Mains unit - what use is it?
 

No reply from the campers, so can anyone here help? This question
to do with electric points/connections at camping sites.

A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.

What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.

FWIW, it's supplied by Tony Wild Camping, manufactured in the UK
by Semloh Electrics of Long Eaton, part: SEAMMU. It cost £69.99!!

Should it be returned/sold on, or be used with a plug-in RCD?

"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
No reply from the campers, so can anyone here help? This question
to do with electric points/connections at camping sites.

A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.

What is the point of this?

Apart from any other purpose it will (should) make a profit for
manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer and at every level the government!

Chris Bacon wrote:
What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.

Camp site owners can get *very* upset when you trip the supply so it
protects you from their wrath when you forget and try to use your
normal domestic kettle.

MBQ

On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 10:19:13 +0100, Chris Bacon
wrote:


A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.

This one?
http://www.wildday.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=587&AID=10297635&PID =1428744

What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.

It appears to be a combined RCD/10 trip and adapter from the IEC
connector used on camp sites to 13A sockets.

Should it be returned/sold on, or be used with a plug-in RCD?

If it is the same model it looks as if it already has one - if not
I'd be surprised to find any outlet on a camp site which didn't
already include RCD protection.

It is basically a protected weatherproof extension lead and IEC/UK
adapter. The price is a bit high but isn't exorbitant for what it
is if the standard of construction is high.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

Peter Parry wrote:
Chris Bacon wrote:
A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.


This one?
http://www.wildday.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=587&AID=10297635&PID =1428744

It does look the same unit - however, see below....


What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.


It appears to be a combined RCD/10 trip and adapter from the IEC
connector used on camp sites to 13A sockets.

It does not specifically say in the instructions for the "double" that
it contains an RCD. MRP is £100. The bumff for the "single" (MRP £95)
(and triple) does mention an RCD:

http://www.wildday.co.uk/ProductDeta...&PID =1107302

The switch on the double unit liiks like a simple DP MCB. If you look
at pictures of both products:

http://www.wildday.co.uk/search.aspx...mains%20 unit

you can see (sort of). The double mentions "protection against electric
shocks" which is either a mis-print, or I have it wrong.


I'd be surprised to find any outlet on a camp site which didn't
already include RCD protection.

That sounds reasonable (was going to 'phone site to ask this a.m.,
may still do so).

"Chris Bacon" wrote in message
...
No reply from the campers, so can anyone here help? This question
to do with electric points/connections at camping sites.

A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.

What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.

FWIW, it's supplied by Tony Wild Camping, manufactured in the UK
by Semloh Electrics of Long Eaton, part: SEAMMU. It cost £69.99!!

Should it be returned/sold on, or be used with a plug-in RCD?

You may find you won't be allowed to connect to the electrics on foreign
campsites with out one of these. At least thats what we found in France last
year. They were renting them at ?30/week if you didn't have one.

Peter Parry wrote:
Chris Bacon wrote:
A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.


This one?
http://www.wildday.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=587&AID=10297635&PID =1428744


What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.


It appears to be a combined RCD/10 trip and adapter from the IEC
connector used on camp sites to 13A sockets.

I've just had a look at the information leaflet in the box. This
thing "contains no RCD" and is for "protection against current
overloads". So it's to protect the fixed installation of the
camping-site! Why does the page at the URL you posted say "Gives
protection against electric shocks where portable equipment is
used"? Surely this is very misleading, and worthy of correction?
I wonder how many of these things have been sold to people who
think that by using them they're safe from electrocution?

Chris Bacon wrote:

I've just had a look at the information leaflet in the box. This
thing "contains no RCD" and is for "protection against current
overloads". So it's to protect the fixed installation of the
camping-site! Why does the page at the URL you posted say "Gives
protection against electric shocks where portable equipment is
used"? Surely this is very misleading, and worthy of correction?
I wonder how many of these things have been sold to people who
think that by using them they're safe from electrocution?

The fixed supply *to* the caravan socket outlet, if wired to modern
standards, will be RCD protected (30 mA) and individually overcurrent
protected (usually at 16 A). See Division 2 of Section 608 of BS 7671.

The RCD protection may be shared between up to three outlets, so if you
trip it you might take out someone else's supply. That said an
additional individual RCD wouldn't help (except as a back-up in case the
site RCD is broken or absent) since discriminative operation would not
be assured.

Also it is not permitted to take the earth (CPC) connection to caravan
pitch sockets from the mains supply earth if the supply is PME.
Therefore on most recently wired sites you should find that the earthing
is to local earth electrodes, with RCD protection for indirect contact
protection.

--
Andy

Chris Bacon said the following on 05/09/2005 18:54:
Peter Parry wrote:

Chris Bacon wrote:

A friend has just bought a "Utility Mobile Mains Unit", offering
"protection against current overloads" - it has twin 13A sockets,
10A DP MCB, and a blue weatherproof plug [like a 110v transformer
connector] to connect to a camping-site electric point.



This one?
http://www.wildday.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=587&AID=10297635&PID =1428744



What is the point of this? Presumably, it will only protect the
*camping site* supply from excessive load. It doesn't have an RCD
incorporated, so appears useless for personal shock protection.



It appears to be a combined RCD/10 trip and adapter from the IEC
connector used on camp sites to 13A sockets.


I've just had a look at the information leaflet in the box. This
thing "contains no RCD" and is for "protection against current
overloads". So it's to protect the fixed installation of the
camping-site! Why does the page at the URL you posted say "Gives
protection against electric shocks where portable equipment is
used"? Surely this is very misleading, and worthy of correction?
I wonder how many of these things have been sold to people who
think that by using them they're safe from electrocution?


I think you will find that the product partly shares its description
with a similar unit on the same website which *does* include an RCD.
This type of descriptive error is sadly not unusual when the person who
enters the item onto the database has a distinct lack of clue.

Andy Wade wrote:
Chris Bacon wrote:

I've just had a look at the information leaflet in the box. This
thing "contains no RCD" and is for "protection against current
overloads". So it's to protect the fixed installation of the
camping-site! Why does the page at the URL you posted say "Gives
protection against electric shocks where portable equipment is
used"? Surely this is very misleading, and worthy of correction?
I wonder how many of these things have been sold to people who
think that by using them they're safe from electrocution?


The fixed supply *to* the caravan socket outlet, if wired to modern
standards, will be RCD protected (30 mA) and individually overcurrent
protected (usually at 16 A). See Division 2 of Section 608 of BS 7671.

Hm, I e-mailed the proprieter of a camping site I stayed at,
and was told that "RCD are 60mA, MCB are 16amp". A 60mA RCD
seems odd to me...

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 12:04:52 +0100, Chris Bacon
scrawled:

Hm, I e-mailed the proprieter of a camping site I stayed at,
and was told that "RCD are 60mA, MCB are 16amp". A 60mA RCD
seems odd to me...

Seems made up to me. More likely 60A and something else mA.
--
Stuart @ SJW Electrical

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