Ook . we have a current EWOFon our caravan (was given on the 5/01/2011) . BUT . we went away this weekend in it, and our power didnt work at the first site we were given at the campground, as they had installed the new power supply thingys . so we were moved to a part where they haven't been up-graded.
The staff told us we needed to get an internal RCD fitted (!) . and that it should have been done with our EWOF when it was given in January, as that is the new law. Should the EWOF guy given the WOF without the RCD being changed! or has what he has done illegal due to the new laws! \
Also does anyone know how much (roughly) it costs to get a new RCD done on/in the caravan!
**we bought it with the new EWOF on it . and wanted to get our facts right before we ring the guy who issued the EWOF to complain :p
TIA
busdriverman,
Nov 20, 12:51am
I would post this question in nzmotorhome.co.nz forum, there are lots of knowledgable motorhome and caravan people in there that are sure to be able to help you.
3084me,
Nov 20, 1:11am
Thanks for that :o) have just asked there as well
stumac62,
Nov 20, 3:05am
3084me, Your are better to talk to your local electrical inspector, they are the only people to issue EWoF for caravans in regards to have a rcd fitted in your caravan. What has happened is that old caravans had a link between the nuetral and earth bar on the caravan to provide fault protection if there was a fault. Now the powers that be had decided that rcd's are safer and require all new outlets in caravan parks to be rcd protected. When you plug your caravan into the rcd protected outlet in reconginsed the link and tripped the rcd as this what it is meant to do. The costto fit the rcd could be from $100-150 depending on the caravan.
saxman99,
Nov 20, 3:18am
Yes, that^^^.
When we had our WoEF done on our campervan the inspector explained about this and removed the E-N link (snip!) and all is well.
franc123,
Nov 20, 3:49am
So were you required to fit an RCD to get the EWOF!
kwaka5,
Nov 20, 12:26pm
NO you don't have to have an RCD fitted but it is recommended to be done. The caravan has to meet the standards of when it was constructed. We are now allowed to remove the MEN link in the switchboard so as not to trip an RCD at a caravan park. The only requirement is that the caravan is tested and the earthing is up to regulations which it needs to be when the EWOF is carred out anyway.
elect70,
Nov 20, 6:33pm
So longs as dont havea electric hot water cylinder in itas will trip any RCD at camp groundsas customer of mine has found . Cant separatethe wiring so has toget gas(which he hates ).
franc123,
Nov 20, 10:43pm
Thanks for that, it seems a bit pointless to have both the camp socket and the van RCD protected.So what else is actually tested during an EWOF check apart from the earthing, which is presumably some sort of a resistance test on the earth circuit!
kwaka5,
Nov 20, 10:50pm
Condition of supply lead, continuity,condition of fitting and earthing, earthing of body, Insulation resistance, just the basic safety stuff really. Must be carried out every 4 years by an electrical inspector like myself.
3084me,
Nov 22, 2:34pm
So . when we get the new Internal RCD done on the caravan, will the power still work on the older power sockets at campgrounds! or will it only work on the new ones that have been upgraded! Probably a silly question, but I dont want to get away this xmas only to find we dont have power -- as the campground we normally stay at hasnt upgraded their power socket things
kwaka5,
Nov 22, 5:42pm
Nope won't change a thing. You'll have power and a happy christmas.
3084me,
Nov 22, 8:32pm
Yay thanks kwaka5 :o).so do I just need to ring any electrician (auto) about the cost e.t.c for changing over to internal RCD! -- or are the specified electricians for that sort of work! . Im female by the way - hence the questions lol
kwaka5,
Nov 23, 12:17am
Just call your local electrician(not auto) and they will sort you out. No problems at all. It's not mandatory to have one installed on an older caravan but is recommended. Happy camping.
3084me,
Nov 23, 12:44pm
Thanks again :) Oh is ot not mandatory!, I thought it was!, as at the campground this past weekend the staff there said that we need the new internal RCD, as thats the new law e.t.c . and then to top it off our power wouldnt work on the new power sockets -- so I took their word as gospel :p other than changing it over is there anything else we could get/do to have the power work on the new sockets without tripping the power box!
DH has rung his friend who does electrical work (hes an auto electrician though) and is waiting for him to get back to him -- so does it not need to be an auto electrician! can just a normal electrcian do the switch over!
Again thanks :o)
gadgit3,
Nov 23, 12:55pm
3084me you need to re read post #7 kwaka5 has said what needs to happen in his post but I will type out a quote from it for you so as you don't miss it again. QUOTE kwaka5: NO you don't have to have an RCD fitted but it is recommended to be done. The caravan has to meet the standards of when it was constructed. We are now allowed to remove the MEN link in the switchboard so as not to trip an RCD at a caravan park.
gadgit3,
Nov 23, 12:58pm
Please take special note of this part. We are now allowed to remove the MEN link in the switchboard so as not to trip an RCD at a caravan park.
This job is a simple snip of a wire. and will still comply during a EWOF.
3084me,
Nov 23, 1:41pm
Yeap I did read all that - but was a tad confused from what we were told at the campground - we have a current EWOF only given this year, yet the campground staff said that the new rules say we HAVE to have an Internal RCD -- which is where I have becoem confused lol --- its all good though -- DH is waiting to hear back from his electrician friend at work, and we will get him to do what needs doing :o)
saxman99,
Nov 23, 1:55pm
.and are these campground staff Registered Electrical Inspectors!
Also, this stuff is nothing to do with auto electrical.
gadgit3,
Nov 23, 2:01pm
Yea camp ground staff are just that camp ground staff. Not really the guys in the know. They are just taking a guess at the so call law change just because they have now got to install RCD outlets. But once all camp grounds are upgraded to RCD outlets then there is no real point of you having an internal one. And if I was a betting man I would say you have had the advise of a sparky that dose do EWOF. if you take a quick look at kwaka5's profile.
saxman99,
Nov 23, 3:14pm
Never once have I had anybody at a camping ground check whether I had a current WoEF.Occasionally they ask if you have one or they make you sign a slip saying you do, but so far nobody has ever actually checked for themselves.
3084me,
Nov 23, 5:01pm
This campground didnt check ours, they just asked if we had a new one, we said yeap it was issued Jan of this year, and they then said to us 'so you will have then new internal RCD then, as if you dont your power wont work on our new power supplies' -- which it didnt, it kept tripping it out, then they proceeded to tell us that its law now to have the internal RCD done, and that the person who did the EWOF should have done it e.t.c . to which we both freaked out thinking he must have been dodgy haha -- The normal campground we stay at for longer periods, they have never asked to see our EWOF they just point u sin the direction where we need to park up, and leave us to it :o)
franc123,
Nov 24, 2:35am
Good thread guys, I learned a lot from this.I can certainly relate to the stated issues re enforcement, or more to the point lack of enforcement, of EWOF's by motor camps, having been a caravanner for more than 20 years over most of NZ I can only recall once being asked to declare I had an EWOF and never had it physically checked.Mind you I can only ever recall three spot checks for road WOFs on my cars in that time too.
blen,
Jan 18, 12:07am
x1
Interesting note about being permitted to remove the MEN link. I'm not a sparky, but this MED Safety Bulletin suggests that this is not acceptable: http://www.med.govt.nz/energysafety/documents/about/publications/publications-for-industry/safety-bulletins-historical/Energy%20Safety%20Bulletin%20Upgrade%20of%20Existing%20Caravans%20and%20Motorhomes%20to%20AS%20NZS%203001%20Requirements%20-129%20kB-%20PDF-%202%20pages.pdf
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