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New campervan owner could use some help - some basic questions

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  • 31-03-2014 2:49pm
    #1
    record
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭


    Hi all,

    I have just bought a second-hand campervan and have a few very basic questions. If anyone could answer them for me, I would be very grateful.

    1. What's an inverter?
    My camper doesn't have one - should I get one?

    2. Fridge:
    The fridge is an under-counter that runs off the electricity or gas. Does it switch automatically between both or what?! E.g. when we are driving, is it ok to have the fridge running from the leisure battery (I have heard that you shouldn't run it from the battery for too long).

    3. Water:
    This may be a strange question, but is it ok to drink the water from the taps in the campervan? Is there anything I should be doing to treat the fresh water tank? (it looks clean enough to me).

    4. Securing things in presses:
    Should all the things in the presses (e.g. food, plates, etc.) be put into large lunchboxes to keep them from going all over the place?

    5. Security:
    The locks on the outside storage compartments seem pretty flimsy to me and the inside of the camper can be accessed through these compartments. Do people generally find that campers are reasonably secure?

    Brand new to this, so thanks in advance for any help.


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    #2
    Aidan_M_M
    Registered Users Posts: 2,213 ✭✭✭Aidan_M_M


    record wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I have just bought a second-hand campervan and have a few very basic questions. If anyone could answer them for me, I would be very grateful.

    1. What's an inverter?
    My camper doesn't have one - should I get one?

    An inverter converts battery power to mains power, basically. Only good for low power stuff, like TVs.

    2. Fridge:
    The fridge is an under-counter that runs off the electricity or gas. Does it switch automatically between both or what?! E.g. when we are driving, is it ok to have the fridge running from the leisure battery (I have heard that you shouldn't run it from the battery for too long).

    It should ONLY be on battery while driving. Some switch over automatically, what model/age is it?

    3. Water:
    This may be a strange question, but is it ok to drink the water from the taps in the campervan? Is there anything I should be doing to treat the fresh water tank? (it looks clean enough to me).


    Most people DON't, they carry a couple of big bottles for drinking water. Truma do a very very good cleaner for tanks.


    4. Securing things in presses:
    Should all the things in the presses (e.g. food, plates, etc.) be put into large lunchboxes to keep them from going all over the place?

    It helps , and tea towels, dishcloths too!

    5. Security:
    The locks on the outside storage compartments seem pretty flimsy to me and the inside of the camper can be accessed through these compartments. Do people generally find that campers are reasonably secure?


    There are security locks available , we fit a lot of Fiamma ones.


    Brand new to this, so thanks in advance for any help.

    Answers found above!


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    #3
    record
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭record


    Aidan_M_M wrote: »

    2. Fridge:
    The fridge is an under-counter that runs off the electricity or gas. Does it switch automatically between both or what?! E.g. when we are driving, is it ok to have the fridge running from the leisure battery (I have heard that you shouldn't run it from the battery for too long).

    It should ONLY be on battery while driving. Some switch over automatically, what model/age is it?

    It is a 1998 EuroMobil model.

    Thanks for your reply.


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    #4
    irishtear
    Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭irishtear


    Join the Irish Camping and Caravan Club and you will have loads of help at hand every weekend. We rally most weekends and a great web site I.C.C.C.ie, have fun.


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    #5
    Aidan_M_M
    Registered Users Posts: 2,213 ✭✭✭Aidan_M_M


    record wrote: »
    It is a 1998 EuroMobil model.

    Thanks for your reply.

    Has it red , green and orange switches on it?


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    #6
    record
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭record


    Aidan_M_M wrote: »
    Has it red , green and orange switches on it?
    It is an Electrolux fridge. At the front on the top, there are two on/off switches on the left hand side (one red and one green), with a dial beside those switches. On the right, there are two more dials, plus a red push-button.

    See photo attached.


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    #7
    Aidan_M_M
    Registered Users Posts: 2,213 ✭✭✭Aidan_M_M


    Not auto , a standard manual switchover.


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    #8
    Benbecul97
    Registered Users Posts: 988 ✭✭✭Benbecul97


    record wrote: »
    It is an Electrolux fridge. At the front on the top, there are two on/off switches on the left hand side (one red and one green), with a dial beside those switches. On the right, there are two more dials, plus a red push-button.

    See photo attached.

    When driving switch the Red switch on.
    When connected to electric hookup switch the Green switch on.
    When not driving and electric hookup is not available, use the gas controls on the right hand side.

    Before going away on a trip its not harm to have the fridge on for a couple of hours before transferring items into it.

    If you have access to an external power point at your house you can get a 3-pin adapter lead. Plug your electric hookup cable into one side of the adapter lead and then plug the 3-pin plug into the external power point.

    Good luck and happy camping!


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    #9
    Aidan_M_M
    Registered Users Posts: 2,213 ✭✭✭Aidan_M_M


    If you browse the Tip of the week thread you'll learn a lot of stuff you prob hadn't even thought of!


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