6A 10A 16A ?
Hi All,
Another question from us newbies. I've seen sites that advertise 6 Amp 10 Amp & 16 Amp EHU. In every day useage what do these figures allows us to run at the same time. Our MH has a Microwave, Aldi Wet CH, T/V station & fridge freezer. What can we run on
each amperage? Thanks
Comments
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16a=most things, 6a=not a lot. . . .Biggest for best & Beggar the rest FB
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1amp = 220watts so an 800 watt kettle would equate to just over 3.6 amps. Always assuming a 230 volt supply. You should be able to work most things out using this equation.
I think the handbook has an explanation of common items and their amperes, if you do join the club of course.
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Hey, FB, if you Google Ohm's Law you should find all the info to help you calculate exactly what you'll need.
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The simplest way I use to determine what can and can't go on is the simple sum of Amps x 220Volts = Wattage available (pedants will doubtless challenge this, but the 220 is a 'good' value to use to err on the safe side, as in not trip the supply).
Assume you have an electric ring on the hob and 3 gas, and gas oven.
So 6 Amps is 6x220=1320W or 1Kw on the Alde heating plus the fridgeTthe electric ring on the hob if you have one or the microwave turn off the heating first. No hair dryer.
Therefore 10 Amp is 10x220=2200 or 2Kw on the Alde plus the fridge, turn the Alde down to 1Kw to use the microwave or electric hob singularly. Hairdryer with Alde and kettle and microwave off.
Which leaves 16 Amp is 16x220=3520 or 3.25 Kw so alde on 3Kw, fridge. To use electric hob turn Alde to 2Kw. Use microwave with Alde at 2Kw with no electric hob. Hairdryer turn Alde down to 1Kw.
Use the TV on the 12v supply as that comes from the battery which is charged through solar if fitted, or mains charger and draws little current. LED lights run off the 12v supply also.
Kettle means one that sits on the hob, not a domestic 3Kw+ one
Trust that assists.
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I think the handbook has an explanation of common items and their amperes, if you do join the club of course
1amp = 220watts so an 800 watt kettle would equate to just over 3.6 a
I think the handbook has an explanation of common items and their amperes, if you do join the club of course.
Thanks to all for the replies.
As for joining the club, we don't get our MH until late Winter but we will defiantly be joining the CC. It seems to be a really good organisation with loads of benefits. So joining the club will be top of our list early in the New year so we can start
booking our Hols.0 -
Fatbelly, if you Click Overseas Holidays on the Club's main website, then Advice and Training, the answers are all there.
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So glad to see you've chosen CC, FB. I'm sure we'll have many more joyous conversations.
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the confusing bit is that appliaces are oft quoted in watts, yet the power availability on site is quoted in amps.
so, to make sense of the two, one needs to be converted to the other and then a comparison can be made...
when i first started vanning, i jotted down on a piece of paper all the electrical devices i used in the van, from heaters to kettle, to toaster, to hairdryer etc....and their wattages, and then converted these to amps (as indicated by others above)..
its then fairly easy to understand what you have plugged in and how much spare capacity you have left....
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generally theres a trip switch on the hook up bollard...toull just need to reset this...
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What happens if you use too many Amps, does the supply just cut off? If so how do you turn it back on.
You will usually trip the mains circuit at the connection box. If you are on a club site you will have to get the warden to set the circuit. If you are on a CL as often as not you will be able to access the circuit box and rest the system yourself.
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What happens if you use too many Amps, does the supply just cut off? If so how do you turn it back on.
In the UK you can usually reset it yourself ... like you would resetting a breaker at home. In France though, don't be surprised if the box is locked.
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the confusing bit is that appliaces are oft quoted in watts, yet the power availability on site is quoted in amps.
so, to make sense of the two, one needs to be converted to the other and then a comparison can be made...
when i first started vanning, i jotted down on a piece of paper all the electrical devices i used in the van, from heaters to kettle, to toaster, to hairdryer etc....and their wattages, and then converted these to amps (as indicated by others above)..
its then fairly easy to understand what you have plugged in and how much spare capacity you have left....
good post BB.
My swift manuel has the conversions in, don't they all?
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the confusing bit is that appliaces are oft quoted in watts, yet the power availability on site is quoted in amps.
so, to make sense of the two, one needs to be converted to the other and then a comparison can be made...
when i first started vanning, i jotted down on a piece of paper all the electrical devices i used in the van, from heaters to kettle, to toaster, to hairdryer etc....and their wattages, and then converted these to amps (as indicated by others above)..
its then fairly easy to understand what you have plugged in and how much spare capacity you have left....
good post BB.
My swift manuel has the conversions in, don't they all?
thank you Corners. i dont know about the manual, its tucked away somewhere, though it was in a Swift when i wrote out my 'list' based on the actual wattages of our own units...they can obviously vary.
after a while, you just a get a 'nose' for whats likely to be an issue...
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It is locked on CC sites also
...The latest incarnation of EHU on cc sites do not need keys
I must be thinking of old stock. I don't go around tripping bollards.
I did trip a bollard on a site in early April this year at Penpont Floors Caravan Park,Thornhill. The chap and chappess running the site did not know what the system was rated to. I didn't bother to check either as I couls see tha tthe trip was accesible
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What happens if you use too many Amps, does the supply just cut off? If so how do you turn it back on.
In the UK you can usually reset it yourself ... like you would resetting a breaker at home. In France though, don't be surprised if the box is locked.
If you plug in too many things to sockets in the van, you may also trip the van circuit.
Most vans allow a max of 10 amps on the sockets.
Good idea to also check which fitted appliances work off which circuit.
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One problem is that some appliances have a demand surge when first turned on which means they can very briefly draw much more than their stated running amps!
Circuit breakers and fuses are designed to accept such surges so they should not cause a problem.
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Hi All,
Another question from us newbies. I've seen sites that advertise 6 Amp 10 Amp & 16 Amp EHU. In every day useage what do these figures allows us to run at the same time. Our MH has a Microwave, Aldi Wet CH, T/V station & fridge freezer. What can we run on
each amperage? ThanksAs your MH has Alde CH, you could fit the Alde Load Monitor.
This monitors your use and cuts down/out the Alde if you try to go over the amps you have set on it. You set it up according to the amps available on the EHU. Very useful in colder weather.
Note that it will not cut off any other appliances you are using, so if you are really careless, you can still trip the power.
Easy to fit yourself, it just plugs into the controller at one end, and round your inlet cable at the other end.
Also useful, if not already fitted, is the Alde battery back up.
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Being a simple minded chap I find it easier to divide the watage of the appliance by 220(v) to get the amps. So a 750w appliance uses just under 3.5 amp. We have managed quite happily in Italy where sometimes it is only a 4amp supply but you must ensure
you are not boiling a kettle with the hot water on electricity! The CC handbook has a guide. If you trip the circuit breaker and the box is locked it's red faced to the warden/reception!0 -
On 16 amp sites we do not worry except when it is cold and have the heater on. On 10 amp we do take care and try not run too many things at once. 6 amps we have only met abroad but then you need to use a lot more gas and we have a low wattage kettle for them.
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In the summer you can manage perfectly well with 6 amp provided you have the Aldi set on 1 kW and use a low wattage kettle (switch the Aldi off when using the kettle). Electric hob could be a problem.
We rarely have more than 6 amps when travelling around Europe.
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