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## Waggys (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi,

We are off to Europe at the end of May so I am looking to make up some adaptor cables.

Do I need / can I get waterproof Schuko plugs and if so where from??

Do I need a second hookup cable.

Cheers

Waggys


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Depends how reliant on hook up you are. Most of the points we found were the same as ours. I did however purchase a set of adaptor cables off ebay. One was a 2 pin adaptor for France which I think I have used a handful of times. One was a reverse polarity cable which I discovered you dont really need and an earth / live tester plug with a short cable to check if the point is working. This tester is useful as half the EHU points in France never work and it saves getting the big cable out.

Most of the time now however we use Aires or wild camp so more times than not there is no hookup. I carry a 25 metre cable which so far has been long enough but sometimes the hookup can be a long way away.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Who is this Schuko?
Perhaps you mean the 16 amp IEC blue connectors.
These are shower proof providing they are mounted in the correct attitude.
You should NOT (ideally) have any in-line mains connectors because these could be in a puddle or be driven over etc.

C.


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## Waggys (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi Clive,

This is what I understand to be Schuko plug.

I think my post may have been a little misleading!!!

I would like the euro adapter to convert from "schuko" to the UK standard hookup cable.

Do the Schuko plugs have to be waterproof??

Cheers

Waggys


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## cronkle (May 1, 2005)

This link may be of use.

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftoptitle-69029-electric-hookup-ehu.html

If you go to a caravan accessory supplier you should get most of what you need.

M


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## TickTok (Aug 27, 2010)

barryd said:


> Depends how reliant on hook up you are. Most of the points we found were the same as ours. I did however purchase a set of adaptor cables off ebay. One was a 2 pin adaptor for France which I think I have used a handful of times. One was a reverse polarity cable which I discovered you dont really need and an earth /
> 
> Hi
> I can't understand why you feel you do not need a reverse polarity adapter, you may feel it's OK to take the risk but I feel it's wrong to recommend it to others. You may think twice about using the 220v system in your home without correctly working safety devices but in essence that is what you are recommending, and in a more potentially dangerous environment.
> ...


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## MiketheWelshman (May 1, 2005)

Hi, we carry a 15m cable on board with 25 m on an additional drum, and have had to use them both. 
Mike


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

TickTok said:


> barryd said:
> 
> 
> > Depends how reliant on hook up you are. Most of the points we found were the same as ours. I did however purchase a set of adaptor cables off ebay. One was a 2 pin adaptor for France which I think I have used a handful of times. One was a reverse polarity cable which I discovered you dont really need and an earth /
> ...


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

Reverse Polarity. 
As I understand the problem :- If you have a van with BS 13 amp switched sockets the switch is single pole whereas continental Switches are double pole.
So if you connect with reverse polarity even though you switch off the supply the live is still in effect live because it is now connected through the non switched terminals.

So I always check polarity and if required use a reversing lead.

Steve


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Waggys said:


> Hi Clive,
> 
> This is what I understand to be Schuko plug.
> 
> ...


Hi Waggys.
Those so called 'Schuko' plugs look like German or old French style plugs. You will have trouble finding any outets in France that will accept them. 
Unless you intend to spend most of your time in Germany I would suggest you chop that plug off and either put a blue 16a. caravan type plug on or a french 16a. plug on to be more versatile.

Ray.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

pneumatician said:


> Reverse Polarity.
> As I understand the problem :- If you have a van with BS 13 amp switched sockets the switch is single pole whereas continental Switches are double pole.
> So if you connect with reverse polarity even though you switch off the supply the live is still in effect live because it is now connected through the non switched terminals.
> 
> ...


Your explanation is correct, to which I'd add it applies to all switched appliances (inc lights), not just the sockets.

However;
a) Our 2009 MH doesn't have switches on the sockets
b) Any appliance will 99.99% certainly have dual pole switching - manufacturers don't design UK-specific products as it would be uneconomic and
c) On lighting, the effect is to leave the bulb holder live when switched off, so potentially dangerous if changing a bulb. However, most lighting in MHs are at the 12V level, and for the 230V exceptions the simpler way around it is to disconnect the EHU from the MH while you change the bulb.

I'm in the "not concerned" camp personally...I can understand why others would be in the other camp but Barry didn't deserve the criticism (not from you Steve, your explanation was good).


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

As a lot of MH's are either German or French, do the French and Germans worry about reverse polarity - I've never seen them bother.

Joe


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## MiketheWelshman (May 1, 2005)

Just to add to the debate, we have usually found suchko sockets on French Camping Municipal sites, these are generally 0n 6a mcb's so be careful with what you use, my experience, arrive at site, plug in to keep fridge cold, switch on low wattage kettle(bought especillay to overcome this problem) forget about the 1kw water heater and trip the mcb. Fortunately the hook up box ususally has a couple of spare ways, so swap over to another outlet and forget about the on board charger and trip out another socket. I have now fitted a fused spur with neon indicator in the kitchen next to the kettle, to remind me to switch off the water heater before firing up the kettle. We have spent several nights on site with no electric because the box is locked and nobody about to reset the mcb's.

Mike


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## TickTok (Aug 27, 2010)

Rosbotham said:


> pneumatician said:
> 
> 
> > Reverse Polarity.
> ...


I didn't criticise Barry for what he chooses to do, but for recommending that others do the same. Modern motorhomes have a RCD rated at a tripping current of 30mA or a RCBO rated at 30mA and overcurrent of 40A along with a selection of MCBs rated at 6 and 10A. If an earth fault occurs at above 30mA on either - or + the RCD will trip provided there is an earth present, and there is no guaranty of that especially on French aires, but it will not trip on a + to - fault and in this case the MCB will operate but if the polarity is reversed it will leave the faulty equipment live and that is potentially dangerous.

It is also worth checking that the RCD operates proving that there is an earth as out of 15 or so I used in France last year 2 had none.

Also Steve says 13A sockets are not always switched on both poles, leaving equipment that you think is switched off live.

I just think it is far better to use a switch over adapter and use the safety equipment as it was designed to be used.

By the way ROSPA report that approximately 25 people die every year from a domestic electrical accidents and there are thousands of injuries.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Ultimately it's personal choice & I wouldn't recommend one way or the other. It comes down to probabilities....what's more likely to occur - (a) a failure of equipment on the motorhome that causes danger with polarity reversed, or (b) fault on a home-made cable and/or if a polarity-reversing "tail" is used, fault on an in-line connector which is open to the elements. My own judgement is (b) introduces most risk, but as I say it's individual judgement.

Absolutely agree that I wouldn't connect to something if my tester showed no earth.


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## Pard (May 1, 2005)

As MikeTheWelshman says, the two-pin plugs _are_ still quite commonly found on French municipal sites.

On polarity, I've tended to test them, but as someone else posted, most vans, including mine, are now made and equipped for the European market and so there seems little likelihood that they wouldn't be appropriately equipped for their own local sites - so I'm not sure why I bother! If your van is an older British-built model, then you might need to beware.


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