# reverse polarity abroad



## alecturn1 (Nov 13, 2009)

been reading about this it was saying some people make up their own plug to overcome it.can you buy such a plug or what do you need to do to make one


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Buy a male and female end (like you already have on your EHU cable) and a short length of suitable cable.

Wire one end up the correct way and on the other end put the + (L or brown) wire into the - (N ) terminal and the - (N or blue) wire into the + terminal you have then "reversed" the polarity ( + & -) by wiring one end up correctly and the other end "incorrectly"

It doesnt matter which end you wire up "wrongly" just so long as one of them is. Then if you get a reversed polarity site you just use your cable you have made up at one or otherr end of your "normal" EHU cable

Simples !!

If you dont follow my instructions PM me and I will give you a phone number, it really is easy to do !!!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

You can buy them on Ebay or make one up very easily but many of us don't worry about reverse polarity at all, Alan.


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## Bryandh (Oct 6, 2010)

Loads of ready mades available so have a look on ebay etc. Look at this one for ideas

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_...everse+polarity+set&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Some say that a small cable with 13a plug on one end and euro connector on other will blow fuse if a problem.... sounds dodgy to me :roll:

Edited: LOL Sorry forgot to put on link.


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

the only worry applies to fuseing in the one LIVE leg, but theses days the RCD installed in our vans which disconects both live and neutral wires (as per the 17th edition of the iee wiring reg) make the reverse polarity not a problem. Its only when you have a electrical fault and only the main fuse blows and could leave the live still live. Most contantal domestic installations have two pin sockets and its very easy to have reverse polarity and its seems not to be a problem.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

clive1821 said:


> Most contantal domestic installations have two pin sockets and its very easy to have reverse polarity and its seems not to be a problem.


Our French house is wired to the French regs and the sockets have two pins and an earth, it is impossibLe to put the plug in the other way up.

BUT they are not concerned with which pole if neutral and which live, their sockets are all spurs from the distribution board - ring mains have not been allowed until recently apparently.

They do not always have an earth connection, and appliances wiring instructions say to isolate this wire if it is not used.

MOST French campsites that we have been in use the standard EHU hookup, and we have not used our reversing wire for several years but agree it is very easy to make up a very short length of wire plus a socket and a plug to suit.

BUT DO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS CLEARLY MARKED AS "*REVERSE POLARITY*" SO THAT IT CANNOT BE INADVERTENTLY PICKED UP.

Ready made connections such as the ones listed may be a very economical way of getting the reversing lead, the old style connector and a tester for a low price. Our unit has a light on it which indicates if the polarity is reversed, but we still use the tester to check things anyway such as the earth connection etc.

Dave


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I cannot say that I have ever encountered a problem. I did meet a chap in France who had a compressor type fridge that stopped smiling because of reversed polarity.
Maplins do sell the plugs that you need for less than a tenner but I ask myself this. If I am testing the polarity on my system in the van, with the testing device plugged in, is this not already too late?
Finally, if the polarity is wrong, as indeed it can be, What am I going to do about it? Reverse my own polarity to compensate? Leave the site as the sun sets or sit in the dark without mains power?
Alan


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

rosalan said:


> If I am testing the polarity on my system in the van, with the testing device plugged in, is this not already too late?
> Finally, if the polarity is wrong, as indeed it can be, What am I going to do about it? Reverse my own polarity to compensate? Leave the site as the sun sets or sit in the dark without mains power?
> Alan


If you plug the tester in to the van and then check at once, the system is "LIVE" for only a few seconds while you look at the tester lights. That will not cause damage as only some appliances are sensitive - hence do not switch appliances on until checked.

IF you find the "polarity reversed" lights are on - and they are very clear to see, then simply unplug the leads and put in the reversing wire by the van. Being a short length it will NOT touch the ground and is as safe as possible.

The system is quick and easy to use, although the number of times we have used it is probably only 3 or 4 in 30 years of using caravans and motorhomes in France.

Dave


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## trevor007 (Apr 20, 2008)

i plug my tester in the cable before it goes near the van as reversed polarity can cause all sorts of problems with electrical equipment, so it is best to check.

i have also found some sites without an earth wire connected so with a very cheep simple tester you know what your electric supply is.

Problem prevented

Trev


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## hymerhome (Dec 2, 2009)

My fridge started warming the butter stored in my freezer compartment when i plugged into the La Manga ehu. When I rewired it, no more problems . . .


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## rupert1 (Feb 13, 2009)

trevor007 said:


> i plug my tester in the cable before it goes near the van as reversed polarity can cause all sorts of problems with electrical equipment, so it is best to check.
> 
> i have also found some sites without an earth wire connected so with a very cheep simple tester you know what your electric supply is.
> 
> ...


This simply cannot happen, no electrical appliance is going to suffer from reverse polarity, how can it? If your van is fairly modern just forget about it because unless you are in the habit of taking things to bits without disconnecting the supply no harm can come to you.


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

I totally agree with Rupert, the mains supply is a sine wave so it makes not difference which way around its connected... with the introduction of the RCD in the motor home as per 17th addition wiring regs there should not be a problem.... I would not agree nor suggest you use a reversal lead. I have made this coment already but there seems to be people who are more expert than I am...


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## NicknClair (May 18, 2006)

rupert1 said:


> trevor007 said:
> 
> 
> > i plug my tester in the cable before it goes near the van as reversed polarity can cause all sorts of problems with electrical equipment, so it is best to check.
> ...


I'm affraid I'm going to disagree slightly here as a Combi Inveter/Charger with Power share did go bang on me personally, don't ask me why and how but it did! Engineer's report returned a verdit of reverse polarity on AC line, which the CPU board was replaced and all works fine. Don't ask me how he tested for this as I would love to know exactly!!
Would agree a majority of products and devices are not effected, but there is still the safety aspect of the electrics to consider JUST IN CASE something were to happen (not likely but you can never tell for sure).

Take a look at the below link, may help any novice reading this to understand what the fuss is about, then hopefully make their own mind up.

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/19098/Reversed Polarity complete.pdf


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Hymerhome

_My fridge started warming the butter stored in my freezer compartment when i plugged into the La Manga ehu. _

I find that hard to believe.

There is *no such thing* as reversed POLARITY *AC*.

In UK it is customary for the blue *neutral* (NOT negative) wire to be linked to the earth wire and for it thus to be roughly at earth potential all the time.

In UK the brown *line* (NOT positive) wire carries the AC voltage which swings between zero volts and approx 340V at 50Hz (cycles per second) which as a sine wave gives an AVERAGE voltage of 240.

Because of this, in the UK it is not necessary to have double-pole on-off switches and thus only the (brown) line wire is generally switched.

Not all overseas countries abide by our system.

The blue neutral wire may not necessarily be tied to earth and indeed the brown line wire may be tied to earth.

Not only that but in fact neither line nor neutral may be tied to earth and can be "floating" in which case line and neutral have no real meaning - all that matters is that the AC voltage appears between the two wires.

Thus it is customary for there to be double pole switches to isolate both wires.

This topic has been done to death on the forum so I will not delve deeper into the ramifications.

However, it does mean that motors will not run backwards because of incorrect POLARISATION (for want of a better word) so how your fridge started heating had nothing to do with the EHU connections being reversed.

It may have gone into defrost mode by sheer coincidence or that the voltage was way down so that the compressor wouldn't start and hot gas or liquid flowed back from the condenser to the evaporator.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I presume that the same person would say that if they put the batteries into a transistor radio the wrong way round then it would transmit rather than receive? 8O :roll: 

No way! It simply would not work!

Due to the alternating nature of AC c/w DC a fridge will simply not function, nothing else.

Pippin is 100% correct in his description.....

Dave


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## nickkdx (May 26, 2009)

When I check with polarity checker and its the wrong way round,I just remove from post and van and then just swap wires in van end socket, only takes a few minutes.


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## robrace (Jun 30, 2005)

*Why worry*

We go to France at least once a year and have never tested for"reverse polarity"nor have we ever had a problem.I've met several fellow campers who worry themselves silly over this issue!It's not a problem!I've never heard of anyone who's been electrocuted or a van that caught fire due the reverse polarity.The french don't worry about it!I was waiting to board the ferry in September and was watching all the motorist's putting there beam deflectors on the vehicles.I have also never done this either and hav'nt had a problem.watched loads of "foreign" vehicles coming off the ferry.DId'nt see one with beam deflectors.Do theybother?


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## sloath1980 (Jul 9, 2010)

had it before never made one bit of difference as far as i could tell. if you get it too then realise its to late and all is okay youll wonder what you were worring about


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

*Re: Why worry*



robrace said:


> I was waiting to board the ferry in September and was watching all the motorist's putting there beam deflectors on the vehicles.I have also never done this either and hav'nt had a problem.


I tend to agree that unless you're working on the electrics (e.g. changing a bulb), reverse polarity is not an issue. However, IMHO not fitting headlamp beam deflectors is just pig ignorant. You may not have a problem...the poor sods coming the other way being blinded by your lights may do. The oft mooted suggestion that it only matters if you intend to drive at night doesn't stack up either - what if it rains or it's foggy?

Paul


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

As far as headlight beam deflectors are concerned I BELIEVE that continental vehicle headlights do not have the same beam pattern on dip as the UK does. 

In the Uk there is a section of the dip beam that is shaped to illuminate the nearside of the road (pavement) It is this raised section that shines in the eyes of other drivers if you dont fit deflectors when sur le continant!!

The continental vehicles as I understand it, have a " Flat " dip beam ( rather than the UK shaped type) that just illuminates the road directly in front of the car. i.e. there is no section of the beam to light up "thier" nearside, hence there is no need for continental vehicles to fit deflectors when in the UK.

I have seen French "Flic" pulling in English vehicles and examining the headlights, I assume they were looking for beam deflectors (but could be wrong on either or both matters of course, wouldnt be the first time and certainly wont be the last)


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## trevor007 (Apr 20, 2008)

personally it takes two seconds to check the polarity so why not do it and although it will make no difference to most of the vans electrics some appliances you plug in defiantly don't like having reversed polarity so for my own peace of mind i will carry on.

Trev


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