Electric hook up in europe - Page 3

Bulletguy · 14-08-2008, 04:50 PM

Recently been on a few sites through Germany and surprised to find that some had the standard 3 pin blue plug mains sockets on site, so no need even for the adapter...just plug in and switch on!

djchapple · 01-09-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moandick

Hi DJ

I am not detracting from anything you say BUT it IS perfectly possible to put a two pin plug into a two pin socket the wrong way round for an English connection - irrespective of what wires are where.

That was the whole point of the discussion about reverse polarity and how to overcome the problem.

Most of the so-called reversible two pin plugs are in fact plugs with two pins and a third earthing strip down the side. Many people confuse these plugs with a two wire plug - they are definitely three wire, with live, neutral and earth.

These can easily be fitted so that the polarity is reversed and they can also be easily reversed to correct the polarity. hence the need to carry with you a polarity checking plug.

Also bear in mind that many of the cheap converters allowing our 13 amp plugs to fit continental and USA sockets actually reverse the polarity so using one in conjunction with a UK 13amp plug will give misleading results. Also some of these converters do not have an earth connection as they are primarily designed bed to be used with shavers (etc) which are normally double insulated devices with only two wires.

If anyone has come across a site with a true two wire connection (no earth) then we should be informed so that we can all keep away from this horrendously dangerous situation. This type of site should not exist as they contravene EU legislation.

pappajohn · 01-09-2008, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moandick

Hi DJ

I am not detracting from anything you say BUT it IS perfectly possible to put a two pin plug into a two pin socket the wrong way round for an English connection - irrespective of what wires are where.

That was the whole point of the discussion about reverse polarity and how to overcome the problem.

yep, totally agree.

arrived on spanish site, site maintainance pluged us in (posts are locked for security), wrong polarity......told him and went to get my reversed lead, too late...he'd already turned the plug round and fixed it.

pappajohn · 01-09-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bulletguy

Recently been on a few sites through Germany and surprised to find that some had the standard 3 pin blue plug mains sockets on site, so no need even for the adapter...just plug in and switch on!

seems to be happening on more and more euro sites (after all it is a "euro plug")

i think they may be doing this at routine maintainance intervals.
probably some EU directive or other.

nearlyretired · 01-09-2008, 08:37 PM

I've found that about half of the French sites I've used have the standard blue plug, though occassionally the polarity may be reversed on this. One site near the alps a few years ago had mains where the polarity reversed when the campsite light bollards came on at night. Reversed polarity only becomes a problem if you have a faulty appliance with only a single pole switch as then the casing can become 'live' even when switched off

The reason French sites are laid back about reversed polarity is that their appliances are always fitted with double pole switches or are double insulated. As many of our vans and appliances are of continental origin they will have double pole switches. Any leakage to earth will in any event trigger the ELCB (RCD) on the van or the site bollard so its not really something to get too worried about. Some small French and Dutch sites have horrendous mains wiring which is probably a greater hazard, whether reversed or not, and you don't even need to plug into it

.

johnsandywhite · 02-09-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dazzer

The 1 thing not mentioned on here is that in 99.9% of cases reverse polarity will have no effects at all on your motorhome or stuff inside.

The only time it MAY become a problem is if there is a fault on a very old electrical installation with no earths.

I know a fellow RVer who has an earth spike

that they knock into the ground and is connected to the distribution board to be extra safe.

If anyone has had any equipment failures/problems due to rev pol can they let us know as I have never heard of any problems because of it.

My OWN thoughts and feelings exactly. Can ANYONE tell us they had problems due to REVERSE POLARITY? PLEASE? PRETTY PLEASE?

madbluemad · 02-09-2008, 09:24 AM

How do you know if you have reverse polarity. What happens?

Jim

johnsandywhite · 02-09-2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbluemad

How do you know if you have reverse polarity. What happens?

Jim

For instance. Try plugging BOTH ways into a SCHUKO plug in Germany, Spain etc and then REVERSE it.

What happens?

NOTHING. It STILL works.

madbluemad · 02-09-2008, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsandywhite

For instance. Try plugging BOTH ways into a SCHUKO plug in Germany, Spain etc and then REVERSE it.

What happens?

NOTHING. It STILL works.

Thank You John

vanessa · 02-09-2008, 04:34 PM

There are some 2-pin plugs that are genuinely 2-pin plugs (shavers for example, or French double-insulated things like hair-dryers - which have 2 "bypass" holes in the plug that clearly "go nowhere"), and it really makes no difference which way round they're plugged in.

ALL "adaptor plugs" will reverse polarity (just look at what way up the plug is when you plug it in"), with no ill effects on either the appliance or the user.

As had been said, the French socket is a 2-hole, 1-pin socket, so the adaptor plug is 2-pin, one-hole to correspond.

On the other hand ...

Reverse polarity IS a problem when wiring-in lights in your house, and this can cause the switch to become live. However, wiring wrongly would also cause the switch to "not work properly", so is likely to be rectified anyway!