After having to borrow an extension from a campsite at the weekend (pitched a long way from hook up point) I feel its time to invest a few quid upgrading/improving my EHU. At present I have a 10mtr long cable supplying the 2 sockets which are RCD protected. My first thoughts were just to get a 25mtr extension/hook up cable for when I'm a long way from the hook up. My other option is to buy a new EHU unit which come with 20mtrs of cable as standard. But is 20mtrs going to be enough?
Off to Europe this summer for the first time, are European pitches within a reasonable distance of the connections?
Or I could replace the 10mtr cable on my existing EHU with a new 25mtr cable?
A 25 metre cable should suffice for the majority of situations but as LittleSole says in Europe you can occasionally need something a bit longer. I always carry the standard 25 metre one that came with the van and an extra 10 metre one just in case. Strangely I often find myself only using the 10 metre one!!!
Mine has a 25m lead and I always end up with half of it coiled up. If you have a 10m lead I would just get a 10m or 15m extension, if you don't need it then it can be stored out of the way.
Thanks for your comments, I think if I just buy a 25mtr extension thats the cheapest option at a few pence under £20 according to Waudby's last newsletter.
Your best option is a 25m lead. If you start jointing cables the connections can get wet and start tripping the RCD. You should only connect two leads in exceptional circumstances and protect the joint from rain.
A second and more complex reason is that electrical regulations only recommend leads up to 25m using 2.5mm csa cable. Cables over this length should be individually protected by and RCD.
I've never had a problem with 25 meters, other than having 20 meters of it pushed under the caravan. I deed see people linking three of them together at a caravan club rally a wile ago, but that was the exception rather than the norm. They were also using splitters with three vans connected in a chain. Not something I would recommend and nor I suspect would the caravan club.
We have one 10m lead and one 25m. More often than not the 25m is not used and half the 10m is laying under the camper.
I have never had to use both together yet
Notice that most new EGUs advertsied by the big stores (and ebay) are only 20m long. I know mine is. Think they want you to but an extention as well???!!!
Mike J
------------- It'll work out in the end!!!!
I didn't do it !! Nobody saw me do it !! You can't prove anything !!
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