We are new to caravanning and my husband is panicking about reverse polarity. If we decide to make a reverse polarity cable how do we do it? I'm sorry if this has already been covered but I'm new to this forum too.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We bought 2 french adaptors for hook ups and have an electrician friend who is changing one of these to reverse polarity for us, so we have one normal and one reverse, with distinguishing marks on so we don't muddle them up! we also have a tester to plug in to the camper when we hook up so we know what the electrics are on each camp site. You can buy these at Towsure or any good camping shop for a few pounds.
Quote: Originally posted by cathyhudd on 28/5/2007
We are new to caravanning and my husband is panicking about reverse polarity. If we decide to make a reverse polarity cable how do we do it? I'm sorry if this has already been covered but I'm new to this forum too.
Hi
It has been covered, but basically the best way of tooling yourself up is to make a short extension cable to the hook-up lead you'll already have, but swap the live and neutral wires in one end. Then if you buy a continental (French-to-Euro) hook-up adaptor, you'll have all the options covered.
If you were to go the other route and alter a French-to-Euro adaptor, you won't be able to correct the reverse polarity when at a site with Euro hook-up. (By "French" I mean the two-pin plugs like you'd find in a French house, and by "Euro" I mean the connector you'd find on a UK campsite.)
There have been lots of threads about reverse polarity, so for more info, including pictures, just do a search.
TT.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Ohhhhh now I'm TOTALLY confused. Floydfan, knowing the campsite - can you please tell me if we need to purchase one of those reverse polarity things for L'Etang de la Breche?
------------- Claire x
Jan 2013 - Skiing, Kühtai, Austria
May - Swiss Farm
Fforest Ffields
Aug - Saumur, France
Oct - Somewhere...
Jan '14 - Skiing, Les Houches
But wouldn't they sell them as 'reversed polarity european adaptors'. With a warning attached for the sole use of a rev pol situation. We have tent insurance would this be null and void if I wire up my own extension, and I burn the tent down. DIY electrical gadgets! And billy I don't think this thread will EVER be dead and buried, as everyone has a different opinon, even the camping shops don't know. And first time continental campers just want someone to tell us what we need to take, we don't have the benefit of experience in this situation. If I'm going to fry on hol I'd rather do it on the beach and not while I'm in the tent!
At the risk of repeating meself Muzzy--1000s & 1000s of Brits camp in France--they also stay in various other rented holiday accomodation & hotels etc--they plug in uk appliaces via adaptors & dont appear to have a problem---afaik-caravan shops dont sell 'reverse poplarity kits' ----which may suggest the French reverse polarity problem dont exist outside this forum--if your tent camping -I'm guessing you will have a proper tent EHU with rcd & you will be plugging in a fridge, a lamp suitable for outside use & possibly a telly-all modern stuff in good condition--jus plug in either blue/white plug or via a French adaptor from your local caravan shop---------you may be a bit dismayed at the state of ehu sockets on some French municipal sites but the French pitch up with extended families, cat & dogs using ordinary domestic extention leads-plug boards with loads of things plugged in & it all seems to work--just a case of usin your common sense really----
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Topic: French hook ups
