Club 80-90 Forums

I read an article on here a little while ago about mounting the electrical hookup plug on the oil / water inspection flap at the rear, could one of you nice people tell me exactlt what i need to do this mod and where i can get the required bits.

Thanx in advance

Hi
Why would you want to fit one there, Fit it just to the side, any caravan shop will have all the bits to do it.

MrMagoo wrote:Hi
Why would you want to fit one there, Fit it just to the side, any caravan shop will have all the bits to do it.

You don't have to cut a bloody big hole in your van that's why.

I have one....its brill! No hole in the side.

Got two options.....
1) mount it on the flap itself
2)mount it on the panel behind the flap, so the flap covers the bolts, but the hook up itsself is on the fixed bodywork.

You need the hookup plug, four bolts, and enough cable to get to your fuse box (not zig - you need a rcd fuse box first!)

However, I am no electrician....I got a mate who knows to do mine....but thats the bits he used!)

Em
x

The reason that hookup sockets are mounted on the side of the van is so that the cable run is as short as possible before it enters the consumer unit. I dont know if there is a minimum length under BS or IEE regs, or whether the new 17th edition has changed the rules. I was always told to keep the cable run as short as is physically possible. Most of the time if I can I mount the consumer unit behind the socket (obviously depending on the installatiuon).
If the mains cable is running in the engine bay, which I assume it does if it is going through the back flap, it should be protected both against heat and mechanical damage in a non metallic conduit suitable for the conditions.
There are a lot of other requirements in the regs for caravans, with or without engines, these run from the labelling of the input socket to the seperation of types of socket for ELV and LV usage, the labelling of the ELV sockets and instructions for how to connect the LV to the site installation, as well as type of cable, earthing and consumer unit RCD' and MCB's that should be used.
If in any doubt consult a 17th edition qualified electrical engineer who is familar with the IEE regulations governing caravan installation, many types of 'garage' consumer unit are neither safe nor legal, or if you do your own work get it checked.
You cannot see, smell or hear electricity but it can kill you very easily.

As cafnod says

The engine bay is not a very forgiving place
Do it properly.

Titus A Duxass wrote:

MrMagoo wrote:Hi
Why would you want to fit one there, Fit it just to the side, any caravan shop will have all the bits to do it.

You don't have to cut a bloody big hole in your van that's why.

Exactamundy unless a square hole rusts itself in the side of me van i ain't about to start giving the tinworm a head start by attacking it with a tin opener, if the socket is meant to be as near to the cosumer unit as possible then why do most of us use 20m extensions from the hook up to the van, surely if this were the case we'd all have to park right next to the hookup point which all have rcd units anyways.

Thanks for the info guys

Titus A Duxass wrote:

MrMagoo wrote:Hi
Why would you want to fit one there, Fit it just to the side, any caravan shop will have all the bits to do it.

You don't have to cut a bloody big hole in your van that's why.

Only a question

Hi I am sorry if I have hijacked someones post here but it is something I am concerned about. It is not just the person using the installation, but family and friends and even passers by who can be affected (lethally).
Also do remember if you dont follow safety guidelines and something happens it is YOU who are liable and should an insurance claim be met your company will run a mile, do it once and do it right..............
The socket on the van needs to be linked as close as possible to the consumer unit inthe van. The length of the cable between what you are plugged into and the van is irelevant, although by LAW it should not be longer than 25 metres. With regards to what you might be plugged into DONT TRUST IT.
Firstly it might be a caravan site bollard with both RCD and MCB that have to be tested by law and have an installation conforming to both Part P legislation and to 17th edition regulations. However you cannot test the RCD yourself in most cases at the bollard, so how do you know it is working? In marinas they have to be accessable, in caravan parks they do not and often they are sealed to prevent you resetting the trip.
Secondly you may be plugged into a friends house, most of the above applies.
Thirdly you may be plugged into a generator, well nuff said.
Fourthly you may be on the continent where things electrically speaking are different, the European appliances tend to use double pole isolating switches so polarity of wiring is less important than here were we isolate more on a single pole switch. Most but not all experienced European campers carry something like a martindale tester
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:da ... clnk&gl=uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and a short hookup lead clearly marked "reverse polarity" and wired accordingly.
The link below shows how things should be done re motorcaravan or caravan wiring according to the sixteenth edition which has now been replaced by the seventeenth, however I have not yet looked into what differences the seventeeth edition makes to caravans, but only to fairground installations and marinas which is my main (professional) concern.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/7.9.2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
HTH

A lot of consumer units are in the rear cupboard and you're talking about and actual extra piece of cable length of ooh 10cms or so - I have recently converted a van with just this mod and the extra length was in the van already anyway!

There are pros for it being in the rear behind the number plate - its slightly less exposed to the elements most of the time and if like myself you drive a good condition van with no dings or dents in those side panels why would you want to put one there n encourage the rust plus it does look pig ugly!?

I ran the cable in p clips along the rear upper edge and thru a grommet straight up into the cupboard and consumer unit and it does look very neat and it is as good factory fitted. As it runs around the top of the engine bay (and this is the 3rd conversion I have done like this but not done it to a 2.1 yet with the metal water pipes round the edge) it seems quite protected from engine bay heat etc and I have not seen any undue decline in the cable yet - plus it is much easier to check/replace this too anyway!

I do have a question of my own re: holes in the side is tho if you ran the fridge just on electric and no gas is connected do you still need that vent???

TBH honest Pete I am not sure but I cannot see why you would need the vent it is a flue for gas fumes AFIK.
Back to your point about putting cable through the engine bay you do realise that as the cable COULD come into contact with 12v (ELV) cables the ELV have to be insulated to 240v standard? As automotive cable is only insulated to 100 volts obviously it is unsafe.
If you look at the link I posted to the IEE regulations it will become clear, I am not trying to tell anyone how to do anything just point out the state of the law regarding (motor) caravan mains hookup regs and (some) of the possible consequences of ignoring them.
As regards deterioritation of cables it may not be visually observable, brittleness of conductors causing an increase in resistance in a cable are not visible. Also the average cable will be affected by engine heat, also possibly by fumes and particulates.

I'm not an electrician at all esp re:regs etc so didnt know that but would a safe and simple solution be to run the 240 thru designated PVC conduit?
You can never learn enough bout lecrtix from people who do know though so you're certainly not telling me how to suck eggs...!

TBH living and sleeping in a tin and plastic box with 2 sources of electric +gas +water +petrol isnt really the greatest idea in the world to start with is it tho!!!

Conduit, non mettalic type def, I think screwfix do one for adverse conditions, which I would suggest is the preffered option.
If your are ever up this way come and have a look at the narrowboat, three sources of power plus two engines and a solid fuel stove, conforming to the regs was a nightmare, and I had a huge head start, plus two close friends who teach electrical installation at the local tech, one of whom used to wire up operating theatres.

Put mine in the rear "engine flap" area. No probs. Put the cable in good PVC/plastic conduit and didn't fasten the socket down, (or did I fasten it to plastic number plate bolt?) just made sure nothing could damage it, ie: fan belt etc. Then you just plug in and away you go. I ALWAYS visually check the cables for damage anyway! And if it's damaged she can forget the Soaps on TV 'til I repair it! I did notice, however, that there is less clearance in that area on an air cooled van Or was it my imagination?

As I was camping out in this weekend, I didnt want to do the normal thing and feed the cable through the 1/4 windows, and getting a draft in.

So what Ive done is to, take off the grill and feed the cable (after taking it apart) through where the Speedo cable goes in the front of the bus.

I can then leave the connection down inside, which has its own little compartment separated from the radiator, so no fear of getting too close, and can protect it from the elements. Put the grill back on and there u go.

The interior socket comes out by the steering wheel console, near the Busses heater console.

It does mean removing the grill every time and leaving it on the floor and then the connection is sheltered inside a little or only half on with the cable dangling out.