What is the best way to hook up on site?

Andrew Abdullahi

Hi, we have just come back from a stay at Longleat CC site. Most of the caravans were decorated for Halloween with multiple sets of lights and various electrical decorations set up outside. I was wondering how they were powering everything without tripping
the system. 

I set mine up as follows and without all the extra lights etc, kept experiencing problems.

I used a multi socket extention, which I plugged directly into the sites feed.This has a trip swith on it. I put this in the awning and then plugged my normal hookup lead into one of the sockets using an adapter. I then connected this to the caravan.  I
did this to allow me a couple of extra sockets for use in the awning. However whenever I used my kettle or my small awning heater, the trip switch on my multi socket extention would trip out.

is this due to the way I set it up? Could there be a fault on my electrical circuit or with one of my appliances. How do people power up all the extra things in their awning? I often see loads of elec items in awnings that only appear to be running from
one hookup lead.

hope this all makes sense.

 

Tammygirl

We don't have multi appliances but if it were me I would connect to the bollard using my normal Blue Ehu plug and lead, then I would run a multi socket lead from one of the sockets in the van (some vans have an external socket for this) Could it be your
multi lead has a lower rated fuse? Hopefully someone who does use a lot of appliances will come along and give you more/better info.

IanTG

I'm no electrician, but could it be because your multi socket is rated at only 13 amps  And you're drawing more through it? What fuse is in the multi socket? That said, the decorative lights on other vans wouldn't consume much power, so comparing with them
may not be relevant anyway.

Andrew Abdullahi

Same here, I'm usless when it comes to electrics. The multi socket does say it's rated at 16A and it is designed to plug straight into the site hookup post.

IanTG

If you plugged direct into bollard (omitting the multi socket) then if you still get tripping, the problem is either in the van or the EHU lead. If you don't get tripping, that suggests the problem is in the multi socket lead.
If the former, then can you borrow another EHU lead? Then you could determine if it's your lead or your van.

EJB986

The more you plug in, the nearer you get to tripping!

 

I thought it was 'Trip or Treat' anyway!

Tinwheeler

Same here, I'm usless when it comes to electrics. The multi socket does say it's rated at 16A and it is designed to plug straight into the site hookup post.

Sorry, AA, but if you're useless with electrics why try to modify the normal way of connecting? TG has given you the method most of us would use and I can't understand why you need so many sockets/appliances in your awning. Do you really boil a kettle in
the awning?

Without seeing your set up it's near impossible to diagnose the problem.

IanTG

A thought - are you sure the trip on the multi socket is a cut out for exceeding ampage, or is it a RCB cutout designed to protect against faults, ( probably earth faults)? Still may point to a problem of some kind, but may not be quite what you thought.

Andrew Abdullahi

Same here, I'm usless when it comes to electrics. The multi socket does say it's rated at 16A and it is designed to plug straight into the site hookup post.

Sorry, AA, but if you're useless with electrics why try to modify the normal way of connecting? TG has given you the method most of us would use and I can't understand why you need so many sockets/appliances in your awning. Do you really boil a kettle in
the awning?

Without seeing your set up it's near impossible to diagnose the problem.

Write your comments here...Its not that i'm using load of appliances in awning, its just a small lamp and heater, and a Halfords elec cool box. I just thought it was a more convenient way of plugging them in as apposed to running a cable from inside the
caravan which would have to be unplugged when you wanted to close the the windows or doors. This way they can stay pugged in. However, I do take your point and will revert to the "normal" method on my next trip.

Tinwheeler

You know it makes sense.

Oneputt

Don't you have an electric socket in your side locker?

JillwithaJay

Same here, I'm usless when it comes to electrics. The multi socket does say it's rated at 16A and it is designed to plug straight into the site hookup post.

Sorry, AA, but if you're useless with electrics why try to modify the normal way of connecting? TG has given you the method most of us would use and I can't understand why you need so many sockets/appliances in your awning. Do you really boil a kettle in
the awning?

Without seeing your set up it's near impossible to diagnose the problem.

Write your comments here...Its not that i'm using load of appliances in awning, its just a small lamp and heater, and a Halfords elec cool box. I just thought it was a more convenient way of plugging them in
as apposed to running a cable from inside the caravan which would have to be unplugged when you wanted to close the the windows or doors. This way they can stay pugged in. However, I do take your point and will revert to the "normal" method
on my next trip.

Why not have a power socket installed on the outside of your van so you have direct access to it in the awning?

 

peegeenine

You could try a splitter. This plugs into the bollard and allows you to plug 2 hook up cables into it. One to the caravan and one straight to the awning where you could have a multi plug connected to it. Just remember that you still have the same number
of amps coming from the bollard. I think you can get a splitter that plugs into the caravan instead but have no idea where to get one.

Please note that I am not an electrician but I have used a splitter many times with no problems.

Nuggy

Are any of your appliances domestic size power and not low wattage?

 

Metheven

Not knowing your extension lead, it makes better sense to do it the conventional way of taking the extension from the caravan. This way will offer you the protection of the caravans RCD in event of faults.

Nuggy

Most of the caravans were decorated for Halloween with multiple sets of lights and various electrical decorations set up outside. I was wondering how they were powering everything without tripping the system.

Write your comments here... When people decorate their 'vans' like a christmas tree, the lights are often solar LED's

hitchglitch

It is quite common to have an overload cut-out in a multi-socket outlet and sometimes they are quite sensitive. It is unlikely to have an rcd.

It is not ideal to have a normal multi-socket outlet in the awning as it will not be weatherproof and even if the awning doesn't leak you may get damp, condensation or puddles after a storm. Also you are then relying on the earth fault protection in the
bollard and the earth connections in the socket outlets. Far better to have everything via the caravan where you have full electrical protection with the bollard as back-up.