Polarity

Some reckon it does not matter, but we carry an adaptor cable which you can make up yourself, or buy from a caravan shop, that switches it back. It is just a short length of cable with a male and female plug at either end, which reverses live and neutral. You plug this into the site post first and then your 25m lead into it. In France you may also require a continental adaptor, although most sites now have the modern European standard plug. These are also  available from a caravan shop.

Depends on your caravans electric. Try another sockert first. Just don't stick a knife in your toaster to retrieve your toast while its plugged in. 

We have a plug in device which we keep permanently plugged into out kitchen socket - immediately visable when we open the caravan door.  If it shows we have reversed polarity we add our reversed polarity lead.  

This is a very small lead that the have made up ourselves (male plug on one end, female on the other), where the live and nuteral wires are reversed on one of the plugs.  Attach this small lead either the caravan end or the electric bollard end, and that should solve the problem.

Also remember to take with you an adaptor with an 'english' to continental adapter.  You can buy a made up lead for this at a caravan stockist.  We wouldn't be without ours although there days we feel there are more continental sites we have visited with our 'standard English' connection.  Whenever we go to Europe we always take a spare 'continental adapter'.  Most years we have to lend our spare to someone! 

David 

 

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Or if you have a lead on a drum like I have, just reverse the L&N of one outlet and mark as such. I use one or the other depending on what the tester indicates.

Depends on your caravans electric. Try another sockert first. Just don't stick a knife in your toaster to retrieve your toast while its plugged in. 

 It's not safe to do that whatever the polarity

... I never said it was... that's why I said not to while it was plugged in :-)

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Agreed Dorset D. My last caravan, a 2002 Lunar had reversed polarity tell tale on the power supply unit ..... I've not found on on my 2013 Coachman .... but we've only had it a couple of weeks. 

In reality, and I hope others will agree, problems with electricity in Europe are not that common.  I don't test for polarity as I don't think is matters that much, but others may.  However, I would never play with the electrics whilst plugged in regardless.  The only problem I have found in the last few years was low voltage.  Modern fridges seem to dislike it and it can result in damage.  

Totally agree DD. We've been touring the continent for the proverbial donkeys years and never tested the electric polarity yet and not had a problem. If anything untoward was to happen I'd unplug from the mains. At home I don't clean out the blades of the lawnmower without unplugging it or clean out the bread from the toaster without unplugging it.

The polarity issue, I suggest is for older vans that do not have the current dual polarity isolation in their RCB or consumer unit.

If you are working on the electrcial circuits, switch them off first at the isolator

If you are normal consumer, the issue is not relavent, especially as most wall sockets do not have a switch (as you often do at home). If you are concerned, then upplug them at night.

So don't worry, enjoy your hols and carry less equipment!