the stage I'm suspecting he took my kettle lead and shoved it in his bag, or someone else took it.

57Deluxe

Your actual 'Kettle' Leads - Curly cable or straight??  - - Post your pics!!

Sporky

I made this myself.

http://www.monkeyfx.co.uk/pictures/FancyMainsCable.JPG

The cable itself is covered in rayon braiding, which has no effect whatsoever on electron flow. The plug is transparent, but has no effect on the transparency of the signal, and the amp end is white because that's more interesting.

guitarfishbay

I bet that cable sounds transparent!

You could be on to business venture here...

Gulliver

I've always got a couple of these in my cable bag:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Extension-Cable-female-C13-C14/dp/B000KTQI4I/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1501763519&sr=1-1&keywords=iec+extension

Lifesaver on a few occasions - when wanting to position the pedalboard a decent distance from the amp.