How to hook up

hi For new motorhomers 1st time out!!:Wink:

First you will need a suitable cable the lenths around 25m usualy comes in orange [below] .. a plastic reel to wind it on ideal but not esential just keeps it tidy!..

CONNECT. to your van first then to the hook up point allocated to your pitch because you dont want to carry a live wire back to your van!!!! lay all your cable out
even if the hook up is near because coils in wire get hot and make sure theres no tripping hazard for you or others!! and finnally make sure you got electricity to your van,!! stick the kettle on to try!!

RAY

 

Nice One RAY.

Further to that I find it's best to invest in a mains socket tester for your safety.
Shows you if the live/neutral are reversed.If Earth is OK, or in worst case MISSING.
I've found a few faulty on-sit hookups on our travels.
Just hook up as RAYS instructions above.
Plug in to one of your vans mains sockets, and it shows you via a set of neon lights, if the site supply is set up correctly.
Price between £5- £10 on ebay.
A small price for your safety.

Steve.

 

I would add that some leccy points, notably on CC sites require you to turn the plug clockwise to switch on the power, and as I recall, a red button for disconnecting.

Jim

 

:Mad: I have no comments to make about Reverse Polarity. Let's just say I must have been very lucky for the last 40 years and just didn't care whether it was Reversed Polarity or not. I even used to get shocked when performing gigs in our bands in Singapore, Germany and the UK. Just wiped off the sweat and carried on playing. It helped sometimes to be able to hit the high notes. :Laughing::Laughing:

I think this was one of those occasions:-

 

Nice pic John .. and great memories I bet :Wink:

 

Thanks for that tip, about plugging into the van first, as a newbie I'd never thought of it (either as a newbie or just thick!!!)

:Laughing::Laughing::Laughing:​

 

For those, hopefully , rare occasions when you find yourself plugged into a socket that has reversed polarity, it is fairly straight forward to make up a reverse polarity in-line connector using one of each male and female blue plugs and connecting a short length of suitable mains hook-up cable between them making sure that on one of them (not both, of course :BigGrin you cross over the live and neutral wires. Mark it clearly so you don't forget what you've done and stow it in the 'just in case' section of your tool-kit or hook-up cable bag.

Only needed to use mine twice, but really glad I had it.

Hopefully somebody will find this useful. :thumb:

John

 

Wind up....

Can't afford a reel so I coil it up by hand....

disconnect at the site box (carry lead end back to van), unplug from van and start to coil from the van end... follow the sequence every time to minimise kinks.

Leccy cable, as with rope, has a 'lay' ...a small twist of the cable with the gathering hand helps it lay in neat coils on the holding hand... if it doesn't lay neatly you've probably twisted it the wrong way:Wink:

When you have off to a fine art, sit back and watch the birds nest makers in the next van and feel superior :Rofl1:

 

Best to unreal all you excess lead to as when it coiled up heat can be created.

 

Spain is another can of worms

On this trip I have had 2 sites where reversed polarity is constant, even with a plug described by JayDee.
When confronted by this situation there is nothing to do but accept the situation or don't use the hook up. :Sad:
There are very different rules in other countries regarding electric systems.
There is no problem with reversed polarity, just be aware that it exists & take precautions if you have a problem.

 

Can someone explain what reversed polarity is all about in terms a layman who knows nothing about electrics will understand because I have'nt got a clue.

What is it?
How do you know its reversed?
What will it do if it is reversed?
What do you do about it?

Sorry if these questions seem dumb but its something I constantly here about and if you don't ask you don't know.

 

Reversed Polarity is when the Live and Nuetral are reversed.
Other than testing it? There is no easy way to find out if it is reversed.
Nothing. AC is Alternating current. ALL the appliances don't give a damn if you have reversed polarity.
What to do about it? If you are concerned about it? Make up a reversed polarity lead.

The only time when it would really cause problems is with the ECD tripping if the Nuetral and Earth were tied in together. Which they quite often are. There is no REAL earth on a Motorhome/RV. If the Nuetral and earth WERE tied together and it was raining. You MAY get a tingle/shock if you touched a part of the Body that was in contact with the earth. :Wink:

 

It simple reverse positive to negative (just reverse the the leads into your socket)

You can buy a plug that you put in and it will tell you if you need to do it Mains Polarity Tester Plug SEE HERE

I made up a short power lead to add into the main power lead with the wires reversed.

 

Just as Jw says theres nothing realy to get excited about, other than to be aware of it, and the reason you should be aware is,just to expand on the subject, if any repairs or testing are carried out with the leccy still on, metal parts ie frames etc normaly earthed, can be live when an appliance is opend up for inspection or repair, if your not sure of what Reverse polarity is, you should'nt be working on appliances with the power on or off:thumb:
Geo

 

Thanks guys I'll get a tester and lead
Then I'll want to know how to use and read it oh:

 

We like to think our electrical systems in this country are the bees knees, but in actual fact the continentals have got it right, they switch live and neutral using double pole switches, us cheap skate British only switch the live because single pole switches are cheaper. :BigGrin:

The result is that it doesn't matter a hoot to them which way the polarity is, but can possibly matter to us, most people ignore it and never have any trouble, same as uncoiling your wire, its a myth that 3 core coiled wire heats up because of electromagnetic interaction with other wire, all wire heats up as current is passed through it, and as long as this heat can be dissipated it doesn't matter if its coiled or not. So yes if you have it tightly packed on a reel unwind it, then lay it on the ground in loose coils if you want to be tidy, and it will be fine.

Olley

 

testers are self explanitory, ror.
usualy 3 leds, all lit all ok.
any 1 or more out the tester has an explaination note under each light ie-
no earth, no neutral, reversed ect. dead easy to use.
if their all unlit you forgot to hook-up or turn the power on. :Rofl1::Rofl1:

caravan club also recommend turning the RCD off at the fuse board before hookup but i cant figure out why.

john.

 

Olley is correct the only major problem with coiled wire is the heat will be contained.

I have installed two electric heaters in the roof of a new seating area in my garden with a temporary extension lead going down the garden as I am waiting for some underground cable to be installed. Over Christmas we were all sat outside with the heaters on and I picked up the extension lead all coiled up. It was so hot it burnt my fingers!

Needless to say I chastised myself for being so foolish. For those that don't know I am an electronics engineer and should know better! :Blush:

Regards

Chris

 

re : plug in

Thanks 4 the tip...
Dont fancy my hair like a fried wire!