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Post by harrislover2013 on Mar 7, 2013 17:40:28 GMT 10
???I have this external power outlet on the side of our 1975 York 12ft, and carnt seem to find a cord to connect with it?, It says clipsel on the top of it, but the larger third prong means standard external cords wont fit.
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Post by humpyboy on Mar 7, 2013 17:51:49 GMT 10
Most likely have more luck with a 15 amp plug rather than the standard 10 amp household type, the earth pin is larger than normal I'd say  |
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Post by gregh on Mar 7, 2013 17:58:00 GMT 10
Most likely have more luck with a 15 amp plug rather than the standard 10 amp household type, the earth pin is larger than normal I'd say Hi harrislover, Yes humpyboy is correct -assumining you are referring to the power inlet socket. Caravans have a 15amp plug. You will need to have a 10amp lead modified by having a 15amp plug put on it, preferably done by an electrician. You can also buy ready made leads from most caravan/accessory outlets, Cheers, Oz |
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Post by harrislover2013 on Mar 7, 2013 18:43:14 GMT 10
Thanks much appreciated, sounds pretty easy to find, the van has a battery on the tow bar but not sure how to connect it. Would that also power the van?
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Post by firefighter on Mar 7, 2013 18:46:51 GMT 10
  Hi All Forum administrators & Moderators are most concerned for the safety of members using electricity. Without prejudice as to any specific post in this discussion, please note the following. Readers should be aware that all discussion on an internet forum is just that; a discussion! No more & no less. For your safety & survival please exercise extreme caution & obtain properly qualified help to deal with electricity. Readers should seek their own professional advice before accepting any information on this topic. cheers f/f
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Post by humpyboy on Mar 7, 2013 18:53:06 GMT 10
Batteries are often used to power vans when away from mains power, usually only for lighting and perhaps a fridge if it is a dual or three way job, they are normally charged via the cars charging system through an Anderson plug which you can have fitted by an Auto Electrician.
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Post by Franklin1 on Mar 7, 2013 18:56:09 GMT 10
Ummm...this is actually illegal. People are known to do it, but it's against the Australian Standards for electrical appliances (of which an electrical lead is one). I doubt whether any electrician would jeopardise his/her licence by doing that modification for another person. Since it's illegal to do it, and to actually use a lead so modified, there is a risk that any insurance claims may be refused if a claim arose. There is only one approved device for connecting a 15 Amp caravan inlet to a domestic 10 Amp outlet, and that is the Amp-fibian device. cheers, Al. (ps. the subject of modifying leads has been discussed on many forums on many occasions. One such lengthy thread can be read here, which started in 2008: www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=732.0;nowap ) |
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Post by Rattles on Mar 7, 2013 19:26:25 GMT 10
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Post by shesgotthelook on Mar 7, 2013 19:28:52 GMT 10
Re 15 amp leads- the problem is they fit certain vans but not your own power outlets at home. Caravan parks have 15 amp outlets but not my house!
I have seen the larger pin filed or ground down to size to overcome this problem but surely that's not safe?
How does one legally circumvent this problem?
(15amp leads are readily available in any hardware store)
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Post by Rattles on Mar 7, 2013 19:35:36 GMT 10
Re 15 amp leads- the problem is they fit certain vans but not your own power outlets at home. Caravan parks have 15 amp outlets but not my house! I have seen the larger pin filed or ground down to size to overcome this problem but surely that's not safe? How does one legally circumvent this problem? (15amp leads are readily available in any hardware store) The cheapest way is to have an Electrician install a 15A outlet in your meter box, and being in the meter box this can be done at the lowest cost possible. The 15A outlet can be used to connect garden power tools etc you can safely/legally plug a 10A cable/appliance into a 15 Amp outlet. Rattles |
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Post by hilldweller on Mar 8, 2013 6:59:16 GMT 10
Here you can buy an adapter lead that takes the caravan lead plug at one end and plugs into a domestic socket at the other - is that not possible in Oz? I think they're a fairly recent development and they are legal.
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Post by Roehm3108 on Mar 8, 2013 7:19:02 GMT 10
Check Franklin1's reply above, he mentions the adaptors.
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Post by Franklin1 on Mar 8, 2013 7:52:17 GMT 10
When the Amp-fibian device was first launched on the market (back in 2008, from memory), there were two models: the RV-01 and the RV-02. The difference between the two was that the RV-02 had an RCD safety unit fitted in the device. Around about a year ago, the RV-01 model was discontinued, and only the RV-02 model continues, although there is a "special edition" with stainless steel fittings available (called RV-02S). The RV-02 unit retails for $249, but can be bought cheaper on eBay. ------------------------------------------------------------ Newby caravanners on the lookout for 15 Amp extension leads need to be mindful of the two types available on the market. It all relates to what type of inlet plug you have on your caravan. The photo posted by rattles above shows the 15 amp socket that suits all old-style inlets fitted to caravans. A new-style inlet became available in 2006, and takes a 15 amp socket with a shroud moulded around the socket...  The socket with the shroud will NOT fit into the old-style power inlets in old caravans, so don't buy this sort by mistake. Buy the type that rattles has pictured. cheers, Al. |
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Post by shesgotthelook on Mar 8, 2013 8:02:43 GMT 10
You can just cut the shroud off to make it fit 10 amp leads have it too. Most pre 1970? vans are 10 amp anyway aren't they? When you consider you are running a bar fridge & some lights & not much else. Thanks for the info on that adaptor Franklin. I remember the first time I went to plug a new van in & was dumfounded That's when one who shall remain un-named got out the angle grinder  |
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Post by Franklin1 on Mar 8, 2013 9:57:21 GMT 10
Possibly. The original moulded black Clipsal inlet on my 1960 project is 10 amps.
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Post by Rattles on Mar 8, 2013 17:09:55 GMT 10
Even if the Van has a 10A inlet you are better to use a 15A cable because the 10A made up cable (up to 25M) only has 1mmsq wire where the 15A (up to 25M) 1.5mmsq so there is less loss, this is for 15A normal duty if an Aircon is in the Caravan then 15m of 1.5mmsq is recommended. For the same reasons if you have 15A cables made up by a qualified sparkie the go for 2.5mmsq cables of all lengths up to 25M.
Rattles
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Post by shesgotthelook on Mar 8, 2013 20:17:03 GMT 10
aircon? in a vintage van? that's not camping ;D
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Post by gregh on Mar 8, 2013 20:27:17 GMT 10
To all concerned - I'm retracking my earlier statement after reading the information at the following link. Though it is dated 2005, I believe the principals of this electrical standard remain valid - and your safety and the safety of your family, friends and van should always come first. www.around-oz.com/innovations_mh/cable_rules_collyn.htmMy understanding of the legalities (I'm not an electrician so you should seek professional advice from a sparky in in doubt). Put simply, if you are plugging into a 10amp supply(ie a std power point), the plugs and RCD/fuse and leads must be rated at 10amp - no higher. If you are plugging into a 15amp power supply, components used ie plugs, leads, RCD/fuses must be rated at 15amp - no shortcuts, modified leads etc - remember it's safety first. There are variations to this where you can use certain electrically approved equipment such as amp-fibian. My comments can only be consider my opinion (I'll clearly state I'm no expert. Read the above link - if you don't understand, seek the advice of an electrician. cheers, Oz |
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Post by Franklin1 on Mar 15, 2013 22:48:04 GMT 10
I've discovered a "new" 10 Amp to 15 Amp adapter being listed on ebay...  Same idea as the Amp-fibian, where you plug the adapter into your 10 Amp household outlet, and then plug your 15 Amp caravan lead into the adapter. The adapter includes a combined RCD (a Residual Current Device for detecting faults) and Circuit Breaker (for overloads). There are currently two ebay seller listing them: $79 including postage here$89.90 + $14.50 postage hereI stress that neither of the two sellers makes any mention of the actual Approval Number that the Electrical Authorities have to give to these devices, so it would be worth checking that out before parting with your money. cheers, Al. |
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Post by viking on Mar 16, 2013 0:32:43 GMT 10
Both those listings have approval numbers on the circuit breaker and the RCD. Unfortunately I don't believe that automatically makes the entire unit compliant, but it is a step in the right direction.
You have to enlarge the images to read them - NSW 25839 and an ASNZ number I can't quite read.
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Post by redmr2red on Mar 16, 2013 10:54:09 GMT 10
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Post by cruisindoug on Mar 16, 2013 13:25:35 GMT 10
Not the same unit Red, the Bunnings one has 10 amp outlets, rather than the 15 amp outlet. Looks a lot like someone is getting the Bunnings unit and putting two single 15 amp outlets (one on each side). I doubt it is approved if that is the case, although electrically it is in all liklihood quite safe. The Amp - phibian is the only approved unit that I am aware of, and no, I don't have any association with them ... this thread refers. Cheers Doug |
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Post by humpynvan on Mar 17, 2013 20:58:26 GMT 10
At the risk of repeating what others have already said,
As i Licenced Electrician, i suggest,
Get a 15amp extension lead, the heaviest duty one you can find, in this case bigger is better, Ideally a minimum 2.5mm square cable size, Get a 15 amp outlet fitted at your home. most Caravan parks have them available.
Removing the shroud as suggested earlier is acceptable, do it carefully so as to not comprimise the mouled socket end.
The Power box with the 15 amp outlets on it . may or may not be legal, its common paractice to use a circuit breaker to limit current draw, so hence a 10 amp circuit breaker is sometimes used to limit the power in a circuit, even if it is fitted with a 15 amp outlet. it is my understanding that this is legal, however its not something i recomend nor do,
Be safe with Electricity, you cant see it, you cant smell it, you cant hear it, but you can sure as hell feel it if it bites you.......
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Post by Franklin1 on Nov 16, 2013 20:49:01 GMT 10
G'day All, I see in the latest Repco catalogue that they now stock a "Caravan Power Adapter" that will allow conversion of the caravan's 15 amp lead to plug into a 10 amp household power point... [url=  Similar items to the Repco adapter have been listed on ebay for a number of months now (See Reply #18 above). I presume these units have received approval from the appropriate Electrical Authority. They won't be weatherproof like the Ampfibian unit, but would be a cheaper alternative if the unit can be kept under cover. cheers, Al. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2013 6:24:04 GMT 10
Hi all.. been following this tread for a long while....( I am also a 'lecko) Do as "Humpynvan" has suggested... " Get a 15amp extension lead, the heaviest duty one you can find, in this case bigger is better, Ideally a minimum 2.5mm square cable size, Get a 15 amp outlet fitted at your home. most Caravan parks have them available." 2.5mm sq is the correct sized cable for 15 Amp loads... its what we have to use when wiring GPO's ( power points ) in houses... even though the domestic outlet is rated at 10amp we use 15A rated cable. Don't mess about with any "inline devices" on the power supply between the power outlet you are plugging into and the van inlet ( which should be 15AMP ... larger earth pin). If your van is wired to the current standards for caravans you should not need any other Bunnings gadgets to provide adequate protection. Get a 15 Amp GPO installed at home for when the van is being used at home as extra accommodation etc...you will sleep better knowing you have done everything you could do to make the van safe. Just remember .. 2.5mm squared cable rated at 15 Amps... not 1.0mm or 1.5 mm sq that is only rated 10 Amps and used household lighting circuits Something else to think about.... an electric jug can draw up to 10amps....plug in a toaster ( can also draw up towards 10 amps) while the jug is boiling and you are well and truly up near the safe working capabilitys of 2.5mm sq cable.... how is your 10amp inlet feeling now  ......WARM ?? Regards Reddo Read more: vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=technicalstuffboard&action=display&thread=11603&page=1#ixzz2kqCIOo9s |
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