CAMPSITE EHU explained: How many appliances can you use while you’re camping?
How does electricity work on a campsite, and how many appliances can I use at the same time?
It’s a tricky subject, and to avoid nasty surprises (like tripping the whole site’s power supply!), you need to understand the difference between your home electricity and the Electric Hook-Up (EHU) on your pitch.
As someone who lives and works on a campsite, I’ve learned these limitations the hard way. Stay tuned for the practical advice and a funny story about a massive power cut caused by our guests last summer!
The Two Critical Differences Between Home Power and EHU
When you plug into an Electric Hook-Up (EHU) on a campsite, you must remember two crucial differences from your home supply: the plug and the power limit.
1. The Right Plug is Essential
If you turn up to a campsite with only your standard domestic UK plug lead, you’re in for a nasty surprise.
- The EHU Socket: Campsites use a specific industrial-type plug and socket. Your standard domestic lead will be of no use.
- Be Prepared: Always ensure you have the correct campsite power lead which you plug into a caravan (usually orange or blue). If you are camping in a tent, buy a cable with a 4 way gang. Being unprepared means scrambling to rent or buy an expensive lead from the site shop.
2. The Power Limit is Your Biggest Constraint
This is the most critical difference. While the voltage is the same as home (220V to 240V), the amperage (Amps) is drastically lower.
Your domestic home supply runs on 80 to 100 Amps. A campsite EHU only gives you between 10 to 16 Amps!
This means you only get about one-tenth of the power you can comfortably use at home. Most older sites offer 10 Amps; newer, more generous sites (like ours) offer 16 Amps.
Calculating Your Power Allowance (The Watts Rule)
To know exactly how much power you can use, you need to calculate the maximum wattage:
Volts x Amps = Watts
At a generous 16-Amp site, your maximum is around 3,680 Watts. However, most caravans have an internal circuit breaker. Ours, for example, is set at 13 Amps.
Our Caravan Max Wattage: 230V x 13A = 2,990 Watts
The takeaway? You can use less than 3 kilowatts (3,000 Watts) at any given time.
The Biggest Power Offenders (Tea and Toast Warning!)
When you exceed your wattage limit, the fuse will trip. While you can usually flip the switch back on outside your pitch, constantly doing this wears out your caravan’s electrical installation.
The biggest culprit for tripping the power? Your standard domestic kitchen appliances!
- Standard Kettle: A domestic kettle uses 2,000 Watts or more. Running this takes up over two-thirds of your entire allowance!
- Standard Toaster: These typically use 1,000 to 2,000 Watts.
- The Problem: Running a standard kettle and a standard toaster at the same time will trip your electrics for sure. You simply don’t have enough power.
The Solution? Buy Low-Wattage Camping Appliances!
A proper camping kettle uses only 700 Watts. It takes longer to boil, but it allows you to run other items safely.
The Trick: You can have many appliances—the key is to use them one at a time, or invest in low-wattage camping versions.
The Power Cut Story: When England Scored!
I promised you a funny story about a massive power cut we had here last summer.
It was during the football championships, and the site was absolutely full.
The minute England scored a goal, what happened?
Everyone got up and put the kettle on!
Imagine hundreds of people across the site, all simultaneously drawing a huge amount of power with their high-wattage domestic kettles. The result? The entire site’s main power supply tripped, and the lights went out! They missed the replays and the immediate celebration.
It’s the perfect illustration of why being mindful of your wattage is the first rule of Electric Hook-Up camping!
I hope this video answered your questions about EHU on a campsite! Remember to take the right lead and the right kettle with you. Enjoy your camping trips, and use that power wisely!
If you have any further questions about this lifestyle, please ask in the comments!
