Caravan Electrics Issue
Discussion
Just got back from a pleasant but cold half term break in the Peak District. Generally good but one issue with the van which was a bit of a PITA.
The 240v supply on ours comes to a distribution unit with an RCD and then into 2 x MCBs. One MCB, 6amp for the lights, water heater and charger. The other, 16A for the fridge, fire and sockets. The 16A one kept tripping which was pretty annoying in the middle of the night as it makes the fridge power light flash (and the fire turn off but it was warm under the duvet). It has tripped on odd occasions before now on other holidays. There's no pattern to it, fire on or off, sometimes just changing the setting on the fire triggered it. Other times just the fridge running + a phone charger plugged into one of the sockets.
My money is on the MCB being duff so I think I'll swap that out first. Guess I can use one from any manufacturer assuming it's DIN mounting. Only thing is that it's dual pole (i.e. breaks live and neutral) which seems a bit rarer, domestic stuff is usually just the live. Current one is branded F&S, 6KA, 16A, C curve.
Any recommendations or anything else to look for? I'll check the continuity / isolation of the various circuits when I swap it.
The 240v supply on ours comes to a distribution unit with an RCD and then into 2 x MCBs. One MCB, 6amp for the lights, water heater and charger. The other, 16A for the fridge, fire and sockets. The 16A one kept tripping which was pretty annoying in the middle of the night as it makes the fridge power light flash (and the fire turn off but it was warm under the duvet). It has tripped on odd occasions before now on other holidays. There's no pattern to it, fire on or off, sometimes just changing the setting on the fire triggered it. Other times just the fridge running + a phone charger plugged into one of the sockets.
My money is on the MCB being duff so I think I'll swap that out first. Guess I can use one from any manufacturer assuming it's DIN mounting. Only thing is that it's dual pole (i.e. breaks live and neutral) which seems a bit rarer, domestic stuff is usually just the live. Current one is branded F&S, 6KA, 16A, C curve.
Any recommendations or anything else to look for? I'll check the continuity / isolation of the various circuits when I swap it.
Edited by C0ffin D0dger on Monday 5th November 13:54
Unfortunately not. We store it on a local caravan storage place as our drive isn't big enough for it. Could be the site I guess though it seemed well setup and 16A supplies but I guess if there were some surges / spikes or whatever it could set it off. First place we stayed on after getting the caravan was bad, full site in late March and our fridge wouldn't run due to low voltage so I understand that the hook up can be a bit rubbish in some places!
Gut feeling is that the MCB has become overly sensitive so I'm planning to swap it for a new one and see what happens. The wife and I are away in it for a weekend for our wedding anniversary at the end of the month (how romantic!) and what I don't want is the heating going off every hour or so!
Gut feeling is that the MCB has become overly sensitive so I'm planning to swap it for a new one and see what happens. The wife and I are away in it for a weekend for our wedding anniversary at the end of the month (how romantic!) and what I don't want is the heating going off every hour or so!
If it is the MCB, then a single breaker should be fine as long as it's on the live.
Guessing Ebay is your friend here. Shame you can't bring the van home/hook it up to at least check everything else out.
You could of course, run your fridge and heater on gas while you are away to avoid any chilliness/hot milk.
Guessing Ebay is your friend here. Shame you can't bring the van home/hook it up to at least check everything else out.
You could of course, run your fridge and heater on gas while you are away to avoid any chilliness/hot milk.
Using the gas is always an option if all else fails. If it's cold enough you get a lot more out of the heater on it anyway.
Found one on RS Components that looks like it will do: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mcbs/8496541/
From what I understand a dual pole breaker is used in case the polarity is reversed on the incoming supply (i.e. due to dodgy campsite wiring). That way both sides of the circuit and whatever you're plugging into it is protected.
Found one on RS Components that looks like it will do: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mcbs/8496541/
From what I understand a dual pole breaker is used in case the polarity is reversed on the incoming supply (i.e. due to dodgy campsite wiring). That way both sides of the circuit and whatever you're plugging into it is protected.
C0ffin D0dger said:
From what I understand a dual pole breaker is used in case the polarity is reversed on the incoming supply (i.e. due to dodgy campsite wiring). That way both sides of the circuit and whatever you're plugging into it is protected.
Thats not uncommon in France and some other parts of Europe.Some people carry those plug in polarity checkers and also a connecting lead that is wired to correct the polarity, sounds like your van has been designed with that in mind.
C0ffin D0dger said:
Using the gas is always an option if all else fails. If it's cold enough you get a lot more out of the heater on it anyway.
Found one on RS Components that looks like it will do: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mcbs/8496541/
From what I understand a dual pole breaker is used in case the polarity is reversed on the incoming supply (i.e. due to dodgy campsite wiring). That way both sides of the circuit and whatever you're plugging into it is protected.
Swapped out the breaker to the one linked above a couple of weeks ago. Not too bad to do though they don't make these things easy in caravans, needed to lift the whole consumer unit out to enable me to get the front off it. Discovered though that it wasn't actually fixed to anything, guessing a previous owner / repairer had it out and then failed to put the screws back in that secured it so I guess vibration could have played a part. No wonder though as the screws on one side are very difficult to put in and I decided to come back to those another day when it was (a) daylight, (b) not 17:30 when the storage site gets locked up at 18:00.Found one on RS Components that looks like it will do: https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/mcbs/8496541/
From what I understand a dual pole breaker is used in case the polarity is reversed on the incoming supply (i.e. due to dodgy campsite wiring). That way both sides of the circuit and whatever you're plugging into it is protected.
Anyway away in the 'van last weekend, no tripping over two nights and everything working as expected. Hopefully that's sorted it!
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