Regulations/standards ref rope diameter?

Mikex

I have just purchased rope from an ebay trader on buy it now. The rope was described as 4mm. It arrived yesterday but measures 5mm. I phoned the trader who advises it should be measured after it has been stretched. The breaking strain is about 700kg and I guess the diameter would reduce considerably under such a load. I do not accept this and believe it should be measured unstretched. I phoned a consumer helpline who advise they are not aware and unable to find and standard/legislation.

Just wondering if anyone is better advised?

Thanks

Mike

paddyrg

Personally I would want to know about its stretched diameter, that's when it is doing work! However, I would suggest if there any accepted standards when measuring rope under different conditions, you would find them in the naval/marine world, boaty people have very specific rope demands. Maybe find a chandelry and ask there - they can probably also source exactly what you need.

bris

Just return it under DSR same difference. If your worried about return postage costs ebay don't get involved with that anyway, so if the retailer won't pay it Ebay won't make them. They may be right about the stretched diameter so believe they have done nothing wrong.

System

A quick look around Google seems to imply that the diameter is the diameter when the rope is under load rather than its resting diameter

derrick

Mikex wrote: »

I have just purchased rope from an ebay trader on buy it now. The rope was described as 4mm. It arrived yesterday but measures 5mm. I phoned the trader who advises it should be measured after it has been stretched. The breaking strain is about 700kg and I guess the diameter would reduce considerably under such a load. I do not accept this and believe it should be measured unstretched. I phoned a consumer helpline who advise they are not aware and unable to find and standard/legislation.

Just wondering if anyone is better advised?

Thanks

Mike

I am curious as to why you are bothered about 1mm, (a miniscule amount),you have got more product for your money.

I can see that in it's "rested" state it would measure greater than under any load.

.

societys_child

I wondered what he big deal was, maybe it needs to thread through a 4mm hole? . .

Mikex

Thanks for replies.

I have emailed the RYA and await their reply.

I also phoned Outhwaites ropemakers at Hawes and the initial response from the sales person I spoke to was I should expect the rope to measure the stated diameter at rest.

This is no big deal. When I become confused I just like to get to the bottom of it.

Generally if a rope is a bit oversized it would not matter but in this case it is for a roller reefing system on a small yacht. The existing rope is in need of replacing and measures 4mm at rest. This size fits the spool which it wraps around perfectly, any larger it over fills and jams on the guide.

Mike

patman99

I think the issue here is that there are probably 2 sets of standards. One for the industrial world in which the dia. is measured under load and one for the marine world in which the dia. is measured untensioned.

If you need rope for a boat (or of a specific dia.) then you need to question the supplier to determine the 'at rest' dia. of the rope and, when ordering, make that dia. the max. specified. That way, if you order 4 mm dia. rope that measures 5mm, you can state that is outside the specified tolerance.