What the AC input monitoring does

Updated 9 October 2026Switchy

Switchy checks your shore power connection continuously. This way it notices not only whether shore power is present, but also whether the socket at the pitch is wired correctly. It distinguishes four states:

  • Shore power present: everything is fine.
  • Shore power missing: the plug is not in or the hook-up post is off.
  • Live and neutral swapped: the two current-carrying wires (L and N) are connected the other way round.
  • Protective earth missing or faulty: the earth (PE) does not work.

You see all states on the SmartKnob and in the dashboard.

If the earth is missing

This is the most dangerous case. If the protective earth is missing, Switchy switches off all 4 channels for 230V within milliseconds, and the SmartKnob shows an alarm.

Once the earth is fine again, Switchy is ready for operation again by itself. However, it deliberately does not switch the devices that were on before back on by itself. You do that yourself on the SmartKnob. This way nothing starts up again unattended after an earthing problem.

If live and neutral are swapped

With the blue camping plug (CEE) this can practically not happen, because it only fits one way round. It almost always happens when a normal household plug (Schuko) or a Schuko to CEE adapter is involved.

The solution is simple: pull out the Schuko plug, turn it by 180 degrees and plug it back in. Switchy shows the correct state straight afterwards.

Important: if the earth is also missing, Switchy can no longer reliably detect swapped conductors either, because it lacks the reference point for the measurement. In this case, disconnect the shore power until the fault at the hook-up post or in the camper has been fixed.

Related questions

What can I switch with Switchy?

Up to eight devices from one place: • 4 channels for 12V and 24V, each up to 30A, for example a pump, a fan or a lift bed • 4 channels for 230V, each up to 10A or 2300W, for example a boiler or sockets Appliances that draw much more, such as an air conditioner, a tumble dryer or an induction hob, do not belong behind Switchy. They get their own circuit breaker in the 230V distribution. More on this in [Switching loads with Switchy](/blogs/wissen/verbraucher-ueber-switchy-schalten).

Can I connect wall push buttons to Switchy?

No, Switchy has no push button inputs. You switch its channels on the SmartKnob or in the dashboard, also on a schedule or as part of a scene. If you also want to switch a device at the wall, connect it to Ampy or Lighty instead. There you can connect a push button to every output.

Does Switchy show what my devices consume?

No. Switchy switches, it does not measure. Ampy measures what each individual device draws, output by output. Battery and system data come from Volty. All three work together in the same dashboard.

Which fuses do I need for Switchy?

Switchy has no fuses of its own for the connected devices; they belong in the installation: • 12V and 24V: each channel gets its own fuse in the positive cable, no more than 30cm from the battery's positive terminal. • 230V: a 30mA residual current device and a B10 circuit breaker sit in front of Switchy. Only a qualified electrician may carry out the 230V installation. Why it has to be a B10 is explained in [Why a B10 circuit breaker is needed at 230V](/blogs/wissen/warum-lss-b10).

What happens if the shore power pillar is wired incorrectly?

Switchy checks the shore power continuously and shows you on the SmartKnob and in the dashboard whether everything is in order. • If the earth is missing, Switchy switches off all four 230V channels within milliseconds and the SmartKnob raises an alarm. Once the earth is back, you switch your devices back on yourself. That way nothing starts up unattended. • If live and neutral are swapped, it is almost always down to a Schuko plug or adapter. Pull the plug, turn it by 180 degrees and plug it back in. All the details in [What the AC input monitoring does](/blogs/wissen/was-die-ac-eingangsueberwachung-macht).

Can Switchy react automatically when I plug into shore power?

Yes. Switchy detects whether shore power is present, and you can use that as a trigger in the dashboard. For example, the boiler switches on as soon as you plug in at the campsite and off again when you unplug.

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