Message Forums

Hi,

I have read in several places about the problems with reverse polarity abroad.

We are going to Italy via France in 3 weeks and would like to have it straight in my head what I need to do!  I have purchased a socket tester from Maplins - what do I need to do if it tests reverse?  Do I reverse each individual appliance plug, or at source?  If at source, do the camp site owners mind?  Is revere polarity a wide spread problem?

Also, I have been given a continental adator for my electric hook up.  It doesn't look right - should it have an exposed two pin plug to hook into on site?

This is our first time abroad with our caravan, so any help and avice would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks again,

Brian

Quote: Originally posted by brigell on 30/6/2008

---

Hi,

I have read in several places about the problems with reverse polarity abroad.

We are going to Italy via France in 3 weeks and would like to have it straight in my head what I need to do!  I have purchased a socket tester from Maplins - what do I need to do if it tests reverse?  Do I reverse each individual appliance plug, or at source?  If at source, do the camp site owners mind?  Is revere polarity a wide spread problem?

Also, I have been given a continental adator for my electric hook up.  It doesn't look right - should it have an exposed two pin plug to hook into on site?

This is our first time abroad with our caravan, so any help and avice would be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks again,

Brian

---

Firstly many european sites have the standard 3 pin blue plugs, some have 2 pin like you find indoors, what you have sounds right.

Reverse polarity is straightforward to sort out. First plug in your tester. If all is normal forget it. If it shows reverse polarity, ie live and neutral reversed then you do not need to change all the plugs. My advice is to buy a standard lead with the male on one end and female on the other then change the live and nuetral over on ONE end only and then mark it accordingly so you dont use it by accident. This will solve the problem.

Dont worry about it its no problem to fix it.

Enjoy your trip, by the time your 50km into France you`ll wonder what you were worried about.

Well I'm no expert but don't think u should mess with electric if you dont know what your doing?

We just went to france, used an adapter on our hook up, and noticed no diffference at all, I use loads of electric - hairdryer, GHD's, grill, fridge, kettle, heater, music speakers and so on

Quote: Originally posted by mzzy on 02/7/2008

---

Well I'm no expert but don't think u should mess with electric if you dont know what your doing?

We just went to france, used an adapter on our hook up, and noticed no diffference at all, I use loads of electric - hairdryer, GHD's, grill, fridge, kettle, heater, music speakers and so on

---

You probably didnt have reversed polarity. Even if you did all your stuff would still work OK. The problem comes when you turn off the socket. You are then just turning off the neutral and the live is still there.

When we do the fairly exhaustive checks on electrical installations in the UK an important part of the whole series of checks is Polarity. For this very reason

If u test it and the polarity is the wrong way u dont have to make a full lead up just put a spare male and female and one foot of wire from any diy shop then wire it the wrong way round IE: the french way lol then u only have little lead to but in the van .

jusp plug ur euro adapter then ur little lead into ur standard one,,,most times u should not need it so no need to carry 20mts of lead extra..have a good time mate..