Can I Plug My Caravan Into a Generator, and How?
Yes. Most caravans and RVs plug into a generator with a 15A lead, from the generator's 15A outlet to the van's inlet. The catch is the safety switch: on many generators, your van's RCD can't do its job.
What You Need to Plug a Caravan Into a Generator
Three things: a generator with a 15A outlet, an approved 15A caravan lead, and enough output for what's running in the van. Sizing is its own topic, covered in our caravan generator guide, so this article sticks to the connection.
A 15A Outlet on the Generator
Caravans and motorhomes are built for 15A supplies. Ampfibian, who make caravan power adaptors, say vans are designed to connect to dedicated 15A outlets like the ones at caravan parks, and that it's illegal to connect a 15A van straight to a normal 10A domestic socket.
Plenty of inverter generators have 15A outlets. On our range, the Westinghouse 2400i has two 15A IP44 outlets, the Welling & Crossley 3200Si has two IP44 15A outlets, and the Briggs & Stratton P2500 has two 230V 15A outlets. Check the panel before you buy, because not every small generator lists its outlet rating.
An Approved 15A Caravan Lead
Energy Safe Victoria's advice is to make sure the power supply cord to your caravan is in good condition and rated at 15 amps.
New 15A leads have a collar on the plug. Ampfibian explains this came from a standards change in 2011 that became mandatory in 2016, so an older van may need its inlet upgraded by a licensed electrician or caravan service provider. Don't cut the collar off.
Never make up or modify a lead to get around a mismatch. Ampfibian says modifying a lead to connect a 15A van to a 10A outlet breaks the law, and that those leads are called "death leads" for a reason.
Plugging In, Step by Step
Step 1: Set the Generator Up Away From the Van
Put it outside on flat, dry ground, away from the van's windows, with the exhaust pointing away. Energex says to position a generator away from open windows and to use a battery-operated carbon monoxide alarm.
Keep it dry. The Electrical Safety Office says not to use a generator in rain or wet conditions, and to run it on a dry surface under an open, canopy-like structure. Check the manual for earthing, too, because Energex says to earth your generator using the manufacturer's recommendations.
Step 2: Switch Off in the Van, Then Connect the Lead
Turn off the aircon and anything else with a big draw inside the van. Plug the 15A lead into the generator's 15A outlet and into the van's inlet, and make sure both ends are pushed fully home.
That's the whole connection. Anything beyond plugging an approved lead into an approved inlet, such as changing the inlet, adding an inverter changeover, or altering the van's switchboard, is work for a licensed electrician.
Step 3: Start the Generator and Add Loads One at a Time
Start the generator and give it a minute to settle, then switch the van's gear on one item at a time. Energex says to turn appliances on one by one, and that appliances with motors use three to four times their running rating while they start.
An undersized generator lets you know. One Grey Nomads forum member described a generator that was too small grunting itself to a standstill when the aircon compressor cut in. Our generator size guide shows what each size runs.
RCDs, Earthing and Compliance
Why the Van's RCD May Not Trip
Your van's RCD, or safety switch, cuts the power when current leaks somewhere it shouldn't, such as through you. On mains power that works because a fault has a path back to the supply.
Many small generators and inverters have a floating output with no reference to earth. Ampfibian's FAQ is plain about it: RCDs do not offer protection when used with isolated supplies like small generators or inverters. That includes the RCD inside a 15A-to-10A adaptor.
A licensed electrician on the Grey Nomads forum, posting from NSW, explained it in plain terms. With no earth reference there's no path for fault current, so no imbalance is detected and the RCD won't trip. They also pointed to residual voltage devices (RVDs), made for isolated supplies.
RCD-Protected Generators and Earth Stakes
Some generators come with an RCD fitted. Writing in Electrical Connection, Gary Busbridge explains that on these units the RCD's input neutral is connected to the socket's earth terminal and the generator frame, providing the neutral-to-earth connection the RCD needs. That's done at the factory or by an electrician, never with a bit of wire in the paddock.
Don't drive an earth stake because it feels safer. Busbridge says portable generators with a socket outlet don't require an earth stake, nor should they, and that an earth electrode isn't allowed where the generator supplies 230V through an approved three-pin plug and socket.
Getting a Licensed Electrician to Check the Van
This is where the forums split. On one Grey Nomads thread, one member insisted it's illegal to connect a generator to a van's fixed wiring at all, while another said hundreds of nomads plug their generator straight into their van and have done for years.
Queensland's Electrical Safety Office gives the practical answer. Use a licensed electrician to connect your generator to fixed wiring, and they'll check that the wiring and safety switch are compatible with your portable generator. For a caravan, that means having a licensed electrician look at your van and your generator together before you rely on the setup.
If your van also has an inverter or inverter charger, the AS/NZS 3001.2:2022 rules come into it. A summary from LiFePo4 Australia notes a changeover device must ensure only one source of supply can be connected at any time, and that circuits supplied by an inverter need RCD protection.
So yes, plug your caravan into a generator with an approved 15A lead in a 15A outlet, start up, and bring loads on one at a time. Just don't assume the van's safety switch has your back until a licensed electrician has checked it with your generator.
Before you plug anything else in, read what not to plug into an inverter generator. Still choosing? The generator finder sorts it by what you run, or call us on 03 7056 6732, or SMS 0476 330 590.
