Drum Reeling Cable

A cable drum never stops winding and unwinding — under full tensile load, layer over layer, for thousands of cycles per year. A standard flexible cable dies quickly in this service from torsion fatigue and sheath wear at the drum flange. The drum reeling cable is built for exactly this duty: high tensile strength, torsion balanced construction and a sheath compound that survives the drum. This page covers construction, drum compatibility and how to specify for your reeling application.

Product Overview

Drum reeling cables supply power and control to mobile equipment fed from cable drums and motorised reels: port cranes, stacker reclaimers, hose reels, transport machinery, conveyors, tunneling equipment and vertical lifting devices such as hoists and construction lifts. The cable is specified by drum behavior — tensile strength, bending life, torsion balance and sheath toughness — rather than conductor size alone.

Typical constructions use flexible class 5 stranded copper conductors (tinned options), EPR or high grade elastomer insulation in colored cores with yellow-green earth, short pitch stranding for torsion balanced winding, a wrapping bed that lets cores slide under repeated bending, optional central tensile reinforcement, and an outer sheath of oil and weather resistant chloroprene or high abrasion polyurethane. Voltage ratings commonly specified are 450/750V for control and light power, and 0.6/1kV for main power feeders, with core configurations such as 4x10, 4x16, 4x25, 3x25+3x6/2, 3x35+3x6/2 and multi-core control layouts up to 24 cores. Exact constructions are confirmed per project against the drum datasheet.

Key Features / Construction

• Flexible class 5 stranded copper conductor per IEC 60228, tinned options for corrosion resistance

• Short pitch stranding and sliding wrapping bed for torsion balanced drum winding

• Insulation: EPR for heat and flexibility, or TPE/PUR for severe duty, colored cores with yellow-green earth

• Optional central steel or aramid tensile element for high tension reels and vertical hanging duty

• Outer sheath: oil-, abrasion- and weather-resistant chloroprene, or high-wear PUR for severe reeling duty

• Typical bending radius about 7.5 x outer diameter, subject to drum geometry confirmation

• Cold flexible compounds for outdoor duty down to -40°C as commonly specified

• Flame retardant constructions available for zones with fire performance requirements

Drum Compatibility and Selection

The drum defines the cable. Confirm these parameters before ordering: drum diameter and flange spacing, which set the minimum bending diameter; the number of winding layers, which sets tensile load on inner layers; winding speed and cycles per hour, which set the bending life requirement; and whether the drum is level wind or spiral groove, which changes side pressure on the sheath. Send the drum datasheet and we verify cable diameter, weight per meter and tensile rating against the drum specification before quoting.

Standards & Certifications

• Conductors per IEC 60228 (class 5 flexible)

• Design practice aligned with IEC 60245 and VDE 0298 for flexible rubber cables, adapted to reeling duty

• Flame retardant options tested per IEC 60332 family where specified

• Project-specific tests: bending cycles, tensile load, drum simulation, torsion and abrasion per specification

Classification society documentation can be confirmed per project scope. Refer to the Certifications page or contact us with your equipment and class details.

Applications

• Motorised cable reels on port cranes, stacker reclaimers and shiploaders

• Hose reels and cable reels on drilling and offshore support equipment

• Transport machinery, conveyors and mobile industrial equipment

• Vertical reeling duty on hoists, construction lifts and tower cranes

• Combined reel and drag duty in drag chain systems

• Tunneling and mining equipment with reeling power supply

Why Choose Anhui Tiankang

• Reeling-specific engineering. Stranding pitch, wrapping bed and sheath compound are selected as a system for drum duty — not a standard flexible cable with a tougher jacket.

• Drum-verified data. Bending life, tensile capacity and drum compatibility are stated on the TDS for the specific type, so your reel supplier can verify fit before installation.

• Duty-matched compounds. Chloroprene for weather and oil, PUR for extreme abrasion, cold-flexible versions for low temperature sites.

• Complete reeling range. Reeling & Crane Cables including port crane reeling cable and festoon system cable from one manufacturer, simplifying spare parts across the terminal.

• Documented supply. TDS, routine test reports and drum-length packing plans accompany each shipment on request.

Selection Guide / Buying Considerations

1. Define the duty: horizontal drum travel, vertical reeling, or combined reel-and-drag — each stresses the cable differently.
2. State voltage and function — 450/750V control/light power or 0.6/1kV main feeders — plus core layout, e.g. 4x16, 4x25, 3x25+3x6/2 or 24x1.5.
3. Measure the drum: drum diameter, flange spacing, winding layers and groove type — the effective bending radius often differs from the drum nominal diameter.
4. Describe the environment: oil splash, outdoor UV, temperature range, and any drag or crushing risk at the reel.
5. Confirm tensile requirements for vertical or high-lift reeling — integrated reinforcement may be required.
6. Provide quantity, preferred drum lengths and destination port.

Photos of the existing cable, the reel and the drum arrangement are enough for a first accurate quotation.

FAQ

Q1: What is the difference between drum reeling cable and festoon cable?
Reeling cable winds on and off a drum under tensile load and must handle torsion and small bending radius. Festoon cable hangs in loops or runs on trolleys. The two are not interchangeable — tell us your energy supply design and we confirm the right type.

Q2: What bending radius should I design for?
Commonly about 7.5 times the cable outer diameter for this family, but the true limit depends on construction and drum geometry. Send drum diameter and winding layout and we confirm the correct type.

Q3: Can the cable work in very cold climates?
Cold-flexible compound options support mobile duty down to -40°C as commonly specified. Confirm the exact temperature class per type on the TDS.

Q4: When is tensile reinforcement required?
Vertical hanging festoon, high-lift reeling and long free hanging spans generally require an integrated steel or aramid element carrying the load, so conductor strands do not stretch.

Q5: What information do you need to quote?
Equipment type, voltage and core layout, drum diameter and winding arrangement, environmental conditions, and quantity. Use the contact page to send your drum datasheet or cable list.

Downloads & Certificates

TDS - Drum Reeling Cable (PDF)

Full certificate library: DNV · ABS · NK · BV · RINA · LR · CCS type approvals

Project-specific test reports and drum compatibility verification available on request.

Contact / Request a Quote

Send your drum drawings, cable schedule or photos of the existing installation through the contact page. We will confirm the reeling construction, tensile reinforcement and drum compatibility, and return a quotation with delivery and packing plans. For system level selection see our port crane and bulk handling cable solutions and the Reeling & Crane Cables range.