Hi all

I need to do a solar install for family that have a business in Pretoria.  I'm flying there so I'd like to buy some welding cable somewhere there.

I've tried calling like 5 places already and it seems like 50mm welding cable (ie. stranded) is like magic fairy dust (or even 70mm if no stock of 50mm)

In Cape Town a lot of places sell it but it is super heavy to take with on a plane.

Any recommendations?

Ideally I'd prefer not to have to drive all the way to Jhb but I guess if nothing else is possible, I can make the trip.

Why don't you order it online and get it delivered to the place where you are going to, in PTA?

Try Voltex, also Centurion, Zetty, ACDC and Kuso electrical.

1 hour ago, Sarel said:

Try Voltex, also Centurion, Zetty, ACDC and Kuso electrical.

Tried Voltex but people don't answer phones 😛

I'll try again, I just assumed ACDC would be crazy expensive, but let me give them a call anyway.  Haven't heard of others I'll give it a go.  Thanks

9 minutes ago, Gnome said:

Tried Voltex

They suck big time with attitudes to match. They do however have an online store and can deliver as well.

2 hours ago, Sarel said:

They suck big time with attitudes to match. They do however have an online store and can deliver as well.

Yeah I used to use them a lot in Cape Town.  But they are really scummy.  Like I order 2.5mm wire and get 1.5mm, which I notice right there in the store before even paying.  So I'm like WTF is this.  No this is def. 2.5mm he says. I pull out a piece of Aberdare 2.5mm I had with me and he finally agrees there is no way it is 2.5mm.  Now he needs to find who cut the cable, but suddenly that guy is no longer there, etc. etc.  30 minutes later they finally have actual 2.5mm.

Hate that place like the plague so last resort for me.

4 hours ago, PowerUser said:

Why don't you order it online and get it delivered to the place where you are going to, in PTA?

Who sells it online?  I got everything else online but I couldn't see a place that sells that kind of wire online?

EDIT:  Also sorry I didn't notice your message till I came back now (getting old I guess)

Edited November 9, 20214 yr by Gnome

1 minute ago, Gnome said:

Who sells it online?  I got everything else online but I couldn't see a place that sells that kind of wire online?

EDIT:  Also sorry I didn't notice your message till I came back now (getting old I guess)

I'm pretty sure, even if you ask Steve from the Powerforum store, he will organize it for you to be delivered to the specified address in PTA. He organized for me extra 50mm2 cables from Segen Solar to be delivered together with the inverter. Otherwise Voltex and ACDC, both have online stores and they both should sell them. Contrary to Sarel's experience, Voltex Centurion have been quite helpful to me, every time I've been dealing with them.

Hell no. Both my sparky and me refuse to go back there. Same crap, waiting however forever long after they try and sell wire of different gauge as some other gauge, and then take more than 40 min the last time to return.  Snotty attitude and don’t care. After the 3rd time, never see me again, I now don’t care to spend my money there….

9 minutes ago, Sarel said:

they try and sell wire of different gauge as some other gauge

So what is it like company policy to try f#ck people out of the what they paid for?  How can this happened to more than one person in more than one branch

@Sarel, I have been only twice to Voltex Centurion and both times treated very friendly and salesmen were helpful. Besides that Voltex Weltevreden, alloed me inside their store rooms to look through the various cables because I wasn't sure what size I need. The person at the back even cut small pieces from 4 different sizes, so I can go home with them and compare to the cable size I need. But anyway, I have used most Voltex Randburg and ACDC Strjadom Park and they both have been extremely helpful to me. 

@Gnome besides the cable, would you need lugs crimped to it? Because then, you'll need to find someone with the right crimping tool as well.

Edited November 9, 20214 yr by PowerUser

3 minutes ago, PowerUser said:

 besides the cable, would you need lugs crimped to it? Because then, you'll need to find someone with the right crimping tool as well.

I bought one of these in 2015, have crimped a ton of cables.

 

I'm going on a plane so I obviously have limited capacity to take absolutely what I need.  Not going to go hunting for someone with a crimper so I'll def take that.

Edited November 9, 20214 yr by Gnome

At least you have the right tool. I had to drive around and find a shop to do it for me. It ended up much much cheaper than buying the tool anyway 🙂

28 minutes ago, Gnome said:

what is it like company policy to try f#ck people out of the what they paid for?

It would not surprise me if there is some scheme going on there, akin to defrauding the business for personal gain.

6 minutes ago, PowerUser said:

At least you have the right tool. I had to drive around and find a shop to do it for me. It ended up much much cheaper than buying the tool anyway 🙂

Yep totally makes sense.  But back when I first installed my inverter, inverters/solar wasn't quite as popular yet.  Nobody had the right tools, they were still using hammer crimpers and solder the terminals, stupid things like that.  So I bought it on Amazon.com way back when (Cost about R1.5k while people locally were selling such crimpers for R5k+ so overall wasn't a bad deal)

Edited November 9, 20214 yr by Gnome

17 minutes ago, PowerUser said:

have been only twice to Voltex Centurion and both times treated very friendly and salesmen were helpful

Sure I am only relaying my personal experience, and what my sparky shared during the times we were building my system. Other people may have been dealing with different sales personnel, or maybe my face just sucks 🤷‍♂️

3 minutes ago, Sarel said:

Sure I am only relaying my personal experience, and what my sparky shared during the times we were building my system. Other people may have been dealing with different sales personnel, or maybe my face just sucks 🤷‍♂️

Their reviews on Google says otherwise.  I mean @PowerUser may have been lucky, or maybe they have stopped their sh#t but doesn't help that just 2 years ago they couldn't be bothered.

I just remembered something else.  I tried driving there the one day (Friday but does it matter?), arrive at 3:45pm and the store is closed, but hours say 5pm.  So I'm like, WTF?  Then I phone a few weeks later.  They tell me, no they'll close early if it isn't busy.  I'm like guy, I plan my day around the hours you put on your store, don't make me drive all the way there then you closed early so everyone could have an early day.  FFS getting me angry just thinking about it.

Edited November 9, 20214 yr by Gnome

3 minutes ago, Sarel said:

... or maybe my face just sucks 🤷‍♂️

Ha, ha, ha.... it must be your face 🤣 🤣 🤣

Just joking!

8 minutes ago, PowerUser said:

Ha, ha, ha.... it must be your face 🤣 🤣 🤣

Just joking!

I am after all, a grumpy old man 🥸🤦🏻‍♂️