Cable reels are portable extension drums for temporary power — site tools, workshop benches, garages and outdoor work where the socket is nowhere near the job. This range is Brennenstuhl, made in Germany: Garant drum reels in 13A and 16A, 110V CEE site reels, IP44 outdoor versions and automatic rewind reels.
Why must a reel be fully unwound?
Because coiled cable cannot shed heat. Wound on the drum, the turns warm each other and the temperature climbs quickly under load — enough to damage the insulation, even though the same cable laid out flat would be fine. Run the reel fully unwound whenever you are drawing real current, and keep the drum out of direct sun. A thermal cut-out is a safety backstop, not a working feature.
Which reel for which job?
Garant drum reels come in 25m and 50m lengths with steel or PVC bodies for site and workshop use; IP44 versions are built for outdoor and damp conditions. 110V CEE reels serve reduced-voltage site tools and will not fit ordinary 230V plugs. Automatic rewind reels, in 9+2m and 16+2m, retract into the housing on their own and suit a fixed wall position in a garage or workshop.
What do the cable codes mean?
H05VV-F is PVC flex for general indoor and light outdoor use; H07RN-F is a tougher rubber-sheathed flex that resists abrasion and oil, which is why it appears on heavier-duty reels. 3G1.5 means three cores of 1.5mm², earth included. Match the reel's rating to the tool, and never chain reels together to reach further.
