Electrical Hook Up Splitter - Loss of Power?

[Sonia_374584172]

I am new to this all and a site has said they have hook up for us, but not my parents - I have purchased a splitter.. question is.. If we're sharing the electric does that mean we have to half the ampage fpr use?

I will be running 2 caravans off the one electric hook up - Please advise where possible!

Thanks

 

[Parksy]

Hi Sonia.

I've never tried using a splitter, are the site owners ok about you using it to supply two caravans from one ehu?

A lot will depend on how many amps are available from the ehu and what appliances both you and your parents use at the same time.

You may have a situation where you both switch on an appliance which draws a relatively high current ( a microwave for example) and this could result in the ehu trip switch tripping to prevent too much current being drawn for the capacity of the ehu.

 

[Jimbob1]

Sonia,

Do ask the site owners if that is ok with them to use the splitter.I have a feeling they won't like it,never seen it done on a site and we've been caravanning for 35yrs.Jimbob

 

[Gagakev]

Hi Sonia,

First question you need to ask is, will the site allow it?

One of the more technically minded on here will give you a straight answer but I would'nt fancy it, you'd proberbly be shouting across the site---

Hey mum have you got your kettle ON????

Kev

 

[Damian]

Running two caravans from one hook up is certainly not encouraged, and site owners, as has been said, most likely will not allow it.

If however they do, and you MUST tell them your plan before doing it, then you will both be limited to the hook up trip setting, be that 10amp or 16amp, or even 6amp shared between you.

What that means in reality is that you will more than likely be tripping the post almost every time you use anything.

 

[Sonia_374584172]

Running two caravans from one hook up is certainly not encouraged, and site owners, as has been said, most likely will not allow it.

If however they do, and you MUST tell them your plan before doing it, then you will both be limited to the hook up trip setting, be that 10amp or 16amp, or even 6amp shared between you.

What that means in reality is that you will more than likely be tripping the post almost every time you use anything.

Thanks so much for your replies!

She actually recommended I purchased one.. In the past she's had people use them and suggested it was something I look into!

I shall need to ask what AMP her ehu is.. Thanks

 

[Sonia_374584172]

Thanks so much for your replies!

She actually recommended I purchased one.. In the past she's had people use them and suggested it was something I look into!

I shall need to ask what AMP her ehu is.. Thanks

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Sonia,

The Fire service and insurance assessors criticise the use of supply splitters where the splitter its self is not overload protected, even if the supply is. So the use of splitters litters is frowned on.

I'm not sure if the replies above have answered the "If we're sharing the electric does that mean we have to half the ampage fpr use?"part of your question.

The answer to this part of the question is no, you do not simply have half the available amps, but technically you have to say that your combined current needs must not exceed the sites supply.

Say for example the site has a 10A limit (16A is the maximum it can be), you may use 9A and your parents 1A - combined is 10A or any combination provide the sum does not exceed the sites capacity.

If you both were to limit yourself to only half the supply that would be fine, and would avoid nuisance tripping. This will need you to fully understand the current draw of each appliance and to be quite choosey about which ones to use and when.

At least providing the sites supply is compliant with the wiring regulations, even if you did unintentionally try to draw more than the sites capacity, the MCB in the sites bollard should trip and protect the EHU's from damage due to an overload, though as stated at the top of my reply it is not a recommended arrangmant.

 

[Mikey1]

Hi have used one in the past due to only one outlet on the bollard.

How can you overload protect the splitter?its basically a male plug that splits to 2 female plugs,they are made up using the same rated cable as long as the cable/cables are rated higher than the breaker then will just the breaker on the bollard suffice?

 

[Sonia_374584172]

Hi have used one in the past due to only one outlet on the bollard.

How can you overload protect the splitter?its basically a male plug that splits to 2 female plugs,they are made up using the same rated cable as long as the cable/cables are rated higher than the breaker then will just the breaker on the bollard suffice?

Thanks for your replies, especially you John L, That's interesting to know, I guess it's going to be a juggle.. We'll be taking a good battery with us, so push comes to shove we can alternate who has the electric one night and who doesn't!

Otherwise, it sounds like we'll both not be able to use electric at the same time, I mean sounds a bit of a struggle .. I am suprised the site owner recommended we use them! I've never came across such a thing, I grew up caravanning but only recently started off myself with my family.

Thanks again

 

[B4bill]

These splitters are widely available and with two or three splits and do not have cables or plugs. This unit is approved to all of the relevant standards

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/GW64010.html

 

[Philspadders]

Robin hOODS Retreat in Nots , at Bilsthope supply splitters.

The EHU unit will only supply the ampergae that it is supplied with. If th EHU is 16amp then both vans will share the 16amp. But that is a total , its split 8/8 , it all depends on what you use.

 

[Mikey1]

They do come with cables

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/240v-generator-Caravan-cable-power-splitter-16A-IP44-/250671171463?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenPowerTools_CA&hash=item3a5d2a8787
benefit of this type is you only need 2 cables not 3

 

[BillD.]

Two things spring to mind, what sort of site is it that can provide one pitch with a hook but not another (presumably next door) is it a CL perhaps. I wouldn't expect a 'normal' site eg CC not to have hook ups for all pitches. (No criticism intended of CL's by the way)

The other and most important is safety with a splitter, I assume this would be outdoors and therefore essential it has weatherproof fittings. As already indicated the total load of the two vans must not exceed the max load of the bollard. something difficult to achieve with any degree of certainty I would have thought. Personally I am surprised the owner(s) would allow such a set up, I bet their insurance people wouldn't be too impressed!!

Bill D.

 

[Mikey1]

Surely if your using approved connectors then it shouldnt be an issue,whichever way you look at it with 1 or 2 cables the breaker will still trip at the rated ampage be it 10 or 16.

Ok for summer with no heating

 

[B4bill]

They do come with cables

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/240v-generator-Caravan-cable-power-splitter-16A-IP44-/250671171463?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenPowerTools_CA&hash=item3a5d2a8787
benefit of this type is you only need 2 cables not 3

Mikey,

I was not suggesting that splitters did not come with cables merely that the type I gave the link to will have no losses due to cables or poor connections and since it is a proprietary item then will not suffer from DIY skill

 

[B4bill]

Mikey,

your absolutely correct. Two caravans from one bollard share the available amperage up to the maximum available from the bollard.

Bill D

"Two things spring to mind, what sort of site is it that can provide one pitch with a hook but not another (presumably next door) is it a CL perhaps. I wouldn't expect a 'normal' site eg CC not to have hook ups for all pitches. (No criticism intended of CL's by the way"

From Caravan Club web pages

All Club Site pitches have electric hook up as standard (please note that economy pitches, where available, do not have electric)

Not all sites commercial ore private have Hook Up on every pitch

"The other and most important is safety with a splitter, I assume this would be outdoors and therefore essential it has weatherproof fittings." as I stated in my post and the reason why I use this particular design of splitter is that it passes all relevant approvals.

 

[BillD.]

I was thinking specifically of the apparent circumstance where the bollard served one pitch but not another, and I am still surprised, although not disputing, that such a 'DIY' arrangement is allowed.

Bill D.

 

[emmerson2]

We use splitters quite often on rally fields, but only share with people I know to be sensible in the use of power.As has been said, you can only use what the post will provide, ie 5 amps each from a 10amp supply.As for safety, the plugs and sockets are thwe same as hook-up leads, so there isn't a problem.

 

[Mikey1]

As long as you use the same connectors and cable i cant see it being an insurance issue?

You will never overload the bollard as it will trip,i have connected 2 25mt cables together before as the post was over 25 mts away so cant see much of a difference connection wise

 

[emmerson2]

Dead right, Mikey.

 

[ProfJohnL]

The fire services, and I expect the insurers view is that you should only apply loads up to the rated limit of the supply. It is bad practice to allow loads greater than the supply to be connected and then to rely on the supplies safety systems to detect and then disconnect overloads.

 

[Mikey1]

Isnt that the reason why we have safety devices to prevent overload?

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Mikey,

The supplies MCB (and RCD) are there to protect both the sites supply and the users own systems, but they are deemed safety/protection devices.

Safety devices are there to capture 'fault' conditions, not to correct bad management.

To draw a parallel, its like badly loading a caravan which makes it unstable, and then relying on the stabiliser to make it drivable.

Or to drive car and to always break very hard relying on the antilock braking system to assist with every stop.

We know the systems are there but most of us also know it is ill advised to keep operating systems in their automatic protection mode.

Any qualified electricians out there like to comment?

 

[ChrisUK]

If I switched everything on in my van at once including the microwave (fitted as standard) it would certainly trip the supply breaker if it was a 10 A supply, and possibly if I really went to town with the TV, laptop etc I could probably trip a CC 16A breaker. The point is that I wouldn't.

So I see little problem in sensibly using a weatherproof splitter, I can see no difference. I speak with some knowledge as an electrical engineer (in a different field) not as an electrician that is familiar with the latest IEE regs.

If you are not familiar with the load of each item, it is a good idea to look at each device and make a note of its rating, if you are not sure how to do this look at the rating in Watts (always given on the device) and divide by a nominal 230V to give the current in amps.