SalB Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 So, having retired and bought a motorhome I have realised how little I know and how much I need to know!! Can anyone point me in the direction of an idiots guide to using your motorhome (gas supply, electrics and everything!) For example, what do I need to charge my leisure battery from my home? Just an adaptor. Never felt so stupid in all my life. Yours in (embarrassed) hope of help and guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 Welcome and dont be afraid to ask questions. Everyone started like you with no real knowledge. Might be easier if you tell us what make and model van you have but generally all you need is an electric hook up cable like this one. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10M-1-5mm-sq-STD-DUTY-EHU-CABLE-MAINS-HOOK-UP-LEAD-VW-CAMPER-MOTORHOME-CARAVAN/332256167127?hash=item4d5c02c4d7:g:WbgAAOSwnDZT2SZh For connecting it to home sockets though you just need an adaptor like this one https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Mains-Adaptor-Cable-13a-To-16a-Fly-Lead-Hook-Up-Caravan-Generator-016118A/233780702723?hash=item366e6a6e03:g:OmsAAOSwJ4Zfr16s Thats assuming you have a standard socket on the side of the van to take one of the blue ends but chances are you will have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 For a little light reading you could obtain a copy of The Motor Caravan Manual. This is published by Haynes and written by a well known, long time motorcaranner, John Wickersham. There are usually copies to be found on eBay. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 david lloyd - 2020-12-04 7:02 PM For a little light reading you could obtain a copy of The Motor Caravan Manual. This is published by Haynes and written by a well known, long time motorcaranner, John Wickersham. There are usually copies to be found on eBay. David This one... "Motorcaravanning Handbook" https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1844254283/ Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalB Posted December 4, 2020 Author Share Posted December 4, 2020 David, Keith Thank you, book now on order! Roll on Sunday! Barry That might help! I have a Swift Kontiki Sport 524. I have the cable you show. I guess I Just need to buy some sort of adaptor to convert The cable to my house plug socket. Many thanks and look out for lots more questions. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 SalB - 2020-12-04 7:56 PM Barry That might help! I have a Swift Kontiki Sport 524. I have the cable you show. I guess I Just need to buy some sort of adaptor to convert The cable to my house plug socket. Many thanks and look out for lots more questions. :-D The second link in Barrys post is that item. It plugs into your house mains and the other end fits into a mains cable (first link on Barrys post) which then fits into your motorhome/campervan mains socket. Plugs on the long lead are male/female so impossible to get wrong! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikeandthewife Posted December 4, 2020 Share Posted December 4, 2020 Hi SalB It's worth pointing out, (as you should with anything electrical), to plug the electric lead into your van first, then plug in at your electric supply point. This becomes even more critical when away from home, such as when on camping sites, (you dont want to be walking across grass with basically a live lead in you hand). This is a great forum for well informed experience/advice and right now, most of these guys/gals are all itching to get away but cannot for obvious reasons, so I would blast away with your questions, while you've got a captive audience. A books good, but could lead you down the path of purchasing all sorts of wonderful things that after a while will be for sale on Ebay, these guys will keep you right, so my advice would be, fire away. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Evidently the Swift Kon-Tiki Sport 524 was introduced for the 2020 model-year (ie. it began to be marketed in mid-2019). There are useful specification details and a photo in this advert https://www.wandahome.online/print/vehicle/524-2020 and more information here https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/details/524/144138 (There was an earlier Swift/Bessacarr 524 model that had a big bulge over the cab, but the Swift Kon-Tiki Sport 524 is significantly different.) The relevant Swift Owner’s Handbook can be found here https://orbit.brightbox.com/v1/acc-jqzwj/Swift/handbooks/pdfs/000/000/296/original/2020-Coachbuilt-Motorhomes-Handbook.pdf The “Swift Command Power Control System” uses Sargent equipment and looks to be complex. There’s a YouTube video about the EC800 control-panel that may be helpful (that’s assuming that the Sport 524 has that panel.) Also some Sargent EC800 on-line comments here https://tinyurl.com/yxs8blyj This article may also be useful https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/articles/practical-advice/motorhome-advice-motorhome-tips-for-beginners (The article’s full version (“Motorhome newbie tips”) printed in the February 2019 issue of MMM magazine probably isn’t worth bothering with.) Plenty of other ‘educational’ stuff out there (example here) https://thegapdecaders.com but studying the Swift manual should be the first step. (My French master used to say “Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest”. Excellent advice, though I never took much notice at the time...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conrad Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Welcome to our world, you'll find looking at posts here we all need a little advice now and again. Bear in mind people rent a 'van with no previous knowledge and somehow get by! Handbooks that you should have got with your new toy should tell you how to work most things. This time of year two things come to mind - depending on how much you'll be using it in cold weather. Because of the risk of freezing, don't leave water in the system. You're handbook should tell you how to drain it, or ask back at your dealer. (See my tip on Winter water use in the Hints and Tips forum about occasional day use) Other thing is, if you don't drive much in it, the engine battery will discharge itself and may or may not charge from the 'van being plugged into the mains. I've got one of these maintenance chargers from Halfords, https://www.halfords.com/motoring/battery-maintenance/battery-chargers/halfords-6v%2F12v-maintenance-charger-329091.html which I've wired in and leave plugged in via 'van mains socket. Do you not have a solar panel, if so it should keep your leisure battery charged, as long as you've turned everything off, including the control panel backlighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalB Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 Mikeandthewife Thank you. Great advice as I'd not even thought about that!! Derek Uzzell Amazing!! Thank you for all that. I will read and inwardly digest as advised... Conrad Thank you and again, great advice. We do have a solar panel (just not too. much sun at the mo :) ) I'm worried about the battery going fast as the storage site doesn't have an electrical supply. I guess we'll need to take it out for a drive every couple of weeks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalB Posted December 5, 2020 Author Share Posted December 5, 2020 PS What is "PSU"? What is "RCD"? How long does the leisure battery take to charge from a domestic supply? And, thank you for your patience... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spyder Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Have a good look on YouTube, loads of helpful people. Try Bob Earnshaws channel, gives some very clear explanations on everything from beginners to going through the Chunnel https://www.youtube.com/c/BobEarnshawMoHo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 SalB - 2020-12-04 6:41 PM So, having retired and bought a motorhome I have realised how little I know and how much I need to know!! . when we where in your position we spent a several days living in ours on our drive no sneaking into the house allowed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninian Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 Hi, PSU. Power Supply Unit. RCD. Residual Current Device. When its down ( OFF position ) UP is the ( ON position ). Depends how flat your battery is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalB Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share Posted December 6, 2020 Ninian - 2020-12-05 10:08 PM Hi, PSU. Power Supply Unit. RCD. Residual Current Device. When its down ( OFF position ) UP is the ( ON position ). Depends how flat your battery is. Thank you -- should have been obvious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 A great world of adventures lies ahead. For me the adventure bible has been "Go Motorhoming" by Vicarious B ooks. Its a bit long in the tooth now but many things wont have changed.. Buy it read it and practice it https://www.vicarious-shop.com/collections/motorhome-aires-stopovers/products/go-motorhoming-and-campervanning Very best of luck !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 The information in the Swift Owner’s Handbook (link in my posting of 5 December 2020 8:50 AM) is extensive (190 pages) and covers batery-related matters in some depth. For instance, it appears that the leisure battery Swift fits is either a wet-acid type housed in a floor-mounted compartment or beneath the rear seating, or an AGM battery lying on its side beneath the cab driver’s seat. Battery charging via a solar panel (standard for the Kon-Tiki Sport 524 model) is covered, as is the ‘smart charging’ feature that is part of the Sargent “Swift Command” electrical system. Many of the basic operations (eg. draining the fresh-water and waste-water tanks - guidance in the "WINTERISATION” part of the Handbook’s “MAINTENANCE” section) are operated via the motorhome’s control-panel - so anyone who is smartphone-literate should have absolutely no problems .. :-( :-( The Handbook’s “WINTERISATION” section also includes ‘electrical’ advice on storage while the motorthome is connected to a 230V mains hook-up or not (copy of advice attached) However, as Ian has said “...the storage site doesn't have an electrical supply”, if the solar panel can’t keep his motorhome’s batteries adequately charged, there seems to be little alternative to his suggestion to drive the vehicle (for a significant period of time) every couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Just one thing re Derek's extract from the Swift manual above. This seems to suggest that there will be no charge to the hab battery if a 240V EHU is not connected. However, the van apparently has a factory-fit solar panel - which surely should provide battery charging under those circumstances? Wrong manual, or possibly missing supplement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 As I said in my last posting, the Swift Handbook relevant to Sally’s Kon-Tiki Sport 524 has 190 pages and - although it has information about the motorhome’s electrical system, the solar panel, winterisation and storage, how these things can (or may) interact and the implication for an owner may not be explicitly stated. Wading through the Handbook (link here) https://orbit.brightbox.com/v1/acc-jqzwj/Swift/handbooks/pdfs/000/000/296/original/2020-Coachbuilt-Motorhomes-Handbook.pdf might confirm if it includes (or does not include) advice on battery charging from the solar panel while the motorhome is off 230V EHU, but I’m not going to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Derek Uzzell - 2020-12-06 12:07 PM As I said in my last posting, the Swift Handbook relevant to Sally’s Kon-Tiki Sport 524 has 190 pages and - although it has information about the motorhome’s electrical system, the solar panel, winterisation and storage, how these things can (or may) interact and the implication for an owner may not be explicitly stated. Wading through the Handbook (link here) https://orbit.brightbox.com/v1/acc-jqzwj/Swift/handbooks/pdfs/000/000/296/original/2020-Coachbuilt-Motorhomes-Handbook.pdf might confirm if it includes (or does not include) advice on battery charging from the solar panel while the motorhome is off 230V EHU, but I’m not going to do it. OK got it. Page 98. "Depending on specification, your motorhome may be fitted with a solar panel of up to 120W, and if a solar panel is fitted then a suitable solar regulator will also be installed. This solar panel and regulator may provide additional 12v power whenever sunlight is available to the panel, and this will be directed to the EC800 power supply unit. Conditions allowing, and depending on the settings chosen in the EC800 power supply unit, the system can give the leisure battery a daily boost when camping without a mains 230V supply, or while the vehicle is in storage. Regulator operation The regulator operates automatically, turning on and off as required to charge and operate. When the solar panel is exposed to a source of sunlight the regulator starts to operate. When the voltage from the panel reaches a usable level, the Panel Output LED will flash indicating that the battery is being charged (see battery charging above). If insufficient power is being generated by the solar panel the regulator will turn off. The regulator checks the solar panel output every 30 seconds and turns on/off as required. On overcast days when the solar panel output is minimal the regulator can still deliver a small charge, and in this mode the LED’s are not illuminated to conserve power. Control Panel When the solar panel is operating the leisure battery voltage display on the control panel will increase, however this does depend on the amount of load placed on the system and the amount of power being generated by the solar panel at that time." So it seems that if/where the panel is factory fit, it should provide a suitable charge supply charge the leisure battery but, it seems, not the starter battery. This will also need occasional charging during storage, due to the persistent drain on it from on-board electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Page 78 of the Swift Handook deals with “Solar Charge Management” and includes the ‘Smart Charging’ advice shown on the attached file. Questions about Sargent equipment and charging starter and leisure batteries in motorhomes equipped with solar panels have come up in the past on motorhome forums, often querying the effect of Smart Charging. The trouble is that, as the base-vehicle (Fiat Ducato in this case) and the habitation electrical system become more feature-loaded, the harder it’s likely to be for the motorhome buyer to gain familiarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SalB Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 Thank you everyone. It's starting to make sense (if I read it all very slowly several times!!) To give you "old hands" a smile, I've just been out in the van and stopped to make a cuppa but the kettle didn't work. Panicked about what I was doing wrong. Didn't even know the power sockets wouldn't work when not plugged into mains supply! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 SalB - 2020-12-07 2:20 PM To give you "old hands" a smile, I've just been out in the van and stopped to make a cuppa but the kettle didn't work. Panicked about what I was doing wrong. Didn't even know the power sockets wouldn't work when not plugged into mains supply! :D :D You need a little 1 litre camping kettle which gives enough water for two mugs and use your gas hob to boil. Like this which is nice and compact but does the job; https://tinyurl.com/y56qxwro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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