Mobile Mains Power Unit
Back-Up EHU System
Ok, so this might seem like a bit of a strange item to be carrying around in our caravan, but bear with us, we are going to explain!
What is a Mobile Mains Power Unit?
A mobile mains power unit is an electrical hook-up (EHU) cable that can be plugged directly into a campsites electrical bollard, with plug sockets on the end so you can power your appliances straight from there. It is commonly used by tent campers, but it can be useful for caravanners too if you want power in your awning or you need to bypass your caravans 240v electrical system.
Why Carry a Mobile Mains Power Unit If You’re a Caravanner?
Many people who embark on caravan and motorhome holidays consider it essential to have an electric hook-up (EHU) on a campsite, but what would happen if your caravans 240v electrical system was to fail? Without it, components such as the fridge, lights, hot water/heating system, televisions etc would have to be powered using gas and/or a 12v leisure battery. These work well, but are limited by their respective capacities and will only last so long before needing to be charged/filled up, depleting much faster in the colder/darker months.
Whilst having a solar panel allows us to go off-grid and keep our 12v leisure battery topped up, it’s not always practical or preferable to use it. So in the (unlikely) event that our caravans 240v electrical system completely fails, we would be able to bypass it with our mobile mains power unit. By plugging it into the bollard and trailing the cable through the window, we’d have plug sockets with direct access to the electricity supply - Which is important for the above reasons, but essential if you need to run respiratory equipment overnight and have the ability to recharge depleted wheelchair batteries.
Why We Feel It’s an Important Bit of Kit
We know that it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever need to use it, but carrying an emergency back-up power cable which works completely independently from our caravans electrical system gives us the confidence of knowing that wherever we are, if the site power supply is working correctly then we should always be able to power essential equipment.
Thankfully, to date, we have only used it to check that it works, and it has spent the rest of its time stowed in the storage compartment underneath our caravan bed, but there’s a reassuring comfort that just having it there brings.
Where Can You Buy a Mobile Mains Power Unit?
They are available to buy from most camping/caravanning shops, or you can find them on Amazon. The cables vary in price, and come in different lengths, voltage and with/without USB sockets, so please do shop around to find the right one for you.
For one like ours, click the link below!
*Please note: There may be Amazon affiliate links within this article. It won’t cost you any extra, but should you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link then we’ll get a few pennies towards our next trip! All of our “Adventure Kit” write-ups express our honest opinions, but what works for us might not work for you, so please do shop around and make sure you’re getting the best item and value for money.