Temporary Building Supply (3 phase) - Caravan Connection

[thefoxesmaltings]

Westen Power are due to be installing the 3 phase temporary building supply later this month.

 

Firsty, will they install standard 3 pin plug sockets into the meter box, for the builders to plug any tools etc into? Or is this something I have to specify/a job for electrician.

 

Secondly, we will be connecting a tourer caravan up to the temporary building supply via 240V power supply via (what is I assume) a standard caravan coupler. Again, is this a job for an electrician to install the site socket onto the temp building supply, or, if there are already 3 pin plug sockets there, could we get away with using one of the below style adapters.

 

Apologies in advance for novice questions. First time self builder & first time soon-to-be caravan owner!

 

 

[Conor]

They won't install anything you need your electrician to get the rcbo, earth, meter tails etc. They'll have a spec document somewhere in your connection agreement.

 

For the caravan, 16a commando sockets are perfect. 

 

[ProDave]

Remember the caravan should be on a local TT earth, not any DNO provided PME earth.  Your electrician should know this.

[Mr Punter]

You need to be extra careful if you are using 400v on site.  Do you need this for a crane?  If not you may only want to have 1 phase connected up.

[Ajn]

Your DNO will not supply the meter. You will need to get one of the big six to provide it based on the MPAN number ( A Meter Point Administration Number, also known as an MPAN, electricity supply number or supply number is a 13-digit reference, used to uniquely identify every electricity supply point in the country.) We got the gas board to do ours as they were the quickest.  Meter supply is free but you have to contract to them for a year.

 

We just built a three phase board with one phase for the builder, one phase for the caravan and one phase for the laundry shed (two washers and two dryers) and a three phase supply for the brick saw. The caravan has its own CU as did the shed. The builder only had access to the sockets below the main board.

 

 

[thefoxesmaltings]

42 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

You need to be extra careful if you are using 400v on site.  Do you need this for a crane?  If not you may only want to have 1 phase connected up.

Three phase supply will be for the final house, and we'll swing this connection into the property when built. That's why we specified 3 phase for the temp building supply.

[thefoxesmaltings]

27 minutes ago, Ajn said:

Your DNO will not supply the meter. You will need to get one of the big six to provide it based on the MPAN number ( A Meter Point Administration Number, also known as an MPAN, electricity supply number or supply number is a 13-digit reference, used to uniquely identify every electricity supply point in the country.) We got the gas board to do ours as they were the quickest.  Meter supply is free but you have to contract to them for a year.

 

We just built a three phase board with one phase for the builder, one phase for the caravan and one phase for the laundry shed (two washers and two dryers) and a three phase supply for the brick saw. The caravan has its own CU as did the shed. The builder only had access to the sockets below the main board.

 

 

Ah, I didn't know you should split the phases up on the temp building supply. That sort of makes sense to have one for the builders, one for caravan etc.

We've got Octopus supplying the meter based on the MPAN number already, but just wondering who is going to supply the 3 pin sockets and/or the commando socket. - Seems like it's an electricians job based off the above comments.

 

I don't think the caravan has it's own CU as it's a touring caravan and will just plug in via 240V coupler?

[Mr Punter]

You spark does everything after the meter.  You will also need to fit an enclosure and often do the on site trench and ducting.

 

You won't be able to move the service head once it is in.  Only Western Power can touch it.

[Ajn]

1 hour ago, thefoxesmaltings said:

I don't think the caravan has it's own CU as it's a touring caravan and will just plug in via 240V coupler?

It should do. How else do they fuse ring and lighting etc The static caravan my son had had electric heating which was also fused. Our turing caravan had its own CU as thay all do unless its 50 years old.

Given your level of knowledge I would suggest you get a local spark involved. Remember some that have done nothing but house bashing may never have touched three phase.