I got an MXS 5 .... I'm hoping with an efficient fridge and not much else in the way of leisure electrics that will do
The other one doesn't have to double pole mcbs either. You'd still need to buy them at about £25 by the looks of it
what the one from extreme van http://www.xtremevan.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=5088 this one Can someone just point us in the direction of the right one to buy, once I am up and about this was going to be my next job. BTW @volkswombat where are you mounting your hook up?
Ah sorry I meant the other sctewfix one mentioned. The extreme van one doesn't say but I'm guessing it not , as after a quick search, double pole mcbs seem unusual and harder to get hold of.
Don't know what the score is here, all the CUs I see come with single pole MCB, so no idea what the hell we're supposed to. Hookup inlet will be either in engine bay or down by rear jacking point, not decided yet. CU and fuse box be in spare wheel well
All a bit of a mystery to me as well. I did google "double pole - camper vans" and found a load of links about double pole being the correct way to go but when you look at the products there is generally nothing to say how many poles ... and to think before I started this all I knew about was north and south poles. I think we just hijacked Zeds post
If your bus is old enough to have 2 outriggers at the back, inbetween them is good as it's away from direct spray and just under the RR bed. That's where I'm going to fit mine. The more discussion the better.
In general, installations in a garage, shed or outbuilding only need single pole MCBs. Due to increased risk, installations in a vehicle, camper, caravan, horsebox or boat require double pole MCBs. The reasons being buildings are permanent installs where the live and neutral should be correctly identified at source. Supplies in Vehicles need to be plugged in and there is the possibility for the supply polarity being reversed - particularly in parts of Europe with reversible plugs (and possibly no earth). This means live & neutral could be reversed so double pole breakers and double pole isolation is required. There are other good reasons to disconnect the neutral in the case of a fault - as neutral is also viewed as a live conductor. I think this requirement came in with the 16th Edition regulations. We're now on the 17th Edition, but my copy of that is in storage since we moved house. However the guidance notes to the 16th Edition says this:
Good info Marc, thanks. So what you're saying is that rather than rely on there being an earth, the double pole trip will save us? Obviously can't earth the van without carrying round an earth spike!
So technically are some/all of the hook up kits supplied by jk or whoever, illegal? Edit maybe illegal is wrong word. Incorrect? Unsafe? ??
@MarcT512 so those dp mcbs you linked earlier are corrext for fitting in a mini /garage CU, such as what I've bought? Looks right from pics but want to check
I'm watching this thread with interest as I need to install full set up too, no idea on what consumer unit to get but I'm ok on the rest @zed where are you getting the ctek 10 from vs 7? I had 7 in bolly
Possibly - but be aware that double pole MCBs require a Live & Neutral feed each, which may mean you can't use the bus-bars supplied with the consumer unit.
Thanks for your help, its very educational although frustrating me Are you able to suggest a mini CU and dp MCB's then , that I ( and everybody else!) can easily get hands on?
There is this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Auto-Mari...1-MCB-PO103-/110701258382?hash=item19c64f268e or this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Auto-Mari...-MCBs-PO104-/110843778029?hash=item19cecdd3ed available which are purpose built & ready to go. You just need to make room for one of them...or fit the mini ones into a smaller unit & delete the + & neutral bus bars.
See my how to i did some time ago http://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/leisure-electrics-230v.5526/ @MarcT512 has pretty well explained it all pretty well as well. This requirement has been the case for years but people tend to ignore the advise i have given about this as well as the danger of fitting the hook up cable in the engine bay and the standalone kits that are meant for tents and awnings as they don't think mains electric in a van is risky and they don't want to spend money on things that at not shinny (rant over) I have used the xvan kit a few times as it came with 1 gang 2 switch MCBs but since giving up doing vans i have not seen what they supply now
