Weights of items carried in van

[Glenn_5132962]

Has anyone got a table/list/spreadsheet that they would be prepared to share containing the weights of the standard items we carry in our vans? Things such as aqua rolls, waste master, battery, gas bottle, levelling ramp, mains electric cable, mains water cable etc etc.

I'm in the process of listing everything I carry in the van & hoping to put a weight value against as many of these items as possible in order to total up the payload. I realise that some of the above examples are variable but it would do for a start until I actually get around to physically weighing everything.

I get my new van in 3 weeks & I think I will put the bathroom scales in the doorway & weigh myself as I carry everything in. Wife thinks I've gone mad lol!!

 

[Zafiral]

Glenn, if you are members of the caravan club, then their main handbook has all main things listed and weights. It is quite scary when you add all things up!!!!

 

[Glenn_5132962]

Its very frightening indeed. Just totted up my estimated weights (with the help of the CC handbook) & it comes to 245kg yet my allowable payload is only 225kg. My weights dont even include the awning which is usually carried in the car. Just hope i've over estimated some of the items. Will deffo weigh everything that goes in the new van now.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Glen,

You are taking a sensible approach to estimating the load in the caravan, and you will be better informed about how much your loaded caravan weighs than many.

However the important legal thing is not to exceed the MTPLM.

The MTPLM is made up of two parts, the caravan MIRO and the Payload. Your actual loading margin is MTPLM minus the MIRO. The reason I mention this is that despite the fact that most manufactures will quote a MIRO it is not accurate or definitive.

Due to the tolerances in the manufacturing process the actual MIRO of your caravan could vary quite considerably from the stated figure. This will have a corresponding effect on the available payload.

as you seem to loading very close to the theoretical limit it would only take teh MIRO to be few KG over the manufactures figure for you to be over loading your caravan and this illegal.

You would be wise to get the empty caravan weighed, and thus you can then calculate your available loading margin.

Things to think about to keep your load weight down. Only use one gas bottle, or een consider ne of teh light weight unit now available, do not take all your food with you, aim to by at your desitinatoin,

 

[Glenn_5132962]

Your right John. I only use 1 bottle & its a light one. These are my estimates (hope this is legible copied from a spreadsheet) Note that a lot of small items quickly add up:-

Estimated Weight (kg)

Kids Bikes (2) 30

Battery 27

Gas Bottle lite propane 12

TV/DVD/Freeview 10

Food 10

Drink 10

Adults Clothes 10

Kids Clothes 10

Hitch Locks & Wheel Clamps 10

Table & 4 Camping Chairs 9

Dog Cage 8

Porch Awning 8

Adults Bedding / Pillows 7

Hoover 6

Fresh Water Mains Hoses 5

Waste Master 5

Kids Games 5

Kids Bedding / Pillows 5

Food (Fixed) 5

Aqua Roll Incl Valve 5

Shoes 4

Summer toys - Bats/balls/surfboard/etc 4

Electric Lead 3.5

Peg Bag 3

Step 3

Levelling Ramp 2

Wash Kits 2

Toilet Fluids 2

Power Leads / Extension 2

Pots & Pans 2

Plates & Cups 2

Knifes & Forks etc 2

Glasses 2

Cleaning Equipment & fluids 2

TV Big Aerial 2

BBQ 2

Gas Hose 1

Waste hoses 1

Toaster 1

Kettle 1

TV Aerial Lead 0.5

TV Aerial Poles 0.5

Levelling Woods 0.5

Mallet 0.5

Winding Handle 0.5

Aqua Roll Handle 0.5

Hitch Cover 0.5

Flask 0.5

Total Payload 244.5

 

[ProfJohnL]

Glenn

Don't forget the:

Binoculars

Torches

cameras

Books maps and magazines

sun tan lotion

and of course

collection of road kill dead flies on the front window

You are right it does all add up doesn't it, but hopefully as you have used 0.5kg as the lowest increment the estimates may be a little on the high side so with any luck you should come in a bit below your estimated total.

Best of luck

 

[Robert_374373903]

Having had a bad return on mpg for 800 miles i thought i would have the van weighed still loaded, the outcome was 1400 kg and our max' weight is 1350 kg and using the 85% it should be 1324 kg.So weighed every item from camera, binoculars,tools and so on.Its on my PC but do not know how to get it on here.

 

[sheila_374397204]

When we changed our caravan last year we cleared everything out and weighed everything, pruning as we went when we realised what the weights were. However, our list is hand written so can't upload.

 

[Guest]

The ones that get me are the satellite system + tripod and techy signal meter, matress toppers, vases, microwave-cadac / electric eastern block cooking Ramosa thingy, battery drill + winding attachment numerous batteris + charger and on and on! Trolley Jacks. Some make it sound as though they have half ton of high tech electonics and fluffy bedding and night attire and gadgets.

And then they have a motor mover at another umpteen kg's under tha van.

We only drink coffee and that even gets transfered into a lightweight plastic container. We haul gas, water for coffee gets heated on the hob. No extra electric kettle to run off the hookup along with hair dryer and curling tongs! We have classy and a little bit pricy bedding, it is very light and can be washed and then dried quickly. We shaved weight from what we hauled years ago so we get the van loaded safely, I even lightened the caravan step.

Just weigh it as you fill and with some lateral thought you can keep weight down.

 

[Zafiral]

Glenn

I would put the kids bikes on the roof of the car (from your list that will save 30kg!!) - should help keep the nose weight down too.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Just a note for Zafiral, Regarding the nose weight.

Whist what you carry in the caravan can contribute to the nose weight, there is no direct correlation, because it depends where it is put within the length of the caravan in relation to the main axle.

If an item is directly over the axle, it will neither add or subtract anything from the nose weight. It is highly likely the bikes would have been virtually over the axle, so their removal is only likely to make a small variation to the nose weight. In fact in some cases it might add to the nose weight.

 

[xtrailman]

We carry our two bikes forward of the axle, up to the front bunk.

So in our case removing the bikes, would reduce nose weight.

 

[James_374408700]

Having weighed everything that goes in my van several times over the years I have come to the conclusion that the payload allowances are too low and that most people are probably at least 25% over loaded. !

Jim

 

[xtrailman]

James

I agree, i don't weigh the contents anymore, ignorance is bliss, i dread to think what family vans weigh in at.

May be i am legal, we do try to continually reduce what we carry, but on the other hand there always seems to be another new item to carry.

 

[RogerP]

coat hangers

the wife was taking clothes directly from our wardwobe into the van on lovelly wooden tree trunk size hangers.

Needless to say I've changed them to either the thin wire or plastic ones both lighter and take up less room so clothes dont crease as much thus saving the need for an iron.

Buying food locally is also a good idea especially if you go to local independant stores.