Caravan Resource CentreNo matter what type or configuration of caravan you own I am confident that
there will be something here of value for you. This information is updated regularly so be sure to drop back every now and then to see what is new: |
NEW EDITION OUT NOW |
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
IF YOU ARE INSTALLING A 240V INVERTER IN A CARAVAN (OR ANY MOBILE APPLICATION) THEN PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN DO THE INSTALLATION SO THAT THIS CAN BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS. CRITICAL CIRCUITS MUST BE CHECKED (IN PARTICULAR THE M.E.N LINK) FOR THE SAFETY OFF ALL. PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY "OFF THE SHELF" INVERTERS DO NOT HAVE AN M.E.N LINK ACTIVATED INTERNALLY WHICH MEANS THEY WILL NOT TRIP AND RCD (RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE).
IF YOU ARE INSTALLING A 240V INVERTER IN A CARAVAN (OR ANY MOBILE APPLICATION) THEN PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN DO THE INSTALLATION SO THAT THIS CAN BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS. CRITICAL CIRCUITS MUST BE CHECKED (IN PARTICULAR THE M.E.N LINK) FOR THE SAFETY OFF ALL. PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY "OFF THE SHELF" INVERTERS DO NOT HAVE AN M.E.N LINK ACTIVATED INTERNALLY WHICH MEANS THEY WILL NOT TRIP AND RCD (RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE).
CARAVAN Electrical
There is just SO much to cover here and a lot of this is in our first publication "Recreational Power Guide - Batteries & Charging". So here is some electrical does and don'ts and some extracts from the book. Along with some diagrams that did not make it in the book.
BASIC CARAVAN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BASIC CARAVAN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SOLVING THE 15 AMP PLUG ISSUE
Good old fasion Aussie Innovation has created a new product that was born from necessity. The Ampfibian® is a 10A to 15A connector that connects your caravan/RV to a standard household powerpoint safely and legally. The difference between a standard domestic powerpoint and a caravan/RV is the amount of power they are designed to carry. A household powerpoint is designed to operate at up to 10A (amps) but a caravan/RV is designed to operate at up to 15A of power. For safety reasons a 15A caravan lead does not plug into a standard 10A household powerpoint. (DON'T FILE THEM DOWN YA MUPPET!)
Ampfibian safely and legally connects a 15A load (e.g caravan) to a standard 10A domestic powerpoint, protecting the domestic power supply from overloading.
Ampfibian additionally includes an earth leakage safety switch (RCD) which protects people from potential electric shocks through faulty wiring or appliances.
Good old fasion Aussie Innovation has created a new product that was born from necessity. The Ampfibian® is a 10A to 15A connector that connects your caravan/RV to a standard household powerpoint safely and legally. The difference between a standard domestic powerpoint and a caravan/RV is the amount of power they are designed to carry. A household powerpoint is designed to operate at up to 10A (amps) but a caravan/RV is designed to operate at up to 15A of power. For safety reasons a 15A caravan lead does not plug into a standard 10A household powerpoint. (DON'T FILE THEM DOWN YA MUPPET!)
Ampfibian safely and legally connects a 15A load (e.g caravan) to a standard 10A domestic powerpoint, protecting the domestic power supply from overloading.
Ampfibian additionally includes an earth leakage safety switch (RCD) which protects people from potential electric shocks through faulty wiring or appliances.
For more information visit www.ampfibian.com.au |
5 THING TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A CHARGER FOR YOUR CARAVAN
When it comes to the correct size of charger I always go by the old 10% rule of thumb. So if my battery is 100AH I would use a 10Amp charger as a minimum. To prevent overcharging you should keep the charger size to within 80% of the total capacity (so no higher than an 80Amp on a 100AH Battery).
Now I did say it was a rule of thumb and you may want to also consider:
When it comes to the correct size of charger I always go by the old 10% rule of thumb. So if my battery is 100AH I would use a 10Amp charger as a minimum. To prevent overcharging you should keep the charger size to within 80% of the total capacity (so no higher than an 80Amp on a 100AH Battery).
Now I did say it was a rule of thumb and you may want to also consider:
- Check if the charger is Reverse Polarity protected so it will not damage the charger if you get the connections around the wrong way. The BLACK goes on the Negative and the RED on the Positive. NOTE that some of the bigger more expensive chargers are NOT reverse polarity protected.
- Size of any loads coming off the battery while charging – So if you have a fridge and lights running in a caravan you need to overcome this load (In Amperage) as well as Amperage for recharging the battery. As an example, I have a 15Amp load coming off a ½ charged 90AH battery and I connect my 10Amp charger. It’s pretty confident to say that the battery will not last long because it will not be able to overcome the load and the charger will stay in Bulk or Absorption voltages which will gas the battery.
- Do I need a charger with a Temperature sensor for the battery? If you are installing your charger into a portable abode (Caravan, RV, and Camper etc.) and you intend to be using power while charging either from Mains or Generator, then I highly suggest that you get a charger with a temp sensor. This will reduce the amperage going to your battery if the battery gets hot from continuous charge.
- IP RATING – Which is an international standard meaning Ingress Protection. This is very important when considering where your charger is installed. IP64 is NOT waterproof. Only IP68 is waterproof. Some of the popular Marine chargers are only rated IP64 which basically means splash proof. Geckos are also a very big problem for caravan and motorhome owners as the warmth created by charging attracts these little beggars. So ensure any vents are well covered or meshed. I have put a little table at the back of the book to help you better understand the IP Ratings.
- The stages of charge - Having a maintenance mode is very handy in ensuring that your battery is always ready to go when you are.
CARAVAN RELATED LINKS
GO SEE AUSTRALIA www.goseeaustralia.com.au RVMAA Recreational Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Australia www.rvmaa.com.au |