Electrical Items using EHU
Afternoon!
Just been to a local Caravan Accessories supply and I was surprised by his response to a question I had.
I was asking about 12v TV's (which he had a large selection of fairly expensive sets). I asked if I could use my "normal home" 22" TV from home if I use the hook ups from a caravan site.
He said yes, but it should be low voltage as it may blow the camp trip. After reading many discussions on this I asked about kettles and toasters. He replied that they all need to be low voltage even if I use the EHU on site.
Therefore my question to you clever lot on this site is:
What electrical items HAVE to be low voltage if I only use EHU's? I am planning on on using the following items:
- 22" TV
- DVD Player
- Electric Kettle
- Electric Toaster
- Microwave
What are the hard and fast rules on these items and what can be used on EHU's?
Thanks for your responses.
Comments
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3, 4, 5 are important but it depends what else you are using. Most people use ordinary domestic TVs and DVDs, I think, while on EHU. See the Advice and Training section at the head of the page and, in particular, this -
https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/advice-and-training/technical-advice/mains-electrical-installation/
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Hi.
Most club sites EHU are 16 amp so in theory anything you use at home can be used on site.Some other site like CL's can have a lower current ie 10 amp or even 6 amp and in this case you need to be careful how you use the appliances. I think that maybe the guy in the shop meant low wattage rather than low voltage.Most of the things I use in the van are the same as the ones I use at home.
Mike
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I agree in that he meant 'low wattage' use.
Your TV and DVD player will be fine, about 1amp each, just be aware of having the other three items on together, singularly they should be OK on nearly every CC site and remember the caravan charger and maybe your hot water/heater will be drawing some of that 16amps you plug into.
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As a VERY simple rule of thumb count each KILOWATT
as requiring 4 amps, then add up the amps you are
using or want to use -- if the total is below 14 then you
should be within the safe working load of any CC site with
a bit to spare. But don't forget to include things like the
heating etc etc -- all these should be found in the caravan
handbook.
As a single 'vanner I do use a small low wattage kettle
on C C sites but on others I'm like Huskypup in using
the gas kettle .
Brian A B M
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On club sites with a 16 amp supply you should be safe as long as you do not use everything at once particularly the kettle and toaster. Do be aware though that if you have the internal heater and water heating on electric that can use a lot of electricity and they might be better on gas if you are using the others in any number.
Kettles vary a bit in power but one at about 2,200 watts would be Ok in most instances. The toaster might be a problem and a low wattage one might be a better bet if it is to be used with the kettle and a microwave but it all depends on what else you are running.
If you are on a site with 10 amps or 6 then I would get low wattage kettle and toaster or use the grill for the toast. Do watch the power of your heating and water heating if they are on electric. If both on full ours can draw 9 amps and that definitely restricts what else you can use.
I would check the power of 3,4 and 5 to see what they are and it would give you a better idea as to what can be run together as without that it is difficult to be sure what power they are using..
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Did you miss hear the salesman. He must have said low wattage and not low voltage.
You can buy a low wattage kettle usually around 900-1000 watts but remember it will take a lot longer to boil. Most of us use normal domestic electric items but are careful not to have them all switched on at the same time. Be aware that a microwave consumes a lot more power than its stated heat output
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As many have said before, as long as you avoid items drawing a lot of current at the same time ie. kettle and toaster you will usually be fine. We use domestic versions of everything.
However there are sites that ask in colder weather for you to be aware that if each van is drawing power for fan heaters/kettles etc then the mains to the site may have a problem supplying everyone's needs and there may be drops in voltage or the supply may even trip out at the breakers.
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Thanks for the advice.
Must of miss heard him.
I think I'll go with a whistling hob kettle (old school) and us the grill for toast. Thant way there is never going to be a problem, and just remember to watch what is plugged in at the same time.
Luckily our heating and fridge are both gas powered so that shouldn't impact.
Thank you, I'm sure I'll be back with more questions.
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if you do your camping on club sites, you might as well use their leccy, youve paid for it....a small 700w travel kettle is always a good thing...
with all your appliances using gas (dont they also get powered by leccy?) you might be getting through some gas, especially in winter, so have a look at the thread 'surviving on a non-ehu site' for tips about cheap gas....safefil or gaslow...
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As others have mentioned the kettle is the odd one out.We use as 750 camping kettle and it does take slightly longer to boil but after a while you don't notice.
A typical 16 amp hookup will give you 3840 watts or 3.8kw so you can work out your requirements from that.
Hence why a domestic kettle has to be used with care.
Incidentially we have happily managed with 6 amp supply especially when abroad with no issues of tripping the site bollard.
Its there to be used but not abused!
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We use all domestic products.
But I do keep an eye on what is being run simultaneously.
(like not putting the kettle on whist SWMBO is using the straighteners, if the heating is on)
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Voltage can vary dependant on demand and so I work on max wattage being 220 x 16 on a 16amp bollard. 3.5kw. On a 10 amp bollard which I do encounter on occasion 2.2kw
From Scottish Power: In the UK, the declared voltage and tolerance for an electricity supply is 230 volts -6%, +10%. This gives an allowed voltage range of 216.2 volts to 253.0 volts.
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...so, a 3kw domestic kettle and just about anything else (charger) might result in a trip to the trip
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One thing just to remember is that you may well have the space heater, fridge and water heater unbeknownst to you clicking in and out on their thermostats. There will be that occasion when all three click in at the same time, maybe when you flick that kettle on, this, in certain circumstances may be just enough to kick it out.
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not everyone has a combi type device, so a separate 2kw space heater and 2kw water heater would be sufficient to trip the supply if they both kicked in at the same time.....
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Kjell, no idea as weve only ever had 'combi' type heaters....
still, if 2kw and 1kw are kicking in together, thats arpund 88% of the available 'juice' according to Easy' low end Scottish Power level....add in the 'default' battery charger and youre nearly there...
so, be aware and keep your Crocs by the door....you never know when you might need them
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We've had our current van (and possibly last!) since 2009 and apart from the gas hob everything is run on 240 v electric. No point in paying for it and not using it. Bottled gas can work out expensive. Only 'spare' kettle we have is a 700 watt version for use abroad. just be aware of what you are running at the same time. 16 amps is a lot of power.
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I'm new to caravaning too. However, I can say that there's no problem with power requirements.
In my van, I kitted it out with a Microwave, kettle, toaster, george foreman grill, TV.
The key thing is that I did take steps to make sure they were low wattage...
kettle + microwave + toaster = about 700w each. I don't use them all at the same time.
The caravan has a 2Kw electric heater. I turn this off when cooking.
The TV is an 22" LED TV, which can run from 12 or 240 volts, I run it from 240 when possible. In addition, I have a media center with my film library that I can used, and this again runs from the mains.
16A is lot of power, and provided that you are sensible, there's no problems with using normal appliances. It's just that you can't run them all at once - like you would at home.
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We use a standard TV from Tesco and have never had a problem with it in the caravan. We use the grill for toast and have a kettle designed for caravan/camping. The microwave was supplied with the caravan, so I guess will be suitable for purpose. No problems with any so far, and we run the heating and fridge off electric too - and we have one electric ring on the cooker. Just be careful you don't use them all at once.
David
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I too am grateful, if a bit sad... our daughter's C'mas present to us was a lovely small stainless steel kettle for use in our first caravan; but with the label saying it's 2500 - 3000W it looks like we'd better not use it after all. I wasn't aware of this until now. Shucks, eh.
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The caravan shop will tel you all their things are low wattage even if their are not,
At Waudbys of South Cave, Don Waudby told me that my 600 watt microwave would trip the bollard, but his 700 watt one woudn't, he said that it is surge that trips, my 600 watt has an input power of 1000 watts, his 700 watt microwave has an input power of 1150, the same as the 700 watt microwaves in Morrisone and asda.
so his 700 watt, 1150 watt /230 volt = 5 amp, if your E.H.U. is only 5 amp you cant use it unless you turn off your fridge
my 600 watt, 1000 watt / 230 volt = 4.34 amp, I can use that and my fridge on only 5 amp E.H.U.
so take what the caravan shops tell you with a pinch of salt
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it sounds as he dosnt know what he is talking about, site e.h.u. is 6-16 amp, so microwave needs to be small one, kettle low wattage.
I have had a caravan sales telling me that my 1000 watt microwave would trip but his 1100 watt woudnt, look at the input watts divide this by 220 the U.K. vol;ts, that will give you the amps, that will tell you if it will trip
T.V. & D.V.D. are about .25 to .50 amp so you can use your home t.v.
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There is a small device available that connects into the incoming mains cable and has a display that gives the actual current drawn at any moment. One can have great fun watching what happens as different appliances are switched on, and it also gives a check on all the items one has forgotten are there such as towel rail, and battery charger.
One thing I have noticed is that many 10 amp supplies don't trip out until about 14 amps, but the 16 amp ones go at close to 17 amps.
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Hi MJ i agree with what you have.The problem i have is that looking through site in Cornwall for summer hols found one site that you can upgrade to 32amp. As all vans are based on power coming into the van at 16amp were does the other 16 amp go.
Steve
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