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We took the socket end of our EHU off the cable to use elsewhere when we sold our trailer tent. Now we've started camping again we could use the cable and the plug in thingybob but where do we get the socket/circuit breaker bits from? Do they cost a lot?

OK I know I'm not an electrician but I know what I mean!  Hope somebody else does.

OK I'm thinkin

By the way (or ist btw?)  can't open my emoticons at the moment but there's one near the bottom on the right hand side with 5 or 6 initials - what are they then?

OOps

posted in the wrong thread!

Most people agree that you should buy a ready made EHU for a tent, which is more likely to be damp/wet than a F/C or T/T.

When it comes to T/T's & F/C's I would be inclined to say that as long as you take care, don't try and cut corners, use the appropriate cable glands and seals and as long as you know how to wire a 3 pin plug, then fitting an EHU to a F/C or T/T is not beyond most people.

Camping shops tend to be quite dear for buying individual components, try Screwfix.

Consumer Unit with RCD  http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=63138&ts=33483

Waterproof Socket http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=33651&id=10562 & Corresponding plug http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=33601&id=10586.

General range of weather proof electrical items http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/cat.jsp?cId=101021&ts=33654

Take great care, double check your work and respect electricity and you should be OK.

Maurice

Thanks Maurice,

a friend is an electrician so we'll get him to do the wiring if we decide to recycle the cable and plug,

Quote: Originally posted by mflynn on 10/06/2005

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Consumer Unit with RCD  http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=63138&ts=33483

Waterproof Socket http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=33651&id=10562 & Corresponding plug http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?ts=33601&id=10586.

General range of weather proof electrical items http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/cat.jsp?cId=101021&ts=33654

well thats fifty quid before you start + cable + socket etc. You can buy them ready made for that.

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Hmmm

Xraymum already has the cable & 16 A plug, so that just leaves the consumer Unit & socket.

Consumer Unit £26.99, socket from weather proof range £6.99, seems a lot less than £50 to me.

One very important point that most people seem to have overlooked, and which is why I put links to the waterproof 13 A plug and socket, is that most EHU's that you can buy are only rated to IP44, wheres the items I have suggested and the weatherproof range from Screwfix are IP55 & IP66.  Description of EHU from a leading camoing supplier :

Mobile Mains Unit
single socket for tents/caravans boats and gardens. 13 amp sockets to IPP44,distribution box with transparent window, 10 amp double pole MCB, 25 amp RCD connected to 10 meters of cable to BS6500, 240V plug to ISO BS4343
M196
£54.50

IP ratings are measures of protection from dust and water.  The first digit relates to dust, and isn't of too much importance to us, the second digit is water ingress.

A rating of 4 is protection from water "projected", 5 is protection from water "hosed" and 6 is protection from water "swamped".  I haven't defined these terms, but they give you an idea of the protection/

If I was to be installing an EHU or even using an EHU in a tent then I would certainly want the best protection that I could get for my family and myself.  I accept that IP66 is possibly over the top, but I would want IP55 as a minimum.

Most people also don't necessarily realise that the IP rating is for the product when it is sold and may seem adequate but the item is rated at that rating only up until the point that you open the socket cover to plug in your 13 A plug, then it loses its IP rating as the cover is still open, and has to be for your plug.

The IP66 plug and socket combination that I have linked to retains its IP rating in use and is probably the safest way of using a EHU in a tent environment.

I didn't want this to seem like a rant, but people should be aware of what they are getting and what the "techo babble" listed on the packet really means.

Besides, I was only answering a request for

"but where do we get the socket/circuit breaker bits from? Do they cost a lot?but where do we get the socket/circuit breaker bits from? Do they cost a lot?"

Happy and SAFE camping to you all.

Maurice