Caravan diversity question

[Pretty Mouth]

What allowance for diversity, if any, would you apply to caravan hookup sockets?

The circuit will have just one hookup point, with two 16A sockets. It's a fair distance from the CU, so voltage drop is going to be significant. It would be good to keep the cable CSA down if feasible.

 

[littlespark]

The hook up featured in the link you have provided is only suitable for installation as a direct for an existing one. New points have to incorporate an interlocked switch, and are considerably more expensive, though I expect the inclusion of a meter makes a similar difference.
There's no reason why you shouldn't fit ones with a meter to keep an eye on consumption, or if you have a (illegal) long term guest, but for 'normal touring purposes, they're not a good idea.
Charging for electricity and charging for showers are excellent ways of killing repeat business.

Just as an aside.... on running a site... Charging for wall mounted hairdryers etc just invited vandalism. The damage to the coinbox far outweighed the trivial amount of 20p's stolen from them.

We also had owner-occupiers of the static caravans getting copies of the Yale kay we handed out to tourers for the toilet block, so they would use those showers instead of using their own gas bottle.
One of the reasons i put in a door entry system with fobs and CCTV on the entrance.


Our static hook ups had meters... which we read twice a year... or more if they were being used more frequently.... but as the owners started building bigger and bigger decking...... they would unscrew the box from the post... knock it out the ground and leave the box sitting on its back... letting water in.
Others tried changing the 16A breakers in the boxes to 32.... as if we wouldnt notice.

The touring pitches were not metered... You just altered the pricing the following year to compensate for suppliers costs.

 

[brianmoooore]

Others tried changing the 16A breakers in the boxes to 32.... as if we wouldnt notice.

I did once add a little link across two adjacent 6A MCBs for the duration of my stay on one particular site.

 

[pc1966]

The hook up featured in the link you have provided is only suitable for installation as a direct for an existing one. New points have to incorporate an interlocked switch, and are considerably more expensive, though I expect the inclusion of a meter makes a similar difference.

They do a pricier one with interlock as well:

Caravan Hook Ups | Switchgear & Distribution | Cef | CEF

Power up your caravan effortlessly with our cutting-edge hook-up solutions. Discover convenient and safe electrical connections at CEF.

www.cef.co.uk

 

[pc1966]

Interestingly enough they do a 10A RCBO'd version but not metered and seems not in stock:

LSAA 16A Interlocked 1 Way 10A RCBO Caravan Hook Up Point

1 x IP44 16A interlocked socket complying to 18th Edition

www.cef.co.uk

 

[pc1966]

Interestingly enough they do a 10A RCBO'd version but not metered

Seems they do, but hardly anyone stocks them:

Building Materials Supplier Prices | Trade Building Supplies Pricing | Construction Products Costs

 

[brianmoooore]

Seems they do, but hardly anyone stocks them:

Plenty of the double 10A ones in stock. I doubt that they sell many singles.

 

[littlespark]

We used to buy direct from Rolec.... You could order what you wanted... not hard to change a 16A metered to a 10A metered if thats what was needed.

Caravan Hook-Ups | Rolec Services Ltd

Leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of caravan hook up units across the UK. With over 30 years of experience in serving the caravan and holiday park industry, we have a solution for all.

www.rolecserv.com

 

[pc1966]

Plenty of the double 10A ones in stock. I doubt that they sell many singles.

Doh! Yes, looked again and they stock these:

Caravan Hook Ups | Switchgear & Distribution | Cef | CEF

Power up your caravan effortlessly with our cutting-edge hook-up solutions. Discover convenient and safe electrical connections at CEF.

www.cef.co.uk

As above, charging per kWh might not be good for image / reputation but with a meter you can at least have a policy of charging extra if per-day use is above some reasonable X kWh

 

[brianmoooore]

It's the same with our holiday cottages. The agency that we let them through strongly discourages charging extra for electricity.
We did have one person turn up about four years ago with a granny cable for charging his EV. Had to suck it up for that week, but shortly after I fitted our 7kW EV charge point, which is supplied by a card operated pre payment meter, so any with an EV now are directed towards that.
The holiday cottages do actually have meters fitted, but these will be only used if we ever have a longer term tenant for some reason. Come to think of it, one was used when we had someone in one winter for ten weeks, while he sought out a house to buy in the area.

 

[Aaron b]

Yes, I guess....

I'll be honest, I'm struggling with working out whether selectivity is guaranteed or not, whatever device I use. Looking into it further, it seems to be a very complicated subject involving comparing obscure manufacturer's data. There's not really any answers in BS7671, or the OSG, or any of the other books I own, that I have been able to find anyway. I watched a youtube on the subject, but I'm pretty sure that the guy trying to explain it is explaining it wrong. I did find some useful info in some of Hager's literature.

Trying to find this out feels like it's above and beyond the call of duty, and is making me look seriously at fast-track plumbing courses.

Schneider has a fancy online calculator that does selectivity on there website. It should give you a good start.

My mother has a couple of pitches and has complained about people heating awnings, looking at a campsite recently they used 10 A type C dp rcbos and there was higher power pitches at 16A if you required it.

 

[pc1966]

Schneider has a fancy online calculator that does selectivity on there website. It should give you a good start.

It is handy but it also has odd limitations, it won't solve all combinations of their breakers and/or fuses.

Also now the b'stards make you sign up to use it, and then spam your email with adverts...

My mother has a couple of pitches and has complained about people heating awnings, looking at a campsite recently they used 10 A type C dp rcbos and there was higher power pitches at 16A if you required it.

I had wondered how you could possibly rake up a stupidly high electric bill in a caravan, but that clearly is one of them

 

[littlespark]

You can’t believe what some people take on holiday with them….

We had entire kitchens set up in awnings… fridges, microwaves, kitchen sinks!
One camper had his 55” telly in the boot for inside a tent!
No idea if he’d brought an aerial or expected a Co ax socket on the hookup box. ( there wasn’t)

And those flaming diving clubs!….

 

[brianmoooore]

You can’t believe what some people take on holiday with them….

That's why I have an 8m caravan for just the two of us. Separate freezer, washing machine, table, chairs, microwave, 1m satellite dish and tripod. It's all in there
I have seen electric hook up points with TV aerial sockets on them.

 

[UNG]

I have seen electric hook up points with TV aerial sockets on them.

I have seen hook up points with a satellite socket as well

 

[littlespark]

Hook ups with aerial points are fairly common in places without good terrestrial signal… fed from an amplified central location…. less common now with digital signals.

I’ve got a 6 berth 7.3m just with the fitted equipment. No extra freezer or washing machine…

We call it “Trailer Swift”