plugging caravan into house power

Hi Justin,

if the house has a safety switch inside the meter box (test it by pressing the test button, before relying on it), then the extension lead to caravan is safe.

If there's no safety switch in the meter box, you can buy a plug-in-style unit for your extension cord.

cheers, Peter

Most make a 15-10 amp jointer cable (Which is illegal)

Safest way is to get a sparky to put a 15 amp socket in your outside switchboard.

The only legal way other than that is to buy a device called an Amp-fibian

herehttp://www.amp-fibian.com.au/

Would be a shame to lose house or van or kids by using an unsafe connector which may nullfy any insurance claim.

Does van not have batteries to keep lights going for 1 night if needed

Not an expert, just know enough to be dangerous but on this subject I am going to ask a stupid question.

if the cord or plug or whatever is pluged into a 10 amp house power point with a safety switch than whatever the power usage is in the caravan is irrelevant.
If the caravan exceeds 10 amp usage than I would stupidly expect the safety switch to trip?

Thus no overloading even a 10 amp extension cord.
Please explain by errors in this simple logic?

Honky

Hi Justin

This topic always brings out the various options which should never be mentioned in public. The cheapest (legal) way, which is all too easy is as already suggested:

"Safest way is to get a sparky to put a 15 amp socket in your outside switchboard."

We had one put on our back veranda when the house was built - and caravans were far from our minds. When moving with the job from town to town, we always had an electrician fit a 15 amp plug on its own circuit for larger power tools.

The kids want to sleep in it tonight to experience "camping". They don't need power and will enjoy the experience all the more with just torches.

Motherhen

Hi Justin

Suggest that if the kids are in there it might pay to ensure the gas is off at the bottle....just in case!! Cheers

Hi Justin,

You could buy one of these.


Ampfibian: http://www.allstores.com.au/?Nav=Pdt&product_id=136887&category_id=4&sub_category_id=21&PageID=8&wp=8


Cheers Macca

Thanks for the constructive and positive replies, I decided to sleep in the van with them and we just had torches, I think a amphibian converter type devise might be the best bet as then we can use the van elsewhere, that link someone posted is just the wholesalers though, I couldnt find much retail, anyone got any links or an ebay link or something, couldnt find much on there. Gas was turned off too, good thinking! This would have to be one of the most helpful and knowledgeable boards Ive ever seen! Ive bought tyres, caravans and received such good advice over the years, thanks for everyone contributing to a top class web site!

Hi Guys

I am new to caravaning and have really enjoyed looking through your posts, especially on this controversial issue.

I was wondering however if someone could be kind enough to help me get my head around the wiring on my recently purchased caravan/4x4?

The vehicle is a GQ Patrol, it has a dual battery system (switch for charging on the dash), on the rear bumper there is an Anderson plug, a seven pin flat plug and a seven pin round plug.

The seven pin round plug makes the tail lights/blinkers work on the caravan.

On the caravan there is a 15 amp input (as standard by the sounds of it) and the seven pin round cable and plug (as previously described).

The van has a "Breakaway Systems" box (which is showing charged), off this there are two wires that have round terminals connected to nothing (I am assuming this is where a battery goes)?

So the question I have is how do I get the juice from the second battery to the van (when the van is parked), do I need a battery in the van?, and what are the other two plugs on my 4x4's bumper bar for?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Joel