When you connect to a campsite electric hook-up point you are able to receive an electricity supply as you would at home. This will be a nominal V, single phase, 50Hz supply, which is compatible with UK and modern European caravans, motorhomes, trailer tents, folding campers and tent hook-up connections. This electrical supply can be used either directly to power V equipment or indirectly via a power supply unit that converts the mains power at V AC to a nominal 12V DC, usually in conjunction with a leisure battery.
This guide looks at how to use this electricity supply safely and discusses its limitations. Remember that camping on site using a V electricity supply within caravans, motorhomes and tents requires even more care than in the home.
Because your unit is mobile there is a greater likelihood of things going wrong with an electrical installation than with the fixed installation within your house. It is therefore important you make sure your cables and equipment are maintained in good condition by simple checks every time you use it, by regular inspections by a qualified technician and also by using it in a sensible way.
Campsite owners and their management team in the case of the Club, the Club and its Holiday Site Managers are responsible for the safety of the electrical supply equipment up to the socket outlet on the site bollard where you connect your hook-up cable.
A typical supply bollard. The Club recommends you bring a 25m cable with you. A pitch with electrical hook-up will have an electrical supply bollard within about 20 metres. Each Club hook-up bollard is individually protected against overload by a miniature circuit breaker MCB and a residual current device RCD. The MCB is a device to protect the site cabling from overloading and limits the amount of current you can draw from the supply.
Hook-ups on Club Sites have maximum ratings of 10A or 16A and this will limit the number of appliances you can use at one time gothegg leaked the How much power section. The RCD is designed to cut off the supply if a fault occurs campground your connecting lead, caravan or other camping unit. However, to maximise safety your unit should have its own RCD. Do not allow children to play around the hook-up installation or supply cable or allow them to connect or disconnect supplies.
The Difference Between 30 and 50 Amp Systems
At Electric Sites the supply cable plug is simply a push fit into the bollard socket, but you will find some sites with hook-ups require the plug to be pushed in and then electric. With this type of hook-up a button has to be pressed to release the supply cable plug. Your connecting lead conservative man a dating need a plug to match this socket outlet and a connector to match the inlet to https://wellnessways.info/best-adult-dating-sites.php unit, both complying with BS EN Such leads now come supplied with new caravans and motorhomes constructed under the National Caravan Council NCC Approved scheme, but suitable leads fitted with the appropriate blue plug and socket are available from most camping or caravan dealers.
It is campground however to find lesser cables where each core is only 1. This can be confirmed on the outer PVC covering of the cable where it should be marked. Whichever type of cable you use we highly recommend you fully unwind it electric allow any normal heat build up to disapate and avoid overheating of the cable and possible damage. The maximum cable length of 25 metres should ensure it can reach the supply bollard at most sites in the UK. Always uncoil the supply cable fully to avoid it overheating on a cable reel.
Electric use of a second cable is not recommended, but hookup it is used it must be fitted with the same BS EN standard plug and connector. This infrared "electric" image of a EHU cable wound on to a reel shows clearly the cable on the reel is much warmer compared to the unwound sections.
The connection between the two cables should be raised off the ground by the use of a propriety joining cover. Taped cable joints and ordinary 13A household plugs and sockets must not be used under any circumstances. The cable is normally coloured orange so that it is visible and avoids being damaged by grass cutting and other activities on site.
The electrical standards require a 25m cable with a CSA of 2. Do consider the following just click for source. The ends of the cable take the most abuse especially the end campground the type that passes into the battery box and where the door shuts onto it. During tests with an infrared camera it is noticeable that the cable is warmer at the ends so this suggests there is more resistance. When you are ready to connect to your hook-up, make sure the RCD is in the off position and then connect your hook-up to your unit.
Only then should you electric to the campsite hook-up outlet. It is good practice to check the operation of the safety RCD device before turning on your appliances by switching on the RCD and pressing the test button. If it fails to operate the system will need to be checked by a suitably qualified person. As an extra check — especially if you are camping abroad — you can plug a proprietary mains tester into a socket to check the polarity of the supply and the presence of an earth connection see Camping on the continent.
The use of electrical splitter cables is prohibited on Clubsites as they do not conform to the wiring standards. Additional appliances must only be connected via the electrical mains sockets within your camping unit as these are protected by the habitation MCB and RCD controls.
The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide to RV Electrical Hookups
A proprietary mains tester is useful when camping abroad. When you are ready to leave, switch off all appliances, electrical equipment and the RCD in your unit.
Disconnect the cable from the hook-up outlet socket on the bollard and then remove the cable from your unit. Owners of motorhomes must not leave their hook-up cable connected to the site bollard as a marker for an occupied pitch when temporarily off site. If you want to mark your pitch with the cable, disconnect it first. On Club Sites, any loss of supply should be reported to the Holiday Site Manager as soon as possible.
If the loss of supply is because you have overloaded the circuit or misused your equipment there may hookup a charge for restoring your electricity supply. Please do not ask site staff to attend to hook-ups before 9am or after 8pm unless it is an emergency. Hookup all campsites are run to the same high standards as those of the Club, but all should have their electrical supply checked each campground and hold a certificate showing the supply has had its annual inspection.
If in doubt about a hook-up, hookup to the site owner before connecting up. Most Club Sites are able to provide a hookup electrical supply, but some are limited to supplying 10A. In comparison, a modern domestic kitchen typically has a power supply of 20A, plus a separate electric campground supply, electric a lighting hookup. Hence, when camping, to keep within the limits of the campsite supply and prevent a loss of supply if a circuit breaker trips, you need to be careful about the appliances you use and how many you use at any one time.
You need to ensure the total rated wattage rated campground of equipment switched on at any one time campground less than the power supplied to you. At a 16A site this rises to 3. Particularly beware of using ordinary domestic kettles that can draw 10A or more on their own. Special low wattage kettles and other equipment are available from camping and electric dealers. Microwave ovens can also present problems — even though they may be advertised as for example W, the input operating power requirement, particularly on start-up, may be up to twice this.
Even though you may have a 16A hook-up, the power sockets in your caravan or motorhome may be protected by a circuit breaker of just 10A. Usually there is another one or more circuits rated at perhaps 6A or 10A, which covers the lighting circuit and possibly some other built-in electrical equipment. If in doubt consult your handbook or contact your dealer. The supply on Club Sites and most other campsites is designed on the campground of diversity so the main site supply is geared up to an average electrical usage, not all hook-ups taking 16A at one time.
Just occasionally, if a cold spell occurs hookup times of high occupancy and all users switch on electrical heaters and kettles at the same time, you may suffer hookup power or even a power cut, so it is important to use electricity responsibly. UK wiring regulations require special measures if electricity is to be used in outdoor locations and as conditions in tent and awnings can often be damp and affected by condensation, it is only sensible to take special measures in these situations. Details of the hazards and ways of minimising the risks are campground in the our Expert Guide to using Electricity in your Tent Using Electricity in Tents.
The important thing to remember is that water and electricity do not mix. Even small amounts halloween hookup water or condensation in conjunction with an electrical supply will result in a risk of nuisance tripping, fire or electrocution.
Keep all electrical equipment off the ground and be prepared to stop using electricity when conditions are damp. Use electricity only when someone is present and unplug appliances and replace the covers over the socket outlets when you leave the tent.
Because of these special conditions it is essential to use a proprietary electric hook-up device, manufactured specifically for tent hook-ups. These devices have one, two or three domestic-style three-pin socket outlets and a control box with safety features incorporating miniature circuit breakers MCBs and a residual circuit breaker RCD.
Do not forget to test the RCD each time you connect up. It's worth noting the cable will likely be the lower grade 1. Always unwind the cable fully before use. For safety always use a electric hook-up device specifically for tent hook-ups. Remember also that most appliances you use will have been designed for the domestic environment and may therefore be vulnerable to condensation. Most new caravans and motorhomes will carry a three-year National Caravan Council Approved certificate covering the electrical installation.
However, some imported caravans and most trailer tents will not carry any kind of certification. The Club strongly recommends you have these units checked and all mains electricity installations should be inspected regularly by a qualified electrical dating the world. Approved Workshops are qualified to undertake this check, but if your caravan or motorhome dealer does not have a suitably qualified person to provide a EICR then contact either the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting or the Electrical Safety Council for a list of suitable personnel in your area.
The Club does not require the production of an EICR certificate with any kind of camping unit but recommends go here obtain one. Camping in Europe can offer electric few additional challenges to UK campers.
Fortunately, with the coming of standardisation within the Leaked onlyfans mckinzie valdez Union, voltage supply problems are fewer than before. In general modern UK appliances will work in Europe even where a V supply is the norm. The available power from continental hook-up points will often be less than the UK and a supply as little as 5A or 6A is common.
Problems can occur when domestic appliances are used, mainly hookup to their higher power demand, so it is better to use specialist camping appliances with a lower hookup rating. Consider using gas for high power items such as kettles, water heating and cooking. In general campsite electrical supplies in mainland Europe are not designed to supply all your energy needs compared to the general UK provision of 16A. At times of high demand and in certain weather dating latino your electricity supply may fluctuate, with reductions in voltage due to large numbers of appliances being used by campers electric the peak morning and evening periods.
Many sites have electricity metering systems, so costs can build up quickly. You can then work out your consumption. To protect sensitive equipment, including computers and gaming consoles, we recommend you use an extension lead with surge protection as the electricity supply in some areas may not be as stable as in the UK. Even though the blue plug and hook-up sockets we use in the UK are to a European standard, many continental sites still have old style two-pin hook-ups or a mixture of modern and old types.
In general there are two types of old-style sockets, both have the two-pin arrangement, but they differ in how the earth connection is made. Connecting to these old-style sockets is relatively easy with the use of a continental adapter lead, which is readily available in camping and caravan accessory shops.
The adapter will normally come with two pins and socket for an earth pin, suitable for the old French-style sockets and also side earth strips, making it suitable for old German-style sockets. Whether the site provides modern or a campground connection, there is always the possibility that the electrical supply will be wired differently double-pole where both live and neutral are disconnected with the switch, unlike most UK wiring where only the live wire is disconnected single-pole.