Beginners tips

[JezzerB]

We have all started caravanning at some point and we seem to have lots of new starters on here. It is very confusing so as a starter,



Number 1 top tip get the manual and your favourite alcoholic beverage and read it from cover to cover.

Then get set up on a site and read it again with caravan at hand and do anything you aren't sure about with manual in tow.



However there are some things that seem low key so here are my top tips.

1) If you have a single Euro plug on the caravan-that pushes then twists to lock on to the car-you should have been provided with a green cap type thing with the caravan. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT-the socket works by the outer rotating to lock onto the car once applied-sometimes this will rotate itself , especially when you store the socket in its place on the van if it has one. If it does this it gets 'out of synch' and won't allow you to connect van to car. The soluting; Simply pop the green socket onto the caravan socket to realign it and twist. We’ve never read anything about this, anywhere!
2) UNCOIL THE MAINS CABLE before using it to provide current to caravans. So many people seem unaware that a coiled cable is basically a heater-the higher the current going through it the hotter it gets. This could be very dangerous. Stretch it out around /under/behind the van where people aren’t going to walk. If the electrics go in on the awing side of the van tuck it well behind the caravan legs/supports.
3) Always double check the jockey wheel is right up and tight; they can have a habit of loosening and or grounding on speed bumps
4) Make sure the the cable won’t trail between car and caravan when towing-the road is a very good abrasive!
5) Make sure your caravan is level-using ramps under one of the wheels etc-not the caravan legs. If not the fridge may not be happy!
6) If you're paying the extra for a fully serviced site make sure you have plenty of the appropriate hoses-with joiners etc in advance-very reasonably priced off e bay etc!
7) Force a bit of water in to your pump if it struggles to suck up initially, plunge it into the water before attaching to van.
8) If you can’t put the awing up-too windy etc and you have a larger waste bin than those little door mounted ones, pop it in a wardrobe or the shower cubical and move it when you want to use the shower!
9) When leaving the caravan drop a teaspoon or so of food grade disinfectant into your water and waste containers, and some neat toilet fluid into the holding tank-it won’t freeze or harm anything in those if it does, and things are so much better on your return-simply rinse out the drinking water tank on arrival. Puriclean is ideal and very cheap from caravan dealers etc.
10) When travelling put the small plates at the back of the rack and bigger ones at the front-then they won’t fall out.
11) If cooking in the caravan the smoke alarm will drive you nuts. Buy an optical one instead-far, far less prone to false alarms due to toast!
12) Carry some duct tape and at least a multitool!
13) Want to save some gas ; buy a small George Foreman type grill –or the equivalent from a caravan shop. They’re healthy too-but of course, watch the current draw!

 

[littlebasher]

If you've bought a used caravan, please go and check the tyres. 5-7 years old and they need replacing, replace now if they have any visible cracking. Don't risk it.


Before starting any journey, don't forget to check all your windows and roof vents

Then check again

I went down to the New Forest from Sheffield the other day. I didn't have enough fingers to count all the wide open roof vents i saw.


And one more point of note, the tap at the back of a serviced pitch is not for washing yourself in . That's what the shower block is for.

 

[Mel]

And one more point of note, the tap at the back of a serviced pitch is not for washing yourself in . That's what the shower block is for.

Neither is it for turning on so that your large slobbery dog, can go and drink directly from it . The fact that this tap was on a momentarily unoccupied pitch, doesn’t make it any better.

mel

 

[CustardAvenger]

Before starting any journey, don't forget to check all your windows and roof vents

Then check again

I went down to the New Forest from Sheffield the other day. I didn't have enough fingers to count all the wide open roof vents i saw.

I also play this spotting game when driving/towing long distance! I also play the Status-Aerial-Pointing-The-Wrong-Way Game, to my wife's despair.

Before locking up the caravan to tow, I go through a process of checking everything, going washroom to lounge putting hands on all the cupboards, doors, windows and roof vents to double check they are closed and latched, then outside I check all the doors and hatches are closed and locked and then gently tug at the side windows as a sanity check - I think there c.45 internal items [in my van] to close/secure before travel, so physically and methodically checking is best way for me.

For the record, the correct position of the Status directional TV aerial is horizontal & pointy-end backwards - The horizontal indicator on the mast, faces direction of travel.