reverse polarity (1 Viewer)

samany

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Sep 3, 2009
103
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cheltenham, glos
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Hi all, been reading about reverse polarity hook up not sure if we will need this in France.If we do can any one tell us how to go about this. Have read that it is simple to make an adaptor yourself. Many thanks, Sandra&Eugene.
 

callumwa

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Jan 16, 2011
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Hi all, been reading about reverse polarity hook up not sure if we will need this in France.If we do can any one tell us how to go about this. Have read that it is simple to make an adaptor yourself. Many thanks, Sandra&Eugene.

Some sites in France are ok, some sites have reverse polarity, you can never be sure. I learned French electrics when renovated my previous house in France. Had a few "buzzes" along the way.

Yes. It is simple if you know what you are doing, mark it correctly and use it correctly.

Reverse polarity will only cause problems in certain circumstances.

For £3, my little 3 pin plug with 3 LED's checks it out for me. If it's ok, I hook up as normal. if not I use the RP adaptor, and it was cheaper than making my own.
:thumb:
 
May 8, 2010
221
208
South Wales
Funster No
11,458
MH
RollerTeam T-Line785
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since 2009
hi

We use the plug with leds etc as said above - ebay really cheap works everytime for us- was in france up til yesterday - sometimes it was ok sometimes we needed the adapator::bigsmile:

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pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
43,203
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it is an easy job to make a r/p adaptor but if you have to ask how then entrust it to an electrician.

get it wrong and you could blow more than the hookup post trip.

reverse polarity is usually no problem as the post will still trip in a fault situation.

just means the live wires will be neutral and, more importantly, the neutral wires will be live.

the french dont care as both live and neutral are protected....we only protect the live side.
 

roger buckley

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Apr 16, 2009
48
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northants
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hymer c class
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Hi

Just been reading through these notes,and have bought the warning adaptor,but could not buy a unit at brownhills that would deal with the situation if the warning adaptor came up red. Can anyone advise where to buy the bit of kit that deals with the situation when the warning kit goes red?
Thanks in anticipation
Roger
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Since 2005
Hi

Just been reading through these notes,and have bought the warning adaptor,but could not buy a unit at brownhills that would deal with the situation if the warning adaptor came up red. Can anyone advise where to buy the bit of kit that deals with the situation when the warning kit goes red?
Thanks in anticipation
Roger

best thing, if you aint too good with electrics, is ask a friendly electrician to make you one.

basically the same as a regular hookup lead but the wires are reversed....get it wrong and it can be dangerous.

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callumwa

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Jan 16, 2011
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Hi

Just been reading through these notes,and have bought the warning adaptor,but could not buy a unit at brownhills that would deal with the situation if the warning adaptor came up red. Can anyone advise where to buy the bit of kit that deals with the situation when the warning kit goes red?
Thanks in anticipation
Roger

The warning unit tells you the hook up is RP.
So then you need something like this.

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I bought my uk 3 pin warning adapter (3 LED's) plus RP adapter and multi plug adapters from e-bay for about £10 the lot.... Some French campsites have the French 2 pin socket though more and more have the standard 3 round pin sockets...:thumb:

Shocking really isn't it.....:Blush:
 

JayDee

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Oct 7, 2007
1,057
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N. Devon
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556
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A Class
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7 Years after 5 years with caravan.
We stayed at one site in France (at Durtal, just a few miles NE of Angers) and the three light tester didn't even light up. We assumed that it had broken :Sad: but, since everything seemed to be working OK, didn't worry too much about it. Arrived in Chartres the next night and tried the tester again and it lit up like a christmas tree - nought wrong with it at all :thumb:. God knows what the wiring was like at Durtal.:Eeek:


John
 

EthnGeoff

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Jan 13, 2010
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April 2009

M1TCH

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May 15, 2011
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Try this http://www.johnscross.co.uk/products/Caravan-Motorhome-Polarity-Change-over-Switch-.html
I purchased one of these from Brownhills NE 2 years ago, gives audible signal of reversed polarity and flicking the switch corrects the problem. Came up against reversed polarity on 2 occasions on a recent trip to France.
Geoff.

Plug a gennie into it and you get both lights on and the buzzer (no earth) i contacted the maker they say it wont damage anything just put a pillow round the box so you dont hear the buzzer.
 

chatter

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Aug 3, 2009
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You cannot buy a rp connection lead already made up you have to make one or get one made. To make a rp connection unit , you need a short length of ehu (about 12" to 24") and a male and female blue plugs, one end you wire up as normal and the other end the wires are crossed over (live to neutral and netral to live) if you are not sure of your wiring ask as stated someone that is capable of doing it correctly, a friendly caravan service guy or an electrician. With using a short length of cable it will be easy for you to identify and use if needed.Then if the unit to tell you your electric is in rp doesn't give you all three lights you just add the short cable to the end at ehu the bollard. Also its a good idea to have the 2 pin plug convertor as some sites are not 3 pin hookup.
 

callumwa

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Jan 16, 2011
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You cannot buy a rp connection lead already made up you have to make one or get one made. To make a rp connection unit , you need a short length of ehu (about 12" to 24") and a male and female blue plugs, one end you wire up as normal and the other end the wires are crossed over (live to neutral and netral to live) if you are not sure of your wiring ask as stated someone that is capable of doing it correctly, a friendly caravan service guy or an electrician. With using a short length of cable it will be easy for you to identify and use if needed.Then if the unit to tell you your electric is in rp doesn't give you all three lights you just add the short cable to the end at ehu the bollard. Also its a good idea to have the 2 pin plug convertor as some sites are not 3 pin hookup.

If you do not want to make your own.....::bigsmile:

Look here.....:thumb:

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or here:thumb:

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territo

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May 16, 2009
25
2
In motorhome or in peru
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6,731
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C Class
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When I have had reverse polarity in France I have always just turned the 2 pin plug upside down and put it in again which then shows up as normal on my motorhome. Is this wrong?
 

DBSilverfox

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May 13, 2010
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Nottingham
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coachbuilt
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Apart from having a live wire when you are not expecting it, can anyone tell me the issue with reverse polarity?

Do some vans have sensors that would trip out the power if it was detected? Or is it just a case that if you connect normally you need to be aware that off might not mean off if you try and work on an appliance?

David
 

pelliott1954

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Sep 16, 2010
34
2
Funster No
13,731
I have just returned from France and took with me the set from Ebay which Callumwa lists on the second Ebay link, I used both of the items in the set and I don't think you can go wrong at £14 including delivery!!!

You couldn't make them for that

Paul

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Apr 27, 2008
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I have just returned from France and took with me the set from Ebay which Callumwa lists on the second Ebay link, I used both of the items in the set and I don't think you can go wrong at £14 including delivery!!!

You couldn't make them for that

Paul

Trouble is the seller is on holiday:Smile:
 

Wildman

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May 30, 2008
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When I have had reverse polarity in France I have always just turned the 2 pin plug upside down and put it in again which then shows up as normal on my motorhome. Is this wrong?
you are lucky to have a reversible plug and yes it is the easiest solution.
 

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