EHU France, Spain, Portugal - All Europlug? (1 Viewer)

[xtab]

I've been caught out a couple of times in Germany where the site had a 2 pin German plug and I had to use a converter.
Heading down through France to Spain/Portugal for the first time soon.
Am I likely to have a similar problem on sites or aires in any of these countries?

 

[Munchie]

In a word......yes!

 

[The Nomad]

Yes. Buy an adaptor. Couple of quid off eBay.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAINS-CONVE...%3Abc27c9e51580a6a8c20d6e04ffe5042c%7Ciid%3A4

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[rosalan]

In France the polarity is often incorrect. To test this you need a special plug with three lights to indicate what you should do. In Spain, a combination of French connectors and German (Blue) connectors are used. A short extension plug is available in shops so that you can use both types but still buy the polarity test plug. In some Spanish fittings, if the polarity is wrong, you can remove the connector and turn it 180 degrees and put it back in. Job done!

 

[Clarky]

Ahh! The age old polarity discussion.
Almost as good as a gassing thread.

Richard.

 

[Munchie]

We have a tester. Never bother but do not stick finger or any other part of anatomy into anything electrical!

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[The Nomad]

In every other country in mainland Europe, the polarity of an AC circuit is no problem whatsoever. But Brits foam at the mouth over it when they cross the Channel.............discuss.

 

[normanandsue]

Last year in Spain I found a couple of sites that used a 2 pin plug similar to the old French plug which I have but which did not fit in Spain. Both sites had an adapter I could borrow so no problem

 

[maxi77]

In many cases the Europeans in their wisdom use two pole breakers so that when you switch of both wire are dead, we do it on the cheap so with a single pole breaker if you have transposed neutral and live one half of he circuit is still live when the breaker is open. Your choice

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[two]

I'm not sure, but I think all RCDs are double pole. Europeans don't bother with switched sockets but we do and, if the switch is on the 'wrong' wire, the whole circuit will remain live (not half). Modern equipment remains safe so long as you don't go poking around inside it before removing its plug.

 

[jumar]

To answer your question you asked 1. The type of connector you would use on UK sites. Big Blue one. cee17.
2. A Spanish type hookup/Domestic two pin, earth on outside.
3. A French type hookup/Domestic two pin, earth via hole between L&N

The French type plug differs from the Spanish, you can use connect a French plug into a Spanish outlet, but not the opposite........earth pin on French outlet prevents this and you may have an earth problem if you did.

 

[Clarky]

The polarity tester, like the 3 way splitter, is one of those things that has been carted for many thousands of miles and never been used.

New Year resolution-sort out the garage and chuck out all the 'essentials' that have never been used.

Richard.

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[Gaston aires]

3 types, the British type, the French two pin type, and the Spanish type (with slots up the side).
So much for European standards.
I carry and have used all of them.
Phil

 

[Deleted member 29692]

...........discuss.

No please don't. Not again.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I'm not sure, but I think all RCDs are double pole.

You're correct, they are

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[Deleted member 29692]

We've got a 2 pin converter lead but have never needed to use it.

I understand electricity (15 years as a spark) so I don't get over excited about polarity

 

[2657]

I have bought quite a lot of appliances in France, Spain and Portugal over the years and they all come with a 'Schuko' type plug that is compatible with both French and Spanish sockets.

The converters that I have bought also come with the Schuko plug.

" Most modern moulded Schuko plugs, and good-quality rewirable replacements, are a hybrid version ("CEE 7/7") with an aperture that accommodates the earth pin of CEE 7/5 sockets."

 

[Emmit]

We came across a problem on this trip, not encountered on previous trips to France and Spain.

On a site in Porto they 'lock' the connection up in a box when you arrive and they couldn't get our short extension into the box (along with the Euro Connector. They had to go to the Office and get a longer extension.
Cue for me to fit a longer length of cable between the two pin and Euro plug when I get back home.

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[The Nomad]

3 types, the British type, the French two pin type, and the Spanish type (with slots up the side).
So much for European standards.
I carry and have used all of them.
Phil

Don't know what sort of old plug you're still using, but the modern European standard Schuko plug fits all of them. It's got the hole in Base for French socket earth spike and the metal strips up the sides for Spanish/Portuguese/Italian German Dutch Belgian Luxemburg Austrian and just about every other European country. With just the one exemption of course across all 53 countries across Europe...the UK.

 

[jemhorn]

Always a good idea to have a good selection of plugs, sockets and adapters!! A three way always useful. I think there were at least 10 vans plugged in. Try this in a Caravan Club Site!!!

 

[xtab]

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Following that link from The Nomad I saw that the Spanish plug looks the same as the German one. So as I do have a German converter it looks like I'm sorted! One more thing ticked off the neve-rending list of things to check before setting off on the big adventure.

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