My current caravan has an external socket but my previous one didn’t, it was far easier to use the splitter than fit an external socket. I actually design control panels for industrial furnaces, I guess it makes me complacent I would know not to overload the hookup. I stayed on a French campsite where there were 10 pitches and 6 hook ups, guess what they did so everyone had a hook up? Yes they used domestic continental 3 gang “adapters” Some were tents with hired domestic fridges but the rest including me were in caravans. If I knew how to I would post a photo of it.
------------- First van bailey ranger 550/6
Now the proud owner of a coachman amara
Quote: Originally posted by saxo1 on 06/6/2018
Strictly speaking the supplies don't have redundancy they use an applied diversity factor to estimate the maximum demand on the network.
The RCD's in caravans and campsites are "Latching" sometimes referred to as "Passive" and trip on earth faults but not on supply failures,when supply is restored they are still in operation with no loss of supply.
Each individual pitch must be protected by its own 30mA RCD at the hookup post
Normally the Post itself will be be protected by a 100mA type S time delayed RCD to avoid any downstream RCD causing unnecessary trips to other consumers.
RCDs only trip in 40 milliseconds if the fault current is 5 times its rated current it could be 200 milliseconds.
Connecting RCDs of the same rating is bad practice as all of them will see the fault and all could trip.
saxo1
Diversity is the word I was looking for lol - thank you!
Most of the camping type EHU units will trip the Circuit Breaker too if the RCD trips and will not restore power until reset.
As said earlier, just fit a proper external socket. Its hardly a big job, why on earth mess about with cables and the trip hazard and safety issues they bring?
For those worried about weight a proper external socket weighs less than a splitter and a load of extension cable. It is easy to fit and safe as well.
------------- We camped for years. In 2019 we bought an Elddis Avante 454. We like it as it is short (6.9m) and fits in our driveway and has a fixed bed.
We had 127 nights away in the caravan in 2023.
I fitted one of these on my previous van that did,nt have an external socket fitted, screwed to the underside of the van ,where I could reach from the awning.
get a qualified electrician to run a cable from the fusebox / rcd box ( use the sockets circuit ) and run it through a hole drilled in your battery box - below where the hook up runs into to the caravan ....Fit a small water proof socket on the end....then when you need power in the awning un coil your new ''extension'' and feed it through the space in the bottom of the battery box / lid and close the lid...
Hey presto...power in the awning..
You may may have to change the RCD to cope with an extra socket but ours was tested and was found to be suitable to add another socket onto the circuit.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: power splitter for awning
