Germany

[sandyatketton]

Hi,

We are finally off to Europe in September. We will be going on to Germany for the first time and I am trying to find out which type of electrical connections are in use here.

Are they the same as I use in the UK or do they use the two pin European type, as in France, as well?

Is there a reversed polarity issue?

Any tips or help would be appreciated.

TIA

Sandy

 

[rupert123]

sandyatketton - 2008-07-18 9:54 PM

 

Hi,

We are finally off to Europe in September. We will be going on to Germany for the first time and I am trying to find out which type of electrical connections are in use here.

Are they the same as I use in the UK or do they use the two pin European type, as in France, as well?

Is there a reversed polarity issue?

Any tips or help would be appreciated.

TIA

Sandy

 

Got back from Germany end of May, all sites we used had the three pin blue plug same as UK, do not know about polarity, never check. The only place i have come across a two pin plug this year was in Switzerland.

[Thai Bry]

sandyatketton - 2008-07-18 9:54 PM Hi, We are finally off to Europe in September. We will be going on to Germany for the first time and I am trying to find out which type of electrical connections are in use here. Are they the same as I use in the UK or do they use the two pin European type, as in France, as well? Is there a reversed polarity issue? Any tips or help would be appreciated. TIA Sandy

Morning Sany & welcome to this forum.

We tour Germany on a regular basis, in fact off very soon for about a month or so. I think this will be our 12 or 13th trip.

Apart from the "Umbilical" cord that we use here in the UK, I've also made up a couple of short connectors - each about 2 ft long. On one end there is the "Blue" connector on the other is the 2 pin connector. One has an orange cable the other has a white cable. This is the one that I've wired up for revese polarity.Mainly use these if we are staying on a German "Stellplatz".

You can also wild camp - but must move on after 3 days. We've had some lovely stays down on the banks of the Rhine & Mosel rivers.

There are some real electrical experts on here who will explain all about the issues of reverse polarity, but me being no expert at all just have these little cables for my own piece of mind.

You may also need a "Umwelt" disc to display on your windscreen, this is for the new emmission laws when entering certain cities. You can also obtain these at any "TUV" station - these are equivalent to our MOT garages.

http://www.umwelt-plakette.de/umweltplakette/Ausland/Englisch/2008%20Webinfo%20Englisch.pdf?SID=q0j3lb93ftbufcg576a3aq6914

This link should explain all to you.

Hope you have a great time, and if you require any further info, you only need to ask.

Enjoy your travels.

Thai

[sandyatketton]

Thanks for the tips Rupert and Thai.

 

I think I've got the electrics sorted now and an umvelt sticker is already on the windscreen. I bought this by mail a few weeks ago.

 

Thai,we will be following the Moselle and the Rhine valleys for a week or two in mid September so look out for an 04 Lunar Goldstar on your travels.

Thanks again

Sandy

[Thai Bry]

sandyatketton - 2008-07-19 10:23 AM Thanks for the tips Rupert and Thai. I think I've got the electrics sorted now and an umvelt sticker is already on the windscreen. I bought this by mail a few weeks ago. Thai,we will be following the Moselle and the Rhine valleys for a week or two in mid September so look out for an 04 Lunar Goldstar on your travels. Thanks again Sandy

Sandy

If you see us, then just call round.http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/images/emoticons/icon_lol.gif

Thai

[stantheman]

hi sandyatketton

 

Just returned from four, sunny weeks in Black Forest/Barvaria. Most hookups are three pin Euro type but still occasional two pin connections, Friedensbrucke near Heidelberg being one. Here we were too far from the nearest hookup for our cable to reach. Fortunately the owner managed to produce one. Now I know why the 'continentals' always seem to carry cables of enormous lengths.

 

On a different note but one which may be helpful. Unlike our experiences in France and the Netherlands, there was no problem at all with 'plastic'. All petrol stations and stores that we used, and those campsites that accepted credit/debit cards, processed the card without problem. Only a couple seemed to be set up for chip and pin, but the others simply required a signature on the slip as we used to do do here. (but then Germany is a bit more civilised than France!).

Don't know about he supermarkets as we always used cash. (hope you're a fan of Aldi and Lidl!).

Just to underline the point, returning through Belgium, a petrol station attendant tried to put my mastercard through his machine, backwards, forwards, sideways, upside down, but I still ended up having to pay in cash!!!!

 

Mike Fleming (Lunar Roadstar)

Hope you have a lovely holiday!

[sandyatketton]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the info. very useful.

Off to buy a second electrical cable tomorrow. And a two pin connector.

 

My wife knows all about Aldi....she shops in our local one most weeks!

Regards.....Sandy

[Homenaway]

Hi, we only found blue three pin sockets at the various stellplatz in Germany this year but needed the two pin to three pin convertor cable for sites in Czech republic and Hungary.

 

Also as stated the Lidl and Aldi supermarkets didn't accept our Nationwide Visa debit card. However we found the REWE chain of shops did - and they had good range of fresh food.

 

Also I think the prices in the MMM August article are out of date. We found that most of the stellplatz along the Mosel were charging at least 6 EUR a night plus typically 2 EUR for electric hookup when we were there earlier this month.

 

With so many overnight stopping places available along the Rhine and Mosel at a reasonable price I wouldn't consider "wild" camping in that area - The "No Wohnmobil" signs are beginning to appear on the ordinary car parks. :-(

 

Steve