Caravan Plug

primemeat, May 8, 6:07am
Are you able to use a caravan plug with a normal 3 point plug on it in a camping ground or do you have to use the other type!

skull, May 8, 6:22am
At the camping ground you will have to use the proper caravan plug, nothing to stop you making an adaptor up and using your 3 pin plug at home but much better to get a proper socket installed even for home use.

primemeat, May 8, 6:39am
What is the difference!

bitsy_boffin, May 8, 6:45am
A caravan plug/socket is water resistant (IP44), strain relieved (they latch together strongly not just on pins), and will carry up to 16 AMP (normal household sockets are only 10AMP).

saxman99, May 8, 7:13am
.and in any case the camping ground will not provide you with a standard outlet to use anyway.

corvette3, May 8, 7:32am
Also make sure you use an RCI unit which has taken place over the old isolating transformer.

taipan4, May 8, 7:33am
"adaptor" type leads from 3 pin to caravan type are illegal but everyone has one, this is because of people making their own & results in some cases of livening up the skin of the van or camper, much better to get the proper caravan socket installed by a qualified sparky, depends what price you put on your kids or partners life

taipan4, May 8, 7:34am
you will not find a "3 pin " outlet in a caravan park by law they must be caravan type

kwaka5, May 8, 7:35am
JUst to be clear here. Do you want to plug in a caravan or do you want a lead to go in your tent. So do you want a 16amp caravan plug and socket or a 16amp plug and 10 amp socket.

morrisman1, May 8, 7:37am
You can buy 'tent adapters' which plug into the camping ground and have a female 3 pin household socket on the other end with RCD protection. Is that what you are after!

About 3 years ago we used to have the plugs to put your caravan onto a normal household plug but they disappeared, probably because by the sounds of it they are not legal.

primemeat, May 8, 7:47am
I have a 3 pin to the caravan already to use with a generator but am thinking of going to a campground in the future so will need a new one obviously. Surely they arnt illegal as there are many for sale on here http://tinyurl.com/7ob27h2

tmenz, May 8, 8:11am
They can be legal if there is a 10 amp ELCB incorporated in the lead - usually in a plastic box.

studio1, May 8, 9:19am
A 3-pin what! 10 amp mains plugs are 3-pin, 16 amp CEEFORM plugs (what everyone is referring to as a 'caravan plug') are also 3-pin.

snoopy221, May 8, 3:25pm
Biggest thing here is if going to ANY rcd plug with an earlier caravan ya gunna have ta have a look at ya van wiring (nuetral earth)-K.

primemeat, May 8, 7:32pm
I havnt seen a generator with a ceeform plug! Will I need a correct one for the caravan to be electrically certed!

elect70, May 9, 4:16am
Even those now "not approved "they are insisting on RCDs in the van box

kwaka5, May 9, 5:02am
The whole part of that is the 10amp bit. You have to limit the current being able to be drawn by the caravan to 10 amp. Just a 10amp overload in line with the caravan will do the trick.

tmenz, May 9, 5:07am
Yep, the caravan with RCDs and it's 16 Amp Ceeform (CEE17/IEC309) connectors/cable have to be certified together. What I was referring to is a 10 Amp 3 pin plug to 16 amp Ceeform socket adapter cable which enables a caravan cable to be safely used with a standard 10 Amp outlet. It must have a 10 Amp ELCB incorporated in it.

primemeat, May 9, 6:06am
So I should get one like this then!
472912238

tmenz, May 9, 8:40am
Yep, that's the ticket! Should preferably be the RCD (ELCB, RCBO) version for maximum protection.