Overloading your Caravan / Motorhomes Electrics
There are two ways you can trip the electrics,
1. Overloading
2. You have an Earth Fault
The last thing you want to do on holiday is trip your electrics, and potentially your neighbours! To avoid this, keep reading for our helpful tips and advice on your Caravan or Motorhomes electrics.
Overloading –
What does it mean to overload your electrics?
By overloading the 230v system in your vehicles electrics, this means the appliances your using are trying to take more power than the system is designed to handle, causing a trip.
This kind of trip is controlled by your MCBs (miniature circuit breakers). An MCB is like a fuse, when it is overloaded, they trip. Within your vehicle you will have up to three MCBs, each feeding on its own circuit. Unless an individual circuit is overloaded, they are unlikely to trip.
As an example, say you have your electric kettle, a hairdryer, a microwave, and your mobile phone charging all at once this might cause your electrics to trip!
Earth Fault –
What is an earth fault trip?
An earth fault trip is instant (think milliseconds) and can save your life!
The power flow of the neutral and live wire, if in working order, should be identical. The current should flow down one wire and return via the other to power your appliances. If an earth fault was to occur, some of those currents leak away to the earth creating an imbalance. This imbalance is noticed by your RCD which will go on to trip the supply.
What is an RCD?
An RCD (residual current device) is a safety device which should be installed in every motorhome or caravan by law. It quickly breaks an electrical circuit to protect equipment and reduce the risk of an electric shock.
If you cannot identify the cause of an earth fault, do not continue to try to use the vehicles hook-up. The most important advice here is to get your caravan or motorhome electrics looked at by a qualified electrician.
Your RCD should be checked once a year within your annual service.
To book your appointment, call Bristol Caravans on 01454 612893 or visit our contact page.
