Cliffy Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 We are off to Germany for 4 weeks and I have had a thought that some campsites may not have the modern blue sockets as do some in France. If this is the case will I need a different adapter lead than the one I use France? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Cliffy - 2013-07-22 9:56 PM We are off to Germany for 4 weeks and I have had a thought that some campsites may not have the modern blue sockets as do some in France. If this is the case will I need a different adapter lead than the one I use France? Technically, French and German sockets are different. The live and neutral pins are similarly placed, but the earthing arrangements are different. However, MOST continental adapters are designed to cope with both earthing arrangements, by use of a CEE 7/7 plug, which fits both types of socket. (French sockets have a male pin earth that fits a hole in the adapter plug, German ones have clips at the edge of the socket, which engage with strips on the edge of the plug. The CEE 7/7 plug has both). I think it is very, very unlikely that your adapter will not be a compatible type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 The CEE 7/7 plug robinhood mentions is commonly known as a "Schuko" plug and all UK supplied adapters use them. Yes you do get both types of outlet in Germany more lightly to come across Schuko outlets in the old East Germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 lennyhb - 2013-07-22 10:58 PM The CEE 7/7 plug robinhood mentions is commonly known as a "Schuko" plug and all UK supplied adapters use them. Yes you do get both types of outlet in Germany more lightly to come across Schuko outlets in the old East Germany. ....again technically, the Schuko "tag" is derived from the German language, and originally applied to the German CEE 7/4 system with side earthing. Following the design and manufacture of a hybrid CEE 7/7 plug which also fits the French CEE 7/5 system, and the fact that the German terminology is still appropriate for that system, the description "Schuko" has also passed into common use for this hybrid type of plug. Therefore a "Schuko" plug could actually be a German CEE 7/5 plug, or a CEE 7/7 hybrid plug, though it shouldn't be used to describe a French plug. Nowadays, for interchange of equipment in the European countries that use one of the above systems, the hybrid type has become an effective standard, hence the need not to worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted July 23, 2013 Author Share Posted July 23, 2013 Thanks for the advice . The van is in storage at present but I will check what I have next week. I can soon make another adapter up with the universal plug if needs be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Robinhood - 2013-07-23 9:59 AM lennyhb - 2013-07-22 10:58 PM The CEE 7/7 plug robinhood mentions is commonly known as a "Schuko" plug and all UK supplied adapters use them. Yes you do get both types of outlet in Germany more lightly to come across Schuko outlets in the old East Germany. ....again technically, the Schuko "tag" is derived from the German language, and originally applied to the German CEE 7/4 system with side earthing. Following the design and manufacture of a hybrid CEE 7/7 plug which also fits the French CEE 7/5 system, and the fact that the German terminology is still appropriate for that system, the description "Schuko" has also passed into common use for this hybrid type of plug. Therefore a "Schuko" plug could actually be a German CEE 7/5 plug, or a CEE 7/7 hybrid plug, though it shouldn't be used to describe a French plug. Nowadays, for interchange of equipment in the European countries that use one of the above systems, the hybrid type has become an effective standard, hence the need not to worry. Agreed - I hear the usual plug design that we have in Spain referred to as a "Schuko" plug quite often here too....circular in profile, with the two pins sticking out, and the 2 earth contacts running up along each side of the plug head. Whilst the majority do not, there are quite a few of them on sale here which also have a little hole in their face, so they can also fit into the plug sockets used in France with the sticking out earth pin...so I guess this "sub-type" of Schuko plug is distributed across at least Spain, Portugal and France, and maybe lots of other mainland European countries too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonflyer Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 A problem that we have encountered in Germany is as follows: On arrival you are escorted to a pitch and your hook-up cable is linked to the electric supply in a locked box. No harm here ?? If you leave the site you leave the cable behind (still live ?) suitably draped for safety. When leaving the site finally you have to make sure that staff are on duty and will release you and charge for the current used. We wasted 3 hours one day waiting to be released. Just something to be aware about. Joyce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 dragonflyer - 2013-07-24 5:09 PM A problem that we have encountered in Germany is as follows: On arrival you are escorted to a pitch and your hook-up cable is linked to the electric supply in a locked box. No harm here ?? If you leave the site you leave the cable behind (still live ?) suitably draped for safety. When leaving the site finally you have to make sure that staff are on duty and will release you and charge for the current used. We wasted 3 hours one day waiting to be released. Just something to be aware about. Joyce Joyce That sounds a bit of a nuisance. How common is it at German camp sites to use this system? Do they give an idea of the cost of the electricity prior to pitching up? It sounds like an easy case for a dispute about cost if you don;t know from the start how much they are going to charge per Kilo Wat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted July 26, 2013 Share Posted July 26, 2013 Cliffy - 2013-07-25 9:45 PM Joyce That sounds a bit of a nuisance. How common is it at German camp sites to use this system? Do they give an idea of the cost of the electricity prior to pitching up? It sounds like an easy case for a dispute about cost if you don;t know from the start how much they are going to charge per Kilo Wat ....it's not uncommon for German and Austrian sites to charge on the meter for electricity (via a one-off connection charge and then per kWH), though it is more prevalent in the Winter season (for obvious reasons). The pricing is always readily available. I've never had to wait an inordinate amount of time for the cable to be unhooked, and the meter read, (certainly no more than 15 minutes) though if you decide you are going to book out during the customary lunchtime break, then your chances of finding someone to do the deed are pretty slim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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