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(1) There is, I understand, an international convention on pin wiring on 16A plug/sockets and there certainly is on wire colour so it is correct to talk of incorrect wiring.
I keep coming across continental equipment where the brown is wire as neutral and the blue as live. Can never seem to pin down the culprits. For instance, the factory fitted solar panel on our van (French) was wired incorrectly but then it was German equipment. Who did it wrong? Do I need to amend the article?
safariboy wrote:
(2) Much more important French sockets cannot be inserted the wrong way round because of the earth pin. German sockets can be reversed because they earth on an outside strip. The plugs will normally work for either French or German type sockets.
I confess to be somewhat confused about whose plugs are whose. The ones with two side earthing strips are very common and reversable. Are these German? The ones we used to find in France with two male and a female earth aren't reversable but they seem to be becoming rarer. The only ones I am sure I can identify by nation these days are the British and Swiss. Is there a case for a new article about plugs and their nationality?
safariboy wrote:
Two pin reversible plugs are found in France but they are not suitable for connecting up to a campsite system.
Fortunately, I haven't seen any of these used for EHU for a few years now.
safariboy wrote:
(3) The earth is essential even if you use double insulated appliances. The van itself needs a correct earth as will an electric kettle and other water heating equipment.
I would rather stay away from this debate as it is so difficult to pin down even professional opinion on MH earthing especially where generators are concerned. In any case, I suspect very few people are in any position to change the way the manufacturers have wired (or not) the earth straps:roll:
Very informative post but can I just mention that you can suffer a fatal electric shock from touching a 'neutral (earthed) wire'.
The current will flow through the path of least resistance, if that so happens to be you standing on wet grass touching a neutral with current flowing through it you will get the shock.
If the 'neutral (earthed) wire' is earthed (as you state) then it is at the same potential as you and earth.
No potential difference - no current flow through you - no fatal shock - no shock at all.
It only becomes dangerous if through a faulty connection there is a break between the point at which you touch it and the point at which it is earthed.
In that case - yes - the current will flow through you and potentially (!) give you a fatal shock.
Even so, if there is no load through which the current can flow back along the 'neutral (earthed) wire' then you will not suffer a shock.
The issue of reversed polarisation (NOT polarity) is really down to which wire is tied to earth.
In UK the blue (N) wire should be and under ideal conditions will always be at zero or earth potential.
That is why we invariably have single pole switches/trips/fuses in the brown (L) wire.
On the Continent (and other some other countries) that ain't necessarily so.
Either or neither wire may be tied to earth so there could be volts on either.
That is why they always have double pole switches/fuses/trips.
Some of the above is couched in laymans terms but the basic message is that if you are not 999% positive that a wire is negative, then be positive and treat it as positive, otherwise you could have a very negative experience!
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France
Do I need to amend the article?
