Electrical Items using EHU

It's always good to have a hob kettle just in case there's a power outage. I know you can boil up water in a saucepan but a kettle is user friendly. A match to light the hob is useful too in case the electric ignition fails. 

We've had our current van (and possibly last!) since 2009 and apart from the gas hob everything is run on 240 v electric. No point in paying for it and not using it. Bottled gas can work out expensive. Only 'spare' kettle we have is a 700 watt version for use abroad. just be aware of what you are running at the same time. 16 amps is a lot of power. 

I'm new to caravaning too.  However, I can say that there's no problem with power requirements.

In my van, I kitted it out with a Microwave, kettle, toaster, george foreman grill, TV.

The key thing is that I did take steps to make sure they were low wattage...

kettle + microwave + toaster = about 700w each.  I don't use them all at the same time.

The caravan has a 2Kw electric heater.  I turn this off when cooking.

The TV is an 22" LED TV, which can run from 12 or 240 volts, I run it from 240 when possible.  In addition, I have a media center with my film library that I can used, and this again runs from the mains.

16A is lot of power, and provided that you are sensible, there's no problems with using normal appliances.  It's just that you can't run them all at once - like you would at home.

We use a standard TV from Tesco and have never had a problem with it in the caravan.  We use the grill for toast and have a kettle designed for caravan/camping.  The microwave was supplied with the caravan, so I guess will be suitable for purpose.  No problems with any so far, and we run the heating and fridge off electric too - and we have one electric ring on the cooker.  Just be careful you don't use them all at once.

David 

I too am grateful, if a bit sad... our daughter's C'mas present to us was a lovely small stainless steel kettle for use in our first caravan; but with the label saying it's 2500 - 3000W it looks like we'd better not use it after all. I wasn't aware of this until now. Shucks, eh.

The caravan shop will tel you all their things are low wattage even if their are not,

At Waudbys  of South Cave, Don Waudby told me that my 600 watt microwave would trip the bollard, but his 700 watt one woudn't, he said that it is surge that trips,  my 600 watt has an input power of 1000 watts, his 700 watt microwave has an input power of 1150, the same as the 700 watt microwaves in Morrisone and asda.

so his 700 watt,  1150  watt /230 volt = 5 amp,  if your E.H.U. is only 5 amp you cant use it unless you turn off your fridge

my 600 watt,  1000 watt / 230 volt = 4.34 amp,  I can use that and my fridge on only 5 amp E.H.U.

so take what the caravan shops tell you with a pinch of salt

it sounds as he dosnt know what he is talking about, site e.h.u. is 6-16 amp, so microwave needs to be small one, kettle low wattage.

I have had a caravan sales telling me that my 1000 watt microwave would trip but his 1100 watt woudnt,  look at the input watts divide this by 220 the U.K. vol;ts, that will give you the amps, that will tell you if it will trip

T.V. & D.V.D. are about .25 to .50 amp so you can use your home t.v.

There is a small device available that connects into the incoming mains cable and has a display that gives the actual current drawn at any moment. One can have great fun watching what happens as different appliances are switched on, and it also gives a check on all the items one has forgotten are there such as towel rail, and battery charger.

One thing I have noticed is that many 10 amp supplies don't trip out until about 14 amps, but the 16 amp ones go at close to 17 amps.

Hi MJ i agree with what you have.The problem i have is that looking through site in Cornwall for summer hols found one site that you can upgrade to 32amp. As all vans are based on power coming into the van at 16amp were does the other 16 amp go.

Steve

My caravan would trip out at 16 amp anyway.