Electric Socket

[PONOS47]

Cringing slightly as i post this as i am sure its a silly question, but i would rather look a bit silly than mess with electrics ! I followed another thread and saw that the Euro electric socket behind the passenger seat in the Cali can be converted with a type C adapter (with the hex moulding). When i come to fit it, the little flap on the socket prevents me plugging it in the right way up, but i can plug it in upside down. All seems ok and i appreciate there is no earth connection anyway....but can you really swap what in my mind must be live for neutral and visa versa....? I would have though not - but then if you plug a shaver in a normal shaving socket it doesn't seem to matter ! Welcome any thoughts on this ! Many thanks as always.

 

[TripleBee]

That doesn't matter.
As it's 12V upscaled to 220V, through a transformator, there is no neutral, line, live, ...

Just plug it in how it fits your needs.
In the end, it's just AC, one time the sine wave is positive, the other time it's negative.
Just in this case it's no pure sine wave, but will be block wave I suppose.

 

[PONOS47]

Many thanks - appreciate you you putting my mind at ease !

 

[AndyWT]

That doesn't matter.
As it's 12V upscaled to 220V, through a transformator, there is no neutral, line, live, ...

Just plug it in how it fits your needs.
In the end, it's just AC, one time the sine wave is positive, the other time it's negative.
Just in this case it's no pure sine wave, but will be block wave I suppose.

Are you sure its from the inverter, does a T5 even have an inverter? normally its from the shore power connector via RCB i.e. 220V grid power. good idea to check...

 

[TripleBee]

What connection are we talking about? Red or green? Red is only live when on hookup, green is live as long as the batteries are giving enough.

 

[WelshGas]

Are you sure its from the inverter, does a T5 even have an inverter? normally its from the shore power connector via RCB i.e. 220V grid power. good idea to check...

Yes, 150w inverter and socket at base of B pillar next to kitchen. Has a Swiss type diamond shaped socket.

 

[TripleBee]

 

[PONOS47]

Thanks for the replies - its the green socket on the picture - its a two prong euro socket. This is a T6 van. I hadn't noticed the red socket - presume that is a standard 'cigar lighter' socket ? Presume that is just 12v ?

 

[PONOS47]

View attachment 63449

yes - thats it !

 

[TripleBee]

The red one, is a 220V socket next to a 12V normal car socket. In my van they are switched in place. The 12V socket is the left one, and the 220V is the right one.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for the replies - its the green socket on the picture - its a two prong euro socket. This is a T6 van. I hadn't noticed the red socket - presume that is a standard 'cigar lighter' socket ? Presume that is just 12v ?

There are 2 sockets on the side of the kitchen unit.
One is a 12v socket the other is a 3 prong UK mains 230v socket.

 

[Quentin SF]

Yes, you're fine. If you have equipment with an earth, then the neutral should normally be a few volts or less away from the earth, while the live is, of course, much higher.

But if you only have two pins, it doesn't matter and they're reversible.

Shaver sockets in particular are made safer by having a 1:1 transformer between the socket and the mains; it doesn't change the voltage, but it makes sure that neither connection is tied to earth anywhere else, so if you end up touching one of the connections while in your bathroom in wet feet, you'll basically connect that side to earth, and the other will become the 'live'. Touching both would still be a bad idea ...

 

[PONOS47]

Many thanks for all your help here. its a California SE - for reasons i fear to ask it has a Euro socket and not a 3 pin - you have put my mind at ease that its ok, and having now built up confidence i have now plugged it in and everything seems fine ! As always this forum restores faith in humankind that everyone rushes in to help ! much appreciated. We are building up to our first trip so there may be a few more questions yet !!

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks for all your help here. its a California SE - for reasons i fear to ask it has a Euro socket and not a 3 pin - you have put my mind at ease that its ok, and having now built up confidence i have now plugged it in and everything seems fine ! As always this forum restores faith in humankind that everyone rushes in to help ! much appreciated. We are building up to our first trip so there may be a few more questions yet !!

I believe some early SE's had a Euro 2 pin socket on the kitchen unit. You could swap it for a UK spec socket.

What year is your vehicle?

It would help getting correct answers if you could update your Avatar vehicle details.

 

[PONOS47]

I believe some early SE's had a Euro 2 pin socket on the kitchen unit. You could swap it for a UK spec socket.

What year is your vehicle?

It would help getting correct answers if you could update your Avatar vehicle details.

Many thanks - yes i will do ! its a 2018.

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks - yes i will do ! its a 2018.

That's unusual. If it's a UK spec California then the Mains socket, next to the 12v socket on the end of the kitchen unit, behind the passenger seat should be a UK 3 pin mains socket.

 

[PONOS47]

Many thanks - i may just pick it up with the dealer - but either way, the adapter seems to have resolved the issue. Appreciate your help.