# Electric points on Stelplatz



## bevjohn

Are the electric points on stelplatz the same as the uk,CEE17 and is reverse polarity a problem.I have one of the 2 pin EU adapters if it is suitable in Germany.

Regards Bevjohn


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## GEMMY

CAPITALS must not be used in suject headings MHF RULE 235 paragraph 3 subsection 1 item 12 . :lol: :lol: :lol: 
tony


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## pippin

Blue plugs - dunno about reverse "polarity".


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## GEMMY

The mods editing has made the last two posts look a bit silly. 8O 8O :wink: 
tony


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## spykal

GEMMY said:


> The mods editing has made the last two posts look a bit silly. 8O 8O :wink:
> tony


So maybe you should try to answer the OPs question as a penance for offtopic posting :lol: :lol: < (please note the smileys :wink


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## GEMMY

Please may I have a raspberry emoticon. :lol: :lol: 
tony


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## 96706

When we were in Germany last September, we found majority of stelplatz had blue euro sockets, but a couple of times we needed 2 pin adapter. 
We always check each time for reversed polarity when first plugging in, as it only takes a couple on minutes and can save all sorts of problems.

Have found that some of the euro sockets, even on large campsites can still be wired incorrectly!


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## Boff

Hi,

most of them have blue CEE sockets, if any. Though on some, private run stellplatz sites you might also find sockets for the 2-pin+bracket symmetric "Schuko" plug.

Thorough and efficient as we Germans are :wink: , polarity in CEE sockets should _in theory_ not be an issue. However, as all common appliances are equipped with fully symmetric Schuko plugs, nobody really cares about polarity. So don't bet on it.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## aultymer

> We always check each time for reversed polarity when first plugging in, as it only takes a couple on minutes and can save all sorts of problems.


At last someone to explain - what sorts of problems?


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## hymerowner

Am sorely tempted to type everything in capitals - we are being asked for information not a rant.

We toured in Germany last year and found the blue plug as in the UK everywhere. Polarity was never reversed, but obviously could be. 

Long or two standard cables are good - you can be a long way from the points. We always have a bag of plugs, cables,convertors of all sorts with us.

Metering is very common - carry lots of Euros and 50c coins. 

I've also got into the habit of checking to see what is left on the meters when they have a digital read out - you can often get away with paying nothing if you are prepared to swop hook ups frequently. Carol will be proud of my Scottish ancestors and thrift!


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## HurricaneSmith

We've come across power outlets with both options (both blue and two pin) where the blue had reverse polarity and the two pin did not.

I don't lose any sleep over reverse polarity. I simply warn Mrs HurricaneSmith, and stand well clear when she puts her hands in water. :>)


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## safariboy

aultymer said:


> We always check each time for reversed polarity when first plugging in, as it only takes a couple on minutes and can save all sorts of problems.
> 
> 
> 
> At last someone to explain - what sorts of problems?
Click to expand...

As far as I know if your van and equipment are in full working order it does not have any effect. 
The problems is that UK equipment is normally wired so only the live has a fuse and a switch. Live and neutral would be switched on continental equipment. The result is that it is possible that if equipment has a fault the case could become live and give you a shock. The kind of fault would be a wire coming free from its terminal and touching the case.
It is not a very likely happening but it has happened.
In modern vans there are other safety devices but as the exact circumstances of any accident vary no one design feature will protect against all circumstances.

I seem to remember that there have been suggestions of some equipment not working with reversed polarity but I cannot see why myself


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## SaddleTramp

Hi, We travel through Germany nearly every year and as yet have never had a problem on Stelplatz, eu sockets and as previous post polarity doesn't matter as plugs can be used either way.


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## aultymer

I was rather hopefull that **** would tell us what he knows about reverse polarity after his scary post.


> can save all sorts of problems.


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## pippin

In a nutshell.

235V AC exists between neutral and live. 
Not very good names, so later on I will call them poles.

It is that AC voltage between them that makes your kit work.

In UK the neutral is tied to earth.

Elsewhere it might not be so.

So, in UK as neutral is just about at earth potential there is no point in switching it or fusing it.

We just switch and fuse the live.

Elsewhere either or neither of the poles (what we used to call L & N) may be tied to earth.

Either of them may be anywhere between zero and 240V but that has nothing to do with powering your kit.

It is the 240V between the poles that does that.

Any reference to earth does not come into the equation as far as lighting that bulb or whatever.

What does matter is the effect that it has on safety in the event of a fault.

Elsewhere (ie not UK/Eire) because of the possibility that either of the poles may be well above earth potential the tendency is to switch both of them.

This takes place everywhere, from the humble lightswitch all the way back via the consumer unit (aka fuseboard or these days more likely a tripboard!).

So, in your UK wired van abroad theoretically you could have a potential anywhere up to 240V on your neutral pole which is not switched or fused anywhere. Not ideal in the event of a fault in the appliance if that neutral wire comes internally adrift and touches the outer earthed case.
In fact that could mean the entire metalwork of the van becoming live!

That is the reason for the reversing lead thingies that people make up.

BUT in practice, if the hook-up bollard has been wired to specification it will have double pole switches and trips - which will protect you anyway in the event of a fault between it and your appliances in the van.

Incidentally I don't like the use of the word "polarity".

Polarity has to do with DC, in terms of pos and neg which simply has no relevance here.

I would prefer the expression "pole-arity".

So if you want to use a *reverse pole-arity *lead for extra safety then that is fine!


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## aultymer

Thanks Pippin - that is one of the best expositions on the subject so far. 
I take your point about the very name being wrong - reverse live/neutral would be far more telling. 

I would still like **** to explain what is in "all sorts of problems". 
If a poster makes that kind of statement to the new and uninitiated then it would be nice to have some explanation of the problems.


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## pippin

Why, thank you Sir for your kind comments.
*
Pole-arity* it is then from now on.


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## 96706

aultymer said:


> Thanks Pippin - that is one of the best expositions on the subject so far.
> I take your point about the very name being wrong - reverse live/neutral would be far more telling.
> 
> I would still like **** to explain what is in "all sorts of problems".
> If a poster makes that kind of statement to the new and uninitiated then it would be nice to have some explanation of the problems.


What problems do you think can be caused by incorrect electrical wiring!

In answer to your enquiry, Pippin has covered the technical part very well.

But surely for your own peace of mind, it's still worth checking the EHU when you arrive on a new site abroad and carry a tester plus some leads made up for all types of hook up you will come across in Europe.. Even if they state that it meets EU requirements. 
We have stayed at many sites abroad and have found a variety of type.

So we always check them out. Better to be safe & enjoy your holiday than risk a disaster ( of any kind).


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## aultymer

Sorry **** if I did not make myself clear. 
You state 'all sorts of problems' without qualifying these problems. 
This may mislead newcomers to believe that they will be subject to nameless tribulations if they encounter so called reverse polarity. 
If you do not know then just say so. 
I have never found any problems but then again I am not stupid enough to work on any appliance which is still connected to the mains.


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## Zebedee

Apart from being a caravanner our neighbour is a good bloke ( 8O :lol: :lol: ).

He is also a consultant electrician.

He doesn't even bother to check the polarity for the same reason that Aultymer states above. If he needs to open the case on any appliance he pulls the plug out first.

I use a polarity tester, but only to check the earthing - which really could be a problem. 8O 

Just my opinion you understand.

Dave


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## loddy

Zebedee said:


> Apart from being a caravanner our neighbour is a good bloke ( 8O :lol: :lol: ).
> 
> He is also a consultant electrician.
> 
> He doesn't even bother to check the polarity for the same reason that Aultymer states above. If he needs to open the case on any appliance he pulls the plug out first.
> 
> I use a polarity tester, but only to check the earthing - which really could be a problem. 8O
> 
> Just my opinion you understand.
> 
> Dave


So what is wrong with caravanners ?

Loddy


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## aultymer

> So what is wrong with caravanners ?


some of my best friends are caravanners.   :lol:


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## Bubblehead

Hi

Following information posted on here last year I use a socket tester before connecting to the EHU.

I carry an adaptor to convert from a blue CEE socket to 3 pin (house style) (bought for about £5) into which I plug a socket tester. This also enable you to use the hook up lead as an extension cable when needing to use power tools etc. 

I also have a 2 pin to Blue CEE connector lead for the old style Euro sockets, again it can be used with the above adaptor to provide power to tools etc. We have a 2 pin socket fitted to the outside of the van and use this lead / adaptor to power our remorska outside under the awning.

I also have a lead with male / female Blue CEE connectors at each end, which has the poles switched, this is used to correct the live and neutral if required. I made this by cutting 8" of the 25m EHU cable and fitting new sockets. I have only needed to use it once.

The reason I do this is the information here suggested that whilst the van electrics would be OK with reversed polarity, items such as flat screen TVs, sky box etc may be damaged.

Don't know how true this is, but it made sense to prevent rather than cure an expensive little disaster.

Andy


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## pippin

Reversed pole-arity would not have any adverse effects whatsoever on TVs or digiboxes.


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