Fitting an Alde load monitor, some questions......
My OH had posted a query regarding this over on SwiftTalk, but we need more input.
Here is the background to the problem, I hope nobody objects if I copy over some postings?
My OH asked.....
I know some of you have fitted this, can you tell me exactly how and where you have fitted the black bit that has to go round one of the conductors in the mains inlet cable?
someone replied.....
the mains cable that comes in from the mains socket in the battery box has to be cut and the brown (live wire) has to go through the black coil and all the wires connected again. The connection is best done in a sealed plastic junction box, screwfix sell
them. I fitted one in my van and is great it automaticaly reduces power to the Alde when you switch on other power units. However I am a electrician and I could not recomend you fit it yourself. It is not rocket science but there are rules and regulations
regarding working on electrical equip. including that on caravans.
My OH then said......
Thank you for that.
I was not exactly "up front" with my question as I did not want to influence the answers.
My OH is totally confident with electrics and did fit the device 2 years back by cutting and re-joining the brown wire just after it enters the van. I know he made it safe in some manner, but I don't think he used the type of box you described.
The reason I asked is that the engineer doing our service insists that the cable MUST be continuous from the inlet point to the breakers in the van, and has therefore removed the cut wire (and the device) and connected the remaining wire, which fortunately
was still long enough, straight into the inlet in the battery box again.
OH has asked him how this device can be fitted in that case, but he will not give any advice.
Our van is a March 2008 Sterling Searcher.
the poster replied.......
the load monitor lead is 6m long so if it will reach your psu/charger unit you can disconnect the live where it connects to the psu and pass it through the coil at that point. I can't comment on what you have been told, another possibility would be to disconnect
the mains cable from the socket in the battery box and remove the outer sheath to seperate the 3 wires, pass the live through the coil and use electricial tape to then tape the 3 wires together and re connect them in the mains socket, this way the mains have
not been cut, I would still fit the coil in a plastic box and using plastic tube or sleeve rather than tape may be a better job.
hope this helps
my OH then said.....
Thanks. You said you could not comment on what we have been told, is there somewhere we can read up on exactly what is and is not permitted?
Our PSU is on the other side of the van and connecting there would mean fixing the wire under the floor of the van, which OH is not keen on. The best way would therefore be to connect it at the inlet.
As you have cut your wire, can I ask whether anyone has commented on this when the van was serviced? And anyone else reading this who has done similarly, have you had any comments?
We also have a second, slightly similar problem.
As we tour a lot in Germany and Austria, where EHU is often metered,and the KWHs are 65 cents each, we would like to use one of those monitors like the ones that you can plug into a socket and then you plug into it. We did buy one in Germany that can handle
16 amps, and fit it, but of course that was also an interruption in the cable before the PSU, so the engineer did not like that either.Also he reckoned that if you put your mind to it, you could unplug the device and connect something directly to the mains cable before it goes to the van's PSU .
As this metering device has to be fitted to record all the power used, OH is wondering if it would be acceptable to fit an additional enclosure with an RCD near the mains inlet, run the cable directly to that, then fit the metering device, the Alde thing
could go there too. You would therefore have RCD protection before you could connect in anything. And an unbroken cable to the first RCD.The cable would then continue, uninterrupted and untampered with, directly to the van's PSU and RCD.
Our engineer did not want to advise on that either, but did not seem too keen on the idea!
the reply.......
If it is true about cutting the mains I will be running my cable under the floor to the psu.
You could buy a "Owl" unit to monitor your kwh use, these strap onto the mains live wire and send data to a remote unit. I use one at home.
To find out about the rules and regs you would need to read the latest edition of the IEE regulations, I am retired so am not up to date. I am sure there must be some young electricians out there that have the latest copy and could confirm the rules regarding
mains wiring in mobile homes and caravans for both of usmy OH.....
Yes, we use an "Owl" at home to give an indication of our solar PV production, but have found that it is very inaccurate.
It only measures amps, you have to set the voltage yourself, and it gives you the watts. At lower readings the figures are well out, while the other type of meter is very accurate.
And as you said, that would also have to be attached in the same way as the Alde thing.
As it seems to be the RCD protection that the engineer considers essential, we are thinking that installing an additional one as above is the way to go.
We need to find a solution to this as this is the second year we have had a long discussion with this guy over this.
The first year he just removed the wire as I described, without any reference to us first. OH was very annoyed and said he would have been willing to sign to take responsibility for the modifications.
When we got the van back OH had to re-install the monitoring system.
This year, as we had requested he not alter anything without discussing with us first, he refused to do ANY of the service on the van unless he was allowed to re-instate the continuous wire. He would not accept OH signing to take responsibility.
As we need the van serviced for the warranty and our insurance, we had no option but to agree.