Aidan's tip of the week

Boss Croker wrote: »

Hi, can you help with this electrical problem? I'm no expert but I think this problem would confuse anyone. Basically my leisure battery fails after after a day or two of use or after several days being laid up. I already replaced it with a new one and I am afraid to go back to the people who installed it as I think the they are likely to argue that I have neglected the battery again. I have'nt. I charge it regularly as in fact I did with the first one. And when I reconnect to 240 or charge it up it powers up again

As i say I am no expert but I traced what was happening from switching on the electric step on entry and then monitoring the power. It seems to me that the air-con seems to be taking power even from the 12v system. I presume that is a no-no but if its true as I think it is it would explain why the battery runs down so quickly. the van is compact but i need air con for travelling abroad with the kids (at least I did before the recession!)

Anyway, I'd be grateful for your view on this. It may well be an intermittent fault so maybe it will require someone to keep it on battery and check what is happening over a period of time?

Sorry for going on a such length but this problem has me growling at the van everytime I pass it and I need help

thanks

hi , probably best to ask this in a new thread.

@Charles... you can't put a price on patience!




Folks , very few of us/you use your onboard tanks as drinking water , I assume? Well , I've recently started using this product from Truma , http://www.truma.com/uk/en/water-comfort/truma-aquastar.php , whom as you know supply most MH factories with the boilers and water fittings in our campers . And I have to say it really , truly works!

The rep from Truma sold me a good sales pitch , so we ordered some as a trial , I used it in some 15 yr old (ish) campers , and it did exactly what it said on the tin .

WARNING WARNING WARNING!

The frost is upon us , go out and drain the water system of your MH!

Open the tank drain , boiler drain(s) , and the pipe drain if one is fitted , let all the water out and then turn on all taps , and turn on the pump til no more water spits out . Then pump off , and leave all taps open a bit.

Also remember to drain the toilet tank if one is fitted , this is often forgotten!


I know we've covered this before , but every year it's forgotten about by some of us.

If ye have itchy feet after the Christmas and Stephen's Day folks , we'd be delighted to see ye here , get to poke around a few MHs free of charge and no pressure , and see how much different I am in the "offline" world to your impressions of me! lol

see if your reverse lights work , they switch on the gearbox fails a lot. there is a fuse , but it almost never ever blows.

What year is your van?

It's just awkward , I've done loads and just manage it through patience..

They go often , rainwater drips onto them . I always keep them in stock now to be honest , the last few years...


Anyhoo , back to business for 2012! Up the walls in the garage these days , but just had a thought..... If your camper has been idle a while , go light the boiler/heater , especially if it's a Truma Combi . The flies seem to love them , I;ve had to strip a few to dig them out! If you're lucky , they'll burn out of them with just a nasty smell for a few mins .

Malta1 wrote: »

Dont know for sure but I reckon that the flame will just cut out when the desired temp is reached.......ie the flame is on full to get to termo setting and then cuts out....cuts back in then when the temp increases

Can anybody confirm this theory or alternatively tell me how it works

that's only on the newer style ones that auto ignite.

never failed to take one , even a fridge freezer type , out the door . Strange .

Anyhoo , back from my charity work stint at the Likoni school for the Blind in Mombasa , Kenya , and raring for road again!
I know a good few MHs are idle this time of year , but even so it's still a good idea to take them out for a quick spin and run all the systems , something to do on a lazy Sunday perhaps? I would suggest popping the bonnet , checking the oil and water first , and having a peek underneath for any suspicious pools.
Then starting it up, switching the fridge to 12v, leaving it tick over for 10 mins , then heading out the road for a wee drive , maybe to the nearest petrol station and checking the tire pressures , including the spare.
Back home again , maybe put in some water , run the taps , the heater/boiler on gas , the fridge too , even the hob/cooker . Even for only a couple of minutes . But all the better if you can leave the heater on for an hour , to air out the 'van . Maybe open a close a few windows and skylights , to be sure they're not stuck .
Then if you can plug in the mains for a while , to be sure the leisure battery is charging , and to top it up .
Assuming all the rest is well , maybe check the lights outside , if I'm on my own I rest something against the brake pedal .
After all that , drain the water down again in case of frost , turn off the gas and switch off the power , disconnect the mains etc .

I know it seems like a load of work when you read it , but really it's stuff you'd run through in an hour or two , tops . And you'll have the satisfaction of knowing your MH is all set for road come the like of the Easter break , or indeed , even a "rosemantic" Valentines weekend!

Regards all.

Not sure , and not really what this thread is about Noel , but welcome to the forum , and maybe stick up a new thread , you might have more people seeing this .

Got an old toothbrush? they make for a perfect tool for cleaning out the little "dirt gathering" ridge at the top of where the window frame meets the MH side . Time and time again I see nice clean campers with crud and/or greenery embedded there , as a lot of people are afraid to power wash the MH . If that stuff is left there , over time it'll swell the joint , allowing water past the seal . And then you've a leaky window... leading to damage to the wall , soft timber etc .
Little bit of sudsy water and the toothbrush , and it'll pick it out without harming anything .

demoreino wrote: »

Aiden,
While your on the subject of exterior maintanance and cleaning , I have a few questions for ya.
1) How harmful is power washing your van ? Obviously I gotta be careful near vents but does it do any harm to the seals ?
2) What cleaner, detergent, suds do you use / recommend ?
3) What are the benefits of waxing your camper ?
4) Do you buff-up your van ? What do you use for this , elbow grease or a professional polishing machine ?
Thanks again Aiden.
Kevin.

1. Not harmful if you use a bit of common sense , and not use high pressure in delicate areas , like directly at edges or seals , or vents .
2. I use a non Caustic all purpose detergent with the wash , called Traffic film remover , removes most things but doesn;t take the gloss off paint/grp or windows. Just be careful , some T-F-Rs are caustic .
3. A waxed camper stays cleaner for longer , it protects the paint finish , and is easier to clean when it does get grubby . Plus it looks a helluva lot better ... Also if it's GRP bodied , it stops the GRP fading .
4. My van Kevin? Don't have one of my own , but if I had , I would do a combination of elbow grease and a polisher . I have a heavy duty "G-Mop" , for use with cutting compounds , mostly for taking out scratches or really badly dulled paint , and a Dual action , random orbital type polisher for "normal" polishing , it doesn't leave the circular swirls ordinary rotary polishers use . Of course you always need to do it by hand in the spots that you can't get into with the machine(s).

The first time you compound and polish a camper , you'll hate the job . it's a time consuming , arm killing , boring job . But....... it'll look half it's age! And if you do it right , you'll find you'll do it in a fraction of the time with just a polish/wax the next time .

oh and I use normal car polishes , I find they work as well or better than the so called motorhome specific polishes . That said I only use the better quality ones , like AutoGlym , Farecla , or Concept .

There's a lot of bad diesel out there folks , hearing a lot of horror stories of people getting problems with fuel pumps and injectors . Especially on newer , common-rail diesel machines , aka Ducato 2.8 from 2001- , all 2.2 , 2.3 and 3.0 Ducatos , the CDi Mercedes , the dCI Renault/Nissans , Ford's TDCi , the HDi Citroen/Peugeots and the TDi VWs. No harm to drain the fuel filter a couple of times a year . Every service I do on a diesel engine now , I'm adding a fuel system cleaner . Either Lucas or Wurth , depending on which I have . And I have noticed a difference .

most stuff works fine , it's just if you have an issu like crossed wires or a short etc , that you could get hurt!

The rear garage/storage layout of MH has gotten hugely popular , possibly/probably more popular than the famous rear lounge type . We shelved the front and rear walls of the "garage" on a few , simply and basic-ly done using light timber like skirting board . You;d be amazed how much more space it frees up , and how much easier it is to find stuff!