wiring up my camper for mains

I've got a 1979 VW camper which has got a continental type male inlet socket. It's got two cartridge fuses and originally connected internally up to a single standard continental two pin power outlet socket.

On my camper chat group, I'm getting confused messages about what I need to make it safe to modern standards.

I want to have a circuit feeding my 240V fridge and a double UK power socket which I might use for lighting and just possibly a fan heater.

What do I need in terms of circuit breakers. There are MCB's, RCD's and there seems to be a device which combines both items (RCDO?). I'd like to keep this as compact as possible and not have a big house sized consumer unit.

One issue I'm not sure about is that I'm getting an incoming plug which I'm told will be possible to plug in either way round, so it's not polarity dependent.

What bits do I need to make it safe?

Reply to
andyv
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You can buy all in one systems intended for caravans/motor caravans. These combine the mains protection, polarity reversal, battery charger and sometimes even an inverter.

However, if you just want a cheap mains system, you need a 16A RCBO in a small box. Also, you need some way of telling the polarity in case it is the wrong way round. It will be cheaper to just turn the plug 180 degrees than install a polarity reversal switch. I would suggest just getting a simple plug in mains tester. Each time you set up, it will quickly indicate most polarity and earth faults using a set of neon lights.

So, I would buy something like the following:

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you should probably have a 4 way unit with a switch isolator as well, but I doubt it is really necessary as the plug provides isolation. Although not sure, I doubt the RCBO is dual pole switched.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

On 18 Jul 2006 02:57:14 -0700 someone who may be "andyv" wrote this:-

Don't have any electricity, don't have any gas, don't have any water. After you have done this remove the wheels and what is left will be reasonably safe.

Reply to
David Hansen

The diagram on the front of the RCBO shows that it is triple pole switched with the third pole disconnecting the test button.

I wonder, do all RCBOs disconnect live and neutral? I always assumed that they did but assumptions are not enough and I fit very few of these. Has anyone got a reg to say yes or no to this?

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

I was led to believe that most are single pole, with some double pole. It would appear that the Contactum is one of the double pole ones, then!

I wonder if there is a correlation between single/double width units and the number of poles? Alternatively, I may be mistaken and all RCBOs are DP.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

The single module MK one are certainly single pole (just checked their data sheet)

Adam

Reply to
ARWadsworth

Many thanks - just what I needed.

Reply to
andyv

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