The Ultimate Guide To Campervan Wiring Regulations 2024

This guide won’t bombard you with every single regulation (trust us, there’s a lot!), but it will break down the key campervan-specific electrical rules you need to know in 2024.

Think of it as your roadmap to a safe and secure electrical system. 

When it comes to campervan electrics, you need accurate and trustworthy information. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of outdated, misleading, and untrustworthy information out there.

Authored by Jolly, a qualified engineer with years of experience, so you can trust it’s accurate and reliable. 

This guide translates complex campervan wiring regulations into easy-to-understand information designed for everyday folks.  Jolly is fluent both in laymen’s terms and electrical gobbledygook.

Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge to keep yourself and your loved ones safe while embracing the freedom of the open road.

Let’s get to it!

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, if you make a purchase after clicking one, we may earn some commission. This pocket money will help Vandercamp Adventures continue to grow at no extra cost to you. It’s a win win situation!! Learn More…

Definitions

‘Campervan’ – The regulations refer to ‘caravans and motor caravans’. However, this article uses the term campervan as a collective term for campervans, motorhomes and motor caravans.

‘ 230 volts’—The UK nominal voltage is 230v, formerly 240v, but it was changed in January 2003 when the UK was harmonized to match mainland European standards. You may find that AC power in the UK isn’t 230v; its usual tolerance is +/-3% (223-237v). However, some parts of the UK still have 250v.

‘Electrical Regulations’ – Refers to the BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 Wiring Regulations and BS EN 1648-2:2018.

Regulations & Standards

BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 – 18^th Edition Wiring Regulations

The 18th Edition wiring regulations covers DC voltage (not exceeding 48v) and AC voltage (230v single-phase, 400v 3-phase).

‘BS 7671 is the important national standard provides authoritative requirements to help ensure electrical installations are safe and comply with UK law.

https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/requirements-for-electrical-installations-iet-wiring-regulations-3?version=standard

NOTE: Installations designed after 28^th March 2022 are to comply with BS 7671:2018+A2:2022. Earlier installations may not comply with this edition of the regulations but this doesn’t mean they are unsafe or not fit for purpose.  

BS EN 1648-2:2018 – Leisure Accommodation Vehicles

The BS EN 1648-2:2018 BSI Standards covers 12 volt and extra low voltage (ELV) for motor caravans. Users are responsible for its correct application.

‘The European standard specifies Safety, health and functional requirements 12v direct current and extra low voltage electrical installations for habitational aspects of motor caravans’

‘BS EN 1648 is a series of European standards on leisure accommodation vehicles that discusses  the best procedures and specifications required for manufacturing high-quality 12 V direct current extra-low voltage electrical installations for motor caravans.

https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/leisure-accommodation-vehicles-12-v-direct-current-extra-low-voltage-electrical-installations-motor-caravans?version=tracked

FAQ’s

Firstly, because campervan wiring regulations and requirements are such a grey area, we thought we’d start by answering the 8 most commonly asked questions:

Who do the electrical regulations apply to?

It’s often believed that the electrical wiring regulations only apply to qualified electricians. However, the regulations apply to anyone who installs electrics. The regulations state that the person performing the installation must be skilled or instructed and use proper materials.

The regulations are in place to ensure the safety and proper functioning of the electrical installation. 

Does my campervan need to comply with the regulations?

Yes! It is a common myth that regulations only apply to rented campervans. This is incorrect, as the regulations apply to any use of campervans. It is essential to comply with these regulations for your safety and that of others around you. 

The Electrical Wiring Regulations are not a statutory document and are therefore only advisory. However, if your electrical installation complies with these regulations, it will also comply with Section 17 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Not complying with the BS 7671 regulations could lead to prosecution. Therefore, it is advisable to follow these regulations to ensure the safety of your electrical installation and give you peace of mind.

Complying with these regulations and associated requirements will ensure you comply with the 1989 Electricity at Work Regulations.

Additionally, checking your insurer’s fine print is advisable, as failure to obtain a certificate may void your campervans insurance policy. 

What is covered by the electrical regulations?

Both DC and AC wiring,

– 12 volt DC and extra low voltage (ELV), not exceeding 48 volts and, 

– AC 230 volts single-phase and 400 volts 3-phase electrical systems. 

This includes cables, wiring, fuseboards, circuit breakers, RCDs, fuses, earthing, sockets, switches, lights, accessories, solar PV, and hook-up.

Therefore, if you have 12, 24 or 48v DC and mains 230v power in your campervan. You must adhere to the electrical wiring regulations.

What is not covered by the electrical regulations?

1) The vehicle electrics for automotive purposes (lights, radio, starter battery, engine electrics, etc.)

2) Appliances and equipment (e.g. 230v and 12v plug-in appliances, inverters, charge controllers etc.)

However, it is mandatory to adhere to manufacturer instructions for appliances and electrical equipment.

Can anyone install campervan electrics? 

It is not mandatory to be a qualified electrician to install campervan electrics because the regulations aren’t statutory. However, the person installing campervan electrics must be competent, meaning they should possess the necessary knowledge, ability or skill to complete the installation. 

Moreover, they must understand and comply with the relevant regulations and manufacturers’ requirements. 

What regulations apply to campervans?

The BS7671 18th edition wiring regulations have a section (721) dedicated to electrical installations in caravans and motor caravans, which includes campervans. However, campervan wiring regulations are not restricted to section 721; the entire 18th edition wiring regulations apply to campervan wiring.

Another British Standard is the BS EN 1648-2: 2018. This regulation covers 12v direct current and extra low voltage (ELV) electrical installations for leisure accommodation vehicles, including motor caravans.

You can find all the relevant information regarding the campervan wiring regulations in this article.

What should be bonded and earthed in a campervan?

If an AC hook-up wiring system is installed, the AC wiring system MUST be bonded to the chassis. The chassis bond must be connected to the main earthing terminal (MET), incorporating the hook-up cable earth and any other bonding cables or circuit earths associated with the 230v AC power. 

All extraneous and exposed conductive parts should also be bonded to the MET to create an earthed system. 

Extraneous conductive parts are not part of the electrical installation but may become live in the event of a fault, such as a gas pipe, sink, and hob. 

Exposed conductive parts are parts of electrical equipment that can be touched and aren’t live but may become live in the event of a fault, such as an inverter casing, metal fuseboard, and metal socket.

Basically, bond any metalwork that could possibly become live. This will ensure there is a fault path for the RCD to function and protect the user. 

Jump to: The Earthing And Bonding Regulations

Do I need an electrical test certificate?

Although there is no legal obligation to obtain a certificate, the regulations state that you must carry out an Electrical Installation Condition Reports (or EICR) * of the existing electrical installation once every three years.

However, an annual inspection is recommended if your campervan is frequently used. If you do not have a certificate and an electrical accident occurs, it could cause legal trouble.

However, due to insurance requirements, you may need to obtain an electrical test certificate if you plan to rent out your campervan. 

*The EICR has replaced the more commonly know Periodic Inspection Report.

Certification

To issue a certificate, a qualified electrician who is part of a governing body (NICEIC, Napit, etc.) is the only person qualified for the job. An electrician must test and inspect the electrical installation and issue a periodic inspection report if it complies with regulations and is safe. 

According to regulations, you must certificate the installation “no less than once every 3 years or annually if frequently used.” I consider ‘frequently used’ to be semi or full-time living. 

Additionally, the regulations state that a certificate should be issued for domestic premises if the property is changed hands (sold) or rented out. The buyer may request an electrical test certificate.

Campervan Wiring Regulations

Campervan electrical regulations are available for everyone to access, but unfortunately, they come with a hefty price tag.

As a result, it becomes difficult for people who install campervan electrics by themselves to comply with these regulations because they don’t know what they are

Therefore, to ensure that you stay safe and compliant, we have detailed the campervan wiring regulations and standards below. Furthermore, we have extracted the relevant information for campervans and presented it in 14 easy-to-understand sections.

1. Accessibility

1.1 – Electrical equipment and components must be accessible for operation, inspection, testing, fault detection, maintenance and repair. 

The only thing that can be hidden and inaccessible (e.g., behind walls) is the cable, as long as there is no join. 

2. The Main Switch

2.1 – The “main switch” is a term used for the RCD, which is the first point of the installation. The main switch needs to disconnect all the live conductors (N+E) of the installation. 

3. Cables And Wiring (230v AC)

3.1 – The minimum AC cable size should be 1.5mm in diameter.

3.2 – Sheathed flexible cable should be used for 230V AC circuits. The most common cable used is 3-core flex. Alternatively, you can use flexible class 2 and 5 cables, but they MUST be installed within a conduit.

3.3 – Solid core cables, used in household wiring, must not be used in a campervan. Vibrations caused while driving may cause the cable to work loose over time, and the cores may become damaged or snap due to movement and vibration.

3.4 – All cables must be protected when passing through metalwork using rubber grommets, bushes, conduit, etc., and fixed to prevent damage through vibration.

Additionally, cables installed near sharp edges, hot surfaces, and areas liable to damage should be installed within a conduit or trunking for protection.

3.5 – Cables must be secure and not subject to mechanical stress. If using clips or ties, the space between them must not exceed 0.4m vertically and 0.25m horizontally. 

TIP: To ensure that cables are secure, won’t get caught, will remain in position, and are supported, use your judgment and fix them accordingly.

3.6 – AC and DC wiring must be separate from each other as ‘reasonably practicable’ so they do not touch or run in parallel. DC cables touching or running in parallel with AC cables could introduce a DC voltage onto the AC power.

TIP: Do not over-tighten or “compress” cables with clips or cable ties, as this may cause a compression fault that may not show up immediately but could cause the cable to overheat and/or fail. 

4. Cables And Wiring (DC)

4.1 – An appropriately sized fuse or circuit breaker must protect each positive “+” supply cable. Fuses and circuit breakers protect the cable from short circuits and overloads, preventing it from burning out.

4.2 – A circuit’s negative “-” (return) cable can be connected to the chassis instead of routing the cable back to the negative battery connection or busbar.

4.4 – All exterior electrical connections must be enclosed in a casing rated at least IP44.

4.5 – Fuses and circuit breakers must not be installed in a sealed battery compartment where a ‘wet’ lead-acid or AGM battery is situated in case of malfunction.

4.6 – When designing and choosing a DC cable, it must comply with voltage drop limits of no more than,

• 0.8 volts for DC cable circuits supplying equipment.
• 0.3 volts at the leisure battery from a battery charger.

5. Fuseboards

5.1 – A main isolator is necessary to disconnect all live conductors of the installation. A double-pole RCD or main switch can be used.

5.2 – The main switch can be an RCBO (RCD and circuit breaker combined) for a system with only one circuit.

5.3 – For domestic (household) premises, the consumer units must be made from non-combustible material (e.g., steel) or enclosed in a cabinet or enclosure made of non-combustible material. The regulations do not state whether a campervan should fall under a ‘domestic premises’. However, like a domestic premises, it is a home that you sleep in. In any case, it’s up to the installer to decide as long as the above requirements are met.

5.4 – Fuseboards should have specific holes for cable entry, which must comply with the ingress protection requirements (IP rating). There must be no holes in the fuseboard that could allow a finger to accidentally touch hazardous/live parts – IPXXB/IP2X.

5.5 – If the fuseboard is mounted on a wall, its top surface must be protected against objects larger than 1mm in diameter and 5mm in length—IP4X.

6. Circuit Breakers

6.1 – All circuit breakers must be double-pole, so they will disconnect both live conductors (Live & Neutral). They protect against reverse polarity (L&N the wrong way around, typically found at campsite hook-ups) and ensure the safe disconnection of supply for centre-tapped inverter circuits. 

6.2 – The circuit breaker curve type should be either type B or C, depending on the appliances used from that circuit. Type B is standard for domestic installations, so use type B unless a surge or inrush current is expected from the appliance (e.g., electric motors, induction hobs, LED drivers), in which case use a Type C. 

7. RCD’s

7.1 – Installing an RCD to protect ALL circuits in a campervan is necessary. An RCD must be used for “additional protection” in case of basic protection failure, fault protection provision, and user carelessness. 

7.2 – An RCBO (RCD and MCB combined) can be used instead of an RCD if there is only one 230v power circuit. 

7.5 – Type A RCD’s must be used. The RCD type symbol is shown on the front of the RCD. Type AC RCDs are the most common but can only be used where the load contains no DC components. A type AC RCD may not trip out in the event of a fault when powering DC components.

NOTE: Type AC RCDs are becoming obsolete and are being replaced with type A RCDs. Check campervan fuseboard installation kits and stores selling campervan components because most still supply type AC RCDs. 

7.6 – The RCD must be the first connection inside the campervan for the hook-up cable, and there must be no joins in this cable. 

7.7 – An RCD may also be required for the inverter AC output power (if installed).

8. Earthing And Bonding

What do we mean when we refer to earthing and bonding?

8.3 – It’s also important to note that the AC and DC chassis bonds must have a separate chassis bond connection. They should have two separate chassis bonding points. This is to prevent any potential electrical hazards.

 9. Sockets, Switches, Lights And Accessories

Please ensure to consider the following guidelines while installing electrical accessories in your campervan:

9.2 – Lights must be securely fastened to the van’s structure. Hanging pendants should also be appropriately attached while driving to avoid any damage.

9.3 – Unswitched sockets are preferred in a campervan, as unplugging the appliance isolates it completely. Switched domestic sockets can also be used but must be double-pole (DP) to prevent damage to the appliance due to reverse polarity. The more common single pole (SP) sockets only isolate the live (brown) wire, while voltage can still flow through the neutral (blue) wire if switched off. Additionally, double-pole sockets must be used for centre-tapped inverter circuits.

9.4 – Sockets with an extra low voltage rating (<50 volt) must be of a different type than mains (230 volt) sockets. For example, 12 volt USB socket points.

10. Solar PV Isolator

10.3 – The solar panel isolator must be selected to ensure it is suitable for the solar array:

1. The operating voltage must be greater than or equal to the solar array’s total Voc (Open-circuit voltage).
2. The rated current should equal or exceed the solar array’s Isc (Short-circuit current).

Both the Uoc and Isc are stated on the solar panel specification.

Further Reading | Calculate The Uoc and Isc For A Solar Panel Array

11. Leisure Batteries 

A leisure battery is also known as a secondary or auxiliary battery. It powers the living area of the campervan.

11.1 – The DC voltage in a campervan should not exceed 48V.

11.3 – The “+” and “-” battery terminations must be protected by insulated covers unless the battery has an insulating cover (Vandertramp battery).

*The battery images above are for illustration purposes only. The starter battery is not covered by the regulations detailed in this post.

11.4 – The battery must be protected from mechanical damage and secured to prevent movement while in motion.

11.5 – Mains-powered battery chargers should have overcharging protection built-in. 

11.6 – A battery label stating ‘Isolate all loads before connecting/disconnecting the battery’ should be placed on or near the battery. Connecting or disconnecting with loads turned on could cause arcing and may damage the battery terminals.

11.7 – Lead-acid batteries (both ‘wet’ and AGM) use a wet electrolyte that may leak and/or produce hazardous gas in specific scenarios. Therefore, lead-acid batteries have some requirements to consider.

• Lead-acid batteries must be mounted on an ‘electrolyte resistant tray‘ to prevent leaks.
• If the battery can be accessed from within the living area, the access door must be air-tight sealed.
• The battery compartment should be vented to the outside, and the vent holes at high and low levels should be at least 80mm² each.
• Faulty or incorrectly charged lead-acid batteries could emit hazardous gases or leak acid. Therefore, the battery charger should be limited to 10% of the battery’s capacity (e.g., a maximum of 10A charge current for a 100Ah battery)
• No overcurrent protective devices (fuse/circuit breaker) should be installed within the sealed battery compartment.

12. Labels And Instructions

12.1 – A safety label must be placed near or on the consumer unit to provide safety information and instructions for the user. The label should explain how to connect to the mains hook-up power and the procedures for periodic inspections, which may be necessary for sale or rental purposes.

NOTE: The bonding connections are for safety and must not be removed. If removed for any reason, for example, by a mechanic, for welding, or respray, etc, the bonding connections must be replaced before use.

13. Gas Compartment

13.1 – No electrical wiring or equipment can pass through* (see below) or be installed within a gas compartment or LPG tank casing. The only exception is wiring intended for the operation of the gas cylinder/tank or the reader gauge, as long as it operates at Extra-Low Voltage (ELV) of <50 volts AC or <120 volts DC.

13.2 – *Cables can be routed through a gas compartment as long as they have no electrical connections within the gas compartment and be installed within conduit or tubing with no joins. The conduit or tubing entry and exit holes in the compartment must be sealed.

14. Hook-Up

14.1 – Any AC electrical hook-up point on the campervan must be a blue 3-pin ‘commando’ type socket, complying with BS EN 60309. Using a domestic household 3-pin plug is not allowed.

14.2 – The requirements for the hook-up inlet on the campervan are as follows:

• The inlet must not be more than 1.8m above ground level.
• The inlet must be easily and readily accessible.
• It must be at least IP44, with or without the hook-up cable connected.
• The inlet must not protrude significantly.

14.3 – The Hook Up cable requirements are as follows:

14.4 – The hook-up cable must go straight from the hook-up inlet to the fuse board RCD within the campervan, with no joints.

14.5 – Keeping the hook-up cable within the van as short as possible and protected from damage is advised, as this part of the cable relies on the ‘unknown’ RCD at the ‘campsite’ hook-up.

Recap

Congratulations! You now have a good understanding of the key campervan wiring regulations that you should be aware of to ensure a safe and secure electrical system in your home on wheels. It’s important to keep in mind that these regulations exist to protect you and your loved ones from electrical hazards.

While this guide provides you with basic knowledge, it’s important to note that it does not replace the advice of a qualified electrician. If you’re unsure about any aspect of your campervan’s electrics, it is always recommended to consult with a professional.

We hope this guide has given you the confidence to hit the road and enjoy your adventures, knowing that your campervan’s electrical system is up to code and safe for use.

Have a safe and happy journey!