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Forum master
Posts: 2163
  
Location: Horsham, SX.(10 Rapido 7090F)
| Keeping it cool.
We made some curtains from the silvered car cover material sold by Halfords / Argos which held on by velcro. In hot sun they act like a silver screen and relect the sun out of the side and rear windows.
They look a bit utilitarian, but work well.
We have recently brought from Tchibo shops some fly screen material which is silved one side to relect the heat and black the other. Initial trials seem to have the same effect as the above, you can see out but not in.
We brought 2 packs of of door screen, one for the door ! the other for the windows. The width of the door screen (2 curtains in a pack) is the same as the drop on the windows. Total cost a tenner for the two packs.
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The special one
Posts: 12468
Location: E Yorks, 2015 Globecar FamilyScout L Ducato Maxi
| Sun screens:
We bought some cheap van sun screens in France and I cut one down to fit the Heki rooflight - this means that when it's sunny we can have it open and let in fresh air but still stop the sun getting in. Make sure you allow for it to flap down at the sides though so that as the sun moves round it doesn't creep in. I had some spare rubber suction cups so I put these on to keep it in place but if you cut it to the right size it pretty well stays up there anyway or pegs can be used keep it clipped in place on the 'glass'.
Storage:
I got a cheap multi-pocket plastic material thingy from a pound shop, the sort with a coat hanger hook on the top. I cut the bottom 3 rows of pockets off it, leaving a little bit of extra 'material' on top, bent over and taped this extra material to the rear and then fastened it to the motorhome door, utilising a couple of screws that were already there. To stop it flapping when the door is open I then put some sticky velcro on the 2 bottom corners to fix it to the door. It's extremely useful for keeping dog leads, brushes, spare cloths etc in.
Brushes:
A washing up brush, the type with the long handle and a small scrubbing brush on the end, is brilliant for cleaning your shoes before you get in the van, you can clean sand, grass and mud etc off and don't get your hands dirty due to the long handle. And if you do the storage solution above you can stick it in one of the pockets so it's always at hand as soon as you open the door.
Drinks:
We got hold of a couple of drinking can holders, the type that slip over the door between the inner door and the window glass. The only problem was they they have a nasty habit of jumping off or being knocked off. I just drilled a couple of small holes in them and put in self tapping screws to keep them in place, now we can have drinks to hand whilst travelling.
Dash tray:
I also made a dash tray to fit over the cut-out dash area in front of the passenger, I used an old tray (but a piece of strong board would do), some sticky velcro and a couple of legs from a computer monitor 'shelf' to support the front outer edges (but again I'm sure you could come up with something else. I attached the legs to the front and put velcro under the 2 sides and rear of the tray, these were then carefully matched with their 'brother' pieces of velcro on the dash itself. I now have a storage area under the tray to keep campsite and travel books in so they are readily at hand, and an area on top for other bits and pieces or simply to put my large map on when needed (they can get a bit heavy to hold all the time!).
Map holder:
Large maps can be a pain to hold when you're having to keep referring to them. I bought an A3 clip board and clip the map's side edge onto it. It keeps the map straight, easier to read as it stops it from flopping around, and safe from damage. If you dont' want to go to the expense of an A3 clipboard a piece of hardboard with a bulldog clip will work just as well.
Edited by Mel B 2006-08-18 6:05 PM
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The special one
Posts: 12468
Location: E Yorks, 2015 Globecar FamilyScout L Ducato Maxi
| Just packing the van for our next trip and remembered another tip:
Socks!!!! They are great for putting bottles into stop them rattling, but do remember to use clean socks won't you!
Edited by Mel B 2006-08-20 9:35 PM
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Having a look around
Posts: 24
Location: Herts
| Mel B - 2006-08-20 9:34 PM
Socks!!!! They are great for putting bottles into stop them rattling, but do remember to use clean socks won't you!
or wider rubber bands / bungie cord.....  |
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| Empty squash bottles cut in half (sideways not longways!) are ideal to jam and pickle jars clattering together.
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Just joined
Posts: 4
| Hi Friends I thought I would share with you all an idea I came up with while cogitating in the smallest room, I have used an old reversing aid as a intruder alarm. I have wired it to my leisure battery on a switch and mounted the sensors,1 above the drivers door and 1 above the passenger door,this also covers the habitat door, I can now see & hear anyone within a distance of about 3 metres. These reversing alarms can be bought for about £20 in most car spare outlets. I sleep a lot easier now when wild camping in the middle of nowhere............. |
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Location: Rapido ..ask him what size
| Thats a good Idea. |
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A posting machine
Posts: 386
Location: Hingham Norfolk
| I always carry silicon spray, its clean and wont harm plastics,
good for lube, or back to black.
I also carry re useable cable ties, useful for holding cable(what else).
holding wind break ends,hoses, and many other things.
I used 2 to hold my mud flaps in place
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Location: Dunnshargin
| Finding your van on large and poorly lit sites can sometimes be a problem, so what we use is one of those solar powered garden lights which we place on the roof through the skylight. Cheap and effective with a distinctive blue colour, never a problem finding the van but don,t forget to remove it before driving off. |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
| I was looking at those screens that cover part of the front of your fiamma roll-out awning to provide shade/windbreak at the Malvern show, and someone told me that shower curtains, hung upside down do just as well.
Apparently the weighted bottom edge feeds into the slot on the front of the awning, and elasticated loops can be put through the eyelets to peg into the ground.
Good eh? - I'm sure they must do them in pink |
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Location: Dunnshargin
| We,ve used shower curtains in place of a full safari room for a while now Jan. Rather than hang them upside down I slide them on to the end support bars of the awning, then with the windbreak in place simply clip them to the w/b poles. This covers the two sides of the awning and the front is done the same but with a old cut down windbreak that can easily be stepped over.
We use plain blue curtains that match the graphics on the van and w/bs, and the beauty of this is that they are cheap, lightweight, can easily be tied back and easy to put up and down, which is ideal for us where one night stopovers are the norm. Not perfect I know, but for a outlay of less than £40, compared to £500 plus for the official version, something thats easy to live with. |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
| I don't have any end support bars on my awning, but the bloke at the show had used a telescopic clothes-line prop with rubber ferrules on each end to fit between the front and back rails of the awning.
He then hung the blind from that. Obviously the fabric would then need to be cut at an angle to reach the ground front and back. |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
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Edited by J9withdogs 2007-08-14 8:35 PM
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Location: Dunnshargin
| J9withdogs - 2007-08-14 7:11 PM
I don't have any end support bars on my awning, but the bloke at the show had used a telescopic clothes-line prop with rubber ferrules on each end to fit between the front and back rails of the awning.
He then hung the blind from that. Obviously the fabric would then need to be cut at an angle to reach the ground front and back. Well worth getting those end bars Jan. Spring loaded and up in a second or two they stop the awning canvas from flapping about which on many occasions has got me out of bed in the early ours just to give the wife peace of mind. Never had a problem with how the shower curtains hang, but easy enough to put right if you want. Just set up the awning at its normal angle and mark the vertical line where it needs trimming. One other thing with the bars. Omnistor and Fiamma have different fittings where the ends are located so if you do get them make sure they are the right ones. |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
| Thankyou, Howie  |
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Epic contributor
Posts: 1237
Location: Surrey. Knaus/Renault
| Fed up with the van end of the 5 metre fresh water hose falling out while I turned on the tap at stand pipes, I took a plastic "U" shaped pipe bender off an old washing machine waste water hose (the bit that goes into the stand pipe behind washers and dishwashers) and put it on the end of the potable water hose. It now hooks neatly into the filler orifice on the van and with the spring loaded cover down onto the u-shaped part it works a treat, needing a firm tug to remove it after filling.
Bob |
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A posting machine
Posts: 386
Location: Hingham Norfolk
| If you use Evostick or any contact type adhesives you know how the top of the can sticks on, to save this, spray a little silicone spray on the threads, no more problem. 
cheers; |
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Pops in from time to time
Posts: 113
Location: Market Harborough Hymer B534
| Old trouser belts from a charity shop make good replacements for the straps in your gas bottle locker. |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
| Cut the top off plastic drinks bottles of various sizes to stand your glass bottles in.
Stops them 'chinking' in the cupboard when you are driving. |
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| starspirit - 2007-01-25 8:11 PM
Empty squash bottles cut in half (sideways not longways!) are ideal to jam and pickle jars clattering together.
That sounds familiar? |
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Lord of the posts
Posts: 5748
Location: Shropshire; 1995 VW T4 diesel Holdsworth Valentine
| See - I learnt from a great teacher |
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| J9withdogs - 2007-10-18 7:49 PM
See - I learnt from a great teacher
Teacher's always was one of my favourites, along with Bell's and several others whose names escape me due to the fact that I can't see the labels because of the plastic bottles they are standing in!
Edited by Tracker 2007-10-18 8:17 PM
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A posting machine
Posts: 382
Location: eden valley cumbria ci carioca 656 2.3jtd
| to stop your fridge going mouldy when not in use crunch sheets of newspaper up & put them in fridge works even with fridge door shut tight |
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| Better still modify your fridge door catch to hold the door open about half an inch and you may well find that smells and mould do not congregate in the first place.
A wash out with washing up liquid and hot water, and then dry it before leaving it, at the end of each trip also helps achieve this.
In the old days fridge door catches used to come with two holes - one to secure it airtight and one to secure it just open.
It worked so well that it no longer seems to be needed - by the makers that is?
Edited by Tracker 2007-11-06 9:16 PM
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Location: MODERATOR - 2015 Rapido 640F LHD 2.3ltr 150bhp
| Tracker:
As far as I'm aware the design of all Dometic and Thetford 'leisure vehicle' fridges (whenever they were produced) includes a means of securing the door(s) slightly open for ventilation purposes when the appliance is not in use. Perhaps you've been looking at fridges from other manufacturers? |
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Location: shropshire elddis accordo 125
| The red plastic boxes that Family Circle biscuits come in fit snugly into the high level cupboards of both coachbuilts that we have had. With their lids on they also stacked securely three high. Great container for medications, batteries, loose vehicle light bulbs and other bits and pieces. |
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Forum master
Posts: 3112
Location: Cleveland Autocruise Alto Peugeot 2013
| I use a sheet of bubble wrap under my cooker pan stands and another on top under the glass lid to stop rattles when travelling it easily folds and rolls up small when on site in my passenger door shelf.
Edited by maggyd 2008-01-03 9:55 PM
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Location: Rapido ..ask him what size
| Good Idea never though of that sick of using a tea towel to stop the rattles. |
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Keeps coming back for more
Posts: 126
Location: Pontypridd-Rapido 997M
| Hi Chas we find the very veritile elastic band with 2 small hooks even better they can be used to secure any shape and size also they can sub divide compatments and the bands can be free from your local postman that are discarded on his rounds and the kooks pennies.
Another tip visit your local recycling area and in the recycled fridges are loads of all sorts of trays and wire baskets that can be reused with many having the "eyes" for attatchment, the plastic coated wire shelves can be bent and formed to all sorts of dimensions to be placed in all sorts of tiny awkward corners.
Curly |
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Legendary contributor
Posts: 8171
| I don't think this has been mentioned before.
When going on longer ferry crossings, when the fridge will be off for some time, freeze your bottles of milk and water before you put them in the fridge.
Helps to keep everything cold. Has worked for us up to 24 hours.
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