Electrics in France
First time touring to France in motorhome and staying on registered campsites. Do I need some form of converter for my mains lead?
Comments
-
Occasionally.
Now click Overseas Holidays at the top of this page and you will find a fuller answer in the useful information section.
Have a great holiday. Take care.
0 -
Whilst a lot of French campsites do use the more modern European Standard CEE17 blue plug sockets we use here in the UK there are still a significant number that use the old two pin system. An adaptor will cost you under a tenner so it would be advisable to add one to your list of equipment for your journey.
David
2 -
I also carry a plug in tester. This will show not only if the polarity is reversed but more importantly that there is an earth connection.
As it happens I also correct for reverse polarity. Although one site owner was most amused when he noticed we had a switch over adaptor.
edit JM20 beat me to it.😂
0 -
all good advice above...especially the earth tester..
however, as AD mentions and Peedee confirms, his German van (and the OPs French Pilote and Steves Hymer) will have double pole electrics and won't be affected by Reverse Polarity.
our Swifts had an RP indicator light and I had a made up cable to correct it.
with the last two vans being German I now don't bother.
best advice.....don't stick anything into connected electrical devices, like knives, screwdrivers, fingers etc....
you know it makes sense.
0 -
however, as AD mentions and Peedee confirms, his German van (and the OPs French Pilote and Steves Hymer) will have double pole electrics and won't be affected by Reverse Polarity.
We have not taken it abroad yet. So still used to British vans. The switcheroo lead is still stowed with the EHU lead though, so I'll have to decide if I bother. At least now in the event off no earth, we can easily manage without 240 volts.😀
1 -
Can somebody please explain how to check for 'reverse polarity'.
I have an Elddis and will go to France at the end of August. What do I need to buy and where do I buy it?
0 -
As I said in my earlier answer, click Overseas Holidays at the top of this page and read the useful information. You can then buy a plug in tester such as has already been pictured - from any caravan bits dealer, or on line from Amazon, e-bay and so on.
0 -
B&Q sell two socket testers, have a look here: Link to B&Q
0 -
0
-
If you have a modern van (say, less than 10 years old) it will have a double pole breaker and no switches on the sockets. Reverse Polarity causes more worry and confusion than any other electrical issue. Ignore it but don’t carry out any repair work on portable appliances without pulling the plug out.
On the other hand, lack of an earth connection is a bit of a worry so the tester is recommended just for that.
By the way, if your omnivent blows instead of sucks it’s got nothing to do with reverse polarity; it’s fitted back to front.
1 -
Unlike [Deleted User User] we've found quite a few issues in France - perhaps because we tend to use the smaller municipal sites where maintenance is perhaps less thorough. Mostly reverse polarity although we've also found no earth several times.
We have a polarity changing lead so that isn't a problem but have had to change pitch to find a bollard with a good earth once or twice.
0 -
Thank you all so much for your helpful responses which I shall digest and act accordingly.
0 -
Brilliantly tactful reply ! I feared we had all put you off.
Just remember that if there are bodies on the ground and ambulances in attendance when you arrive at a French campsite there may be problems with the electrics. But if the French are all alive and well things are probably OK.
Enjoy your hols.
1 -
As has been said, some sites will have 2 pole and earth connections while an increasing number have CEE17 (blue) connectors. As it's your first time, you may wish to be aware that some sites may limit your current consumption to 10 or 6 amps.
If you trip the supply, you will have to rely on the campsite staff to reset the breaker, and they won't be happy doing so more than once! Some sites have locked EHUs , not accessible to campers, so watch your consumption!
Other than that, enjoy your holiday - I'll bet the site fees are considerably less than those for UK club sites
0 -
The 'best' electrics I've ever seen was an extended lighting circuit in Mombassa. The 'junction box' was three 6" nails hammered into a block of wood & the wires wrapped round them🤤🤤 .... I kid you not. 😂😂 It was high up & each nail wrapped with insulation tape so they got away with it. 🙄
0 -
-
I managed to buy a device with about three or four different “keys” on it that fit most electrical boxes here and abroad. Came in quite handy in France this year when the supply tripped in the middle of the night. I opened the box, reset the main breaker and everything worked fine. Never did discover what caused it but it had about three users plugged in so I hope they were grateful!
0 -
I bought a similar key from ebay some years ago and did have to use it when we were on a site in northern Spain where our 16A connector was actually locked in the box(!). We were trying to leave around lunchtime and there were no staff around at all.......
0 -
Excellent link David. Thank you for your time and effort to make it simple. And thanks to everyone who replied with helpful info and links.
1 -
Hi Polly P, we have just got back from France and all sound advice, as David said buy that fitting here could not get one there, but both sites used offered them at a deposit, extremely helpful staff, this was our first time in MH and all went fine. Go and enjoy.
0 -
If you stay on less salubrious sites than registered campsites in France (ie - Aires, France Passion) then a 'Splitter' can get you friends with your fellow Motorhomers and potentially a bottle of Wine or two.
Sharing the electric power with your overnight neighbouring companions can often bridge language and cultural barriers and bring rewards of friendship.
This 'sharing' is not encouraged by UK Motorhome Clubs – but in France, it's a different matter.
0 -
Good post Keith. Lacking that bit of kit in Italy we were once invited to feed a cable through the window of a neighbour's caravan and plug in with an adaptor into one of his internal socket outlets.
0
