# Advice please on mains hook up in France.



## bravocharlie (Jul 15, 2006)

We are going to France this year for the first time and are novice M'homers. 

I have read various articles about making sure we have the correct mains hook-up connectors for the French campsites but there seems to be some conflicting advice around. In addition to the normal blue (UK style) connector I have obtained what was described in the shop as a "continental" adapter but I am not sure if this is the correct one for France as I read somewhere that the French sockets are different from elsewhere in Europe.

The one I have bought has 2 pins plus a hole where you might expect a 3rd pin to be. It also has metal strips at the top and bottom.
Can anyone tell me if this is the correct one for France and also if it can be connected upside down if the polarity is reversed. I have made a reverse polarity connector using 2 of the UK type fittings so I suppose I could always use that between the French 2 pin one and my 25 meter lead but that would mean having 3 separate cables joined together which I don't think would be very sensible.

Any advice on this matter would be most helpful as we want to ensure we have the correct kit for our maiden voyage.

Many thanks,
Brian


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## Freeto (Nov 16, 2006)

This is right for France, and most of Europe. The hole is the earth connection in many situations and will locate the plug the correct way in socket.

I also have a mains polarity checker (£9 - £10) which I will use when travelling to check polarity before using appliances.

Hope this helps

Good luck with first trip abroad.

Adrian


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

3 cables joined together is quite normal in France etc. One because the campsites still often have two hole and pin sockets, 25m cable is usually but not always enough and a polarity reversing link. So you have it right. I would guess that you will need to use the polarity reversing link about 75% of the time. Some people carry 2x 25m lengths of cable. I have never needed that much but I do carry an extra 10m which is sometimes useful.
The other thing to watch is that the maximum current can be as low as 6A, but you can often pay a little extra to have 10A. (Sometimes as at Bourges for example) that gives you a different pitch, sometimes the owner of the site puts in a different trip.

The caravan club suggest that using a different socket may held to aviod polarity reversal but I have rarely found that.


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## Duadua (Feb 16, 2006)

Definitely worth trying alternative posts and alternative outlets on the same post in my experience with the polarity tester. I have a short cable, say 0.5 m long with an adapter on one end and single mains socket outlet on the other with the polarity tester plugged in.

This way you can carry out your first check for polarity and go from post to post and maybe you will find one the right way round, which saves using the changeover adapter with two blue adapters hanging in the air or in a carrier bag if its raining. 

In theory the least number of adapters the safer it is, but if you have to use them use them.

I have seen outlets on the same post wired in any number of ways.

I read it here first and didn't believe it until I went.

Test every time!

Best of luck and enjoy.

Duadua


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## bravocharlie (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks to everyone for their very helpful replies. This website is such a great source of information and everyone seems so helpful. You have given me some really useful advice.

I am reassured that at least I have got the right connectors but will take up the iea of the polarity tester and separate short cable to plug it into. This should save a fair amount of hassle.

Thanks again. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Brian


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Another point to remember is that continental caravaners tend to use electricity mostly for battery charging, the fridge and the TV hence they are not to worried by low currents from the outlets. In the more remote (and smaller) sites it is not unknown for someone to produce a splitter cable and run two vans of one socket. I have never had anyone try to replug me - it does seem to be a local sport. My advice is just be safe yourself and do not get too worried about what other campers are doing. 
The smaller camping municipals have provided us with great stays but they are often rather rudimentary.

Have a great time.


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## Minerva (May 22, 2006)

Instead of connecting 3 leads together if you need to reverse the polarity, before you go make the polarity reversal lead from a second French plug lead and change the wires over in the socket i.e. you will have 2 French leads , one normal polarity and one reversed polarity. No mater which one you plug in first test it with a polarity tester if wrong polarity plug the other lead in and test again and all should be well and you will not have a lot of plugs to waterproof.

Bill


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

But....... some French campsites have 16A connectors and they are often reverse polarity so you need something to deal with that!


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## bravocharlie (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks again folks for more useful tips which I will take up.

Safariboy, Does the rev. polarity 16a connector look like the blue UK ones. If so I already have a cable for that, but if not can you perhaps tell me what it looks like.

All your help is much appreciated.

Regards,
Brian


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

If you have 1 or 2 of 25m cable lengths; 1 continental round pin to blue 16A adaptor and one 16A male to 16A female reverse polarity adaptor together with a polarity testing plug you can deal with any situation that I have met.

The point of my comment was that it was suggested that you could cut down on the joins by having two continental to 16A adaptors one wired with live and neutral reversed. That does not allow for reverse polarity 16A sockets on continental camp sites.

16A sockets are designed for use outdoors and so with a little care extra adaptors should not matter. I have never bother with polythene bags round them but I have with continental sockets which were never intended for outdoor use which is why they are being phased out. In UK camp sites had electricity a little later and so very few wired up with indoor sockets.

I hope that this helps.

Have a really good time.


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## bravocharlie (Jul 15, 2006)

Have now assembled all necessary cables thanks to your help

standard 25m cable plus

a) continental/ UK blue fitting, 
b)continental/ UK reversed polarity, 
c) UK/UK reversed polarity, 
d) UK/13a socket for plugging in polarity tester

Phew! - Hope they don't have a power cut or I will be really brassed off!

Thanks again to everyone for all the help.
Brian


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