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Arriving on site: Campervan Electrics - 230v Hook-Up or Leisure Battery?

Have you arrived at your favourite campsite, pitched your campervan, and wondered how it connects to the 230v mains hook-up? Or, if you’ve booked a pitch without electricity, how does the 12v system work from a leisure battery? We’ll be discussing what to do when arriving on site, including how to switch on each system using your campervan’s control panel.

 

230v electrical system – connecting your campervan to the campsite’s 230v electric supply

  • If you’ve booked a pitch with an electric hook-up, the supplied cable (usually orange with blue connectors) will connect your campervan to the electric supply. These are generally located on the nearby bollard.
  • Plug the cable into the campervan first, then the bollard. Be sure to unravel the cable completely.
  • Once connected, switch on the mains switch at the site supply point. Some bollards will be live at all times, while others may require the plug to be rotated clockwise until a click is heard.
  • If it’s your first trip, it may be worth checking that all the switches in the PDU unit (fuse/RCD board or circuit breaker) are set to the on position.
  • A 230v hook-up allows you to use both electrical systems inside your campervan – 230v and 12v.

The 12v electrical system

  • Your campervan is fitted with a 12v battery charger as standard. If you’re planning to go off-grid, plug your campervan into a 230v supply before you go, as this will charge your leisure battery.
  • If fitted, a solar panel will also charge your leisure battery. Most campervan solar panels are roof-mounted.
  • Campervans are designed to be self-sufficient, and your leisure battery will power the lights, 12v sockets, USB sockets, compressor fridge, etc. The heating and hot water work with a combination of diesel and 12v. Your gas hob and cooker work on gas, so be sure to check gas levels before going off-grid. Being 230v appliances, the microwave and 3-pin sockets won’t work from your leisure battery.
  • If you’d like to take a TV or charge your phone, 12v TVs plug directly into the 12v socket, and phones can be charged from the USB points
A standard Bailey control panel has separate switches for each system – water pump, interior lights, awning light, and the main 12v supply.

Control panel

  • Using a standard Bailey control panel as an example, it has separate switches for each system – water pump, interior lights, awning light, and the main 12v supply.
  • The water pump switch controls the pump within the water tank. Turn this on when you’d like to use the taps, shower, and water heater in your campervan. The green LED light next to the switch illuminates when the pump is running.
  • The interior light switch isolates the lighting within the campervan. Each light also has an independent switch (like the ones at home), so you can have as many or as few lights on as you like.
  • The awning light switch operates the exterior light that’s above the door.
  • The main 12v isolator switch turns the 12v system on and off, including the lighting system. It must be switched on before using 12v sockets, lights, or appliances.
  • The small LCD screen allows you to check your leisure battery voltage by pressing the button. A fully charged caravan battery can read 13.8 volts.

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