Continental Two Pole Schuko Switch Sockets.. And Reverse Polarity ? (1 Viewer)

scotjimland

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Reference to these is regularly made in reverse polarity threads.. and the reason given why reverse polarity isn't an issue.. but I've never seen one.. frankly I don't think there is such a socket..

reverse polity isn't an issue in continental vans with Schuko sockets simply because they don't have a switch and the plug is symmetrical..

The CEE 7/3 socket and CEE 7/4 plug are commonly called "Schuko". The socket (which is often, in error, also referred to as CEE 7/4) has a predominantly circular recess which is 17.5 mm (0.689 in) deep with two symmetrical round apertures and two earthing clips on the sides of the socket positioned to ensure that the earth is always engaged before live pin contact is made. The plug pins are 4.8 by 19 mm (0.189 by 0.748 in). The Schuko connection system is symmetrical and unpolarised in its design, allowing line and neutral to be reversed. The socket also accepts Europlugs and CEE 7/17 plugs. It is rated at 16 A. The current German standards are DIN 49441:1972-06 "Two-pole plugs with earthing-contact 10 A 250 V≅ and 10 A 250 V–, 16 A 250 V∼" (which also includes CEE 7/7 plug) and DIN 49440-1:2006-01 "Two-pole socket-outlets with earthing contact, 16 A 250 V a.c." It is also used in Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Italy (standard CEI 23-50), Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Russia,[46] Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, and Uruguay.


"Schuko" is an abbreviation for the German word Schutzkontakt, which means "Protective contact" - in this case "protective" refers to the earth.



If you have a continental van and the sockets have been changed to 13A single pole switched, then you have lost this safety feature..

IMO it is safer to keep original Schuko sockets and fit Schuko plugs to your appliances..
 
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pappajohn

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If by safety feature Jim, you mean the earth contact before live then it is not lost.
a british 3 pin plug earth post will contact the socket earth before the live and neutral....thats why its longer.
 

GeriatricWanderer

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Any double pole switch will eliminate reversed polarisation beyond the switch. Readily available from places like Toolstation. Probably the cheapest ans simplest way to solve the "problem".

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scotjimland

scotjimland

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If by safety feature Jim, you mean the earth contact before live then it is not lost.
a british 3 pin plug earth post will contact the socket earth before the live and neutral....thats why its longer.

no.. that's not what meant..

Reference to these is regularly made in reverse polarity threads.. and the reason given why reverse polarity isn't an issue.. but I've never seen one.. frankly I don't think there is such a socket..

people refer to double pole Schuko sockets on continental vans.. I've never see a double pole switch SCHUKO socket
 

Gellyneck

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IMO it is safer to keep original Schuko sockets and fit Schuko plugs to your appliances..

Out of interest Jim would the Continental adaptors you can get in UK (and I guess Europe to a lesser extent) be sufficient to retain the "integrity" of the Schuko sockets thereby enabling use of any appliance outwith (UK) the motorhome?
 
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It's the switch built into (some) Schuko sockets that is the safety feature in that it switches both Line and Neutral so it doesn't matter which way round the supply is connected. UK 13A sockets only switch off the Line connection so if the supply is reversed they'll switch off the Neutral. Which isn't helpful. Any combination of adapters or appliances connected to a switched Schuko socket will always be isolated once the socket is switched off. Anyway as far as I'm concerned reversed Line / Neutral is a non-issue. I can't imagine that I'll ever poke around inside an appliance or light socket whilst it's plugged in and if I'm stupid enough to do so the RCD will operate just after I'm bitten.

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Lenny HB

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UK 13A sockets only switch off the Line .
A blanket statement.
Contactum, Volex, Mem, Crabtree are a few of the manufacturers whose 13 amp sockets are double pole switched.
Like Jim I have unswitched Schuko sockets so reverse polarity doesn't bother me.
 

mjltigger

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