Connecting caravan to home power

[tim2000s]

We picked this up off Amazon to connect the van to household power (we have an outbuilding where the power socket is protected from rain so I think this looks okay).

Has anyone experience of using these adapters and is there anything to watch out for?

 

[Buckman]

Yes we have one. Had to use it when our home got flooded due to a burst pipe. Works okay.

 

[JRT]

We picked this up off Amazon to connect the van to household power (we have an outbuilding where the power socket is protected from rain so I think this looks okay).

Has anyone experience of using these adapters and is there anything to watch out for?



View attachment 6894

Yes, use one all the time when the 'van is at home. I use it with a short 5 metre mains lead as it plugs into a socket with a breaker just inside the up and over door. No need to have a 25 metre lead sprawling all over the drive.

At the last house I fitted a proper matching socket on the outside of the garage but didn't see the point of it really.

 

[Beardy]

Yes I use one often. The only thing to potentially watch out for is drawing too much current from a 13 amp plug/socket, but you'd have to have both the caravan heating and water heater on to go over 13 amps (or other things plugged into the caravan supply, kettle, fan heater etc.). Very handy for keeping the leisure battery topped up, or cooling the fridge before you set off if you want to.

 

[toad a caravan]

If the plug is fitted with a fuse then it would blow the fuse first 🙂

 

[Beardy]

If the plug is fitted with a fuse then it would blow the fuse first 🙂

I afraid that's not true. A BS1362 13 amp fuse will conduct 20 amps indefinitely. At 20 amps the plug and socket will overheat with the potential to ignite any flammable material close to it before the fuse blows. Overloaded sockets are a major cause of house fires in UK.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Yes I use one often. The only thing to potentially watch out for is drawing too much current from a 13 amp plug/socket, ...

If the plug is fitted with a fuse then it would blow the fuse first 🙂

Not necessarily.

Conventional cartridge fuses need enough current to cause the fuse wire inside the fuse to heat up to actually melt the fuse wire. As the system is rated for 13A continuously (i.e. the fuse should not blow at 13A) the fuse must require more than 13A current to actually blow. Depending on the quality of the fuse, some sufuses can actually sustain twice their rated current before melting. MCB's ar far more sensitive and will provide better protection.

As for the current the socket can supply, that will depend on how its wired to your domestic system, and how the circuit is protected. Modern properties are being wired with radial power distribution, which means sockets are wired back to the consumer unit individually. their current limit will be set by the MCB feeding the circuit.

Older UK properties were wired with ring mains, which means current can reach a socket from two directions. Most ring circuits are set up with 32A MCB's so theoretically you could see 32A available at any ring socket.

 

[Woodentop]

If the supply is from an independent garage (as distinct to one that is part of the house) it should have its own power box with an RCD, 6A MCB for lighting and either 10A or 16A MCB for power. As an MCB trips significantly quicker and at lower overcurrent it would be well safe.

 

[Lutz]

Just as a sideline I'm always surprised at the lengths one seems to go to to ensure safe electrical supply in the UK. Over here on the other side of the Channel plugs don't have fuses, but I've never heard of that being an issue.

 

[DeauxChevaux]

Yes we have used one for years and several sites we have visited require the use of one to get EHU!

 

[Mel]

Can’t comment on the electrical technicalities of it all (I know nothing), but we used one for years when we stored our van on the drive. Used it to leave the battery on charge for periods in the winter. Never had a problem.
Mel

 

[Beardy]

If the supply is from an independent garage (as distinct to one that is part of the house) it should have its own power box with an RCD, 6A MCB for lighting and either 10A or 16A MCB for power. As an MCB trips significantly quicker and at lower overcurrent it would be well safe.

I think should and could are the operative words in your post.

Yes an mcb will trip quicker and at a lower current than a fuse typically blows, but not 'significantly' quicker.

BS EN 60898-1 stipulates that a 16 amp mcb must not trip within 1 hour at 1.13 times its rated current, and that it must trip within 1 hour at 1.45 times its rated current. The 16 amp breaker that might be installed in the op's out building is not required to trip at 18 amps (ever) and could conduct over 23 amps for almost an hour. I have no idea how hot a 13 amp plug / socket would get conducting 20 amps for an hour but I wouldn't be surprised if it was so hot that you couldn't touch it.

This is all hypothetical for most of us as we only plug the caravan in to keep the battery charged, but its something to bear in mind if, for example, you intend to have guests staying in a caravan on your driveway.

 

[Beardy]

Just as a sideline I'm always surprised at the lengths one seems to go to to ensure safe electrical supply in the UK. Over here on the other side of the Channel plugs don't have fuses, but I've never heard of that being an issue.

Not sure where you are, but I'd hazard a guess that you have radial circuits with a lower current rating than our ring mains, 15/16 amps rather than 30/32 amps? This only partially answers the question as the cable to your electrical devices would have to be capable of carrying 15/16 amps so do you have 1.5mm cable on all your appliances? You obviously have adequate protection but you'd need to speak to an electrician / electrical engineer with knowledge of local regulations to find out how its implemented. Having said that, I've often wondered how some of the hotels I've stayed at outside uk (especially in Greece) haven't burned down.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Just as a sideline I'm always surprised at the lengths one seems to go to to ensure safe electrical supply in the UK. Over here on the other side of the Channel plugs don't have fuses, but I've never heard of that being an issue.

Its open to conjecture, but following WW2 the supply of copper available to the UK was very restricted, so one way of cutting down on the amount of Cu need for house building, the UK electrical system switched from radial wiring, where each power outlet had its own fuse in the consumer unit, to ring mains, where the ring fuses were naturally bigger and cold pass a lot more energy before blowing, To improve safety, it was decided to limit the current to each individual appliance by fitting a fuse in its connector.

 

[Dustydog]

We use one of these every time the caravan is stored at home.
A word of warning.
Some of them are made outside the U.K..
I am aware of at least two over the years being mis wired. Best open the plugs and check before use

 

[Beachball]

We had one for years when we had our caravan park at home on our driveway to charge the battery had no problems

 

[ProfJohnL]

Further to Dusty's comment, I have actually come across a 13A to Ceeform adaptor which had failed. It was purchased from eBay and was used without a problem for a number of months, but then it stopped working. The fuse was intact.

When I inspected it, I noted the cable was not as flexible as I'd expect, and there was a kink in it. There was no obvious signs of a BS cable marking.

I dug a bit deeper, the live conductor in the cable had fractured, and the few strands that had remained had obviously over heated and melted, but the melting was different to most damaged copper, and that's because it wasn't copper it was copper coated aluminium.

The Ceeform connector was also not to standard, the plastic was quite brittle and it had sustained a chip which I believe a full spec one would have survived

The world is being flooded with cheap inferior goods, often being missold mainly through online auction and hosting sites. I urge people to be very careful about buying items like this from popup sellers. They're cheap for a reason.

 

[GaryB]

I dug a bit deeper, the live conductor in the cable had fractured, and the few strands that had remained had obviously over heated and melted, but the melting was different to most damaged copper, and that's because it wasn't copper it was copper coated aluminium.

In my industry we are seeing this more often on LV distribution networks and also switchgear, but the limitations of copper clad aluminium are taken into consideration during design. Unfortunately cost-cutting unscrupulous manufacturers are simply using it as a cheap alternative!

 

[JRT]

eBay and Amazon market place can be a minefield for electrical stuff like this.

I avoid eBay unless it's a shop front for a ''proper' electrical retailer or caravan dealer. Ditto on Amazon or if it's sold direct by Amazon themselves.

Some of the names given to things are a dead giveaway that they are cheap far eastern made tat.

 

[Sam Vimes]

Even well known branded names have moved their manufacturing to off shore places because it's cheaper. You'd hope that they would maintain quality control of the product but I doubt some do.

 

[JRT]

Even well known branded names have moved their manufacturing to off shore places because it's cheaper. You'd hope that they would maintain quality control of the product but I doubt some do.

True - One can only do one's best by using reputable sources and buy stuff with the correct approvals and certification.

Yes of course that can be faked too and less likely (but not impossible) when one does this. I'm sure there are also examples of those responsible for sourcing and procurement of products being tricked or even being dishonest.

There is only so much one can do.

 

[borderbilly]

This forum amazes me, what starts off as a run of the mill item that is used every day, and we just take it for granted, turns into a long and fascinating discussion. I am not knocking it , I learn something new on here every day and I am 60+. Keep it coming

 

[ProfJohnL]

Even well known branded names have moved their manufacturing to off shore places because it's cheaper. You'd hope that they would maintain quality control of the product but I doubt some do.

There are many very respected brands who for various reasons (though mainly cost) have moved manufacturing to the far east and you may not have noticed any functional, or reliability/quality deterioration in their products. Given the right contracts and management there are plenty of Chinese manufacturers who can make class leading fully compliant products.

The problem is the bigger number of generally smaller unregulated companies who are simply looking to counterfeit and export products by cutting costs and materials, not submitting products for the appropriate approvals. There are greedy people who are prepared to buy these counterfeit or fake products to sell them on.

 

[toad a caravan]

Sorry I didn't realise a 13amp fuse was fitted in my post #5 or the size of the flex being used

 

[izzy]

We use one but I have replaced the wire with a 5 metre length and it is plugged into the garage so only the wire is exposed to the elements