Spare Bulbs For France (1 Viewer)

Apr 21, 2015
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Hello
Can you help please we are embarking on our first trip to France in September.
We have purchased most of the necessaries to be legal, we hope!
But can someone advise if the spare bulbs are compatible with all vans.
We have a Peugeot Boxer Autosleeper Nuevo 2014 or do we need to go to the dealer for specific bulbs? Also can you say which bulbs are needed.

Another question....if we were to go Electric Hook up whilst away what type of convertible plug do we need. I imagine it would need to be able to draw the power needed, which is different in France?



Thank you in advance
June and Pauline
 

RowleyBirkinQC

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Halfords do bulb kits for most vehicles, possibly not the cheapest option but fairly convenient, got one from there for our Ducato based van before a recent trip to France.

Regarding EHU, we took the standard adapter, a 2-pin version just in case (bought at a show) which we didn't use, and a reverse polarity adapter and tester etc. bought as a bundle from a vendor on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EU-Europe...verse-Polarity-Adapter-Set-3RT-/251441199716?

We did use the reverse polarity adapter, so worth having.
 
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Dec 11, 2011
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When we bought our 1st motorhome over 5 years ago we bought a continental connection cable that connects to the end of the hook up cable. I'm sure you'll find them available at most motorhome/caravan shops. However I can only recall one occasion when we actually needed it as usually the EHU connection on continental sites is the round 3 pin one at the end of your EHU cable!

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DBK

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For the electric hook up, something like this will be useful. You won't need it everywhere, but quite a few sites still use this type. On a recent trip to Spain we needed a two pin plug on about half the sites we used.

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Dec 11, 2011
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For the electric hook up, something like this will be useful. You won't need it everywhere, but quite a few sites still use this type. On a recent trip to Spain we needed a two pin plug on about half the sites we used.

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... for that price there's no point taking the risk of not having one when you need it!

The reverse polarity tester and adaptor is another item that some people decry - however we also have one and we have used it.
 
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Gorsecover59

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Ebay is a good place for cheap bulbs..................they sell kits for different vans.

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laneside

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Get any set of bulbs in a box ideally the cheap box from Lidl, this is France where one thing is said and another thing done The two pin type continental adapter is recommended though for some sites and even on aires where free leccy may be available Pick the latter up of Ebay before you leave or any caravan type shop. In theory you should have two warning triangles and a yellow Hi Viz vest for each passenger in the cab not buried in the garage, but hey ho I bet you never need them
 
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pappajohn

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As far as im aware the legal requirement for spare bulbs in France is now a recommendation only because most modern vehicles have HID headlamps and unless you know what you are doing you could be killed.....the capacitor/ballast needed to ignite the bulbs carries 28000 volts....a lethal voltage in the wrong hands.
 
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Miss Daisy
Apr 21, 2015
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Thank you all so much for your replies very helpful...

However showing our ignorance here what is reverse polarity and when might it be used??

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pappajohn

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Reverse polarity is when the live and neutral at the hookup post are back to front.

It makes no difference to your equipment and all will still work correctly.

The main drawback is if you turn off an appliance at the appliance or plug socket, the live wire is still connected but the neutral wire is turned off....the exact opposite to how it should be.
it will only really matter if you are working on said appliance...but it should be unplugged anyway in those circumstances.

Europeans use double pole switches so both wires are switched off....thats why they dont care about polarity.
 
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Badknee

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For bulbs, unscrew the rear light cluster cover and check what bulbs are in there. Some are single contact and pick the earth up from the bulb holder and some from a wire. The cheapest place to buy bulbs is from your local motor factors where you buy them by the box sometimes for the same price Halfrauds charge for one!
 
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Badknee

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Oh, and if your rear number plate has the stars and GB on it you don't need a GB sticker no matter what the peddler from P &O tells you. :D
 
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Miss Daisy
Apr 21, 2015
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Thank you all for this, any other comments to help us on our first visit driving in France would be most welcome..

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MattR

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Watch your driving speeds and be aware that speed cameras etc are common and speed limit signs less common.
 
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MattR

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Also consider getting a quick reference sheet of road signs and their meanings - some are not obvious.
 
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Also worth knowing/remembering that the 50kph Speed Limit starts at the Town/Village sign unless there is a higher one showing. There is not often a 50kph sign there.

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Its really usefull if your sat nav has speed alerts (I don't mean camera alerts but warns you if you are over the limit). Aldi and lidl do cheap bulb kits the main one to check is the headlight bulb then get that type of kit there may not be all the ones for your motorhome but if the police reach a stage where they are checking all your bulbs you must have done something really annoying!!!. We have been loads of times never been stopped or had a problem. We needed the 2 pin adapter for the first time this year for 1 night would have been cheaper to have 1 night without hookup!! and never bother with reverse polarity we have a french van so no problem.Where are you going why not post on here and try a recommended aire for a night if you are using sites just to see what they are like it was a revelation to us being able to stey free for days at a time wander around and book nothing.

David
 
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Mar 23, 2012
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Forgot to mention the yellow vests are dead cheap at ikea or screwfix and don't buy a breathalyser there is no fine for not having one (if you really want one cheap in french suprmarkets) and don't buy expensive foreign travel kits from halfords /p£o they are a ri off

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DanielFord

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Also worth knowing/remembering that the 50kph Speed Limit starts at the Town/Village sign unless there is a higher one showing. There is not often a 50kph sign there.
Indeed, catches a lot of Brits out that one. The 50 kph also ends when you the sign with the place name crossed out with a red diagonal line. Unless a specific speed limit sign follows this, then the national speed limit for that class of road applies.
 
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Abacist

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As far as im aware the legal requirement for spare bulbs in France is now a recommendation only because most modern vehicles have HID headlamps and unless you know what you are doing you could be killed.....the capacitor/ballast needed to ignite the bulbs carries 28000 volts....a lethal voltage in the wrong hands.

That's good to know! I think most of us assume that 12 volts is pretty safe but there are obviously a few areas where one needs to take great care!
 
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Poohbear

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Unless you're the kind of person who always carries a spare bulb kit then I wouldn't bother. There is no legal requirement to carry one. The European law states that it is illegal to drive with a light out which is exactly the same as the UK. Are you going to drive in the dark on holiday? Are you really going to change a bulb at the side of the road? Some bulbs on modern vehicles are really tricky to get to and involve actually removing the headlight. Do you really want to do that or would it be easier to call your breakdown cover while you're parked up somewhere safe? Surprisingly they do have shops on the European mainland so if you're set on doing it yourself you could just stop at a Lidl (other supermarkets are available) and do it in their car park.

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Oct 12, 2008
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Right June and Pauline , listen: This is France! Don't do anything dangerous and noticeable from far away like phoning, something a gendarme could see from the side of the road. Don't drive fast (especially in villages 50KMS not Miles and if open markets!!)where you should not, and put your sound down if music is playing when you pass any policeman or gendarme . If there is no reason for them to stop you, you don't need any of the said equipment. Take with you what YOU would need in case of a breakdown: triangles and yellow jackets, radiator liquid, oil, and water for you as it is very hot here at the moment.
If you intend to drive at night time take a good torch (possibly with a flashing option) and your insurance number (and my mobile phone if you are really worried!)
Apart from that, I see only one thing to say ENJOY !
Oh and Drinking (alcohol) doesn't go with Driving!!!!!

C'était les conseils de "Bison Futé" sur radio TamTam la meilleure des radios au monde.... !!!!;)(y):cool:

Amicalement

Frankie:):):)
 
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Miss Daisy
Apr 21, 2015
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Newbie!!
Thank you all so much for your help and advice.
We have read and digested with enthusiasm all your posts.

Frankie, we love your post it made us smile, while also educating us!!

We are travelling at the beginning of September and hopefully will get down to Bordeaux and then east of there near Castillionnes....
Hence asking for any advice really in any sphere of Motorhoming abroad.

Another question. We have a LPG fixed tank on our MH filled via a pump. Can we travel ok on the Euro Tunnel or Ferry? I seem to remember reading somewhere there was a problem with the fixed tanks, but cannot remember what the reason was etc.....oh my...am I waffling on?...

We will be at the Norfolk Motorhome Show at the end of July, so hopefully will meet up with some of you!!!

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