Hi was wondering has anyone else added extra electric sockets? We lack in sockets and have none at the rear end of the caravan and was looking to add a couple.
Hi Angela, I don't think its too difficult as long as you stick to a few important rules and you must have a modicum of electrical knowledge or get a professional in to do it.
Use flexible cable not the solid core stuff used in domestic wiring.
Be careful where you route it so that it can't get damaged.
Yup, a very satisfying and useful addition to the 'van - taking care as outlined above and remembering not to be tempted to overload the whole system! From an aesthetic point of view (only) I made sure I used matching face plates.
Hi angela999, It is an easy job to add extra sockets in van, you have to decide where you will place them, where the cable is going to run, EG: if under van cable should be in some form of conduit tubing, and secured every foot,( to prevent sagging and damage from any road obstacles that may damage it), there should be no bare wire showing at any of the connection points, I would assume that the cable may have to be in ring main?,(cable coming from main box to sockets and return to main box(1 out and 1 return loop), I am no electrician, the electricians on here will be able to clarify this, if the cable you use is the flat type with bare earth wire, this will need to be sleeved(green yellow),I may be stating the obvious here but, if doing this your self make sure that you have the AC power switched off at mains and hook up is disconnected and the battery is disconnected 12Volts can still give you a bit of a jolt. Red wire(live) to L on socket, Blue wire(common or negative) to the C or N on socket, in fuse box, there are 2 brass rails(Bus Rails) Common or Negative, and the Earth Rail, on the Fuse or Circuit Breaker’s dead side(switch off no power this is where red wire connects, usually in the top of CB ). Having said all that, a word of caution, this work may have to be carried out by a qualified electrician( Health and Safety) and any work done that is not certificated could void any insurance or warranty that you have, and you could also be held liable for any damage done to other property or persons, fire, shocks, etc. I do not wish to scare you, but you may wish to seriously consider these points before embarking on any electrical work.
Nothing is simply these days.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
If in Doubt Check it Out.
The electrical sockets in the van use the radial system of wiring, whereby the cabling runs from the consumer unit and feeds the sockets in turn. Twin & earth isn't required for this job, but suitable 13amp rated cable is and most van manufacturers use standard white round flex.
You might find the job easier to open your existing sockets to find which is the last in the circuit (only one set of cables to it) and I'd wire a cable from that to your new position as required.
Don't rush it, plan the job and look for cabling routes etc., beforehand.
DaveCoaches however has made a good observation to be fair and if you're in any doubt, get it done professionally.
I don't know if you have the end wahroom layout or not but if you have I would have thought it was illegal to install them in a location there was water or damp lurking. This is probably the reason why manufacturers don't install electrical sockets near the kitchen sink, wash basin and shower but it's just a though on the grounds of safety that's all. What you also have to take into consideration too is that if you install even one extra socket it would be classified as a modification which could affect your annual insurance premium. Even if the installation is undertaken by a professional electrician you still need to inform you insurance because if you don't and you have to make a claim for any reason in the future then the insurance could be deemed as void due to the fact that the modification wasn't declared.
The cable used should be a flexible 230v cable with a minimum size of 1.5mm and a minimum of 7 strands, flat twin and earth isn't approved,if it is in ducting the ducting must be non metallic,if it passes through the chassis or metallic surface it must be protected by bushes or grommets and must be run seperately from any 12v wiring
It doesn't need to be certified as DIY electrics in a caravan aren't covered by part P .
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Topic: Installing extra electric sockets
