European shorepower

[[2574]]

North & West Brittany - do the marinas over there have those two pin european connectors for pontoon shorepower (I never understand how the earth wiring works?) or have they moved on to the three pin blue jobbies that we have in the UK? Secondly, are most shorepower supplies 16A over there?

TIA

Rob

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Robin]

Nearly all now have the blue ones like here, 5 Amp is normal, some have more.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[discovery2]

Some do, some don't! The earth connection is the pin on the socket and the 'hole' in the plug! As for amperage, it is usually less than 16 amps - sometimes as low as 4 amps!

Although there is sufficient to power the battery charger, running the hot water heater or kettle is likely to 'blow the fuse'. To get around these restrictions, I have purchased a small 500 watt kettle (from a caravan shop) and also fitted a 1kw heater in the hot water tank.

As for the plugs, I have made up two short leads (approx 0.5m in length) with a 'french' plug on one end and a 16 amp socket on the other. One of these leads is wired with the live connected to one pin and the neutral to the other pin. The second lead is wired with the live & neutral wires reversed on the plug only. (The earth wire is connected to the earth terminal in both cases). I also keep on board a plug in circuit tester available from DIY stores.

The French do not appear to have a consistent method of wiring their electrical supplies and consequently the live & neutral are often reversed.

When plugging into the shore power, I check the supply by plugging in the circuit tester into a 13 amp socket on the boat. This will confrm if the wiring is 'correct' or whether the live & neutral are reversed - in which case I use the alternative lead.

Some may well argue that equipment will work on board whichever way the supply is wired. However, unless two pole fuses / circuit breakers are used on the boat consumer unit (to disconnect both the live and neutral wires) there is a danger that the fuse could blow (due to a fault) and the appliance still be 'live' - with possible fatal consequenses.

P.S. I am not an electrician, but this seems to be my (layman's) understanding!

David

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>As Robin said, most have moved over to the blue 3 pin types. Those that haven't may even have done so during the winter months, they all stock adaptors anyway.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[[2574]]

Thanks for the various erudite responses, very helpful. Rob

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tcm]

in france, there's
2 pin,
thin3 pin old light blue,
euro std blue 16a,

larger euro 32 amp,
euro std red 50(?)amp 4/5-pin
argh £150 for damn plug 4-pin blue with optional meter possibly 50 amp,
black rubber 50 amp with a lock,
slightly different rubber 32 amp

These are spprinkled around, with several in each marina. So, what am i doing as i motor between these exotic locations? I am changing the shorepower lead to somethiong, or to something else, or back to whatever we have back at home port...

 

[[2574]]

oh what a nightmare! Is it safe to plug in to the 4/5 pin types? It's not three phase is it? If it's not three phase then what are pins 4 & 5 for? As you can tell I'm not a sparks!

Rob

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[tcm]

it's not 3 phase, otherwise it wouldn't have worked. You do need a monster plug, the cost of which is the frightening bit. Actually, most marinas seem to haev an electrician bloke who will help out, and often he's on the payroll, so you don't get billed for his help buiy you should give him 5 euros, or 10 euros mebbe if there's loads of work...

<hr width=100% size=1>