Arriving on site: Caravan Electrical System

We’ll be discussing what to do when arriving on site, including how to switch on each system using the caravan’s control panel.

If you’ve booked a pitch with an electric hook-up, the supplied cable (usually orange with blue connectors) will connect your caravan to the electric supply. These are generally located on the nearby bollard.
Plug the cable into the caravan 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. The PDU unit is usually located under one of the front bunks.
A 230v hook-up allows you to use both electrical systems inside your caravan – 230v and 12v

Your caravan is fitted with a 12v battery charger as standard. If you’re planning to go off-grid, plug your caravan into a 230v supply before you go, as this will charge your leisure battery.
A solar panel will also charge your leisure battery, most of which are roof-mounted. They are an excellent investment if you plan to go off-grid regularly.
It’s also worth checking how much gas you have, as appliances such as the fridge, heater and hot water boiler work on gas when not connected to a 230v supply.
Caravans are designed to be self-sufficient, and your leisure battery will power the lights, 12v sockets, loo, USB sockets, etc. Other appliances such as the fridge, heating, hot water, gas hob and oven work with a combination of gas and 12v. 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.

Using the control panel in my Bailey Phoenix 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 that drops inside the Aquaroll. Turn this on when you’d like to use the taps, shower, and water heater in your caravan. The green LED light next to the switch illuminates when the pump is running.
The interior light switch isolates the lighting within the caravan. 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. This includes the lighting system. This 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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Arriving on site: Caravan Electrical system