Connecting to mains electric. (1 Viewer)

Hollyberry

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Morning everyone,
V confused trying to connect to mains electric.

Poster inside the wardrobe door advises me to "Switch off main switch" before connecting. I can find no main switch.

Book that came with m/home doesn't mention a main switch but tells me to connect the electric cable and "connect the switches 4 & 5"--these switches in the diagram are circuit breakers 220v & 240V.

At the moment it's parked in the sun and solar panel reading is giving it charged to 50% so I don't have to connect to the mains--but I feel I should know how to.

M. home is Bennimar Aereo if that's of any help.

Many thanks for any advice.
 

hilldweller

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Poster inside the wardrobe door advises me to "Switch off main switch" before connecting. I can find no main switch.
Many thanks for any advice.

We never do though I can see a bit of logic. Say you had a mains heater plugged in with a towel over it. Plug in outside, get chatting and FIRE.
 
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DESCO

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We never do though I can see a bit of logic. Say you had a mains heater plugged in with a towel over it. Plug in outside, get chatting and FIRE.


Must agree have read but don't bother. In my opinion more important to plug into van first before hook up point.

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Hollyberry

Hollyberry

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So I don't need to find this illusive "main switch"?


I just plug one end of fully uncoiled lead (I read the warnings!!!!!) into m/home and one end into my house? And that's it?
 
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scotjimland

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So I don't need to find this illusive "main switch"?


I just plug one end of fully uncoiled lead (I read the warnings!!!!!) into m/home and one end into my house? And that's it?

in a nutshell... yes..

if you want, you can read this article from the Caravan Club... a bit long winded but it may be useful ..

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Pikey Pete

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Morning everyone,
V confused trying to connect to mains electric.

Poster inside the wardrobe door advises me to "Switch off main switch" before connecting. I can find no main switch.

Book that came with m/home doesn't mention a main switch but tells me to connect the electric cable and "connect the switches 4 & 5"--these switches in the diagram are circuit breakers 220v & 240V.

At the moment it's parked in the sun and solar panel reading is giving it charged to 50% so I don't have to connect to the mains--but I feel I should know how to.

M. home is Bennimar Aereo if that's of any help.

Many thanks for any advice.

There should be a mains trip switch somewhere in the van. It is usually a grey box, with black trip switches and is often found somewhere near the inside part of the EHU socket.
It could also be within the area where the heating boiler is located.

The instructions usually do say switch off before connection to the mains, but I don't think many people do.

Pete:Cool:
 
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hilldweller

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So I don't need to find this illusive "main switch"?


I just plug one end of fully uncoiled lead (I read the warnings!!!!!) into m/home and one end into my house? And that's it?

Go for it.

Somewhere you should see something like a smaller version of your house "fuse box". You really do need to know where this is in case it ever trips. Ours is in the back of the wardrobe and shoes could hit the trip button and we'd have no power, so I made a cover to stop this.

When you find it, look for a button marked TEST. When all is running OK press TEST to make sure the safety circuit works. Afterwards you will have to press a reset almost next to it.

See below for what you are looking for.....
 
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scotjimland

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We're, I suspect complicated, by having an RV but if the internal RCD is on when we hook up more often than not it trips the EHU bollard.

common problem when you are connecting a 230v/120v transformer.. the inrush current exceeds the MCB trip point ... whether it trips or not depends on

* MCB Rating in Amps

and

* MCB type.

Type B - trips between 3 and 5 time full load current

Type C - trips between 5 and 10 times full load current

Type D - trips between 10 and 20 times full load current

The most common type found is Type B.

* and probably the least understood or thought about..

the exact point on the sine wave cycle when you plug in .. with luck it is passing through zero volts .. bad luck it is on the peak .. this can explain why on the same MCB it sometimes trips and sometimes doesn't

Whether you have your on board switch on or off will make no real difference.. it's just luck .. or bad luck when it trips..

You can install a soft start transformer and there are also anti surge devices to reduce the surge..
Frankly I never bothered, I took my chances with the sine wave cycle .. and the good nature of the site warden .. :roflmto:

Note:

If you switch off all 110v appliances ie fridge , water heater, etc. BEFORE plugging in this will reduce the surge considerably and may explain why you find it better to switch off the main switch before connecting the EHU

THIS INFO is ONLY relevant to US RVs WITH 230v - 120v transformers..

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Oct 15, 2007
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common problem when you are connecting a 230v/120v transformer.. the inrush current exceeds the MCB trip point ... whether it trips or not depends on

* MCB Rating in Amps

and

* MCB type.

Type B - trips between 3 and 5 time full load current

Type C - trips between 5 and 10 times full load current

Type D - trips between 10 and 20 times full load current

The most common type found is Type B.

* and probably the least understood or thought about..

the exact point on the sine wave cycle when you plug in .. with luck it is passing through zero volts .. bad luck it is on the peak .. this can explain why on the same MCB it sometimes trips and sometimes doesn't

Whether you have your on board switch on or off will make no real difference.. it's just luck .. or bad luck when it trips..

You can install a soft start transformer and there are also anti surge devices to reduce the surge..
Frankly I never bothered, I took my chances with the sine wave cycle .. and the good nature of the site warden .. :roflmto:

Note:

If you switch off all 110v appliances ie fridge , water heater, blowers etc BEFORE plugging in this will reduce the surge considerably and may explain why you find it better to switch of the main switch before connecting the EHU

THIS INFO ONLY applies to US RVs WITH 230v - 120v transformers..


MCB stuff interesting, the rest I have the jist of.

Yes, turning all loads of, even the fridge and connecting, with internal off, reduces, but doesn't eliminate the trip, mind you it is rare apart from the house trip, it must be the lowest rated as it takes anything up to three attempts to get connected:Doh:
 
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scotjimland

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MCB stuff interesting, the rest I have the jist of.

Yes, turning all loads of, even the fridge and connecting, with internal off, reduces, but doesn't eliminate the trip, mind you it is rare apart from the house trip, it must be the lowest rated as it takes anything up to three attempts to get connected:Doh:

I tried to keep it simple ..:roflmto:

your domestic breaker may be needing replaced or if it's supplying the ring main sockets in the house it may already be loaded when you connect your RV EHU ..

If that's the case and it's an issue, better if you had a dedicated circuit and MCB feeding a single outlet for your EHU ..
 
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slobadoberbob

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we just plug in

We just plug in the cable.. however we do have a Sterling pure wave inverter / charger fitted. That is switched off until we have connected the power lead.. then we switch on the inverter.

However the fridge will change (if on) from LPG to 230v as soon as the power lead is connected as will the flashing lights on the microwave if it is left plugged in (both are of course on the 110v) circuit.

Bob

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carry on then

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I would say its the RCD thats trips out when you connect a live mains hook up to the van , not the MCB.
The reasoning is that RCD is the earth leakage device ( residual current device) and MCB is Miniature circuit breaker. Its the RCD that has the 'test' button on it, not the MCB's. When you hit the 'Test' button, you are actrally creating a direct short in the circuit, which the RCD should notice and act upon by tripping the switch out.

The RCD will see the electrical connection as a short when connecting to the mains, especially if a device is already switched on as well ( a 220v light bulb or kettle ect ect. RCDs usually work at 30milliamp, so it will pick up ( trip)on anything that appears live to it

The MCB will only 'trip' if the load imposed on it by devices that are switched on is to much for the circuit, and if that's the case your possibly overloading the wiring and circuit anyway. DONT just change an MCB without having the wiring checked out as well . Its easy to change a 10A MCB to a 20A one, but your wiring may only be rated for 10A.

Occasionally the MCB will go as well, normally only if it was a faulty device that caused the short to start with , like when a light bulb in your house blows.
If you connect the EHU to your house whilst something 'mains powered' is switched on , you may trip the House RCD or the MH RCD , whichever one is the more sensitive will go first.
it IS common for the spring in the RCD to go weak , as its in the 'stretched' position whilst the power works (most of its like). The spring is only in its relaxed state ( not stretched) when the RCD's switch is in the off position
 
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scotjimland

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I would say its the RCD thats trips out when you connect a live mains hook up to the van , not the MCB.
The reasoning is that RCD is the earth leakage device ( residual current device) and MCB is Miniature circuit breaker. Its the RCD that has the 'test' button on it, not the MCB's. When you hit the 'Test' button, you are actrally creating a direct short in the circuit, which the RCD should notice and act upon by tripping the switch out.

The RCD will see the electrical connection as a short when connecting to the mains, especially if a device is already switched on as well ( a 220v light bulb or kettle ect ect. RCDs usually work at 30milliamp, so it will pick up ( trip)on anything that appears live to it

The MCB will only 'trip' if the load imposed on it by devices that are switched on is to much for the circuit, and if that's the case your possibly overloading the wiring and circuit anyway. DONT just change an MCB without having the wiring checked out as well . Its easy to change a 10A MCB to a 20A one, but your wiring may only be rated for 10A.

Occasionally the MCB will go as well, normally only if it was a faulty device that caused the short to start with , like when a light bulb in your house blows.
If you connect the EHU to your house whilst something 'mains powered' is switched on , you may trip the House RCD or the MH RCD , whichever one is the more sensitive will go first.
it IS common for the spring in the RCD to go weak , as its in the 'stretched' position whilst the power works (most of its like). The spring is only in its relaxed state ( not stretched) when the RCD's switch is in the off position


nice theory .. but wrong ..

RCDs (used to be called ELUs- Earth Leakage Units) do not pick up on load or shorts .. that's the function of the MCB which trips when the current is more than it's rating.

An RCD protects by constantly monitoring the current flowing in the live and neutral wires. Under normal circumstances, the current flowing in the two wires is equal. When an earth leakage occurs due to a fault in the circuit or an accident with the equipment, an imbalance occurs and this is detected by the RCD, which automatically cuts off the power .

Pressing the test button simulates this imbalance

It's normally the EHU post MCB that trips due to high inrush to the 3kw transformer.. not the RCD in the van,. .. I've seen this happen many times..
 
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pappajohn

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common problem when you are connecting a 230v/120v transformer.. the inrush current exceeds the MCB trip point ... whether it trips or not depends on


the exact point on the sine wave cycle when you plug in .. with luck it is passing through zero volts .. bad luck it is on the peak .. this can explain why on the same MCB it sometimes trips and sometimes doesn't

THIS INFO is ONLY relevant to US RVs WITH 230v - 120v transformers..


How very true Jim......

At Misterton last year.......plugged into post, no power to RV
check post MCB and main RCD, MCB tripped.
switch back on, still no power.
Breaker in RV tripped, switch back on.
STILL NO BLOODY POWER !!!!!! :Angry:
recheck post, MCB tripped again, turn back on.....power to RV :thumb:

just unfortunate timing. :Sad:

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Oct 15, 2007
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I tried to keep it simple ..:roflmto:

your domestic breaker may be needing replaced or if it's supplying the ring main sockets in the house it may already be loaded when you connect your RV EHU ..

If that's the case and it's an issue, better if you had a dedicated circuit and MCB feeding a single outlet for your EHU ..


Yup, but it rairly get used now and frankly selling soon, house not RV::bigsmile:
 
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