EHU in France

[marchie]

Language barriers, don’t be so daft, Johnny Foreigner understands English perfectly as long as you shout loud enough, you may need to pock him on the head a bit and point at the reception lights shouting “No Working, you garlic crunching moron”

And when the Reception staff reply with the name of the village milkman? (Des au Lait, and his Cockney wife Caffy.. )

Whilst the French often speak very good English, they will invariably insist on using French if they wish to make a point, or if they are at any risk of making a mistake/losing face. The purchase and sale of our hotel were conducted entirely in French, and the ones was upon us to employ a translator or to indicate that we understood the process and the impact of the documents.

We have found that, opening with an apology for disturbing the person, and then asking for help, however rough our accents/pronunciation are, will invariably result in assistance being offered with good grace, and an acknowledgement of our attempt to speak in the language of the country in which we are a guest

Steve

 

[YeoBlade]

We've never, ever had an issue with reverse polarity. We've always just plugged in and everything has worked.

And it always will .
There's only a problem IF you there is an electrical fault in the appliance you are using, if you have a UK van fitted with single pole MCB's (continental vans have double pole MCBs fitted so OK) then only live is tripped when there's a fault so on a reverse polarity EHU the neutral is actually tripped leaving live LIVE! However the main RCD will likely trip, protecting you.
There are similar issues if using an inverter to power up your van, bit in a slightly different way.

 

[Wooie1958]

I`ll wait to see if they come back and thank people for their quick responses, they didn`t bother with their other question.

 

[trevskoda]

We've never, ever had an issue with reverse polarity. We've always just plugged in and everything has worked.

How would you know unless you have a polarity checker, you can buy a simple plug to test everything including a good earth.

 

[r4dent]

We've never, ever had an issue with reverse polarity. We've always just plugged in and everything has worked.

I've never, ever won the Lotto jackpot.

One day I way become rich, one day you may have an issue with reverse polarity.

 

[trevskoda]

Baldy folk may never notice.

 

[Geek]

I'm taking my motorhome to France for the first time next year. Will the EHU I use in this country work over there? The campsite says it is a 10 amp electricity supply, not sure what my EHU is but I think it is 16A

The 16A is the maximum the plug is rated for. Very unlikely you use that much.
In many French campsites you are limited to about 6A. Most campsites don't have enough power for everyone to take more than 10A.

Big dangerious problem revers polarity as the pos switching side is swapped, this can kill, every one should have a changeover switch fitted, you alone should know this.

To be killed by reverse polarity, you also need to grab an unisulated neutral wire. It takes a special sort of stupid to do that.

Don't touch mains connectors, children.

In most countries, everything is double pole switched by default.

Euro plugs are reversible, so the concept of reverse polarity isn't a thing.

If you have an RCD in your mains supply (normally in the bollard even if you don't have one in the van) you are protected in any case.

What you do need to worry about is voltage surges. When you are on a shared supply where neighbours have inductive or rotating motor loads, a break in the supply can cause a surge big enough to fry electronics, such as in the fridge.

Quite often on French sites several vans are connected to one point using adapters. This makes the risk of surges higher.

 

[Geek]

How would you know unless you have a polarity checker, you can buy a simple plug to test everything including a good earth.View attachment 148512

He didn't say he had never had reverse polarity. He said he had never had an issue with reverse polarity.

I have never ever checked for reverse polarity, because I know it doesn't matter to my van.

I know I have never had an issue with reverse polarity. I don't know if I have ever had reverse polarity.

 

[Boris7]

Don't touch mains connectors, children.

Ral, please ignore this advise

 

[Tezza33]

So if you are so concerned with reverse polarity how do you handle these?

A lot of things that I buy come with these fitted and a plug adaptor which can be fitted either way, doesn't bother me, I have never checked my electricity for reverse polarity since 1994, still alive

 

[Geek]

You ideally should take a 2pin plug adaptor and mains tester as above and a reverse polarity adaptor

If you want to reverse the polarity, simply plug the two pin adapter in the other way up.

 

[Boris7]

If you want to reverse the polarity, simply plug the two pin adapter in the other way up.

But you should be using a type E to type E therefore if you invert the plug it won’t go in because the earth will foul.

Type C as above carries no earth.

 

[Geek]

But you should be using a type E to type E therefore if you invert the plug it won’t go in because the earth will foul.

Type C as above carries no earth.

Not a two pin if it has an earth

 

[Boris7]

But European type E as generally used on French campsites are NOT 2 pin sockets, using a type C and bypassing the earth is a fairly stupid thing to be doing, but if you want to risk your appliances and your own safety crack on.

 

[trevskoda]

So if you are so concerned with reverse polarity how do you handle these?

View attachment 148519
A lot of things that I buy come with these fitted and a plug adaptor which can be fitted either way, doesn't bother me, I have never checked my electricity for reverse polarity since 1994, still alive

Because the only go to a coil which is self isolated, so dont mater which way round, they taught me that in my city and gills on electronics which i passed with flying colours, then again what would a daft paddy know.

 

[Boris7]

Because the only go to a coil which is self isolated, so dont mater which way round, they taught me that in my city and gills on electronics which i passed with flying colours, then again what would a daft paddy know. View attachment 148524

It’s not self isolation Trev, it’s the folded down wellies we wear that save us mate.

 

[Tezza33]

It’s not self isolation Trev, it’s the folded down wellies we wear that save us mate.

Trev has L and R on his wellies

 

[trevskoda]

Trev has L and R on his wellies

2 sets of them as well.

 

[Wooie1958]

When did Land Rover get brought into this thread

 

[r4dent]

Trev has L and R on his wellies

When I worked for a construction company I was issued a pair of company wellingtons.
They were classed as "executive" boots because they were NOT marked "L" & "R".

It was explained to me that "operatives" needed the markings because they often stood in wet concrete and it was sometimes impossible to tell the difference.

I also had an "executive" donkey jacket. Tartan lining and no PVC on the shoulders