Electric hookup connector for camping?

peter000

What do I need if I'm going to a campsite that has an 'electrical hookup'? I phoned up Millets and they quoted me something that was £50, surely it's a lot cheaper if I only need something to connect to a hookup?

I'll be camping in a tent and will just want to charge some AA batteries via a normal charger with standard UK 3-pronged plug.

I also need something that's available from the high-street as I don't have time to order online.

Thanks for your help.

FairyElephant_2

If that is all you want the electric for, then I wouldn't bother to pay extra for a hookup - as long as you are going in a car you can get a car charger very cheaply which plugs into a cigarette lighter socket, and charge them from your car battery!

peter000

It's only £2 for the hookup and I'll only need it for one night. I don't want to start draining the battery of my 20 year-old car as I'll have about 5 sets of batteries to charge.

chergar

This will be the thing Millets are talking about:
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/powerpart-mobile-mains-kit/COREHUBCPO125

I have had a quick search and can't find any cheaper, this one has a circuit breaker on and seems safe.

I suppose someone who is handy could make one up themselves but it wouldn't be as safe and there would be the risk of fire, electric shock and tripping the campsite supply.

peter000

Ah, so it is something a lot bigger and more expensive than I was thinking then. I just imagined something small like a plug converter you'd use abroad would do the job.

I may try to find a cheap car charger but make sure I don't overuse it.

fifipat

What you need is a UK conversion lead. These can be purchased much cheaper from electrical stores. Put in 'UK conversion lead' and it will give you suppliers for you then to choose from. Prices start under £5. It is not the same as a travel adaptor that you use abroad.

Sneaker

hi,

if I hav a normal caravan lead, could I use that with this, then plug it into a normal extension lead and plug appliance into that to use in the tent?

http://www.waudbys.co.uk/products/details/9.html

Thanks

jamesb1239

Hi, all that you need to do this is a couple of metres of normal insulated wire with 3 cores (one earth)

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&amp;fh_secondid=9290542&amp;fh_reftheme=promo_161448391,seeall,//catal!!!1/en_GB/categories<{9372015}/categories<{9372042}/categories<{9372187}/specificationsProductType=cables___extension_reels&amp;fh_view_size=10&amp;fh_sort_order=1&amp;fh_sort_by=_price_rrp_min&amp;fh_location=//catal!!!1/en_GB/categories<{9372015}/categories<{9372042}/categories<{9372187}/specificationsProductType=cables___extension_reels/specificationsSpecificProductType=flex_cables&amp;fh_eds=ß&amp;fh_refview=lister&amp;ts=1242829089794&amp;isSearch=false

then you need to just take the wire out of an existing extension lead and connect in the new wire then connect this to the other end

240 volt blue plug

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&amp;fh_secondid=9288876&amp;fh_view_size=10&amp;fh_eds=?&amp;fh_location=//catal!!!1/en_GB/categories<{9372015}/categories<{9372042}&amp;fh_search=plug&amp;fh_refview=search&amp;ts=1242828907243&amp;isSearch=false

all parts available at b&q or other diy stores

sickparrot

Some campsites insist you have a proper hookup with circuit brakers on. Don't forget this thing will probably be dragged around through wet grass so for your own safety I would buy the real thing (in fact I did). £50 seems like a reasonable price especially if it's weatherproof.

bunking_off

Not high street (well unless you're in Preston), but Riversway have single units for £28. Given there's an RCD in there, it's not bad value for money.

Sneaker, the converter you linked is the wrong way around...it's to allow a caravan lead to be plugged into a standard mains outlet (e.g. charging batteries on your drive) rather than to provide a standard mains socket from a caravan lead.

Personally, I wouldn't dream of plugging anything into 240V in a potentially wet tent without an RCD in line. Campsites should have one on the hookup bollard, but would you risk it?

carlsberggal

We go camping regularly and bought an electric hook up last year on an e-bay shop, it cost around £20 and it has 4 sockets. Wouldn't go away without it now