french electrics

moobra

Guest
hi going to france soon .never been before just wondering are the hookups the same as mine ieround 3pin blue male female type thanks.
 
thanks for that folks.i will pick one up before we head off.
 
you can't have reversed polarity as the current is alternating ie it comes from both what we call live and neutral

which is why in france both wires go through the trip so that it doesn't matter which wire goes where

in any case , my motorhome from 2001 has an internal double trip anyway , doesn't yours ?
 
basildog said:
NO they are normally 2 pin type ! You can get an adaptor very easily over here to take with you . just watch out as you can reverse the poles which some vans do not like
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No problem about reversing the poles. All continental sockets have earth (a protuding pin in France and Belgium, rim earth for Germany, Holland....) you simply cannot miss about polarity or it will not fit; of course you could be in trouble when you use a 2-pin plug without earth (which I should not advice)
The same goes for the blue E sockets and plugs.
Leo
 
***** said:
Well, how come over here we can buy a tester thing that plugs into a socket and lights up if reverse polarity is present.
I have one and have used it many times.
It is supposed to warn if the neg & pos are reversed and it also shows if no earth.
I have had different results from different sockets on the same power board.

Item 13
Practical Caravan - The online version of the UK's top-selling caravan magazine. Investigation. Features.

Caravan Motorhome Mains Polarity Tester - Johns Cross Motorhome and Camping Equipment
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I was brought up in a house with only a two wire 240V AC system and we didn't bother or know which was live or nutral. Things still worked.

In the UK we only switch the live (ie break the connection). On the continent they switch live and nutral.

If the polarity is switched the unit could still have a live potential using the UK switching. If this is then connected to a ground (ie Earth wire or to the ground) the current can still flow and give an electric shock or create a fire.

Most systems have earth leakage trips that break this flow in milli-seconds thus protecting life if power is detected in the earth wire.
 
On most of the continental vans they have dual pole trip switches which in the event of a problem both wires are isolated. In the UK we always tend to wire our plugs the one way & the trip only isolates the live wire (also it has the fuse in the plug on the live wire) this means that if you have a problem & the switch trips, if the polarity is reversed then then supposed neutral wire can still be live. It is only a problem if there is a defect in the equipment or you take it apart there is a risk you can get a shock.
In reality it shouldn't be a big concern but in certain circumstances it could be dangerous. One good use of the polarity tester is it does show if you have an earth on the system.

If you get yourself a blue socket with a short piece of wire you can buy the continental plug when you are there & make yourself an adapter. Many of the hookups do use the blue sockets though.
 
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