Safe or not

[Bargy62]

Firstly not my set up but but what are people's opinions safe or dodgy 1 lead to van other to their awning

 

[Dellmassive]

That's what splitters are for.

Provided the individual load doesn't exceed the extension cable.(Wound or unwound)

And the combined load doesn't exceed the splitter and the EHU outlet rating then should be good.

EHU outlet could be 6.8.10.12.16A so check the breaker rating.

We always carry a splitter and long cable, as your never know what you will walk into onsite.

 

[Bav]

Another question in a similar vein - what about running a power lead with 3-pin outlets (as you'd use in a tent) to the awning and then plugging an EHU power cable into that and running that to the van? Safe or not?

 

[EAN]

When using my awning, I often run a 16A cable from the site EHU to a 16A splitter in my awning and then run a 16A cable from the splitter to the van (and it’s RCD protected circuits) and another 16A cable to our camping RCD protected mains distribution block.
I deem that the safest.

 

[roadtripper]

Personally I wouldn't put the splitter into a chassis socket like that, the mechanical stress on the socket is high and you have a strong chance of breaking it (seen that more often than I'd like in marinas)

Much better to put the splitter the other end as @EAN suggests, that also keeps it dry so there is no chance of it sitting in a puddle.

I wouldn't break out from a 13 amp UK socket @Bav and then back to 16 amp. It's not inherently unsafe as the fuse in the 13 amp plug should protect the cable appropriately but it will be a mess of connector and adaptors and the 13 amp ones are not waterproof rated at all. Stick to 16 amp and IP rated connectors to do the "distribution" and only go to 13 amp where you need it.

 

[Bav]

It's almost a moot point for me, as we don't use EHU (at least not before the power issues we had on a recent trip!), but on our very first trip in the van, we booked EHU and discovered that the supplied hookup cable was too short. We ended up having to utilise our old tenting hookup cable as an extension.

 

[Bargy62]

I run a cable from the EHU to a splitter in the awning then 1 to the van and the other to a 4 gang extention lead via a latching RCD used to use the bog standard plug in RCD but on site they unplugged the EHU to mow the grass non latching RCD tripped so freezer in awning no power until we got back and reset it

 

[Shaun Witts]

I’’ve hardwired a split in my EHU cable at the van end. One goes to the van EHU, the other to an IP rated 13 amp socket in the awning (Or tucked away under the van if no awning).

 

[roadtripper]

I’’ve hardwired a split in my EHU cable at the van end. One goes to the van EHU, the other to an IP rated 13 amp socket in the awning (Or tucked away under the van if no awning).

That does mean there is minimal RCD protection on the 13A socket though if you're splitting before the 16A into your EHU, you're reliant on whatever is protecting the cable run at the post.

 

[Sasquatch]

I'd be more concerned about the mechanical strain on the socket with the weight of the adaptor and multiple cables.

 

[Shaun Witts]

That does mean there is minimal RCD protection on the 13A socket though if you're splitting before the 16A into your EHU, you're reliant on whatever is protecting the cable run at the post.

Hmmm, and the EHU supply at the post is not obliged to include RCD I suspect?
Seems like there is room for improvement in my set up, Thanks.

 

[TheGrapeEscape]

I've stopped on 5 sites in my 4 month ownership sp far, every one of them has a "no splitter" policy. One also had a sign saying "anyone caught charging their ev car will be kicked off without warning".

 

[roadtripper]

I can see that to prevent overuse it's a simple rule and certainly justified at the head end (mechanical stress and "sharing" with your mate on the next pitch to only pay for one). However if you want power in your awning and your van arguably splitting in the awning on 16A to a tent EHU strip is much safer than dangling a 13A extension lead out of the van.

Personally I'd be happy discreetly doing that in the awning either way as it's how you manage your EHU between a fixed awning and a drive away van - how else would you keep a camping fridge running in your drive away awning?

 

[JumpShip]

CAMC say in their T's and C's that only a single cable is permitted from post to unit.
Splitters arent permitted....but if its inside your awning then nobody needs to know .
I saw one sticking out the side of a cali earlier in the year when the warden came to explain things to him

 

[Bav]

if its inside your awning then nobody needs to know

^^^this