Query re Swift on board charger

JonSue

JonSue

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Hi all I have a Swift escape and when connected to EHU and turning the on board charger on the light showing reverse polarity comes on! Is this normal?
 
JonSue said:
Hi all I have a Swift escape and when connected to EHU and turning the on board charger on the light showing reverse polarity comes on! Is this normal?
Click to expand...
no.
have you checked the polarity with a tester? a common cause is a wrongly wired lead as well as a bad supply.
 
Thanks for your reply, what I don't understand is that everything else works with no problem it's just the charger and even that works ok
 
That's normal. Reversed polarity just means that one of the two wires you never touch is more or less connected to earth, rather than the other one. Everything should work.

Everywhere else people are bemused by the fact that reversed polarity is a thing. You can put any euro plug in either way up. It doesn't matter.
 
Hi, Just to clarify, you are in the UK? I say this because most continental plugs/sockets can be orientated either way around.
You can get one of these from Screwfix.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms68...n3Qhw4TnGF64Ry76ccRoC1P4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
First check the actual socket you're plugging your EHU lead into at the house, if that's ok (it should be!!:eek:) then check the van. Usually it's the L&N (brown and blue) that have been crossed over but I think some vans report reverse polarity if the earth is lost. Either way the tester will tell you what the error is. (y)
 
Reversed polarity cab be
a) In the socket you plug into (especially on EU sites)
b) in the EHU cable
c) in the MoHo

As above spend under £10 and get a tester.

Then when on a site with EHU tell another motorhomer you have a problem and ask if you can use his set up to test for reverse polarity.
point out that you don't require him to move his moho and you will take under 5 minutes.
1) test using his pitch supply / his cable / his van
2) test using his pitch supply / his cable / your van
3) test using his pitch supply / your cable / your van

This way you're only changing one thing at a time and can identify where the problem is.

Good luck
 
I quite like this plug-in tester. https://amzn.to/3ZoF07H

As well as testing the connections, it has a voltage readout which can be useful.
61QFLhtBjEL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 
r4dent said:
Reversed polarity cab be
a) In the socket you plug into (especially on EU sites)
b) in the EHU cable
c) in the MoHo

As above spend under £10 and get a tester.

Then when on a site with EHU tell another motorhomer you have a problem and ask if you can use his set up to test for reverse polarity.
point out that you don't require him to move his moho and you will take under 5 minutes.
1) test using his pitch supply / his cable / his van
2) test using his pitch supply / his cable / your van
3) test using his pitch supply / your cable / your van

This way you're only changing one thing at a time and can identify where the problem is.

Good luck
Click to expand...
I inherited a reversed polarity European connector with our last caravan. If there is an EHU problem, just plug the connector to the EHU Lead to see if that solves the problem. An Idiot's Accessory for an Electrical Idiot ... :p

Steve
 
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wildebus said:
I quite like this plug-in tester. https://amzn.to/3ZoF07H

As well as testing the connections, it has a voltage readout which can be useful.
61QFLhtBjEL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
Click to expand...
David, that one doesn't differentiate between reverse L+N and a missing earth. Now the screwfix one is supposed to do BUT one of the reviews says it doesn't!!
Who knows???
 
Geek said:
That's normal. Reversed polarity just means that one of the two wires you never touch is more or less connected to earth, rather than the other one. Everything should work.

Everywhere else people are bemused by the fact that reversed polarity is a thing. You can put any euro plug in either way up. It doesn't matter.
Click to expand...
Oh yes it dows big time, very dangerous as live is not switched, many electronic stuff wont work.
 
merl said:
David, that one doesn't differentiate between reverse L+N and a missing earth. Now the screwfix one is supposed to do BUT one of the reviews says it doesn't!!
Who knows???
Click to expand...
Well ..... Looking at the lights and descriptions .....
Reversed L & N = ON - OFF - ON
Open Ground (which is missing ground I think?) = ON - OFF - OFF

The Bottom one is L & G Reverse AND a missing Ground = ON - ON - ON
which is different to just L & G Reverse = OFF - ON - ON

So not really sure what you mean?

I haven't deliberately messed around with any AC cabling to check all the different functions beyond reversing L & N to check it picks it up.
 
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wildebus said:
Well ..... Looking at the lights and descriptions .....
Reversed L & N = ON - OFF - ON
Open Ground (which is missing ground I think?) = ON - OFF - OFF

The Bottom one is L & G Reverse AND a missing Ground = ON - ON - ON
which is different to just L & G Reverse = OFF - ON - ON

So not really sure what you mean?

I haven't deliberately messed around with any AC cabling to check all the different functions beyond reversing L & N to check it picks it up.
Click to expand...
Yeh, you're right! In my defence I've only been reading 65 years so you'll have to cut me some slack until I've improved 🤭
 
The Swift Sargent polarity light shows up earth faults as well as polarity issues.

That is why it is advisable to use a plug in tester to establish the reason for the polarity light coming on.

As previously stated if in Europe using a 2 pin plug adaptor it can be turned upside down to correct the polarity issue.
 
marchie said:
I inherited a reversed polarity European connector with our last caravan. If there is an EHU problem, just plug the connector to the EHU Lead to see if that solves the problem. An Idiot's Accessory for an Electrical Idiot ... :p

Steve
Click to expand...
An RP connector or a short length of RP cable is a usful accessory to carry.
I have a short (50 cm) length of reverse polarity cable with clue connectors on each end. If I get RP I just plug it in between the standard cable and the MoHo.

The OP appears to have a reverse somewhere in his system. I am trying to help him identify (and then correct) the problem. He is getting indication on his 230/12v charger panel and not on a standalone tester.
 
I had an interesting observation yesterday in the house when the electricity meter was replaced ....
In the process of replacing the meter, the main switch between the Meter and the Consumer Unit was replaced by a more up to date design (the 13 year old one is no longer appropriate!) and even though it is a dual-pole type switch, they only connect the Live through it and the Neutral went into a new connector block giving a permanent Neutral into the CU.
Seemed a bit strange where there was a switched connection just ready and waiting to be used, but apparently this is Scottish Powers standard? Doesn't really make a lot of sense to me as the first place the Neutral cable goes to into the CU is another dual-pole Master Switch which DOES disconnect the Live AND Neutral and then to RCDs which disconnect both Live AND Neutrals, so a bit of a strange standard?
 
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