European hook up

Can anyone help please,  do I need to take my polarity plug tester with me or will my consumer unit take care of it. Many Paul.

Some people carry polarity checkers and polarity swapping extension leads. Other people dont carry anything. Im in the latter group.

An incorrect polarity is really only an personal issue after you start removing covers or start poking shinney objects in places they shouldn't be.

paul long wrote:do I need to take my polarity plug tester with me or will my consumer unit take care of it

You should take the polarity tester with you. The unit will not un-reverse the polarity, but, hopefully anything fitted to the van will isolate both live and neutral when switched off in which case I don't think reverse polarity is an issue.

I don't know if an 08 Ascot has the ability to detect and / or re-reverse polarity if needed. The people to ask are either A-S, or Sargent (assuming that they made your mains unit). If the Ascot is equipped with polarity checking and correcting apparatus, then you have nothing to worry about.

Standards exist for a reason, in this case to keep you safe.

If you want to be 100% safe take a tester and a means of reversing polarity should it be necessary.

AutoSleepy_Don wrote:

paul long wrote:do I need to take my polarity plug tester with me or will my consumer unit take care of it

You should take the polarity tester with you. The unit will not un-reverse the polarity, but, hopefully anything fitted to the van will isolate both live and neutral when switched off in which case I don't think reverse polarity is an issue.

I agree, I take both tester and reverse adaptor, which I made, been on several sites past week with both polarities. Modern vans seem to cope ok, just as said don't touch either conductors just in case.

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Richard in
Sunny Provence

In our 2014 Broadway we don’t need the polarity checker ( though we always use it)

If polarity is reversed then the light on the microwave on/ off switch glows as well as the orange light on the stove which indicates that the electric hotplate is on.  Thank you to Peter Brown who explained why this was happening when we first noticed it some years back.

Having the live and neutral connections crossed is completely safe and I don't check for that.

I do however carry a testing plug and if in any doubt, check that the earth is connected. If the earth is faulty or missing, that installation in the van becomes potentially dangerous.

We must be lucky with French site electrics not having any problems with our older Duetto or the Rienza. One site near Amiens had a round bollard in the middle of about six pitches with household stile extension leads and several four way adaptors. To my surprise the one we chose was wired correctly and earthed. I have a lead with a continental male plug. It seemed a bit against all our health and safety rules but I suppose its normal to them after a few glasses of wine. By the way the site shop sold bread almonds and wine.
This reminds me I am missing my polarity checker. Between the Duetto and the Rienza it went missing. I used to keep it plugged in so I wouldnt loose it. Some one may now have a Duetto with my checker still plugged in.

I have a polarity checker but no reverse polarity lead   I just use it for information.  It does show information other then reverse polarity.

I don't expect a reversed polarity hookup to cause me any issues. I use only the onboard equipment i.e. fridge, water heater, air con and battery charger.

I have noticed the EC500 has a builtin reverse polarity indicator.

It is worth noting, that apart from oddball lights on cookers, there is another problem with having reversed polarity and that is Eberspächer D2 heaters, as fitted to MK7 Duettos, will not work on mains when it is reversed and will instead default to diesel under these conditions.

Peter Brown wrote:Having the live and neutral connections crossed is completely safe and I don't check for that.  

I do however carry a testing plug and if in any doubt, check that the earth is connected.  If the earth is faulty or missing, that installation in the van becomes potentially dangerous.

Yes i have just returned from abroad and on one site no lights on my tester!!


Micky

Thanks everyone, I've got all the leads and plug. Also on my consumer unit is a polarity light. Paul.