Electric Hook up (1 Viewer)

[k12pfc]

What can i safely run (together) from a conventional hook up on a camp site/ ie kettle, fridge and toaster? I have these three plus a laptop, speakers, light and most importantly a fan heater, what combination is it safe to run with out cooking my electrics, what combo is dangerous? also I have tripped out my electrics once then found my hook up had melted the plastic. sorted this now but don't want it happening again.

 

[hilldweller]

What can i safely run (together) from a conventional hook up on a camp site/ ie kettle, fridge and toaster? I have these three plus a laptop, speakers, light and most importantly a fan heater, what combination is it safe to run with out cooking my electrics, what combo is dangerous? also I have tripped out my electrics once then found my hook up had melted the plastic. sorted this now but don't want it happening again.

That is one scary list.

All you have to do is look on the units, get the kW rating and add them up.

Some campsites are 6A so 6 x 230 = 1380W or 1.4kW. Now that is nothing like kettle OR toaster OR heater. So P_O_P.

UK sockets ( at home ) 13A = 3kW - that could be kettle OR heater but NOT both.

Continental, campsites maybe 16A = 3.7kW. Not much better than UK.

Whatever, your list is not going to work.

 

[camper69]

What can i safely run (together) from a conventional hook up on a camp site/ ie kettle, fridge and toaster? I have these three plus a laptop, speakers, light and most importantly a fan heater, what combination is it safe to run with out cooking my electrics, what combo is dangerous? also I have tripped out my electrics once then found my hook up had melted the plastic. sorted this now but don't want it happening again.

Why did the hookup cable melt ? They are normally rated at 16 amps. So was it not rated high enough or is the circuit breaker at the main switch rated too high. Or both.

Another thought is did you leave the hook up cable coiled up, round a drum say, as they should always be used uncoiled to allow any heat to disapate.

Derek

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[Andy 01424]

Coiled cable acts same way as a heating elemnet:Sad: sounds like the trip did not trip also if you had that lot plugged in on statics if you tried running a kettle and a hairdryer at same time they tripped,annoying most happened while other half was making a drink drying there hair at same time as muggins was in shower 9 times out of 10 while shampooing hair,and guess what muggins was one who had to go outside in winter to reset the trip,shampoo in hair and a towel rain or wind:Angry:

 

[pappajohn]

That is one scary list.

All you have to do is look on the units, get the kW rating and add them up.

Some campsites are 6A so 6 x 230 = 1380W or 1.4kW. Now that is nothing like kettle OR toaster OR heater. So P_O_P.

UK sockets ( at home ) 13A = 3kW - that could be kettle OR heater but NOT both.

Continental, campsites maybe 16A = 3.7kW. Not much better than UK.

Whatever, your list is not going to work.

you sure brian?

most uk campsites will be 16 or 10amp. some may be lower but not many.

most euro sites will be 10 or 6amp...or even less.

as far as i know no-one makes a 13amp mcb .

and yes, the only way to know is add up all the appliance watts then divide by 230 to give amps.

then use any combination of appliances up to the max site amps but dont forget to add the onboard charger and fridge to the list.

overheated cable sounds like a faulty overload trip breaker at the hookup post.

i have one of these in the house and scotjimland uses one in his RV.

monitors power useage and cost in real time.

Link Removed

 

[Theonlysue]

Electrics

Hi, can you not use your fridge and boil the water with gas? It might help reduce.
As for the heating, we used to have the gas rings on really low.
(this was in the days when the light were gas as well )

How about moussing your hair and letting it dry naturally? :Cool:

S.

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[pappajohn]

Hi, can you not use your fridge and boil the water with gas? It might help reduce.
As for the heating, we used to have the gas rings on really low.
(this was in the days when the light were gas as well )

How about moussing your hair and letting it dry naturally? :Cool:

S.

you could.....but the price you pay site electric you want to use all you can.
no point in paying twice....gas and leccy.

 

[Munchie]

We have often used an electric kettle (small one from camping shop), 1kw fan heater and fridge at the same time when on hookup. This applies to all hook up sites we have used in winter. Most recently at a CL near Buxton last week. Never had a trip yet. Our lights tele and such are 12v so don't affect the usage except the built in battery charger. All this in UK don't know about abroad. We always lay out the hook up cable never leave it coiled.:thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

ask any funsters at the dirty duck meet over the new year how easy it is to trip the juice.
not the individual posts but the main breaker in the power house feeding the whole site.

we even managed to blow one of the leccy companies 3 main 60a incoming fuses...twice!!!!! (it should have been a 100a unit)
that put the pub kitchens out of action

i dont think we'de ever be welcome back to that site.
not that we'de ever go back:Angry:

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[Munchie]

Most sites in the UK certainly CC and CCC sites and all the CL's CS's we have used have been 16amp. We run our static on a 16amp ring. Everything runs on mains. Kettle, fridge, freezer, tele, lights, slow cooker, Remoska and computers. 16amp is a LOT of power. The only thing we could not run would be an electric cooker That's why statics don't have them.

 

[k12pfc]

Most sites in the UK certainly CC and CCC sites and all the CL's CS's we have used have been 16amp. We run our static on a 16amp ring. Everything runs on mains. Kettle, fridge, freezer, tele, lights, slow cooker, Remoska and computers. 16amp is a LOT of power. The only thing we could not run would be an electric cooker That's why statics don't have them.

There does seem to be lots of different opinions and experiences here so I am still confused, 16 amp is a lot of power and that is what I was lead to believe we had at our disposal, going away this weekend and will at times be running my heater, laptop and fridge at the same time but that will be the most at once, I will let you know if it goes well. I have checked all connections and replaced a couple that looked a bit burnt.

 

[pappajohn]

Most sites in the UK certainly CC and CCC sites and all the CL's CS's we have used have been 16amp. We run our static on a 16amp ring. Everything runs on mains. Kettle, fridge, freezer, tele, lights, slow cooker, Remoska and computers. 16amp is a LOT of power. The only thing we could not run would be an electric cooker That's why statics don't have them.

ring main should be 32amp rcd/mcb Ken.

radial circuit will be 16amp rcd/mcb

cooker should be 32amp mcb

main switch/rcd should be 64amp.

all the above identical to a house.

so quite capable of running a cooker.

unless your metered its probably the site owner who decided its going to be 16amp.

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[Munchie]

Yep each static is metered John I think you will find most static sites have 16amp available to each unit. Site owner will soon be doing site up and considered uprating to 32amp but he claims is too expensive. Not a problem to us we run all we need and as you say it's like a house, we live in it. :thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

Yep each static is metered John I think you will find most static sites have 16amp available to each unit. Site owner will soon be doing site up and considered uprating to 32amp but he claims is too expensive. Not a problem to us we run all we need and as you say it's like a house, we live in it. :thumb:

:thumb:

many years since we did any site work, then it was on hookup posts..

i suppose if the sites underground supply cable isnt big enough then 16a it is and yes...very expensive to start trenching and laying bigger armoured cables throughout the site.

 

[hilldweller]

There does seem to be lots of different opinions and experiences here so I am still confused, 16 amp is a lot of power

The deep joy of forums.

16A is NOT a lot of power. One decent kettle takes 13A. So does a fan heater on full. End of story.

I carry a fan heater with a low setting I've measured at 5A, just enough heat to stay alive and not trip a low amperage site. We have only a gas kettle.

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[pappajohn]

The deep joy of forums.

16A is NOT a lot of power. One decent kettle takes 13A. So does a fan heater on full. End of story.

I carry a fan heater with a low setting I've measured at 5A, just enough heat to stay alive and not trip a low amperage site. We have only a gas kettle.

very true Brian......thats why a house will have a minimum 64amp main switch.
larger houses can have an 80amp switch.

 

[Munchie]

Have to say I'm confused, if 16amp is so little how do I run a static on it? I don't turn one thing off to boil a kettle we run all the usuall electrics as you would in a house. One person on site at least has two freezers as well as the usualls, tel,kettle,lights,computers slow cookers and the like and it is very rare there is a trip usually caused y faulty equiptment. I am not saying which view is right or wrong but I am speaking from experience.

 

[sinbad1]

The deep joy of forums.

16A is NOT a lot of power. One decent kettle takes 13A. So does a fan heater on full. End of story.

I carry a fan heater with a low setting I've measured at 5A, just enough heat to stay alive and not trip a low amperage site. We have only a gas kettle.

Strictly speaking you could run 20 x 2k kettles Brian

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Albeit one at a timeulles you can create energy ummm

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[pappajohn]

Have to say I'm confused, if 16amp is so little how do I run a static on it? I don't turn one thing off to boil a kettle we run all the usuall electrics as you would in a house. One person on site at least has two freezers as well as the usualls, tel,kettle,lights,computers slow cookers and the like and it is very rare there is a trip usually caused y faulty equiptment. I am not saying which view is right or wrong but I am speaking from experience.

at this very moment in time i'm in my kitchen with 2 lappies running, a 15"tv, freeview box, fridge, freezer (maybe not working at the mo)and 10 X 20w downlighters and my owl says im using 0.692kw. ......4.18amps.

 

[gail2405]

Hi There,
My static is all electric. Have Mains Cooker, Micro, Fridge, Water Heater, Electric shower. Also use 2 panel room heaters, + Fan heater, besides TV, washing machine,Tumble dryer and chest freezer. I also use electric steamer for cooking as well as many other kitchen gadgets. The only time I have tripped out the electrics was when I tried to use the tumble dryer at the same time as the washing machine.
I have used quite a considerable number of items in a tourer and found the only thing that would trip out my electrics was a small baby belling.
What you have to consider is what you are using at the same time. Would you be on the computer whilst making a cuppa, toast and whilst watching tv with the heater and fan on.oh:

Most sites in the UK certainly CC and CCC sites and all the CL's CS's we have used have been 16amp. We run our static on a 16amp ring. Everything runs on mains. Kettle, fridge, freezer, tele, lights, slow cooker, Remoska and computers. 16amp is a LOT of power. The only thing we could not run would be an electric cooker That's why statics don't have them.

 

[pneumatician]

Hook - Up

Some General ideas regarding Hook -Up :-

Assuming you have all of the add on bits:- reversing lead, French plug, Swiss Plug, Polarity Checker, additional 25m cable :Sad:

1. Always ask when checking in what is the capacity. We have experienced between 4>16A
2. Always unroll all of the cable
3. Make yourself a little reference chart that you both can see what each appliance requires. Simple addition then enables safe use.
4. Where possible discretely see how you gain acess to the supply trip. This enables you to push the limits and reset yourself . Only do this if you are sensible and confident/experienced in looking inside an electrical supply box. I have found most continental boxes are easily opened and re-set.
5. It is quite common on the continent not to be told the real capacity. I have opened several boxes to find 15A trips having been told we are on 5A.
6. If out of season/quiet site we have on occasion used two Hook-up cables and if you are discrete the site manager turns a blind eye.

I am sure some of you will disapprove of my ideas and application but it works for us and as always necessity is the mother of invention.

Steve

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[scotjimland]

What can i safely run (together) from a conventional hook up on a camp site/ ie kettle, fridge and toaster? I have these three plus a laptop, speakers, light and most importantly a fan heater, what combination is it safe to run with out cooking my electrics, what combo is dangerous? also I have tripped out my electrics once then found my hook up had melted the plastic. sorted this now but don't want it happening again.

Even the most experienced will occasionally trip the site ehu breaker, keeping a running total in your head can out smart the best of us ... my advice...

Fit an Owl wireless power monitor, about £35 ( try Argos) then you will know EXACTLY what power you are using. It also has an alarm which can be set to suit the supply current .. On a 16A EHU I set the alarm to 3.5kw .. it has saved me countless trips and no doubt ear bashings from site warders .. ......

Jim

 

[Munchie]

Thanks for that Jim been wondering what an Owl was. :thumb:

 

[moandick]

Hi Jim - I seem to remember you saying something about the fitting of one of these monitors to an RV cable?

Can I just clamp it around the shore cable or do I have to isolate the red ? live cable from the shore cable?

I do like the idea very much but I am not an electrician and the last time I changed a plug, I fried my hair!

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[olley]

Hi Dick it has to go around a single wire not the whole cable.

Hi Papa I thought all new house's were now on 100amp supplies.

Olley

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Jim - I seem to remember you saying something about the fitting of one of these monitors to an RV cable?

Can I just clamp it around the shore cable or do I have to isolate the red ? live cable from the shore cable?

I do like the idea very much but I am not an electrician and the last time I changed a plug, I fried my hair!

Hi Dick

the transmitter clamp has to be clamped around only one core, either live or neutral, makes no odds.. It is quite small, could possibly be housed inside the consumer unit ..
I couldn't do that so split the three core cable just before it entered the unit and put the clamp around the live core.
The clamp has a quite a long lead so you can mount the transmitter anywhere suitable close by.

jim

 

[moandick]

OK - dumb question coming up - prepare yourself - are you sitting comfortably?

Does it matter where inside the RV you mount the receiver? I don't want to have it on open display all day so thought I could mount it inside a cupboard?

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[Geo]

OK - dumb question coming up - prepare yourself - are you sitting comfortably?

Does it matter where inside the RV you mount the receiver? I don't want to have it on open display all day so thought I could mount it inside a cupboard?

You could have it mounted in a cupboard:thumb:
but if you mount it in a cupboard it may be considered a deviant act
Geo

 

[Wildman]

You could have it mounted in a cupboard:thumb:
but if you mount it in a cupboard it may be considered a deviant act
Geo

surely questioning spelling and grammar is a one month automatic ban????????????????????

 

[pappajohn]

Hi Dick it has to go around a single wire not the whole cable.

Hi Papa I thought all new house's were now on 100amp supplies.

Olley

100amp leccy board fuse, yes, olley but the consumer main switch is usually 64amps.

thats what we always fit in social housing jobs.....part of their spec.