Awning - power

dadbab
dadbab Forum Participant Posts: 9
edited October 2016 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how to get power into the awning so I can run decent lighting, maybe a microwave etc. Our caravan (Bailey Ranger 470-4 - 2001 vintage) hasn't got an external socket.

Comments

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #2

    Cheap,  use extension lead through window,

    Higher price and ,if qualified, run supply to external socket fitted to van body

  • Runrig
    Runrig Forum Participant Posts: 186
    edited October 2016 #3

    And if you don't want to drill or cut the side panel, fit a waterproof socket to the floor, behind the skirt, in front of the wheel. Either drill the floor or run the cable through an existing vent. If you're not condident wiring from the PDU just wire from
    a plug, plugged into a low level socket.

    (or pay a sparky to do it for you)

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #4

    I believe that I have seen a distribution unit with EHU (blue socket) in, output to domestic sockets and output (blue plug/socket) to caravan I.e. a kind of splitter. Hope I have explained adequately. If you find one and it is not waterproof then it has
    to be in a dry awning at all times.

    Simpler to fit an external socket I think.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #5

    In our last caravan there was a shortage of sockets. One in the kitchen area and on on the side of a central wardrobe against the offside front bench. I simply used 16amp cable to plug into that, It ran down behind the seat backboard to a junction box and
    split two ways. One to a cable with a 3 gang socket on the front window cill im the corner for TV (rarely used) and phone charging, laptop etc. The other ran across the front of the van behind and beneath the front drawer unit to the nearside. I cut a hole
    in the wet locker there and ran a cable into there using an electrical gland to ensure water proofing. I had enough cable in the locker and a 2 gang soclet that coulf be taken into the awning. The wet locker used the same door style as the battery locker and
    so a provision to run a cable out and close the door. Present van has plenty of sockets and a socket in similar wet locker.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2016 #6

    Various splitters for the "blue" plugs are availabe from Internet sellers or shops such as Machine Mart. While I am not in a position to endorse their use on a Caravan Club site, they are widely used in industry and the performing arts.  Just plug a distibution block, as sold for tent camper use with its own RCD, into a second outlet.

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