BS 7671 Section 708 Caravan Park Electrical Design, Inspection & Testing Course
A practical 4-day advanced electrical training programme for caravan parks, holiday parks, campsites, lodge parks and residential park-home operators who need to understand the design, installation, inspection, testing and management of safe electrical distribution systems.
Take Greater Control of Your Park’s Electrical Infrastructure
Caravan and holiday park electrical networks can be far more complex than a conventional single-building electrical installation.
A park may contain incoming supplies, substations, distribution boards, underground cables, electrical hook-up bollards, residential park homes, caravans, amenity buildings, lighting, maintenance facilities, solar generation, EV charging and other infrastructure.
The SJB Smart Electricals Section 708 course is designed for experienced personnel who need a deeper understanding of how these systems should be designed, installed, inspected, tested, documented and managed.
Rather than teaching Section 708 as an isolated piece of the Wiring Regulations, the course places it within the wider context of BS 7671, electrical safety legislation, park operation, asset management and practical engineering decisions.
- Caravan and holiday park electrical design
- Pitch supply and hook-up arrangements
- Distribution networks and cable sizing
- RCD protection and electrical safety
- Inspection, testing and certification
- Fault diagnosis and maintenance planning
- Electrical project design and documentation
What Is BS 7671 Section 708?
Section 708 of BS 7671 contains particular requirements for electrical installations in caravan parks, camping parks and similar locations supplying leisure accommodation vehicles, tents and applicable residential park-home circuits.
These environments create electrical risks that require specific consideration because installations are outdoors, accessible to the public, exposed to weather and mechanical damage and may supply mobile accommodation through connection points.
Anyone involved in the design or management of a park’s electrical infrastructure therefore needs to understand both the general requirements of BS 7671 and the additional requirements that apply specifically to these locations.
Section 708 Can Affect
- Caravan pitch socket-outlets
- Electrical hook-up bollards
- Pitch supply circuits
- Residential park-home supplies where applicable
- Protection against electric shock
- RCD arrangements
- Earthing arrangements
- External influences
- Cable routes and buried services
- Electrical distribution around the site
Advanced Electrical Training for Holiday & Residential Park Operations
This programme is designed for people who already have suitable electrical knowledge and want to progress into deeper caravan park electrical design, inspection, testing and infrastructure management.
Not Ready for the Advanced Course?
If you have little previous electrical knowledge or your role is mainly day-to-day maintenance, our Foundation & Intermediate Caravan Park Electrical Training may be a more suitable starting point.
View Foundation & Intermediate TrainingWhy Caravan Park Electrical Design Requires Specialist Knowledge
Caravan park electrical installations face a combination of electrical, environmental and operational challenges that rarely exist together in conventional commercial buildings.
Weather & External Influences
Equipment and cables may be exposed to rain, water, temperature variation, ground conditions, impact and other external influences throughout their service life.
Large Site Networks
Electrical supplies may travel significant distances across a park, making voltage drop, cable sizing, load assessment, fault levels and distribution design particularly important.
Pitch Connection Points
Hook-up equipment is routinely operated by customers, creating additional considerations around socket-outlets, protection, accessibility and maintenance.
RCD & Electric Shock Protection
Protection against electric shock is fundamental to safe park installations and must be considered at both design and ongoing maintenance stages.
Underground Cable Networks
Parks commonly rely on buried distribution systems that must be correctly designed, protected, recorded and managed when future excavation or redevelopment takes place.
EV, Solar & Changing Loads
EV charging, electric heating, upgraded accommodation and renewable generation can significantly change the demands placed on an existing park electrical network.
Section 708 Caravan Park Electrical Course Structure
The programme moves from regulation and legal responsibility through electrical design and installation before bringing everything together through inspection, testing, fault-finding and documentation.
BS 7671 Section 708, Regulations & Electrical Safety
- Scope and application of Section 708
- BS 7671 and Part 7 special installations
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
- Electrical responsibilities and competence
- Protection against electric shock
- Earthing arrangements and PME considerations
- RCD protection
- External influences and environmental risks
- Park electrical risk management
Caravan Park Electrical Design
- Understanding park distribution architecture
- Assessing existing electrical infrastructure
- Load calculations and maximum demand
- Diversity and realistic site loading
- Cable sizing
- Voltage-drop calculations
- Protective device selection
- Fault current considerations
- Pitch supply design
- Producing electrical design documentation
Installation, Infrastructure & Modern Park Systems
- Caravan pitch electrical hook-up points
- Distribution boards and feeder systems
- Outdoor electrical equipment selection
- Underground cable routes and protection
- Mechanical and environmental protection
- Installation best practice
- Common installation failures
- Residential park-home considerations
- EV charging on holiday parks
- Solar PV and renewable integration
Inspection, Testing, Certification & Fault Finding
- Initial verification principles
- Periodic inspection and testing
- Electrical test instruments
- Continuity and insulation resistance
- Polarity
- Earth fault loop impedance
- RCD testing
- Interpreting electrical test results
- Fault diagnosis
- EIC, EICR and electrical documentation
From Electrical Design to Real Test Results
Understanding the Wiring Regulations is important, but competence also requires being able to apply them in practice.
The SJB programme therefore combines classroom learning with practical electrical testing, design exercises, documentation and realistic caravan park scenarios.
- Use electrical test instruments correctly
- Interpret electrical readings
- Review circuit and cable design
- Understand fault-loop and RCD test results
- Identify potentially dangerous defects
- Follow structured fault-finding processes
- Produce meaningful electrical documentation
The aim is not simply to know what Section 708 says, but to understand why the requirements exist and how they affect real park infrastructure.
Caravan Park Electrical Systems Covered
The course considers the complete electrical infrastructure rather than looking only at individual pitch bollards.
Pitch Supply Points
Electrical hook-up bollards, socket-outlets, circuit protection and connection arrangements used for touring caravans and pitches.
Electrical Distribution
Main switchboards, sub-distribution, feeder circuits and distribution strategies across large park sites.
RCD Protection
Understanding appropriate residual-current protection, device selection, testing and the implications of poor coordination.
Earthing Systems
Understanding earthing arrangements, shock risk and the special considerations associated with leisure accommodation vehicles.
Underground Services
Cable routing, protection, buried infrastructure, drawings and the importance of locating services before excavation.
Electrical Inspection & Testing
Using inspection and testing to establish whether electrical installations remain safe and suitable for continued service.
Residential Park Homes
Understanding where Section 708 applies and why park-home supplies can require different consideration from touring caravans.
EV Charging
Understanding how additional charging demand may affect capacity, distribution design and future infrastructure planning.
Renewable Energy
Introducing solar PV, generation and changing electrical loads into existing caravan and holiday park distribution systems.
Underground Cables, External Influences & Site Infrastructure
Caravan and camping parks present particular challenges for electrical distribution because cables and equipment can be exposed to traffic, excavation, landscaping, ground movement, weather and long circuit lengths.
The course looks at how good electrical design considers foreseeable mechanical damage, suitable installation methods, burial, cable routes and future maintenance.
Delegates also consider the importance of accurate site drawings and asset information so electrical services can be located before future construction or excavation takes place.
Section 708 & Buried Cables
Section 708 contains particular requirements for wiring systems within caravan and camping parks. Current IET technical guidance also identifies a minimum burial depth of 0.6 metres for applicable buried cables or ducts under Section 708, while recognising that greater depth may be needed where foreseeable ground disturbance creates additional risk.
This reinforces why cable design, site records, installation method and future excavation planning should be treated as part of the overall electrical safety strategy.
Learn How to Make Better Electrical Design Decisions
Electrical design should not be a process of simply copying what was installed elsewhere on the park.
Delegates work through the principles needed to assess a proposed installation and justify their design decisions, including:
- Maximum demand
- Diversity
- Cable current-carrying capacity
- Voltage drop
- Protective device selection
- Fault protection
- Distribution arrangements
- Environmental conditions
- Future expansion
- Electrical documentation
Apply the Course Through a Real 6-Month Electrical Project
The classroom course is only the starting point.
After the four-day programme, delegates can apply their learning to a genuine electrical improvement or development project within their own park environment.
This creates an opportunity to move from theory into practical design, planning and implementation while receiving ongoing guidance and feedback.
The Supported Project Can Include
- Reviewing existing park electrical infrastructure
- Identifying capacity and compliance issues
- Planning new electrical distribution
- Developing cable and circuit designs
- Preparing drawings and documentation
- Considering future EV and renewable demand
- Implementing identified improvements
- Reviewing inspection and test results
- Receiving technical feedback from SJB
Supporting Safer Caravan Park Electrical Management
Training does not remove the legal requirement to ensure electrical work is undertaken by people who are competent for the tasks they perform.
BS 7671
Understand how the general requirements of the Wiring Regulations interact with the particular requirements for caravan and camping park installations.
Electricity at Work Regulations
Understand employer, employee and duty-holder responsibilities for preventing danger from electrical systems at work.
Competence
Develop electrical knowledge while understanding the limits of individual competence and when work must be referred to an appropriately qualified electrical professional.
Inspection & Testing
Understand how inspection, testing and documentation help demonstrate the condition and safety of electrical installations.
Asset Management
Improve records of distribution equipment, cables, pitch supplies, inspection results and electrical assets across the park.
Planned Investment
Use better electrical information to make informed decisions about upgrades, infrastructure replacement and future development.
Specialist Electrical Training Built Around Caravan Parks
Industry-Specific
The course is focused on caravan, holiday and residential park electrical infrastructure rather than generic classroom examples.
Practical Delivery
Training combines regulations, design calculations, electrical test equipment and real-world scenarios.
Project Support
Apply the learning to a real site project rather than leaving the knowledge behind when the classroom course ends.
Training & Consultancy
SJB can support parks with electrical training alongside inspection, testing, compliance and technical consultancy.
On-Site Options
Dedicated group programmes can be discussed for operators wanting training delivered around their own park infrastructure.
Progressive Training
Foundation and Intermediate training is also available for maintenance personnel who are not yet ready for the advanced Section 708 programme.
Build a Complete Caravan Park Electrical Training Programme
Different members of a park team may need different levels of electrical competence. These related courses can complement the advanced Section 708 programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BS 7671 Section 708?
Section 708 contains particular requirements for electrical installations in caravan parks, camping parks and similar locations supplying leisure accommodation vehicles, tents and applicable residential park-home circuits.
Who should take the SJB Section 708 course?
The course is designed for people with suitable previous electrical knowledge who need a deeper understanding of caravan park electrical design, installation, inspection, testing and infrastructure management. If you are new to park electrical systems, the Foundation & Intermediate course may be a better starting point.
Does the course cover electrical design?
Yes. The programme includes load assessment, maximum demand, diversity, cable sizing, voltage drop, protective-device selection, distribution design and preparation of electrical design information.
Does Section 708 training cover testing?
Yes. Practical inspection and testing forms an important part of the course, including the principles behind continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance, RCD testing and interpretation of results.
Does the course cover residential park homes?
Yes. The course explains the scope of Section 708 and the important distinction between leisure accommodation vehicles and residential park homes so delegates understand which requirements apply to different types of park installation.
Does the course include EV charging and solar?
Modern park development increasingly involves EV charging, solar PV and higher electrical loads. The programme therefore considers how these can affect park capacity, distribution design and future infrastructure planning.
Can the training be delivered at our caravan or holiday park?
Yes. SJB Smart Electricals can discuss dedicated group training and site-specific programmes where the facilities and delegate experience are suitable.
What is the six-month project element?
Following the four-day programme, delegates can apply their learning to a real electrical design or improvement project, with ongoing guidance and feedback to help turn classroom knowledge into practical results.
Book Your BS 7671 Section 708 Caravan Park Electrical Training
Speak to SJB Smart Electricals Training & Consultancy about the 4-day Section 708 Caravan Park Electrical Design, Inspection & Testing Course, scheduled training dates, company bookings or a bespoke programme for your holiday or residential park.