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Quote: Originally posted by paulyk74 on 10/7/2013

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as my dear Mother always says, buy cheap, buy twice. I have hunted out bargains for everything as new to camping. However, the two things I would not mess with and bought brand new were EHU and a new gas bottle and all the correct fittings... regulator etc.

Save money on the other stuff, but not with stuff that can do you harm..........watch me now trip and fracture my leg on a guy rope haha

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You need the blue 16A plug, correctly wired with live, neutral and earth in the correct pins. 2.5mm2 HOFR cable.

A double pole RCD 30mA. Many are single pole.

Caravans are special locations in the regulations due to the inherent danger of electric in a metal box in the middle of a field. The earthing is TT not TN-C-S as in most houses. This means the RCD is the lifeline to protect you in the event of a short circuit.

Caravans are insulated from the ground. They have rubber tyres anbd probably rubber feet under the corner steadies. Dandies have. It is important that the chassis of the caravan is bonded to the earth of the cable from the EHU.

This will enable the RCD to trip if there is a short circuit to the metalwork. If not, in the event of a short circuit, it could sit there live, waiting for you to touch it from outside with your feet in contact with the ground. Then you have to hope that the RCD really does work and that your heart is strong enough to survive the shock.

Sorry, but thats how it is.

A dandy is really a caravan as it has a metal chassis and body. It really needs to have a fixed electrical installation correctly installed in accordance with the regulations.

At it's simplest, have one twin socket fed from a 2 way consumer unit with DP RCD. that willl give the basic safe infrastructure.

If you haven't got sockets fitted in your camper, you could use one of these, just run the cable under a bit of canvas somewhere. They are the proper job with a proper plug and RCD etc and they have three sockets.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Camping-Site-Mains-Supply-Unit/dp/B001DJ8E9Q/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0

If portable appliances are used, no fixed wiring or fixed appliances installed the  chance of a short circuit to the metal chassis is highly unlikely.Take care to ensure that the incoming cable isn't in contact with the metal frame and the risks are minimal.

We rely on RCD protection in the home and garden and have no option but to rely on the RCD to operate correctly,if it is manually tripped via the test button, as soon as connected and before using any appliance ,then you have confirmed that it operates,whether it operates at the correct level or within the correct time then it would need to be properly tested.

Saxo1

I agree Saxo but the RCD will only work if there is an earth return path to the substation. If none it will only work on the current passing through the person.

Virtually all, if not all, equipment used outdoors at home is now class 2 double insulated with no earth connection so no earthed metal to worry about.

A caravan and a dandy are metal boxes and rely on an earth for the RCD to trip before a person touches it and gets the shock.

Yes the risk is low as long as the EHU lead is in good condition with no damge to the sheath etc. The risk may be lower than driving the car to the site in the first place but it does still exist.

I never cease to be amazed at what some otherwise very intelligent and responsible people plug in. It's as if electricity is so safe now they think they won't be harmed.'

A 30mA RCD needs an earth of less than 1667ohms which is very high but a caravan or dandy on rubber tyres and plastic steady feet may be that much.

The caravan site should be wired as TT not TN C S as houses are. This removes the danger of a lost neutral but can you be sure that the electrician with the lowest price the farmer employed knows about this.