# Negative earth



## quartet (Jul 9, 2006)

Hi
Do modern campers e.g. my Bessacarr e560 cope with the negative earth business on some French campsites or will i need to make up a lead?
Ta
Barry


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Bessie560 said:


> Hi
> Do modern campers e.g. my Bessacarr e560 cope with the negative earth business on some French campsites or will i need to make up a lead?
> Ta
> Barry


We have a Bessacarr E530 ( 2007) and use a made up lead when we meet a negatively earthed hook up.

G


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have a short length of exterior cable of a conflicting colour with the normal cable and with a normal socket on one end and reversed polarity live/neutral on the other. Used with a mains tester this has proved invaluable and is now part of our normal cotinental touring kit.

It takes minutes to arrive, connect EHU, check mains tester and if needed then insert short length connector. We put it nearest the van and it is is only 30cm long so does not cause a trip hazzard.

Saw one of these made up for sale once at a show (Shepton Mallet?) but very simple to make (The Range has the connectors for us), cost less than a fiver. By using a contrasting colour it is easy to see if it is in use and the plug and socket are also marked "CAUTION reversed polarity".


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

*Negativity*

Hello Barry! How's things?

Just back from 4 weeks in France. During our time there, we used various hook-up arrangements.

As soon as I hook-up, Auntie Sandra switches on a plug-in polarity tester. I wait for her to shout "YES!" or "NO!"

A "YES!" says all is well with the 25 metre lead, with Euro blue plug and socket, that had been inserted into the site system. Positive polarity.

A "NO!" says all is NOT well. I have options, some involving the BLUE plug/socket lead, some involving a real French TWO-PIN plug.

Starting simply, if a two-pin French plug gives negative polarity, I swop it for one where I have reversed the pos and neg wires and marked it as such. I then expect to hear "YES!" from AS.

On some sites, the management will lock the cable inside the electricity cabinet. So it is useful to be able to do a reversal at the motorhome end of the lead. I have a short piece with blue plug/socket but, again, the wires inside the lead have been reversed. This short length is again suitably marked as "Reversed".

On one occasion, I found my reversed two-pin locked into a cabinet before I knew it. I then got a "NO!" from AS!! So I had to use the blue reversed link at the MH end, to correct another negative!! :roll: But at least Auntie Sandra said "YES!" Neg + Neg = Pos.

That's enough negativity for now. But, as the Scouts would say, "Be prepared!"


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