Unless you are an off-grid caravanning expert, having access to electric hook-up in your caravan will be an essential part of an enjoyable tour, offering us a route to power.
After pitching up and connecting to the electric hook-up, you will have the means to power the best TV for a caravan, the lights, and kitchen appliances, such as a caravan fridge and a microwave – although maybe not all simultaneously.
This is because it requires a bit of knowledge to ensure you are using your campsite’s hook-up safely and effectively, without running the risk of triggering the cut off, one of those caravanning mistakes we’re all keen to avoid.
The good news is I’m here to help, as I talk you through everything you need to know about electric hook-up (EHU) – whether you’re a beginner to caravanning or a more experienced pro, you’re sure to pick up a tip or two.
What is electric hook-up?
First things first – what exactly is electric hook-up? Put simply, EHU points are outdoor power sockets, which will typically be rated to supply 16A electricity in the UK (this is around 3.5kW), although certain sites will offer 10A. In some cases, you could find it’s even as low as 6A, particularly if you’re caravanning in Europe.
EHU is relatively simple, providing 230V AC electricity to every pitch by using underground cables that run throughout the site to the supply post. It lets you operate the essentials, as well as the luxury caravan accessories that can make a real difference to a tour.
The posts themselves are waterproof and may have two or more outlets for neighbouring pitches; they can also be lockable. They are designed to provide power to the pitch, allowing the caravanner to connect their tourer to the site’s distribution board. The EHU posts are protected by circuit breakers and earth-leakage devices too.
Once connected, you will be able to use the EHU to power appliances such as the best caravan microwave, as well as systems in your tourer, via the campsite’s electricity, instead of having to quickly run down your 12V leisure battery. As well as operating your various touring appliances and gadgets, it will let you charge your caravan’s leisure battery and operate 12V appliances via the onboard transformer.
How to connect your caravan to electric hook-up
To get your caravan connected to electric hook-up, you will need a mains hook-up lead, which allows you to connect your caravan to the EHU post. These cables are generally orange to increase their visibility and come with three-round-pin connectors on each end, one male and one female.
The male connector will go into the campsite’s socket, while the female goes into the van’s socket, which can be found on the side of your tourer.
As standard, these leads are 25m long, while the wires inside are 2.5mm² in cross-section.
Thinner or longer cables are to be avoided – they can either cause a voltage drop or heat build-up. Instead, make sure your lead is CE-marked and complies with BS EN 60309.
So, now you know about the power lead, it’s time to find out how to connect your caravan:
1. Ensure your caravan’s isolating switch is turned to OFF.
2. Make sure the hook-up lead is uncoiled – if it is coiled and has current flowing through, it could lead to it overheating, particularly if you are using high-current appliances.
3. Plug the female connector end into the socket on the side of your tourer.
4. Lift the spring-loaded cover of the electricity outlet on the EHU post and insert the male plug. It’s important to do it in this order, as otherwise, you would be carrying a lead with a live connector to the caravan.
5. Turn the caravan’s isolating switch on.
Finally, if you have any questions about doing this, ask for help at the campsite’s office.
How to disconnect your caravan from electric hook-up
To disconnect your caravan, these are the steps to follow:
1. Set the caravan’s isolating switch to the OFF position.
2. Press the release button at the EHU post and pull out the lead.
3. Disconnect the cable from your tourer.
4. Coil the lead up and store it somewhere safely.
Note: Make sure you never use a domestic extension lead or modify the cable.
How EHU connects to your caravan
Your caravan’s hook-up connector socket will be found on an external wall, generally on the nearside. After connecting it, the power will flow to a consumer unit, with miniature circuit breakers and a residual current device (RCD).
This will feed the 230V sockets and a power supply unit, which converts the mains power to 12V DC. This not only powers your tourer’s internal 12V system, but also allows the battery to recharge.
The best caravans will also come with reverse polarity indicators nowadays – this is because some campsites on the Continent could wire live and neutral in reverse. While UK vans can generally handle this, sensitive equipment may not be able to.
Understanding the power ratings of caravan appliances
It’s well worth knowing the basic formula which will allow you to work out what appliances can be run without risking tripping the cut-off, something which will come in very handy if you’ve previously asked yourself questions such as “will a smart TV work in a caravan?”.
The majority of campsites in the UK and Europe provide 230V electric hook-up, but the amperage which is provided by the EHU can differ.
In the UK, this will generally be 16A. The basic formula to follow here is Volts (V) x Amps (A) = Watts (W) – so, staying at a UK site with 16A electric hook-up, this would be 230V x 16A = 3680W, meaning you would have a total of 3680W.
In contrast, if your site offers 10A hook-up, this drops to 2300W (230V x 10A = 2300W), while pitching up at a 6A site brings it down to 1380W (230V x 6A = 1380W).
Once you’ve worked out the total, you’re in a position to identify what you’re able to run simultaneously while pitched up.
As a rough guide, these are the typical wattages of a selection of appliances you could have:
There are also a number of 12V appliances you can choose from, which not only help you stay within the wattage allocation, but also help to conserve energy if you’re touring off-grid and are reliant on your leisure battery. If you are doing this, Nigel Donnelly’s advice on how he went about charging devices without a hook-up could be worth a read.
It’s worth noting that both heating and air conditioning will consume large amounts of electricity, so we would recommend limiting these to 500W. If heating with a dual-fuel boiler, you can use gas to increase the heat output as a practical way of managing this.
Possible problems that can occur with EHU
A common problem you could run into with a campsite’s electrical system will be an overload. A campsite supply only has a particular amp rating, so running appliances at the same time which draw more than the current rating will lead to the EHU automatically triggering a cut-out.
In rare instances, your EHU could trip because of an electrical fault – perhaps the hook-up lead is damaged or a fuse has blown in the caravan’s consumer unit.
If you find yourself encountering recurring power failures, contact a technician so they can check the system.
Some sites will control the power centrally, in which case you could have to contact staff to restore the power supply. Make sure you never attempt to open a locked EHU post or access the wiring.
Lastly, if you are touring in Europe or further afield, make sure you check in advance whether or not an adaptor will be required.
What to do if the EHU trips
Should you find your caravan has overloaded and tripped the cut-off, you will need to reset it at the EHU post. Generally, this will mean flicking a switch, after ensuring the appliance which tripped it has been turned off or disconnected.
If you have any problems, contact the campsite’s office.
Safety rules to consider when using electric hook-up
- Keep every connection dry
- Only store clean, dry cables
- Make sure you never daisy-chain cables together
- Never use a coiled cable – this can lead to overheating
- Avoid running cables through doors or windows
- Check the RCD regularly by pressing the test button
- When you’re disconnecting, make sure you disconnect from the EHU post first
- When connecting, plug the lead into your caravan first
- Never use domestic multi-gang extension blocks, particularly when outside
- Only use leads which have moulded, waterproof plugs and 2.5mm three-core cable
Don’t miss my advice on how to load a caravan either – it’s not just a case of fitting everything in, but instead requires careful packing to ensure you do it safely.
Future Publishing Limited, the publisher of Practical Caravan, provides the information in this article in good faith and makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Individuals carrying out the instructions do so at their own risk and must exercise their independent judgement in determining the appropriateness of the advice to their circumstances and skill level. Individuals should take appropriate safety precautions and be aware of the risk of electrocution when dealing with electrical products. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither Future nor its employees or agents shall have any liability in connection with the use of this information. You should check that any van warranty will not be affected before proceeding with DIY projects.
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