More poor design.

[Dustydog]

The bathroom sky light uses those spring loaded handles for opening and closing.
The tiny securing screws go into very small lugs moulded into the main frame. One broke off, barely 6mm in diameter. Result a whole new frame is needed requiring total removal from the roof, replacing and resealing. Parts alone from Bailey are £179.00 :woohoo:
I managed to drill through the frame with a 2mm drill in the dremel , glue the lug back into place and using a longer screw all is well. If that breaks I may get away with a small nut and bolt.
These lugs are tiny and take the full spring pressure of opening and closing the sky light, plus the force of high winds in bad weather.
A pretty poor design imo

 

[Damian]

You are absolutely right, bad design, cheap product to make but expensive to replace.

 

[otherclive]

The bathroom sky light uses those spring loaded handles for opening and closing.
The tiny securing screws go into very small lugs moulded into the main frame. One broke off, barely 6mm in diameter. Result a whole new frame is needed requiring total removal from the roof, replacing and resealing. Parts alone from Bailey are £179.00 :woohoo:
I managed to drill through the frame with a 2mm drill in the dremel , glue the lug back into place and using a longer screw all is well. If that breaks I may get away with a small nut and bolt.
These lugs are tiny and take the full spring pressure of opening and closing the sky light, plus the force of high winds in bad weather.
A pretty poor design imo

Agreed they are poor design. My rooflight over the rear dinette was double glazed but with open sides to the top and bottom layers. It let in dirt which required access from the roof to dismantle it for cleaning. It was quite fragile too. “Was” being the operative word. It’s now been replaced with a midi Heki roiflight. A much superior piece of kit and not much more expensive than your Bailey priced replacement.

If we keep the caravan then the toilet rooflight like yours will be changed fir a Heki. Looks so much better when I view the caravan roof from the bedroom. Three colour matched and similar shaped Hekis. Cool.

 

[Thingy]

We have the mini Heki in the bathroom, and you guys are quite right, they are a vast improvement. The only advantage with the sprung one was that it was directional in bad weather.

 

[Thingy]

On the subject of poor design and lack of thought, I have just had a new AGM battery delivered and I am about to shorten the cables and change the terminals to bolt through rings. The battery is very snug in the box and the stiff 12v battery cables are overly long, enough for the battery to reach the floor whilst connected. However, when trying to refit the battery to the box, its extremely difficult to get the cables back in and close the door without undue pressure on the door.
I understand sort of why the cables are so long, but surely sense would see you lifting the battery out to the caravan step, and therefore negating the need for such excess cable.

 

[Dodger524]

On the subject of poor design and lack of thought, I have just had a new AGM battery delivered and I am about to shorten the cables and change the terminals to bolt through rings. The battery is very snug in the box and the stiff 12v battery cables are overly long, enough for the battery to reach the floor whilst connected. However, when trying to refit the battery to the box, its extremely difficult to get the cables back in and close the door without undue pressure on the door.
I understand sort of why the cables are so long, but surely sense would see you lifting the battery out to the caravan step, and therefore negating the need for such excess cable.

I agree, but nothing stops you shortening the cables.

 

[Thingy]

Exactly what I am going to do. Just praying I can find my crimping tool.

On the subject of poor design and lack of thought, I have just had a new AGM battery delivered and I am about to shorten the cables

 

[Dustydog]

The Hartal door bin is another example. My flimsy securing ring broke years ago. To get a new one I have to buy the entire bin assembly. Yet the strong hinges are available . Weird :woohoo:

 

[Raywood]

Basically everything on the caravan is made down to as low a cost as possible and with as little weight as they can get away with. This encourages both poor quality and design, but that is true of lots of things these days.

 

[Thingy]

I still dont know to this day why there isnt an autofill on the flush tank. I get so fed up of standing out there filling the wretched thing by hand. Barrel to jug, jug to tank, back to barrel and on and on.

 

[Hutch]

Basically everything on the caravan is made down to as low a cost as possible and with as little weight as they can get away with. This encourages both poor quality and design, but that is true of lots of things these days.

Your so true, The space shuttle was Manufactured from the components from the cheapest vendors. Screws in caravan doors etc being just long enough, all right on manufacture then once your out and about you have to replace most of them with thicker or longer ones.

 

[otherclive]

I still dont know to this day why there isnt an autofill on the flush tank. I get so fed up of standing out there filling the wretched thing by hand. Barrel to jug, jug to tank, back to barrel and on and on.

Use less flush or why not get a composting toilet? A fill every 5-6 days is good weight bearing excercise for ageing bones

 

[Thingy]

Use less flush or why not get a composting toilet? A fill every 5-6 days is good weight bearing excercise for ageing bones

Would add to much weight behind the axle when touring if only emptied every 5-6 days. Now if they made humans that only emptied every 5-6 days, it would save me an awful lot of filling.

 

[Trevormc]

I use a 5 litre plastic bottle one fill with it will last about 6 days with just us 2 in the van.

Trevor

 

[Craigyoung]

Slightly off the subject but I use one green plastic watering can , one fill will fill the flush tank and last a good few days .

 

[CustardAvenger]

I also use a watering can - treated myself to a Colapz one.

I do think some kind of flush tank water level indicator would be good though. Right now I have no idea when its full.

 

[Trevormc]

No problem with the level indicator there is a glass emptying/level indicator right at the side of the filler tube.

Trevor

 

[Dodger524]

I still dont know to this day why there isnt an autofill on the flush tank. I get so fed up of standing out there filling the wretched thing by hand. Barrel to jug, jug to tank, back to barrel and on and on.

Perhaps something to do with back flow.

 

[Craigyoung]

I also use a watering can - treated myself to a Colapz one.

I do think some kind of flush tank water level indicator would be good though. Right now I have no idea when its full.

Mines full when I can see the pink rising to the very top and nearly coming out !!

 

[Thingy]

Perhaps something to do with back flow.

Fair one, but still, there has to be a better method than this. Perhaps would be better being a topfill, then at least you could use the tap to fill the jug.

As for a level indicator, stop pouring when your feet get wet.

 

[Hutch]

We use an empty 5 litre, Water bottle with a lip ie. "Comfort" just pour it in, but our caravan came with a water pump and hose to fill the tank, it plugs into a socket in the waste compartment.

 

[Thingy]

We use an empty 5 litre, Water bottle with a lip ie. "Comfort" just pour it in, but our caravan came with a water pump and hose to fill the tank, it plugs into a socket in the waste compartment.

Cor, how the other half live. Thats posh. B)

I think we need to change the title of this thread to Pour Design. Geddit? :cheer:

 

[ProfJohnL]

Basically everything on the caravan is made down to as low a cost as possible and with as little weight as they can get away with. This encourages both poor quality and design, but that is true of lots of things these days.

Hello Ray,
I suspect your correct,

 

[Clifford_374377114]

I use a watering can to fill the flush tank after I saw another person on site doing it ( I thought it was strange he was filling a watering can - what plants was he going to water?!) But why doesn't the flush tank have a low level warning light?
Cliff

 

[otherclive]

I use a watering can to fill the flush tank after I saw another person on site doing it ( I thought it was strange he was filling a watering can - what plants was he going to water?!) But why doesn't the flush tank have a low level warning light?
Cliff

If it did, and it was as unreliable as the high level loo light then you would have something more to worry about. I fill it full on arrival and the as a matter of course bung another 5 litres in using an old water bottle after 4-5 days and just keep doing that until we leave. Then prior to leaving I empty the tank and just put 1-2 litres back in for the trip home. Damn the stability concerns I say :evil: