Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 13:13:19 -0700
Reply-To: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mark drillock <drillock@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Conversion to 240 Volt from 110 Volt external Elect hookup
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It seems to me that it would be much safer to ask a qualified UK
electrician rather than folks on this list. It is my understanding that
the 240 volts AC wiring method is different in the UK than it is in the
US for 240. The way we do 240 over here would not work safely with the
Westy wiring by just changing plugs.
In the US we use 120 volts on each of the 2 current legs to give a
combined 240 in a 240 wired circuit. These are out of phase to each
other and the voltage measured between them is 240. I believe the UK
uses a true 240 volts on one current leg and the other leg is a neutral
return leg. That hot + neutral method is the same as how our 120 volt
wiring is done. I suspect on this basis that you could just change the
Westy plugs over to the UK type but you might also need to change the
Westy circuit breaker.
The Westy AC electrical outlet wiring is very straight forward.
The Westy outside utility hookup has a 3 prong plug. Each prong has a
separate color wire that connects from there to the various places in
the camping interior. The ground wire also connects the the vehicle
chassis. Whatever is done must be done such that the chassis NEVER gets
any voltage feed to it. If it did, some one could be standing outside
and get electrocuted when they touched the door handle or any other
metal part while standing on the ground barefoot or making contact with
the ground through any number of methods. Even an improperly wired
appliance plugged into one of the inside Westy sockets could cause this
to happen if there was a missing ground/earth connection from the
outside plug to the outside power source.
Green = ground/earth
White = neutral/return
Black = 120 volts hot (has circuit breaker)
Someone could easily be killed one day if you modify the wiring
improperly, or if you improperly connect to a 240 volt source. I urge
you to consult a local qualified electrician.
Mark
Dodgy Bugga wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> So no-one knows if it is possible or not to be able to simply change the plugs on my import 83 Westy vanagon over to UK three pin plugs so I can run 240 Volt equipment as opposed to 110Volts or if it would take a lot of re-wiring etc?
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
> Cheers
>
> Troy....
