Campsite Electricity: A Complete Guide to Hookups and Power

Electrical hookups are one of the most sought-after features at European campsites. Whether you need power for your caravan's fridge, your motorhome's heating, or simply want to charge your phone, understanding how campsite electricity works saves frustration and prevents blown fuses.

How Campsite Electricity Works

Most European campsites provide electricity through standardised blue CEE connectors, also known as Commando connectors. These are weatherproof industrial plugs that are much safer than domestic plugs for outdoor use. Your pitch will have a bollard or post with a blue socket, typically protected by a weatherproof flap.

You need a campsite hookup cable to connect your vehicle or tent to the bollard. This is an orange cable, usually ten to twenty-five metres long, with a blue CEE plug on one end and a blue CEE socket on the other. If you are connecting to a domestic appliance, you will also need an adapter to convert from the CEE socket to a standard household plug.

Never use a standard domestic extension lead as your hookup cable. Campsite hookup cables are designed for outdoor use with appropriate weatherproofing, earth protection, and cable thickness. Domestic cables in wet grass are a genuine safety hazard.

Understanding Amperage

European campsites typically provide six, ten, or sixteen amps of power per pitch. This is crucial information because it determines what you can run simultaneously.

At six amps, you have approximately 1,380 watts available. This is enough for lights, phone charging, a small TV, and a fridge. But if you try to boil a kettle at the same time as running the fridge, you will trip the circuit breaker. Electric kettles draw around 2,000 watts alone.

At ten amps, approximately 2,300 watts, you have more flexibility. You can run a fridge, lights, and boil a kettle, but not all at the same time. Running a hair dryer while the kettle is on will still overload the supply.

At sixteen amps, approximately 3,680 watts, you have enough for most needs. You can typically run a fridge, lights, charge multiple devices, and use one high-power appliance at a time.

The key principle is managing your load. Never run multiple high-wattage appliances simultaneously. Switch off the fridge before boiling the kettle. Turn off the heater before using the hair dryer. It becomes second nature after a trip or two.

What Uses How Much Power?

Understanding the wattage of common camping appliances helps you stay within your limit. A camping fridge draws fifty to one hundred watts. LED lights use five to fifteen watts. A phone charger needs about ten watts. A laptop charger uses forty to sixty watts.

High-consumption appliances are where problems occur. An electric kettle uses two thousand watts. A hair dryer uses one thousand to two thousand watts. An electric heater uses one to three thousand watts. A microwave uses eight hundred to one thousand watts. An air conditioning unit uses one to two thousand watts.

When the Breaker Trips

If you overload your supply, the circuit breaker on the bollard will trip, cutting all power. This is normal and not dangerous. Simply turn off or unplug whatever caused the overload, then reset the breaker.

If the breaker keeps tripping despite reducing your load, there may be a fault in your hookup cable, adapter, or connected equipment. Unplug everything, reset the breaker, and reconnect items one at a time to identify the problem.

Safety Essentials

Never modify campsite electrical equipment. If a plug does not fit, you need a proper adapter, not a creative solution with tape and bare wires.

Keep all connections off the ground and away from water. If your hookup cable must cross a path, protect it with a cable ramp or cover to prevent trip hazards and damage from vehicles.

Check your hookup cable before each season. Look for cracks in the outer sheath, bent or corroded pins, and any signs of damage. A damaged cable should be replaced, not repaired.

Use a portable RCD (residual current device) between the bollard and your equipment. Many campsites have RCDs built into their bollards, but carrying your own provides an extra layer of protection. An RCD cuts the power within milliseconds if it detects a fault, potentially saving your life.

Off-Grid Power Solutions

For campsites without hookups, or for wild camping, several alternatives provide electricity. Portable power stations, essentially large batteries, have become popular. Brands like Jackery, EcoFlow, and Bluetti offer units that can power a phone, laptop, and LED lights for several days on a single charge.

Solar panels can recharge these power stations during the day. A one hundred watt portable solar panel can fully recharge a medium power station in five to eight hours of good sunlight. This combination gives you indefinite off-grid power for low-consumption devices.

For higher power needs, a portable generator is the traditional solution. However, generators are noisy, produce fumes, and are banned at many campsites. Check the campsite rules before bringing one.

Tips for Your Trip

Check the amperage available at your campsite before you arrive. This information is usually listed on the campsite's website or booking platform. On MyCampingSpot.app, campsite details include facility information to help you prepare.

Bring the right adapter for your destination country. While the blue CEE connector is standardised across Europe, the domestic sockets inside your caravan or motorhome may vary.

Pack a mains tester plug. For a few euros, this device checks that the campsite supply is correctly wired, which is especially important on older sites.

Electricity at the campsite is a convenience that makes camping more comfortable, but it requires respect and understanding. Know your limits, manage your load, and prioritise safety, and you will enjoy reliable power throughout your holiday.