More Mains Sockets- One inside/One outside
We use a small oil filled radiator for heating when on electric hookup, it's effective and quiet. It sits in front of the original gas fire, but to plug it into the mains, the lead trails in front of the fridge and over the worktop. Putting a new mains socket near to the gas fire would stop the trailing wire.
While I was doing this, adding a socket to the underside of the caravan for use in the awning seemed like a good idea.
Warning: Get your dealer/ electrician to do this if you are not happy working with mains electricity.
|
This is where the new 240v socket will go.
|
Position of the outside socket is near the bottom skirt, approximately 400mm in front of the wheel.
|
In the front nearside locker. The mains cable, marked, goes to the tv shelf. To supply the sockets I will tap into this with a juction box.
|
|
Behind the locker, a new mains cable will go through here for the socket next to the fire.
|
Drilling a pilot hole through the floor, to see where it will end up...
|
...on the underside of the caravan, near to the side skirt, looks good.
|
|
After drilling a larger hole for the cable in the floor, the outside socket was wired up after the ends of the cables were tinned.
|
Then drilling a hole in the bottom of the box, for the cable, strip sealant was applied to provide a seal.
|
A pencil was used to locate the box on the underside of the caravan then secured with screws.
|
|
The cable on the pre-wired socket is pushed up through the hole to the locker compartment. Note the tie wraps on the cable.
|
The socket secured to the box with the screws provided. The hinged part faces to the front of the caravan.
|
Now for the inside, the socket has a backplate which will keep everything neat and safe in the cupboard.
|
|
First job is to mark where the backplate will go, then drill holes in the corners. Used a straight edge and a Stanley knife to score through the ply.
|
After the hole is cut, the backplate is screwed in place with some tiny screws. Notice I drilled a hole in the bottom of the backbox for the cable and grommet.
|
After putting the outside trim on the backbox. Again wired the socket (tinned the ends of the wires) and pushed the cable through the grommet in the case.
|
|
Tight fit, but it looks like it has always been there.
|
The cable from the socket is cleated to the floor, heading for the front locker.
|
The mains electricity is switched off and in the locker, the feed cable was bared of outer insulation, easier said than done!
|
|
This allowed me to bare and tin the cables without cutting the wires to fit the new junction box.
|
The two cables from the new sockets were prepared and screwed into the junction box and screwed to the wall. Wires clipped to the floor.
|
Mains power switched back on and the new outside and inside sockets checked with a mains tester.
|
|
Inside the locker, new cable ties to keep everything tidy.
|
Mains cable on the radiator was shortened and tested.
|
Outside socket.
|
The positioning of the sockets was dictated by where they would physically go. Fortunately there was space next to the gas fire and the outside socket to the rearmost of the nearside locker, this kept the wiring short.
Costings: Single mains socket and back box £10.25 - Widnes Caravans, 2 metres 16 amp 1.5mm flexible cable 55 pence per metre - Wilkinsons. Junction Box 30 amp (could use 20amp) I had already. Outside socket £1 from B&Q.
Page Created 20th January 2009 | 
