UK Campervan 230V Install Advice

[Macca10]

Hi,

I am doing a self build campervan conversion and currently in the process of doing the electrics.

I'm confident with the 12v circuit design but after some advice on the 230V.

I have 200aH AGM batteries at 12V then a 600W inverter. Plan is to fuse the 12v positive lead input to the inverter, then fit a consumer unit on the output with RCD and double pole MCB which will then run to a couple of 230V 13A sockets in the van. All wiring to sockets is 2.5mm arctic blue flex. Plan to connect the earth to the van chassis.

I also want to install a separate battery charger connected via an external shore power socket. Then i can use a shore socket to 3 pin adapter to plug in at home to charge the batteries. And likewise have the option when on a campsite to plug shore cable in to charge the batteries.

My question is do I need a consumer unit on the input to the battery charger as in theory if I'm plugged in at home or on campsite then there will be RCD protection from either my house circuit or the campsite supply post? Or would it be good practice to have a 2nd consumer unit on the input to the battery charger? I've read stories about issues on European campsite supplies without RCD . . .

Then if a 2nd RCD and MCB is recommended is it easy to have this in a single consumer unit? I've seen there are readily available consumer units off the shelf RCD and MCB but get slightly lost when I'm thinking about them as 2 separate circuits.

Goes without saying any 230V work I complete I am going to get checked by a qualified electrician.

All help and advice is appreciated ?.

Thanks

 

[buzzlightyear]

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/1022895/mains-electrical-installations-mo.pdf

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Surely it would be worth the small extra effort and cost to fit a transfer switch to allow the shoreline power to feed through to the internal sockets when available, rather than treat it as two separate 230V installations? That still tends to require two RCDs though. Don't forget to check whether the neutral of the inverter is earthed; with smaller inverters it is often floating which will nullify any benefit from a downstream RCD.