VMVL cable white 3 x 2.5 mm² per meter

The same flexible three-core cable as the 1.5 mm² version, with thicker conductors: 2.5 mm² per core. Sold by the metre.

When you need thicker

There are two reasons to step up to 2.5 mm², and both come down to heat.

The first is current. A conductor has resistance, and that resistance turns current into heat. More copper means less resistance, and a cooler cable at the same load. For equipment running at full power for hours at a stretch, which in a grow room is the rule rather than the exception, that is a real difference.

The second is distance. Over a long cable the voltage at the far end drops, and that drop scales with length and with resistance per metre. On a short connection you will not notice. On a long feed to equipment further into the room you will.

What is authoritative

Do not go by a rule of thumb but by two things: what the device itself states, and the printing on the cable. That marking belongs to this specific make and is the only numerical source you should trust. If you are unsure about a connection, have it checked by someone who knows the trade.

Also here: not in damp

VMVL is not suitable for damp spaces, whatever the core thickness. Thicker copper changes nothing about that: it is the sheath and the cable type that decide, not the cross-section. Keep connection points dry.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: VMVL (H05VV-F)
• Cores: 3
• Cross-section: 2.5 mm² per core
• Sheath colour: white
• Conductor: copper, flexible
• Voltage class: 300 to 500 V
• Use: indoors, dry rooms
• Sold: per metre

Frequently asked questions

When 2.5 rather than 1.5? For heavier equipment running at full power for long periods, and for long runs where voltage drop starts to count.

Can thicker do harm? Not electrically. It is stiffer and dearer, and it does not always fit as easily into a small plug housing.

How many amps will it take? Read the cable marking and your equipment's rating. Do not work from a rule of thumb.

Is this one damp-proof? No. That does not change with core thickness; VMVL belongs in dry rooms.