chrisheg Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I am thinking of going to a site in Norway which in the description in the Caravan club guide say it has 16a electric but no earth. I have an adaptor which reverses polaarity but what can i do or what do i need to do about "no earth". Advice please!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalH Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 You could create your own by taking a cable from your van chassis to a long tent peg in the ground underneath. This is what I always do with the genny, earth it to the ground. Quote Nissan X-Trail Tekna + Coachman Festival 450 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mw3230 Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I do not mean to be dismissive of your question but why worry about it? If it's safe for other caravanners and campers then it will be safe for you. I think it is an accepted fact that UK electrical safety standards are OTT and of the belt and braces variety. The rest of the world seems to safely use a system different to ours without mishap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 We used to exhibit industrial machinery in Germany. When the German electrician wasn't looking, we would join the neutral and the earth in order to get single phase (for the kettle) from 3 phase. I wouldn't worry too much as UK stds are the highest in Europe. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_B Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 There are many who use generators without an earth however its not something I would fancy doing. Quote Paul B . .......Mondeo Estate & Elddis Avanté 505 (Tobago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KNARF Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Modern suitcase type generators are designed to be used as a standalone supply and don't require an earth. Unless the generator is modified then all an additional earth acheives is offers reassurance to the owner that they have done something to make it safer,whilst in reality it does nothing knarf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David in Cheshire Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I am not an electrical expert and try to follow the advice in these matters from the Caravan Club i. e don't use non earthed supply BUT there have been sites I want to use and have just had to ignore it. As others have said everyone else on the site is at the same risk. Incidentally there are items that wont work without an earth, I have a portable air conditioning unit that does not. Quote David Various vans 78-2019, currently Hobby Excellent 540 FU and Mercedes E220 CDI Estate www. caravan-europe. co. uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KNARF Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 You should never use a supply without an earth in the UK or for most of mainland EU. If there is no earth return then in the event of a short circuit there is an increased risk of fire and you would be relying on the RCD to see the fault which it isn't designed to do. The difference with parts of Norway is that they use the IT system ( floating neutral ) whereas most modern systems in mainland EU use a TNC-S system which requires an earth. I never bother about reverse polarity but I would be concerned about no earth on a TNC-S network. knarf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 To have an earth you would require a metre long pole driven into the ground connected to the chassis . Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KNARF Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 To have an earth you would require a metre long pole driven into the ground connected to the chassis . Dave Not a recommended solution,better off not connecting! knarf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Not a recommended solution,better off not connecting! knarf But without a Earth the RCB will not work ? A chassis is bonded to the Earth system in a caravan . Does not a household earth rely on a earth in the ground usually the incoming cable surround ? Dave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KNARF Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 RCD's don't require an earth to operate they operate on the imbalance between incoming and outgoig current. Most modern supply systems use the TNCS system where the neutral is earthed at multiple points along it's route and acts as the continous protective earth conductor,older networks, mainly urban where there are a lot uf UG cables,use the metallic cable sheath for the earth return. You are correct that a functional earth is required for the safe operation of the supply but driving a 1metre spike in the ground without knowing what is below ie HV/LV cables. gas and water mains etc may be even more hazardous or costly than no earth. If a site doesn't have an earth then it begs the question what else is faulty? The only safe alternative is not connect to the system. In the case of the OP an IT system doesn't require a continous protective earth and is relatively safe but not as safe as TNC-S knarf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itwasntme Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Just to add to the confusion, pme, protective multiple earth, if you look at some of the telly wag poles you can see the earth cable running up from the ground to join up to the neutral line. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Just to add to the confusion, pme, protective multiple earth, if you look at some of the telly wag poles you can see the earth cable running up from the ground to join up to the neutral line. :-) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm been there some years ago. Ve haf vays of making zee earth a newtral! Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisheg Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Well been to norway and of three sites we stayed at two of the had no earth. No problems. I also plugged in to my sons norway house and that had no earth either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BroGoat Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Hi I've been on a total of twelve Scandinavian sites over the past seven weeks including four in Norway, I have checked every one for both polarity and earth, all twelve have been fine. Steve Quote Steve (BroGoat) travel blog - www. adventure-before-dementia. co. uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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