Le Mans Electrics
Discussion
Anyone who's been before on a trackside campsite with electric hook up will know it looks like a bit heath-robinson with all the Y splitters and extension leads off extension leads.
IIRC the metal distribution boards have 4x 16A camping hook ups(shared between 40 pitches??), 2xeuropin (13a?) and 2x3phase multi pin. Only trouble is I can't remember exactly what the 3 phase sockets were. Has anyone got a photo or made a mental note if they were 4 pin or 5 pin or some other French speciality. And then if they are 32A or 63amp 3ph?
I've been looking around at the potential to buy or build a 3 phase to 3x single phase splitter - with separate 1ph 16amp circuits off a junction box - ideally with separate phase MCBs and ELCBs. If I can get one it will double the "safe" load capacity at the site as one of the 1ph 230v sockets was knackered. Also someone melted one of the euro connectors by plugging in a home made camper van into a Y lead and presumably had an electric heater!
We're at garage vert - so if you've got a photo of that even better. Otherwise I'll have to wait till next year
Not buying connectors I don't need.
IIRC the metal distribution boards have 4x 16A camping hook ups(shared between 40 pitches??), 2xeuropin (13a?) and 2x3phase multi pin. Only trouble is I can't remember exactly what the 3 phase sockets were. Has anyone got a photo or made a mental note if they were 4 pin or 5 pin or some other French speciality. And then if they are 32A or 63amp 3ph?
I've been looking around at the potential to buy or build a 3 phase to 3x single phase splitter - with separate 1ph 16amp circuits off a junction box - ideally with separate phase MCBs and ELCBs. If I can get one it will double the "safe" load capacity at the site as one of the 1ph 230v sockets was knackered. Also someone melted one of the euro connectors by plugging in a home made camper van into a Y lead and presumably had an electric heater!
We're at garage vert - so if you've got a photo of that even better. Otherwise I'll have to wait till next year
Not buying connectors I don't need.vincegail said:
I am on Garage Vert too. I leave for Le Mans tomorrow to go to the testday and will check out the facilities at Garage Vert to see if my supply of connectors is up to the job.
I'll make you some photos
That brilliant Vince.. thanks. One of our guys works for Siemens so between us we might be able to knock something up. I did find a company selling 3ph->3x1ph splitters with MCBs but the box was £200! I'll make you some photos
Edited by vincegail on Thursday 28th May 20:15
Cheers for the rest of the comments. My goal is whatever we do has to be safe. I'm going to try and make some laminated guide to max socket ratings (working out how many watts which equals amps) as one got melted last year. The assumption being if you want to plug in or split you need to check what else is there before you.
The reason I'm looking at the 3 phase is the potential to reduce the load on the single phase 3 pin connectors. Last year with 3 on the box we had each of those with a 3 way splitter and then subsequent splits 30+m down the lines
I'd want to keep an eye on the 3 phases to try and keep the circuits balanced... and yes best option is to split the box off at the head end & send 3x50m cables in opposite directions. It maybe that this year we just keep it simple and tap 1 phase so at least we get an extra outputs from the distribution box. Interesting point though. .. are the 1ph sockets coming off all in the same phase?
We're leaving kettles and coffee machines at home but have about 250w of fridge and a stereo. I'm swapping the 60w bulbs for cfls this year and will bring some spares for any one else as i've gone led at home every little bit helps.
Better than the first year when we turned up with a 7kva genny after spending 5 years on karting nord with no power.
But i still think 1 day someone will plug in their electric blanket / ceramic kiln at the same time and take the whole site down. Warm beer and having to eat the food stash in 24h doesn't appeal.
The reason I'm looking at the 3 phase is the potential to reduce the load on the single phase 3 pin connectors. Last year with 3 on the box we had each of those with a 3 way splitter and then subsequent splits 30+m down the lines
I'd want to keep an eye on the 3 phases to try and keep the circuits balanced... and yes best option is to split the box off at the head end & send 3x50m cables in opposite directions. It maybe that this year we just keep it simple and tap 1 phase so at least we get an extra outputs from the distribution box. Interesting point though. .. are the 1ph sockets coming off all in the same phase?
We're leaving kettles and coffee machines at home but have about 250w of fridge and a stereo. I'm swapping the 60w bulbs for cfls this year and will bring some spares for any one else as i've gone led at home
every little bit helps.Better than the first year when we turned up with a 7kva genny after spending 5 years on karting nord with no power.
But i still think 1 day someone will plug in their electric blanket / ceramic kiln at the same time and take the whole site down. Warm beer and having to eat the food stash in 24h doesn't appeal.
Cheers for the photos. My memory isn't as bad as i thought. Although i did send an email round to our group earlier that the ferry leaves at 7am when actually is 9. Lol.
Looks like they've been upgraded as there weren't that many 16a sockets last year. About 2 each side of the box iirc.
Agree about the cabling quality. For any one interested... Leroy Merlin just off one of the round abouts on Mulsanne (think B&Q) sells 50m of 3 core cable for about 50 euros & 3 way splitters for 9.99. But check in uk first, screwfix might be cheaper
If you've got time before you go, for about £40 you can get a 25m camping extension with the blue plug one end and a 3x 13a socket the other with an mcb / elcb.
Like this http://www.leisureoutlet.com/caravans-and-motorhom...
Fit mine somewhere local but can't remeber if it was halfords or outdoor world or whatever.
Looks like they've been upgraded as there weren't that many 16a sockets last year. About 2 each side of the box iirc.
Agree about the cabling quality. For any one interested... Leroy Merlin just off one of the round abouts on Mulsanne (think B&Q) sells 50m of 3 core cable for about 50 euros & 3 way splitters for 9.99. But check in uk first, screwfix might be cheaper
If you've got time before you go, for about £40 you can get a 25m camping extension with the blue plug one end and a 3x 13a socket the other with an mcb / elcb.
Like this http://www.leisureoutlet.com/caravans-and-motorhom...
Fit mine somewhere local but can't remeber if it was halfords or outdoor world or whatever.
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