Ravenna: Second mains connector / stabilisers

Thanks to all who have given us useful advice for our "new" Ravenna.
As expected, we have a 240V mains socket for hook-ups on the vehicles offside. But I discovered a second such socket attached by a spring clip to the underside chassis on the vehicle's nearside. Do all Ravennas have this or is it something a previous owner has installed?
Also, assuming I ever choose to use them, where are the stabiliser legs and how do you deploy them?
Grateful, as ever, for advice from the more experienced.

It can't be a 240v mains socket underside surely, thats downright dangerous, the only things that are usually on spring-clips on the underside are

fresh & grey water drain taps, but then again, I don't know your particular model.

I don't think it's dangerous, because mains electricity isn't attached to it while moving, but it is odd.

modelman wrote:

It can't be a 240v mains socket underside surely, thats downright dangerous,

Doesn’t mean somebody hasn’t done it though.

It doesn’t sound right to me. I assume it must be the cable mounting version, I cant see how you would mount the panel type on spring clip. Does the cable definitely go the mains unit?

It would be worthwhile hooking up to the mains, switching all of the breakers on and checking for live mains at the socket (Maplin, for example, sell a cheap mains detector that indicates mains by proximity rather than needing to make electrical contact).

If it is live, I would seriously consider having it removed. While it would not be impossible to completely waterproof a mains socket to resist the persistent road spray that it would receive when travelling in the rain, it is quite likely that it will get some moisture in it, and then you will get your RCD tripping spuriously.

Also, bear in mind that if it really is a socket, then some specific provision should have been made to isolate it from the ~other~ socket on the van. If not then when on EHU you would only have to lift the flap to be faced with bare, live pins! Don't assume that nobody would be so stupid as to wire it like that - some people have a very cavalier attitude towards electrical safety...

A mojo points where there are alternate supplies it’s essential that there is some form of lock out so that both supplies cannot be connected at the same time.

I was just wondering (pure speculation of course) if the previous owner had fitted an extra parallel socket to connect a generator! Such an arrangement would be potentially dangerous not to mention illegal but I really can’t think of any other reason why anyone would want a second socket.

If (still speculation) that is the case it may have been fitted correctly according to the regulations but I would assume that it hasn’t until its been checked by somebody qualified to do so.

The points about damp still apply though. Under a van just seems a bad place for a mains socket.

Hi there,

If it is a "socket" then maybe someone has fitted it to provide external power to an awning.

Still a bit "iffy" though!

Best regards,