I've just bought a caravan and want to fit(or have fitted) an outside socket for charging the battery etc. Its one of those blue 16A socket efforts. What is required? Does it go on the ring main? Separate feed Is it an electrician job only because it is outside? Any idea of what it would cost. Thanks
As it's outside it needs rcd protection and has to be notified to Building Control. It really needs to be installed by a registered electrician who can test it and do the notification for you.
In theory, you should make sure it complies with section 708 of BS7671 which in the main would mean making sure if you have a PME earthing system, you adaopt a TT earthing system for the hookup. This is to prevent a shock risk due to a high resistance or open circuit supply neutral on the PME supply - Earthed metal work will rise in potential to true mother earth. A metal caravan could become live to mains voltage, just waiting for someone to open the door while stood on the ground. In practice? There are likely countless cables in use with a 13amp plug one end and a 16amp cee-form type inline trailing socket/connector the other. These being used to plug into a standard 13amp socket in the house or garage, or an outside socket spurred from the ring circuit.
He only wants to charge the battery Lec, not live in the caravan! As long as the external socket complies, eg rcd protected it'll be the same as any other outside socket, doesn't matter what he's using it for, he might want to plug his lawnmower into it.
If he plugs a caravan into it, be it to charge the battery, operate the lights, or boil the kettle, it could still result in the caravan chassis and skin becoming live if there was a neutral fault, weather he lived in it or not. I did also put a second paragraph "in practice"...