# reverse polarity france



## sno_fun (May 21, 2007)

Hi all, off to France for first time soon and have been reading all the articles about reverse polarity on some sites in france. Having taken the good advice that was on offer, for free no less, i recently bought a socket tester to check for correct polarity. I have a continental 2 pin plug adapter lead and was goin to get another and reverse the polarity on that but what i am considering is making up a short mains lead instead (as i have cable and spare plugs lying around) and reversing the polarity on it and then if the polarity is reversed on a site then just use this in between the continental adater and normal mains lead. Just wondering could there be any associated problems with this system and am i just better off getting a new contonental adapter and reversing it.

Thanks for the help and advice

Its appreciated


----------



## rebbyvid (Apr 10, 2006)

I have lead made up myself as are all my leads and dont think you should have any problems.I have just come back from France only used hook-up on one site(stopped 2 nights) and theirs was ok.Did a fair bit of travelling so was ok for power
Rob


----------



## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

*Reverse Polarity Abroad*

Hi Sno_Fun! Let me assure you, it IS fun!

The reversed polarity issue is only likely to affect you if you start to delve inside electrical equipment which you believe is switched off at the plug. If the caravan site has reversed polarity, the equipment you might be investigating is STILL LIVE as the current is flowing along the neutral wire. Switches abroad are DOUBLE POLED so stop the flow of electricity along both cables, so the issue of RP is of no consequence to the folk abroad. But I still believe we need to be aware and careful.

So a big well done on buying the tester which is one of those gadgets which one buys and then says: "If only we'd bought it sooner!"

When I attach to the mains, I wait for Auntie Sandra to switch on the tester and then declare "Yes!" or "No!"

If the response is "No!" I immediately unplug from the M/H inlet and insert a short lead - 15 inches - that I made up, but with the live and neutral reversed. That short cable is suitably marked as "reversed".

I do it this way for a very sound reason which is based on our experience of France. Yes, many sites use the large blue 'continental' type plug and socket system, just like our own Caravan Club sites.

But some sites abroad have the 2-pin system. (There is actually an earth pin within the socket. This locates between the 2 pins of your plug.) To accommodate this type of system, I have prepared another short length of cable, with the live and neutral reversed, and suitably marked. Again, if Auntie Sandra's response to the tester plug is "No!" I unplug from the M/H and insert the short length with reversed polarity.

A warning here! On many sites, we have had our cable plugged into the site supply cabinet which IS THEN LOCKED so that it is impossible to remove the cable. That makes it hard to solve reversed polarity UNLESS IT IS DONE AT THE M/H.

In a nutshell, I have prepared TWO short lengths of cable with reversed polarity for use AT THE M/H END OF THE HOOK-UP CABLE.

In the course of our travels to France, we have acquired various other adapters but the best arrangements are as described above. I hope the above information is useful.

Best wishes from UncleNorm.


----------



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Polarity*

Yes it is a problem,

One which knackered our AES fridge module on the La Chappel St. Claud sit in Annecy. Cost £145

I am considering the auto changeover unit often mentioned on here.

Why,

Because I cannot be rsed with leads for this and leads wired one way and one the other, esp in the freezing snow or rain. At the moment if its is reversed, I whip the socket open and switch over.

Trev


----------



## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

I suggest a short 16A plug/socket reverse polarity lead rather than a second continental/16A lead because you sometimes need to use it with a 16A socket.
Remember also that a good earth (green/yellow) is essential and that it must NEVER be swapped with any other wire.


----------



## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

We have a short 16A plug socet lead with the live neutral reversed and had to use it at a couple of sites this year.

Also at one site in Spain near Roses the neon tester showed Bad earth 8O 

Checked a couple of other sockets near our pitch and they were all the same. Showed one of the site employees who gave me a tour of the various electrical feed boxes which all appeared to have plenty of earth cables.

How sensitive are these neon lamp testers if there is higher than expected resistance between the cables?

Steve


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

I was in another forum on this very subject recently before our 3 week trip to Spain and France. I got loads of variations and some assurances, but experience found that it made not a jot of difference.

I automatically plugged in my reversed two pin lead into some 17 different sites and never found any problems. On the first two nights in different sites, I borrowed a tester, having forgotten mine and reverse was the norm, so I followed this. I loaned a non reversed lead to a Brit in a big new MH and he was in the same pillar supply to me and found no problems either.


----------



## sno_fun (May 21, 2007)

Thanks to all for your replies, very helpful and informative as per usual. Ill get making myself up some reversed leads and bring them just in case.

Sometimes i do tend to "tinker" with things, often with success n sometimes not but something is usually learned along the way, so thanks unclenorm i think im better off making sure everything is safe first.

Thanks again to all for the posts


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Reverse polarity*

Hi

I have a red light that comes on on the charger panel to indicate reverse polarity. I was a bit worried that it might harm the leisure battery in some way, so I now have another electric connector cable - full length - where I have swapped the L and N.

Russell


----------



## wobby (May 1, 2005)

I was in France for 7 weeks last year and 6 weeks in both Spain and France the year before. I had bought a test kit the year before that comprising of a tester, a short length of cable with polarity reversed and various type plug adaptors. In france I found about 50% were reversed in Spain a lot more, I think your idea will do the job OK.


----------



## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Polarity*



teemyob said:


> One which knackered our AES fridge module


I can't understand the logic here, how could a reversed polarity "knacker" an AES fridge module? Firstly, reversed AC current shouldn't have any effect whatsoever on AC equipment and secondly AFAIK AES modules are powered from the 12v DC supply anyway. :roll:

All continental built vans are immune to RP problems (they're double pole switched at the mains input) as long as the original continental sockets aren't replaced by UK 13 amp ones. Simple reason being that continental sockets aren't switched so no possibility of switching off at the socket and thinking the appliance is dead. By the same token whatever the country of origin of the M/H, if you unplug every time after use there's negligible risk anyway.


----------



## 88838 (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Polarity*



teemyob said:


> Yes it is a problem,
> 
> One which knackered our AES fridge module on the La Chappel St. Claud sit in Annecy. Cost £145
> 
> ...


don't understand that last comment????

qute often you can just use another outlet - there's no reason why they should all be set the same way!!!!

8)


----------



## robrace (Jun 30, 2005)

*Why worry!!!*

Been to France loads of times.I don't worry about reversed polarity.gas attacks,levelling the van,putting up awnings,filtering the water,having rabies injections.I go for a holiday and to relax!!!


----------



## oldun (Nov 10, 2005)

I know that I am resurrecting an old post but i feel that this comment is important.

All types of tester can only tell you that if earth of some sort exists. By this I mean that if one minute strand of cable connects the earth to the plug this very thin cable will carry enough current to make the tester believe that an earth exists. In an emergency this wire will burn out if an amp or two is passed down it.

To do a real test you need some serious electrical testing equipment.


----------



## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

gaspode, robrace - best posts on the subject so far (in my opinion!)
However some people do not have enough to worry about so don't take away all the mystery - they can still worry about 'A' frames.


----------

