The strange world of power cables

[slapup]

I have just replaced my standard NAP 160 power cable with some B&Q 1.5mm stuff, and cleaned the contacts whilst i was at it. It's not fancy cable, no twisting or shielding but is a decent thickness. I'm frankly astounded with the improvement it has made! A more natural and revealing sound has emerged - much like the difference you get when you listen at night with the lights off to listening in the day. I'm usually very skeptical about things like this, but now i've heard it myself. I'm puzzled however and was wondering if anyone can shed any light as to how my 2 metres of power cable can make any audible difference to an electricity supply that has travelled god knows how far? Am i just deluding myself?

 

[zanash]

Come on this is old hat !!

The last 2m of cable is acting as a filter of sorts. I'm no Physicist so don't ask me to explain, but I've heard this effect countless tiimes over the last ten to fifteen years since I started to look at alternative mains cables.

If you intrestedin the technical side the EUPEN web site carries some useful info inregards to there power cords......they call them filters too.

 

[spxy]

What AMPage was your old cable and what AMPage is the new? Also is the IEC plug different .See if one is a tighter fit than the other.
There I think probably lies the answer.

 

[Mick Seymour]

Originally posted by slapup
... and cleaned the contacts whilst i was at it

Always, er no, sorry, Never change more than one thing at once otherwise you'll never know. You could put the old cable back with the clean contacts. That would narrow it down.

Mick

 

[penance]

It wont be acting as a filter at all, this may be true of cables designed to do this such as eupen. But they have a powdered ferite material around the conductors to acheive this. B&Q 1.5mm^2 most certainly wont.
More likely to do with the increased CSA of the cable and the cleaning of the contacts.