What is this lekky box under the van ?

Probably a polarity swapping box. Auto even. Or perhaps a switch and some LEDs?
 
Yes wired in series, I didn’t add a fuse so relying on campsite fuse, the voltage protector is only hooked on to a single screw fairly tight push fit
 
Interesting. I've just bought a load monitor to install alongside my Alde heating unit, after tripping the post a couple of times. You set the amperage to the sites stated limit, then apparently the goblins in the load monitor automatically adjust heating/hot water usage to ensure that's not exceeded. Would this also act as surge protector, now that I've learnt such things exist?
 
Here is my surge protector

View attachment 713625
Mine has just arived £45 from ebay .From china. It looks genuine no spelling mistake print and stickers very good quality.

1678626945400298027314.jpg 1678627005309998906618.jpg

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Van just parked next to us on site , black cable from external mains point with grey box at end then orange mains cable from this plugged into bollard , what is the grey box ? RCD ? I thought all vans had them on board , just curious .View attachment 713597
There are quite a few people in Morocco every year who find themselves investing in something similar, but sadly only after they've had their fried charger and fridge pcb replaced and in one case their on charge mobile phone burst into flames.

There are lots of crappily wired campsite ehu, s around and not just in Morocco, Spain, Portugal, balkans etc some of the french aires used to also put me off. If you're relying on hookup some kind of surge and undervoltage protection as discussed is a very good idea.
 
You can get SPDs for consumer units that make a much neater job. But you need space in your consumer unit or an upgrade to a bigger one.

I am thinking for my next self build to use an SPD and RCBOs .
1678698427428.png


Is this what you suggest? Seems to have decent reviews on Screwfix and I have space in my consumer unit. Rather than fit an additional 'unit', or do the standalone versions do a better/different job?

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Just looked on the Sollatek website, the AVS30 is out of stock. Online prices from other sellers are neatly split between those selling for around £90 to those at £40. I wonder which is fake.
 
Cheap Chinese anyone:oops:


5:09Sollatek AVS30 testing original vs CounterfeitYouTube · Sollatek5 minutes, 9 seconds21 Nov 2022

Think I'll stick to the original product. Buy cheap and you will eventually buy the original anyway. If you survive(y)
Wel yes i have bought a counterfeit, The only positive is hopefully i can make people aware.
I think it would be unfair to brand all suppliers on ebay as Rouges.

I have spoken to Sollatek themselves the supply amozon dirrect and theres a discont code
Sollatek 40 givinfg 15% discount
 
Just looked on the Sollatek website, the AVS30 is out of stock. Online prices from other sellers are neatly split between those selling for around £90 to those at £40. I wonder which is fake.
RS On Line ( which is RS components , one of the biggest electrical and electronic stockists in uk , ) so no fake parts , have 66 in stock , £90 .

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Got mine from RS components, probably all made in China anyway
 
In the not too distant future I will be working on fitting an auto change over relay between my inverter and my ehu supply.

If either supply is 'in use' it will go from the source (ehu or inverter) through the consumer unit and then onto all power circuits etc

Would I be better off with the sollatek between the relay and consumer unit or fitting an SPD in the consumer unit if I can?

autorouter
Raul
 
Just looked on the Sollatek website, the AVS30 is out of stock. Online prices from other sellers are neatly split between those selling for around £90 to those at £40. I wonder which is fake.
Just looked on the Sollatek website, the AVS30 is out of stock. Online prices from other sellers are neatly split between those selling for around £90 to those at £40. I wonder which is fake.
Well you guessed right. Sollatek said this morning amozan have 94 in stock
 
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In the not too distant future I will be working on fitting an auto change over relay between my inverter and my ehu supply.

If either supply is 'in use' it will go from the source (ehu or inverter) through the consumer unit and then onto all power circuits etc

Would I be better off with the sollatek between the relay and consumer unit or fitting an SPD in the consumer unit if I can?

autorouter
Raul
I would only have a spd before the change over feeding from grid. You will not need it from your own inverter. And chose a spd that is resettable, not cartridge. The spd will discharge the spike trough the earth, so it will need to be connected to the grid side earth, and your inverter earth bonding to neutral open. Like multiplus does, it opens the bond via relay, as soon as is grid on incoming.
 
I would only have a spd before the change over feeding from grid. You will not need it from your own inverter. And chose a spd that is resettable, not cartridge. The spd will discharge the spike trough the earth, so it will need to be connected to the grid side earth, and your inverter earth bonding to neutral open. Like multiplus does, it opens the bond via relay, as soon as is grid on incoming.
One of the French guys had his inverter fried by the surge last week, had an autochangeover relay that he thought had survived. but had left his inverter on to deal with outages.

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One of the French guys had his inverter fried by the surge last week, had an autochangeover relay that he thought had survived. but had left his inverter on to deal with outages.
Yes, normal, that’s why the spd, it has to be in the path of the surge from grid to ATS, so it discharges before it enters ATS and inverter. It has to be first line of defence. When you are off grid, from your own inverter you don’t get a surge.
You can even make a box and plug it in before the van, then plug the van in it. In my view this will offer better protection, it has to discharge via grid earth PE.
 
Yes, normal, that’s why the spd, it has to be in the path of the surge from grid to ATS, so it discharges before it enters ATS and inverter. It has to be first line of defence. When you are off grid, from your own inverter you don’t get a surge.
You can even make a box and plug it in before the van, then plug the van in it. In my view this will offer better protection, it has to discharge via grid earth PE.
thanks, so by your description its prob better to spend the money on the sollatek and route the grid feed through this before then going through the autochangeover relay (ehu/inverter)
 
Yes, normal, that’s why the spd, it has to be in the path of the surge from grid to ATS, so it discharges before it enters ATS and inverter. It has to be first line of defence. When you are off grid, from your own inverter you don’t get a surge.
You can even make a box and plug it in before the van, then plug the van in it. In my view this will offer better protection, it has to discharge via grid earth PE.
I get that but I would fit one to the motorhome permanently so I couldn't think I will do it later and then forget. However I find myself plugging in less and less
 
thanks, so by your description its prob better to spend the money on the sollatek and route the grid feed through this before then going through the autochangeover relay (ehu/inverter)
Either way you go, spd, or sollateck, it has to be upstream connected to protect. Yes it can be fitted part of the van, But make sure the path is upstream, not after ATS, not after inverter.
 
Wel yes i have bought a counterfeit, The only positive is hopefully i can make people aware.
I think it would be unfair to brand all suppliers on ebay as Rouges.

I have spoken to Sollatek themselves the supply amozon dirrect and theres a discont code
Sollatek 40 givinfg 15% discount
Sorry wasn't having a go at you in particular just a general observation (y)

So advised to buy off Amazon by Sollatek themselves and use Sollatek 40 for discount.

Thanks for the heads up will have a look

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Either way you go, spd, or sollateck, it has to be upstream connected to protect. Yes it can be fitted part of the van, But make sure the path is upstream, not after ATS, not after inverter.
ATS?

if i fit a surge protection device into the consumer unit, i place it before anything else in the consumer unit - as though it was the first 'connection direct from the EHU?

that would also place it after the inverter and after the automatic change over relay ....
 
Got mine from RS components, probably all made in China anyway
Thats interesting and agree probably made in china. When i phoned Sollatek themselves and have spoken to them several times he did say there was only 2 places. Amazon and Sollatex own website. I hope there wrong. To be sure i would ring them or open yours up look on Sollatek website you will see there own video on how to tell the fake from genuine its quite easy.
So did you buy from RS through Amazon
 
I did open it up & checked the circuit board & had the the Sollatek name on it & spelling correct on the connections as per the safety check vid in another post
 
View attachment 726274


Is this what you suggest? Seems to have decent reviews on Screwfix and I have space in my consumer unit. Rather than fit an additional 'unit', or do the standalone versions do a better/different job?
The problem with those may be they seem to be a "one time " unit, so once spiked you'd need to put another one in 🤷‍♂️
I did find these that fit in a consumer unit, but can be reset.
Amazon product ASIN B097RPCTJSOr SVA 30A from Amazon,
Amazon product ASIN B00PU7VP8YMike.
 
The problem with those may be they seem to be a "one time " unit, so once spiked you'd need to put another one in 🤷‍♂️
I did find these that fit in a consumer unit, but can be reset.
Amazon product ASIN B097RPCTJSOr SVA 30A from Amazon,
Amazon product ASIN B00PU7VP8YMike.
This type ( as per shown from Screwfix) is for Domestic installations primarily, will reset once parameters are within safe limit to do so . However they are each designed to handle a maximum surge ,usually rated in joules , if such a surge is in excess of that rating the unit will burn out , and/or the associated fuse/breaker etc protecting the surge unit will fail . Hence the higher rated surge protection devices are more expensive.

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