# Polarity Tester



## 88742 (May 9, 2005)

After reading earlier posts on this and other sites I went out and bought a polarity tester for use on continental hookups. 

Does anyone use one of these? and if so, what do you do if the tester proves there is a reverse polarity, do you have a pre-made cable or other solution?


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

*Reverse*

Hi again bsb, yes, I bought one from B&Q. I also bought a "spare" continental hookup lead (short) with the idea of reversing the leads as the helpful gang here advised. I couldn't figure out how to access the pluggy (van end) thing to get to the leads to revese them. Anyone guide me in the direction of reversing the plug (bit that connects to the van) leads? Or do you just cut the cable and put a 13amp connector between? That's what you need bsb (so I'm told) to reverse the polarity. Jeffus. 8)


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## 88742 (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Jeffus, I'll just make up a reversed lead then  

Ian


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## Maxonian (May 13, 2005)

Make up a short lead with a male (blue) connector at one end and a female (blue) connector at the other, with the live and neutral crossed over. Use it as an 'adaptor' (at the MH end) when you have a reversed polarity supply. Don't forget to mark it clearly as 'reversed'.

Ciao

Raymond


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## elbino (May 9, 2005)

Marquis very kindly sell continental 2 pin adapters with either white or orange short leads......so I use the orange with my normal orange hook up lead when the polarity is ok and the white lead has been reversed for those other times. This seems a fairly idiot proof way of remembering which is which as even my non-technical wife understands the system


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

So am I right in saying it's just a case of swapping the wires over at the plug end?


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## elbino (May 9, 2005)

The connector plug I have has a 2 pin plug at one end and a blue 3 pin female caravan hookup plug at the other with about a foot of cable. Although the plug is 2 pin there is a female connection for the earth wire. The plug can only be inserted one way into the hookup sockets so that the single male connection from the supply socket enters the female on my plug. Thus it was simply a matter of reversing the +/- on my plug to have a permanent reverse polarity wired connector.
The people at Marquis said they usually sold these plugs in pairs so that one could be reversed . On arrival I connect the 'normal' plug to the supply and connect that to a male hookup plug which is wired to a 3 pin socket....pop in the tester and it tells which way round the supply is wired. If it indicates 'reversed', swap the connector with the other one, check with the tester that reading is ok and off you go.Although I do this,
the manual with my Autotrail tells me that the electrics are double-pole wired and it doesn't really matter but nobody has ever told me if this is the case, so perhaps it's just boots and braces...... :idea: :?: :idea:


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

In addition to the standard 25 meter cable I bought a 10 meter cable and a male and female blue/caraven plug.

I cut the 10 meter cable about 30cm from one end and fitted the spare plugs on to the cut ends. This gives me a standard cable of just over 9 and a half meters that we use to plug the van into the garage to pre cool fridge etc. the night before a trip. This cable can be switched off, disconected from the van and left in the garage in seconds.

The other cable is very short but the wires are fitted to the opposite pins, thus reversing polarity. Really, really easy to do, 10 minutes, but tricky to explain in detail.

For longer trips we take the spare 9 and a half meter cable with us, just in case.

When I eventually get my sticker and you see me out and about feel free to pop across and I will change a cable in a jiffy. If you are within about 1/2 hour of Lakeside shopping center/Dartford Crossing in Essex feel free to E mail or pm me and you can come round and I'll do it for you.


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

*Plug*



elbino said:


> Marquis very kindly sell continental 2 pin adapters with either white or orange short leads......so I use the orange with my normal orange hook up lead when the polarity is ok and the white lead has been reversed for those other times. This seems a fairly idiot proof way of remembering which is which as even my non-technical wife understands the system


Nice one elbino, I wasn't aware you could buy these reversed leads. I was under the impression you had to cobble your own together. I am picking my new van up in a few weeks time from Marquis so I'll enquire then. The problem I have at the moment is I can't get into the three pin female plug (grey body with a blue cap and blue screw base) to reverse the leads. Many thanks for the info elbino, really appreciated. On a bit of an aside line . . . does anyone know if new van come with hook up as standard? Cheers, Jeffus. 8)


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## dodger148 (May 9, 2005)

New vans normally come with a lead,,,, but some greedy dealers take em out (one Very Large Dealer does anyway) expecting you to buy a new one. If you are buying from that East Mids dealer take your old lead out of the van before trade in


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## elbino (May 9, 2005)

Jeffus
Don't rewire the moulded caravan plug as they are not designed tp be opened. Rewire the continental 2 pin plug


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## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

As I understand it Accessory shops 'aren't allowed' to sell the reversed lead - you have to diy. 
But note, some of the 'blue' 3 pin hook ups also have polarity reversed; so don't assume you'll be ok just 'cos it's a new style connection.


8)


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Hmmm... not aware "reversed leads" disallowed,. bought mine for a tenner off a reputable stall last year at York?
It's a short length of cable, our three pin style connector on one end, and euro two pin on t'other it looks exactly the same as a standard conversion lead, but clearly marked polarity reversed.
Oh yes always use a polarity checker when hooking up, most modern vans will sort out the polarity issues for you anyhoos withiut resorting to lead patches  .....M&D


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

Jeffus - if the blue plug is sealed don't try to open it. But I don't necessarily agree with Elbino that all these plugs cannot be opened. They are sold as single plugs for you to wire, so some at least are intended to be opened by users.

If you look down into the tube where the three pins are, you'll probably see two cross-point screw heads at the bottom of the tube. If you unscrew these, and wiggle the two halves, the top of the plug will come away from the other end. It is then obvious what you have to do (swap the positive and negative wires). Don't forget to mark this cable as "Reverse Polarity".

Alternatively, do as Elbino says and modify the French plug, although these I have seen moulded onto the wire and unopenable.

Whilst some motorhomes may be "double-pole wired", it is our appliances that are the problem, and can become 'live' if plugged into a reverse polarity socket.

Barry


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

*Thanks*



elbino said:


> Jeffus
> Don't rewire the moulded caravan plug as they are not designed tp be opened. Rewire the continental 2 pin plug


Thanks again elbino, but the continental 2 pin is also of the permanently sealed variety . . . hence me talking about chopping the wire in two (which I don't want to do because of uglyness and another place for water/weather ingress) and putting a 13 amp rubber connector in with reversed leads. Maybe I should get a rewireable continental 2 pin anyone know if they are available? Thanks for your input my friend, best regards, Jeffus. 8)


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

BarryandSue said:


> If you look down into the tube where the three pins are, you'll probably see two cross-point screw heads at the bottom of the tube. If you unscrew these, and wiggle the two halves, the top of the plug will come away from the other end. It is then obvious what you have to do (swap the positive and negative wires). Don't forget to mark this cable as "Reverse Polarity".
> 
> Alternatively, do as Elbino says and modify the French plug, although these I have seen moulded onto the wire and unopenable.
> 
> Whilst some motorhomes may be "double-pole wired", it is our appliances that are the problem, and can become 'live' if plugged into a reverse polarity socket. Barry


Thanks Barry, I had exactly this advise/disscussion with my old mate Jabber, but when I looked there is no cross head screws. The base of it has a screw collar that I have unscrewed and taken out the weather seal plug . . . but that's it still no access. Also when I take the cap off and look into the three female sockets there's a curved arrow with "in and out" at either end as if when you connect it . . . there's a twisting motion. Most strange, but many thanks for your help and input. Jeffus. 8)


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

In that case Jeffus, I'd do one of two things. Either purchase a ready-made lead that you know can be undone (sneaky work with a screwdriver in the shop, perhaps?), or buy a UK plug, a length of appropriate cable (half a metre or so) and then stop at a supermarket in France as soon as is convenient, buy a Frog plug, and wire it up at your leisure! :kermit:

Barry


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## 88797 (May 9, 2005)

Can you use 'frog' plugs to jumpstart your van B&S!!


Hey its a slow day at work 8)


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

Chuggaluggs said:


> Can you use 'frog' plugs to jumpstart your van B&S!!
> Hey its a slow day at work 8)


 :lol: :lol: :lol: That's what I like about this club . . . it's wit ans repartee, nice one Chugga. :lol: :lol: :lol: Jeffus. 8)


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## elbino (May 9, 2005)

Jeffus
The 2 I bought from Marquis are easily opened with one screw. I checked today and they are selling them for £5.16 and it is then 2 minutes to rewire +/-
paul


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

There's a real business opportunity on here - and you could benefit MotorhomeFacts.com!

If anyone can make these reverse polarity plugs then I'd happily buy one for a tenner - and no doubt others would do the same.

Chuck a couple of quid from each sale to the Forums - result!

Alternatively, anyone just wanna make me one and I'll send them the necessary wonga?


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## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

I remember seeing a feature - ages ago - about a switch that could be fitted [after purchase only] [van that is :? ] and an advert - in MMM perhaps, will checkout my filing system and see if I still have it - it meant you only needed 1 lead and the reversal was effected in the 'van.

but stormy, if you can wire an ordinary plug then you can reverse polarity on the french connection - honest

8)

ps - just spotted this site, don't know how useful it is? I don't understand a word of it! I think electricity is magic - apart from plugging things in, turning on the lights and occasionally changing a plug - I don't go near it!
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/Contents.htm

pps - found it, live/neutral switch supplied by RYD Design Ltd 01797270427, you then have to wire this to .. .. .. .. 
personally, I find it much easier to carry a reversed connection, but then, like I said, it's all a mystery to me! :dontknow:


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

M&D now parked over >here selling reversed hook up lead connectors


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## Anonymous (Nov 10, 2000)

If I could buy these connectors off this site I would straight away cos all this is beyond me. Here's an item that could earn Nukey some income.


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## Jeffus (May 1, 2005)

elbino said:


> Jeffus. The 2 I bought from Marquis are easily opened with one screw. I checked today and they are selling them for £5.16 and it is then 2 minutes to rewire +/-
> paul


Hi gang, thanks everyone for your valued help. I solved the problem over the weekend. I returned to the camping shop to buy a 25 metre extension hook up cable and whilst there they had just received a shipment of the kind of plugs you had been telling me about, ie with cross head screws for access. Once I was in, it was just a matter of reversing the live and neutral, great. BTW the hook up cable was only £16, which I thought was fabulous value (gonna go back for another).

As an aside line re reversed polarity I was reading over the weekend that MHs manufactured after 2002 are fitted with ELCB/MCB distribution panels with double pole switches (instead of single, a la British) anyone any idea if this is correct. Obviously this is a great advantage to you if you do encounter a reversed polarity site. Again many thanks for your help buddies. Speak soon, Jeffus. 8)


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