Outside electric hook-ups

[sean_374452308]

good morning to you all, can anyone help me .......

i am thinking of installing a female ehu to the outside of my house and was wondering if there were any do`s and dont`s to bear in mind.

I currently run the cable through a window but as its getting colder the wife is none to pleased, so thought it would be easier to install a permanant connection outside.

many thanks

 

[Damian]

Sean, as with most things these days, what sems a simple enough job is made difficult as the insallation would have to be in accordance with 17th Edition Wiring Regs,and signed off by a suitably qualified Part P Electrician.

Probably easier to get a sparky to do the job for you.

 

[LMH]

Hi Sean

We had an outside electrical power point installed. We plug the ehu into an adapter and the plug it into the socket. The actual power socket has a sort of perspex cover edged with plastic which shields the plug. If that makes any sense.

lisa

 

[LMH]

As Damian says, get a 'proper' sparky in.

The first electrician who came out to us was a right cowboy, he even managed to seal the cat under the floorboards. - Best not go there!! LOL!

Lisa

 

[oldievanner]

Go for the normal 13amp 3 pin socket fitted by a properly qualified electrician.You can purchase a 13amp 3 pin to caravann connector at most dealers.This makes the socket useful for other things like pressure washers and vacuum cleaners if you feel inclined to wash the car.To make them more waterproof and secure, fit it in the garage, if you have got one of course!

 

[vernon]

".....i am thinking of installing a female ehu to the outside of my house and was wondering if there were any do`s and dont`s to bear in mind......"

If you are asking this question, you shouldn't be considering doing it!

 

[Woody3]

Simples. Just get an appropriate outlet (I used a BS4343 blue type) and wire it with a short length of arctic cable of at least 1.5mm size. Drill a hole through the wall near an inside socket, fit the wired outside socket to the wall and put a plug on the inside end fitted with a 5A fuse.

When you need to put mains onto the caravan, just put the plug into the outlet inside the house and connect up outside as if you were on a site.

As it is classed as a 'portable' connection it is quite in order for you to do it yourself - 17th regs and especially Part P don't come into it.

 

[sean_374452308]

Simples. Just get an appropriate outlet (I used a BS4343 blue type) and wire it with a short length of arctic cable of at least 1.5mm size. Drill a hole through the wall near an inside socket, fit the wired outside socket to the wall and put a plug on the inside end fitted with a 5A fuse.

When you need to put mains onto the caravan, just put the plug into the outlet inside the house and connect up outside as if you were on a site.

As it is classed as a 'portable' connection it is quite in order for you to do it yourself - 17th regs and especially Part P don't come into it.

thanks Woody, thats what i`m goona do, nice and simple......

 

[David_L]

If you get a BS4343 IP3 socket with an RCD fitted you well be doublely safe

 

[SBS]

Simples. Just get an appropriate outlet (I used a BS4343 blue type) and wire it with a short length of arctic cable of at least 1.5mm size. Drill a hole through the wall near an inside socket, fit the wired outside socket to the wall and put a plug on the inside end fitted with a 5A fuse.

When you need to put mains onto the caravan, just put the plug into the outlet inside the house and connect up outside as if you were on a site.

As it is classed as a 'portable' connection it is quite in order for you to do it yourself - 17th regs and especially Part P don't come into it.

I much prefer answers that tell you how to do something you want to do rather than answers that that tell you, you can't.

Mike

 

[machighlander]

Sean, ye get an adaptor from most caravan accessory shops which plugs into the socket on the caravan and has a normal household type plug on the other end which you plug into an extension lead. I have this set up now, and i feed the electricity from the panel in my garage, very handy for keeping battery charges and running some heating through this cold snap.

They are only about

 

[James_374408700]

I much prefer answers that tell you how to do something you want to do rather than answers that that tell you, you can't.

Mike

Mike, well said, I couldn't agree more. Jim

 

[baggy2508]

Sean, as with most things these days, what sems a simple enough job is made difficult as the insallation would have to be in accordance with 17th Edition Wiring Regs,and signed off by a suitably qualified Part P Electrician.

Probably easier to get a sparky to do the job for you.

Damian.

I am not sure that your information is correct, these rules would only apply if you were to do an installation for another person.

Before I retired I was a Corgi Registered gas installer and the rules state that you have to be a competent person to install a gas appliance, but that did not apply if a person wished to buy and install an appliance in their own home.

Regards ob.

 

[Gafferbill]

Woody.. why do you recommend a 5amp fuse in the plug?

 

[xtrailman]

I always smile when the answer comes back, get a qualified electrician.

I worked with some electricians who were an embarrassment to the trade, i wouldn't let some of them fit a 13 amp plug.

All though i did my share of "house bashing" it quickly becomes repetitive and so boring, much more variety on the commercial side, and more money in the heavy industry.

I charge my van from the shed. What i have done is use standard orange 2.5mm on site cable, i've drilled a tight fit hole through the shed side under the roof overhang, no water ingress.

On the inside of the shed simply fit into a 13amp socket, via a 13amp plug. always use a rcd.

What woody has said would do the job, a 5amp fuse is all you need to charge a battery.

just make sure the fuse is rated less than the cable.

 

[Gafferbill]

Ray......Sean did not say what the EHU was to be used for and neither have any other posters on this topic.

You are assuming it is for battery charging only.

What if it is used for a 2kw heater which would blow the 5amp fuse.

Sean has posted that he has taken Woody's advice!

 

[xtrailman]

As with any extension lead common sense has to prevail. Many shop bought leads are only rated at 10 amp, so fitting a 13 amp fuse would be unwise.

When it comes to protection i always fit the smallest fuse that i can get away with. For example i would use a 2 amp fuse for a desk lamp.

If you want to use a caravan trailing lead, and have full functionality, then you must use a cable of the correct rating, for a 13 amp load i prefer 2.5mm flex, although 1.5 is probably ok. With 2.5mm your get less volt drop, a lower impedance fault path, along with extra mechanical strength.

Woodys set up will allow a 1kw fan heater to operate, or the battery charger to charge the battery.

 

[Woody3]

The current rating of a cable is only about how much it heats up at a specific current. 1.5mm^2 three core flex (preferably arctic) is rated 16A and will do the job admirably. I did only say use a 5A fuse as I assumed it to be for battery charging and light to see what you are doing.

As regards earthing impedence as someone mentioned, apply a little thought.

(1) What is there containing metal available to touch in a caravan that is (a) mains related and (b) touchable from outside that does not go through the RCD inside the van? Agreed you could have an electrical fault that makes the whole caravan live, but how often do you touch a caravan body whilst with bare feet? You will almost certainly have some form of insulated shoes on your feet - remember we are talking about a home installation here - and will feel the 'buzz' long before it does you any harm.

(2) Perhaps some have assumed that the source supply is RCD protected although it hasn't been mentioned. The impedence of the earth wire in say 10m of cable is likely to be lower than the 0.4 ohms permitted in domestic installations by the elec board. Unless it is a PME installation, there will be more impedence in the interlink cables on EHU's on a site than there will ever be in the drop cable to the caravan. Same in this instance as the earth is usually at the local sub-station!

(3) Why pay for 2.5mm cable when 1.5mm is perfectly adequate?

 

[xtrailman]

woody

Each time i've bought a new caravan, it has a new mains lead with it.

I have four leads, so all i've done is use part of the lead provided. simple.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I had a weatherproof double socket put on the outside wall under the carport and like RAY used one of the EHU cables. I put a 3 pin plug on one end and run the cable to the caravan on the drive. It works well and occasionally I run the heating to air the van after opening all the locker doors.

 

[Jennifer_374461363]

We use the "plug in in the garage method". Wire is taken out through an air brick well above ground, on one end a 13amp plug to plug into the socket in the garage (which is RCD protected), other end has normal EHU socket. Plug in van using supplied cable. We have had this set up for 10 years now without problems and can run the heating etc if we wish.

 

[MichaelE]

Woodys quote

"As it is classed as a 'portable' connection it is quite in order for you to do it yourself - 17th regs and especially Part P don't come into it."

This is a grey area as a portable/temp supply is seen as a trailing lead,drilling a hole through the wall and securing the socket is deemed as becoming part of the fabric of the building,otherwise in theory you can have extentions all plugged into just one socket area and feeding the building and not requiring certification for it.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Hi Sean.

There are 2 ways you can do it. 1 is a little difficult the other is easier.

1)

You will need to switch off the power to the sockets. Take the front cover off the nearest socket and run a cable to a switched fused spur ( a switch with a built in fuse ). Run a cable from that through the wall and connect to the female socket. Make sure you seal the holes with silicone sealant. Doing it that way enables you to isolate the outside socket at any time.

2)

This is how I did it. Drill a hole in the wall and run a cable from the outside socket through the hole, put a plug on the end and plug it into the nearest socket. As above seal the hole in the wall.

Hope this helps

 

[robert_374565247]

Simples. Just get an appropriate outlet (I used a BS4343 blue type) and wire it with a short length of arctic cable of at least 1.5mm size. Drill a hole through the wall near an inside socket, fit the wired outside socket to the wall and put a plug on the inside end fitted with a 5A fuse.

When you need to put mains onto the caravan, just put the plug into the outlet inside the house and connect up outside as if you were on a site.

As it is classed as a 'portable' connection it is quite in order for you to do it yourself - 17th regs and especially Part P don't come into it.

it would be advisable to use a plug with a built in safety trip. Also known as rcd plugs. This will protect you from electrocution in event of a mishap

 

[robert_374565247]

Hi Sean.

There are 2 ways you can do it. 1 is a little difficult the other is easier.

1)

You will need to switch off the power to the sockets. Take the front cover off the nearest socket and run a cable to a switched fused spur ( a switch with a built in fuse ). Run a cable from that through the wall and connect to the female socket. Make sure you seal the holes with silicone sealant. Doing it that way enables you to isolate the outside socket at any time.

2)

This is how I did it. Drill a hole in the wall and run a cable from the outside socket through the hole, put a plug on the end and plug it into the nearest socket. As above seal the hole in the wall.

Hope this helps

If the house sockets are not protected by rcd. Most new houses will be. Then both these ways would require an rcd protection as it feeds an outside socket. Outside the design installation and earth field.