First timer :)

sootie

Hello- I just bought a Ford Transit converted. Its lovely. Professionally converted etc.

I have some questions really about the electricity. So, it has the normal van battery and a leisure battery. My question is, when I stop driving and use lights etc how do I know its the leisure battery thats in use ?

Also, I plan on going mainly to sites with electrical hook up so am wondering if i park up, hook up my lead, can i use away at the electricity..,,, is all the electricity coming from the site ? Is it possible to have a small microwave or maybe an electric blanket plugged in? Im planning on using it year round. there are two three pin plugs

thanks for the help and i hope very soon that I will be an expert myself

spaceHopper

If there is a fuse (there should be ) on the leisure battery, pull it, if the lights go out then you where using it, otherwise disconnect the negative lead. Same result.

You should be able the use electricity on site to run lights... basically it just charges the battery while you are using it. If there are sockets they should work, light loads upto a total 1KW should be ok so in theory you could run a microwave but you are on downtime camping away from it all. Cook something take your time. Personally I wouldn't be using an electric blanket, they give me the heebie jeebies

autumnalcore

Most campsites we've been to in the last few years you can draw 10+ amps, the minimum I've seen is 6A which is 1320W. If its a professional conversion it will have an RCD and breaker/s so you can check the rating of the breaker to see what current the van itself is wired for.

Macy0161

sootie wrote: »

Also, I plan on going mainly to sites with electrical hook up so am wondering if i park up, hook up my lead, can i use away at the electricity..,,, is all the electricity coming from the site ? Is it possible to have a small microwave or maybe an electric blanket plugged in? Im planning on using it year round. there are two three pin plugs

Well you have to pay for the hook up, but after that it should be just plug in (van first, then to the hook up) and then good to go.

We've a microwave in ours, and bring an electric hob*, as well as the kettle. And a toaster. We've also used a small (bambino) electric heater. It's the wattage rather than the size - think ours is a 650w, and never had an issue. Same with a kettle - you don't want a large high watt, rapid boil one.

We'd manage what is going at the same time, but there should be a trip on the hook up anyway. We've never had an issue, and the price that sites charge for hook up, i'm fecked if I'm using gas to boil the kettle!

*if the weather is ok, we'd run the electric hob outside the van. Means more space, less smell as well as being tight with the gas!

sootie

spaceHopper wrote: »

If there is a fuse (there should be ) on the leisure battery, pull it, if the lights go out then you where using it, otherwise disconnect the negative lead. Same result.

You should be able the use electricity on site to run lights... basically it just charges the battery while you are using it. If there are sockets they should work, light loads upto a total 1KW should be ok so in theory you could run a microwave but you are on downtime camping away from it all. Cook something take your time. Personally I wouldn't be using an electric blanket, they give me the heebie jeebies

ah yeah... Im just thinking of all the questions I have before I hit the road I suppose. Id love to use it as much as possible. I have a plan that I can drive somewhere nice, walk the dog in the wind and rain etc and come "home" to somewher cosy. possibly have the old electric blanket under the bum on the really cold mornings

kadman

Any other camper owner on any campsite you visit will put you right if you are ever in any doubt.
Friendly bunch.:)

And make sure your camper has carbon monoxide alarms.

sootie

Deadly thanks. I just feel like im missing the most important thing !! like i have all the cute bits and bobs but cut to me on the side of a mountain wondering what ta leisure battery is hahahahahah !

autumnalcore

autumnalcore wrote: »

If its a professional conversion it will have an RCD and breaker/s.

There ought to be at least one RCD and double pole MCBS or RCBOs.

sootie

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

There ought to be at least one RCD and double pole MCBS or RCBOs.

Oh my god, what ?!

autumnalcore

sootie wrote: »

Oh my god, what ?!

Basically there should be a box like this somewhere with different kinds of circuit breakers in it.

Heres an explanation of the different types

Macy0161

sootie wrote: »

Oh my god, what ?!

You know those things in your fuse box at home, that trip. Essentially those - should be three, with one (probably) a bit bigger than the other two.

If it's anything like my coachbuilt, probably not as handily located as they should be!

17th Ed Uk Wiring Regs.

What I meant is the MCBs should be double pole. ie they break live and neutral. Because Europe doesn't polarise their supplies and because although the Irish do they don't always get it right.

17th Ed Uk Wiring Regs. wrote:

Regulation 721.43.1 calls for each final circuit to be protected by an overcurrent protective device which disconnects all live (line and neutral) conductors (see Figure 16.10). This will of necessity involve the use of single-pole-and-neutral (SP&N) or double-pole (DP) circuit-breakers. DP devices will detect overcurrent in both line and neutral and interrupt both on operation, whereas SP&N devices detect only overcurrent in one pole (line) but will disconnect both poles on operation.

sootie

autumnalcore wrote: »

Basically there should be a box like this somewhere with different kinds of circuit breakers in it.

Heres an explanation of the different types

thank you ! I found this little box... so awkwardly placed i cant even see it properly but ill watch this vid and learn more ! thakns