Reverse polarity on sites in Europe

Keswickjohn
Keswickjohn Forum Participant Posts: 9
edited December 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

I have read and been told of problems caused by some sites having reverse polarity.

Is there a discussion thread for this subject already??

If not, can anyone suggest the best way to deal with it or what damage can be caused.

Comments

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #2

    There were several threads on this on the old system, however I am unable to locate any of them. Some say it is not an issue except single pole switches remain live, even if switched off. However, I carry a polarity tester, which simply plugs into a socket. If reversed I use a short switchover cable, which you can make up yourself or buy from a caravan accessory shop. To make one you just need a male and female EHU plug and a short length of EHU cable. Wire the male conventionally and reverse the live and neutral cables in the female. Plug your converter into the EHU bollard and your normal cable into the female connector. If polarity is reversed as shown by your tester, the effectively puts it back to normal. We also carry a short cable with EHU male at one end and three pin socket at the other. This enables the polarity to be tested with the tester, without powering up the caravan.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #3

    Martin. It's all here on this website. Click on Overseas Holidays at the top of this page,   then Electricity and Gas overseas.

  • Martatin
    Martatin Forum Participant Posts: 306
    edited December 2016 #4

     Hi Martin


    I bought my polarity tester plug  and reverse polarity cable on Ebay.

    Would recommend getting them as used them over the last 2 years on several sites in France and Spain. 

    Think you'll need to be quick as on ACSI thread you leave on 10th cool

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
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    edited December 2016 #5

    Many people, some of us qualified in the subject, completely ignore the subject.

    However some take it extremely seriously  by rewiring leads and buying testers etc!

    It's one of life's eternal questions.

    You takes your choice?surprisedsmile

  • Watendlath
    Watendlath Forum Participant Posts: 232
    edited December 2016 #6

    Many threads on this topic in the past have strongly argued both sides of whether reversed polarity is a safety issue.

    To my simple mind it’s quite simple really, and this is why I always use one.

    If polarity is not a safety issue and a RP tester/cable is used then there is no harm done and all remains safe.

    If reversed polarity is a safety issue and the RP tester/cable is not used and something happens, then......

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #7

    Just as there are many IT experts on here telling us how to build and fix this forum, there are also an immeasurable amount of Chartered Engineers that love to advertise this fact.

    I'm sure you will get many differing answers from the expert to the home grown electrician to the copy and paste, and the time served electrician.

    Me, I'm a time served electrician laughing Treat your appliances with respect and pull the plug before prodding/working on it and all will be fine, everything will still work as it should with no fireworks. But if you are still not convinced then make/buy an adaptor for your own peace of mind.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited December 2016 #8

    Excellent advice from Dave.

    I cannot resist saying, however, that if you are going to give specific advice on a safety related topic (as I have done many times on this subject) it is quite reasonable to state why you are qualified to give such advice. There have been many incorrect posts on technical issues on this and other forums.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #9

    martin, DaveFL2's advice is sound.....dont poke about with any electrical advice while plugged in.

    what type of van do ypu have?

    some uk vans have an RP indicator (oir Bolero did) while many continental vans dont (our Carthago doesnt) so, if i didnt test the bollard, i wouldnt know.

    the van just works.....and i dont poke about in electrical items, generally, even when not plugged in.....

  • Keswickjohn
    Keswickjohn Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited January 2017 #10

    Our van is a Benimar. I am not aware of it having an RP indicator.
    From the various advice it seems that it is not really a problem so will just go with it and take care.

    I take it that all devices will work OK including TV & DVD.

    Thanks to everyone for helping out with this.

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
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    edited January 2017 #11

    Everything will work as normal.

    However I have heard of one piece of equipment on one panel van conversion that displays a fault code in a reversed polarity situation. I can't remember what it was!

    I assume it's the one that proves the rulesealed

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited January 2017 #12

    Being a continental van it will most likely have double pole switches and no switched socket outlets. All modern caravans in the UK seem to have this anyway as it is recommended best practice. Therefore it doesn't matter which is live and neutral because the switch isolates both sides of the supply.

    Unfortunately, UK domestic appliances often have switches on them and can therefore be switched off yet still connected to a live supply. Hence the advice to pull the plug out before maintaining anything.

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