webby1
Free Member
Yes I have one of those that indicates a fault................but not one that changes it over at the flick of a switch,which the OP seemed to indicate and I would be really interested in buying.
reversed polarity in Spain
- Thread starter Tony50
- Start date
That is a piece of equipment designed to inform you of a L / N reversal working correctly. It isn't being adversely affected which is what I meant.
andy63
Free Member
Yes...but its prevents the heating system using the mains supply to provide hot water or heating... its purpose isnt to inform you that the polarity is reversed... in fact i hadnt noticed the lightning strike symbol was missing from the display... ( the lad i phoned pointed that out ) just that my system wasnt working as i expected..
So it prevents use if the polarity is reversed.. thats what i ment.
Andy.
Augusta08
LIFE MEMBER
You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with Mister In-Between
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
Reverse polarity at La Manga and Kiko Park, Oliva.
I have a reversed lead so use that.
I have a reversed lead so use that.
As a Spaniard I've never understood the problem you guys have in UK wih reversed polarity. I used to live for years in UK when I bought a (Spanish) VW California, and remember all British California owners speaking a lot about the same. Why it's so imñortant that for British devices?
We can plug anyway, nobody take care about that because electrical intrastructures here are ready and safe to plug anyway you want/can.
We can plug anyway, nobody take care about that because electrical intrastructures here are ready and safe to plug anyway you want/can.
hilldweller
LIFE MEMBER
Our switches and our fuses go in the live wire so if polarity is reversed then, switch off or local fuse blows, and there is still 240v all over the device. 99% of the time it does not matter at all, but when someone opens it up to see why it does not work it could get dangerous.
pappajohn
LIFE MEMBER
It's because of the British regulations only requiring the live (phase) wire to be switched in lighting and power circuits... Most, if not all, of Europe switch both live and neutral together.
In recent years double pole MCB and RCDs have started to be used so in the event of a fault all power is cut.
Of course, just turning off a light or socket only turns off the live (brown wire) side so if reversed it will be neutral and the neutral (blue unswitched wire) will be live instead.
This should only have any real consequence if you are working on an appliance while it's plugged in, but if you are it proves the Darwin theory and you deserve the consequences.
Last edited:
ouch!! I see. Do that also apply to your continental MH brands? I guess they just install Britsh plugs but the installation is the same?
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
If you have a continental brand m/h its no problem as you say. Its just that we are backward in not adopting double poll rcds as soon as the rest of europe.
UK RCDs have always been double pole. However appliance and light switches still aren't. It gets even more complex, at least in France, where some supplies are phase to phase meaning that there is no 'live' and no 'neutral'. Neutral exists in the UK because all supplies are phase to neutral with the neutral earthed initially at the supply transformer. This means, simply, that we can talk about live because it is relative to earth. A phase to phase supply means that either each supply wire is 110v above earth or that neither supply wire relates to earth. However in the van everything will work OK and the RCD will do it's job.
Clive and Kerri
LIFE MEMBER
Reversed polarity is extremely dangerous, it’s what turned my sister into a lesbian 
Well, there were something else made me curious when livon there: you guys got fuses "everywhere". If your MH got a continental RCD (both poles are protected), why you care where your kettel got the neutral or the live? Continental kettels' clabe go directly to the resistor with no fuses.... the RCD will do the work. If you plug a British kettel it should be OK to plug it anyway no matter where is the fuse providing you've got a continental RCD.
My British kettel is now in my place in Spain and I've just replace the British plug for an European one and works like a charm independly how you plug it.
Probably I'm missing something in my guessings?
My British kettel is now in my place in Spain and I've just replace the British plug for an European one and works like a charm independly how you plug it.
Probably I'm missing something in my guessings?
LOL, yours too?Reversed polarity is extremely dangerous, it’s what turned my sister into a lesbian
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
Why? Do yourself a favour and throw it away - it serves no useful purpose.
The reasons are explained elsewhere on this (and other) threads.
Ian
pappajohn
LIFE MEMBER
Wire fuses are a throwback to the days before MCB and RCDs when the main fuseboard also had wire fuses.
The socket circuit would have a 30amp fuse wire so the appliance would have a 15amp fuse wire in the plug so if it did blow it would only be that appliance and not the whole circuit.
Wired fuses only protect against overload like basic MCBs, it you touch a live wire the fuse won't blow and it may kill you. Put an RCD or RCCB in the circuit and it will (should) trip if you touch a live wire and there's no need for any other type of fuse.....but the British still fit them in our plugs
Bigtwin
Have read them all, not every expert agrees with you, and I am in no way an expert so can’t give a qualified opinion.
The electrician at La Manga advised me that (Auto-Trail) Sargent boxes do not like reverse polarity. My controls registered an error which disappeared when I swopped the leads (but it often gives error that then disappear) and the site electrician at Villasol advised me to reverse the adaptor if I had reverse polarity.
The question I ask is am I doing any harm by adjusting for this?
Conal
Have read them all, not every expert agrees with you, and I am in no way an expert so can’t give a qualified opinion.
The electrician at La Manga advised me that (Auto-Trail) Sargent boxes do not like reverse polarity. My controls registered an error which disappeared when I swopped the leads (but it often gives error that then disappear) and the site electrician at Villasol advised me to reverse the adaptor if I had reverse polarity.
The question I ask is am I doing any harm by adjusting for this?
Conal
Because it doesn’t matter whether or not there is ‘reverse polarity’, it doesn’t matter whether your adapter ‘corrects’ it or not.
No harm either way.
It’s not that your Sargent box ‘do not like reverse polarity’, it’s simply telling you that there is ‘reverse polarity’.
Ian
Bengaz
Free Member
Because uk appliances run on "ring mains". These are protected at 32A. You must have adequate overload protection so they must be fused down in the plug top.
Uk Motorhomes aren't wired like this but they must cater for standard uk plugs.
Reversed polarity mostly affects anyone maintaining the system. The neutral becoming live is extremely unsafe up work on. Also as mentioned, faulty appliance blows fuse ,the appliance can still be "live".
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
My Bessacarr doesn’t like reverse polarity but when in Spain on most sites I just turn the plug through 180 degrees at the box if there is a problem.
Clive and Kerri
LIFE MEMBER
We could get all techie and start talking bonded earth, floating earth etc but I won’t.
Most electrical products in UK are manufactured to meet the higher spec European standard, this will include caravans and motorhomes, basically because most use German equipment. It’s all duel pole switched because it has to be.
However if you wish to improve the gene pool by taking said equipment apart while still plugged in please add me to your will.
Most electrical products in UK are manufactured to meet the higher spec European standard, this will include caravans and motorhomes, basically because most use German equipment. It’s all duel pole switched because it has to be.
However if you wish to improve the gene pool by taking said equipment apart while still plugged in please add me to your will.
In what way does it not like reverse polarity?
What happens when you are connected to a reverse polarity supply?
Ian
pappajohn
LIFE MEMBER
https://www.frenchentree.com/living-in-france/utilities/french-electrical-systems/
Which means it's fused at a higher current than its design current.
Swap to European fuses and you'll have no more problems 
Subscribers do not see these advertisements
Hello Ian, for some reason the fridge will not work if the polarity is reversed so we always check as the site plugs it into the box. We have a neon polarity checker plugged into a mains socket when we arrive on site to make sure.
Peter
Join us or log in to post a reply.
To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun
Join MotorhomeFun
Join us, it quick and easy!
Log in
Already a member? Log in here.