EHU Patch Lead for Reverse Polarity in France etc

[autorouter]

I think you are missing the point here. They are not designed so they are only safe with the correct polarity. As you rightly say, they need a fuse because they are designed to connect directly into a 30amp circuit, and their sole function is to ensure that 30 amps cannot pass through the lead to the appliance or the appliance itself, which would probably result in a fire or severe damage to the appliance. While a fuse is, as you say, a single pole protection device, that really doesn't matter, as a fuse can be anywhere in a circuit and still function correctly.

No I'm not missing the point. The point is that reverse polarity doesn't matter if all the protection devices are double-pole. A fuse is single pole. If a single-pole protection device is on the neutral wire, it will not isolate the device if there is a failure, so some danger will remain. That's why normal house-type single pole MCBs are not allowed in motorhomes and caravans, and double-pole MCBs are required. I agree that in a motorhome which doesn't have a 32A supply, the fuse is largely redundant, at least the 13A one is anyway. If there was a commonly available UK plug that didn't have a fuse in it, I would recommend fitting that. But there isn't.

 

[autorouter]

Seen that in rural France as well, where the old 110v system has been upgraded to 220v and they have use two 110v phases. So you actually have two 110v lives rather than a live and neutral.

That system is used in the UK on building sites. The voltage is 110V, but it's from a centre-tapped transformer so there's two 55V lives. The idea is that 55V is reasonably survivable if you are zapped by it.

 

[Pausim]

Seen that in rural France as well, where the old 110v system has been upgraded to 220v and they have use two 110v phases. So you actually have two 110v lives rather than a live and neutral.

I think that is how my inverter works, 2 out of phase 110V. Again makes single pole switching a waste of time, the world would be safer without it.

 

[Peppadog]

I think that is how my inverter works, 2 out of phase 110V. Again makes single pole switching a waste of time, the world would be safer without it.

Mainland Europe already is, and has been for all our lifetimes I think.

 

[Spriddler]

I knew nothing about reverse polarity until I joined Fun after 20 years of almost exclusively foreign and trouble-free motorhoming (and I still don't bother to check polarity).

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[Lenny HB]

Mainland Europe already is, and has been for all our lifetimes I think.

No, most of mainland Europe domestic supplies are single phase it's only in remote areas where they did a cheat when upgrading from a 110v that they had 2 phase. Probably none left now days.

 

[Peppadog]

I knew nothing about reverse polarity until I joined Fun after 20 years of almost exclusively foreign and trouble-free motorhoming (and I still don't bother to check)

wrong quote in error

 

[Peppadog]

No, most of mainland Europe domestic supplies are single phase it's only in remote areas where they did a cheat when upgrading from a 110v that they had 2 phase. Probably none left now days.

Sorry not to be clear. I was referring to double pole switching

 

[RV-AL]

I am in Spain now and have Ben for the last two weeks. i have a 2018 Auto-trail and at every site I have stopped at everything has been fine but if I switch on the original charger through the Sargent EC700, the Reverse polarity light comes on, so I switch the charger off. Everything else works fine. When on site with standard eu plug I just put it in upside down and all good. I have enough solar to not need EHU to charge.

not sure if I can ignore the reverse polarity light and continue using the charger. Any advice. I have a reverse polarity cable at home in UK!

I've checked the MCBs in my Sargent EC325. They are marked Siemens C10 and the tiny diagram on the front of them shows live and neutral switches. So they must be double pole.

The EC325 manual says that if the reverse polarity LCD is illuminated to contact the site warden for advice. Not sure I would get far with that with my limited French language!

 

[bigtwin]

not sure if I can ignore the reverse polarity light

You can.

and continue using the charger

You may.

Ian

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[Lenny HB]

Something I never worry about, only really a problem in some Brit built vans where they fit sockets that are single pole switched even then not worth worrying about as the outlet has an RCD also your van has an RCD

 

[Old Gibber]

Something I never worry about, only really a problem in some Brit built vans where they fit sockets that are single pole switched even then not worth worrying about as the outlet has an RCD also your van has an RCD

I've yet to come across a motorhome that has switched sockets, most have no switch.

 

[Lenny HB]

I've yet to come across a motorhome that has switched sockets, most have no switch.

Older Brit one had them.

 

[RV-AL]

You can.

You may.

Ian

Thanks for quick response

 

[bigtwin]

Thanks for quick response

You asked this question twice; best just to post a question once.

Ian

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[autorouter]

I am in Spain now and have Ben for the last two weeks. i have a 2018 Auto-trail and at every site I have stopped at everything has been fine but if I switch on the original charger through the Sargent EC700, the Reverse polarity light comes on, so I switch the charger off. Everything else works fine. When on site with standard eu plug I just put it in upside down and all good. I have enough solar to not need EHU to charge.

All appliances, including mains chargers, will function fine with a reverse polarity supply. It's only in case of a fault that there might be a problem. If you have an RCD on your mains inlet, that mitigates almost all the danger of a reverse polarity supply. An RCD is one of those trip switches that has a 'Test' button, so you can easily recognise one. All modern manufactured motorhomes will have an RCD on the mains inlet. Only older motorhomes and some self-conversions don't have RCDs.

 

[OldCodger]

All appliances, including mains chargers, will function fine with a reverse polarity supply. It's only in case of a fault that there might be a problem. If you have an RCD on your mains inlet, that mitigates almost all the danger of a reverse polarity supply. An RCD is one of those trip switches that has a 'Test' button, so you can easily recognise one. All modern manufactured motorhomes will have an RCD on the mains inlet. Only older motorhomes and some self-conversions don't have RCDs.

Small clarification a double pole RCD!

 

[Old Gibber]

Older Brit one had them.

Must be very old then.