Hook-up fun?

[ELSwervo]

I remember seeing this topic on the forum before, but I can't find it, sorry in advance for bringing it up again.

My hook-up was wired the "wrong" way round. It has been like this since I bought it and until now I decided to leave as is. However, now I have a new fridge and am about to fit it, I decided to put it right. I have started at the socket and followed through to the consumer/fuse unit and then into the socket. I have also changed all my leads back.
Does anyone know why the van would have been wired this way, (nuetral=brown live=blue ). It was a German import, Teca conversion and as far as I can make out, the original equipment is still in place, bar the fridge. As far as I am concerned, its just a matter of colours is it not? obviously if all the colours are the same throughout the system, it would work the same. So just reversing them round so they are the correct way round, should mean it will be all ok?
I have not plugged it in yet, I will be doing this when I have fitted the fridge this morning.
Any ideas, just curious, maybe there is a good reason. Or is it because someone in the past is a dope !
(The plug-in end of the leads where wired the correct way from the start and the power socket worked fine).
If I am wrong, please let me know!

[1664]

So the socket wiring was reversed, the consumer unit / ciruit breakers were reversed but the external hook plug up was correct? That right?

[ELSwervo]

So the socket wiring was reversed, the consumer unit / ciruit breakers were reversed but the external hook plug up was correct? That right?

Yes 1664,that is correct, it was all working ok, just using the blue as live instead of the brown. It is all round the other way now. I am going to try it out at work tonight. Will post results in the morning.

[ELSwervo]

So, everything is now blue=nuetral and brown=live as it should be. I have hooked it up and all is well, socket works and new fridge works! Just do not understand why the reversal was done in the first place. Is it true that some european campsites/hook up's are reversed polarity? sounds dumb, but I am sure I have heard of this?
Anyway, I am pleased that it all works and without the confusion of dodgy wires!

[1664]

Is it true that some european campsites/hook up's are reversed polarity? sounds dumb, but I am sure I have heard of this?

I'm sure that's just a myth

trouble is 'european' covers a range of countries from Germany/France to eastern B.Fnowhere......

[ELSwervo]

Previous owner(s) Dummy it is then!

[donciuz]

Well in europe you can put the plug both ways. And sometimes especially in old wiring they don't bother to check which lead is live. And i believe in Norway there is even diffrerent story. Both leads are live 110V each, but have different phase (this might be a myth though).

[AdrianC]

Well in europe you can put the plug both ways.

*ding*

Many campsites in continental Europe have normal Euro two-pin sockets. You can insert the socket either way round.

It Really Doesn't Matter.
It's all scaremongering by people trying to flog you nice expensive "polarity checkers".

[1664]

Lots of campsites (should) now have the same system as us since the 'powers that be' have been pushing through standardisation of european electrical wiring, equipment and regulations (which is why we have silly coloured cable cores and RCD's on everything now).

Note I used the word "should" there

[AdrianC]

Lots of campsites (should) now have the same system as us since the 'powers that be' have been pushing through standardisation of european electrical wiring, equipment and regulations (which is why we have silly coloured cable cores and RCD's on everything now).

Note I used the word "should" there

Sure, many of the larger/more up-to-date/flasher/newer campsites have the blue sockets. But a lot don't - and even when they do, many people then use a short adapter cable from that to a Euro two-pin, into which is plugged a normal domestic extension lead ending in two-pin sockets...

B'sides, the van was originally wired up in the full expectation of being plugged in via a two-pin socket...

[billybigspud]

would be quite easy to rig something up with an LED. if it lights up then polarity is correct. If it doesnt then it wont work anyway. Just have to get something that could take 20A to keep it simple.

[1664]

would be quite easy to rig something up with an LED. if it lights up then polarity is correct. If it doesnt then it wont work anyway.

Reverse polarity does not stop it from actually working

[Oldiebut goodie]

Well it certainly tripped my my house electrics each time one of my vans was connected - the rcd had been reverse wired before I got it as the owner had spent all his time in Spain with it.

[1664]

must have been something else then; I can 100% assure you that reverse polarity does not affect incoming double pole RCD's and neither does it prevent any electrical equipment (kettle, lights etc) from operating (unless you are referring to RCBO's; single pole circuit breakers with an integral RCD facility which requires connection to both the neutral and earth busbars in the consumer unit)

Sure it wasn't an ye olde ELCB? Extremely defunct stuff these days

[billybigspud]

would be quite easy to rig something up with an LED. if it lights up then polarity is correct. If it doesnt then it wont work anyway.

Reverse polarity does not stop it from actually working

If it has the diode I was talking about in it it would.