Patricia Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 One or two things come to mind, particularly if you intend to go to or through France. Make sure you always have your registration document, insurance with the translation on it in different languages (if you want fully comp over there check that your insurance covers you - you may have to pay extra for this) and your driving licence. These must be with you at all times so it you change to another vehicle for some reason keep your licence and passports with you. There is no such thing as presenting your licence in 48 hrs etc. - instant heavy fine if stopped. Passports sometimes needed at campsites (unless you have the international card available from CC, AA, CCC or RAC etc. about £5), banks, even supermarket checkouts! Breakdown ins is very useful and medical insurance good in case of accident but in any case take EHIC with you and check date is still valid. If you don't speak good French or Spanish there is a scheme called "Pass the Phone" which is useful - they will act (quite cheaply) as go between translators especially helpful if children become ill as they very inconveniently do on holidays! Been there done that several times over the years. You might consider an alarm for the m/home,if it doesn't have one, which can be activated overnight when you are sleeping in it. Extra security locks useful too. Also CO2 (alarm) for gas fumes as well as fire alarm and extinguisher. 12V TV's sometimes need 240V first - my Sharp Aquos did until I bought the adaptor. Haven't got time to read all this posts again so I might very well be repeating things. PS After almost losing a very young child through gastro-enteritis when in a hired caravan we always made a rule to either boil water, drink bottled or use a really good filter (not the ones just for the taste) as mentioned above. I still follow that rule even though I sterilise the tank and pipes - would never want a holiday like that one again. The water is only as pure as is put in and as mentioned some people do unspeakable things with taps etc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 On the subject of water, two further thoughts.Apart from the "inventive" uses of drinking water taps referred to above (and I have see the same being done), there is often a captive filler hose attached to the tap. If I can, I detach this and use our own, if I can't I fill elsewhere. Why? Because the considerate soul who had filled their van before I arrived, almost invariably discarded the hose onto the ground after s/he'd filled up. (Some) motorhomers truly are travelling health hazards to all who come next!Second, whether or not the water remains fit to drink probably depends on how you use you van. If you habitually use all your on-board facilities (shower, drink the water, general food prep, washing up, toilet etc) you will, as Mel says, need to fill and empty every few days. Thus, you frequently take on fresh, treated, drinking water. On the other hand, if you do as we do and use sites, and their facilities, for washing, showering, toileting, food prep and washing up, and drink bottled water, you fresh water will last comfortably in excess of one week. I always sterilise the tank, and always treat the new water, but have little confidence in its drinkability after a week in a warm motorhome tank. The longer it is stored, the greater the risk of contamination, and the greater the opportunity for organic contaminants to multiply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Brian, read all these with interest as I am still learning.... what do you mean when you say do not charge your leisure battery from your engine battery (or something like that can't remember your exact words) or you may forget to flip the switch...? I always thought the leisure battery automatically charged from the engine battery as you were driving along. I don't appear to have any switches to stop this happening..... I hope the original poster doesn't mind my asking but they too may be wondering, or maybe they do have a switch. Also, are you saying that when on hook up the leisure battery may overcharge and be damaged? I recall someone did say something of that once in a post and said to disconnect after a few days. (Again, sorry if these are daft questions :$ ) Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbow-Chasers Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 When you are driving, the split charger sends equal amounts to both batteries. When on mains have it set on leisure battery. If you are 'wild camping' ie no mains, and your leisure battery runs low, you can flick over to engine battery to finish your shower or whatever, but don't use it for extended periods. Just look towards it as emergency reserve! Stick to that and you won't go wrong! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_n_Suzy Posted January 23, 2009 Author Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hi All, Firstly, THANKS AGAIN, to all the above posters - appreciated as always. Hiya, Roon. Your question is very relevant to something I am about to do and was going to ask a very similar question :) - I mind not one iota you posting it. I have had our MH hooked up to the mains at home for the past 24 hours, I went out to the MH earlier, there is a digital control panel that amongst other things allows me to read off the voltage of the battery. I checked the Engine Battery and it read 12.7v, I then checked the Leisure Battery and it read 10.1v - this would be indicative to me that the Leisure Battery is "done for" ???? If this is correct I would like to replace it with the best ah battery I can afford (i was thinking 110 min to 135?), that will fit the slot - will this be possible or will it cause problems if it is of a much higher ah than the Engine Battery (i.e will it end up charging the Engine Battery from the Leisure Battery). (I am presuming not as I wouldn't think they would be wired in parallel but wouldn't mind it confirming) CHEERS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 The alternative conclusion is that the leisure battery has not been charging. Is there a changeover switch anywhere, labelled along the lines of, "vehicle battery" and "habitation battery", and is it set to "vehicle battery"? If it is, change over to charge the leisure battery, leave it on charge for 24 hours, then see what it reads. If over 12V, make sure there is no load on it, leave it another 24 hours, and then check the reading again. If it has dropped significantly, the battery is probably duff, but if not you may be OK, though only extended use will really tell.Before changing, it would be wise to check what type of battery the existing one is, in terms of wet lead acid or gel, and just check if the charger is switchable between the two types. If you can't get positive identification, best to take it to a specialist to be sure. If your charger can't be switched between the two, stick to the type already installed. Physical size is likely to be more of a restriction than capacity, but there should be no reason why you could not fit a larger capacity battery. If you want to increase greatly, it might be wise to check further, as there is a desirable relationship between charger output and battery capacity, and I believe possibly between alternator output and battery capacity. I think both relate more to the time taken to re-charge than to risk of actual damage being caused, but I am not expert, and do not know the formulae, so do not rely my word on this. Others on here are expert, so will doubtless give chapter and verse in due course. I suggest you pose a new battery specific question, to be sure they pick up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 but remember - you may not have a switch. I've been ointo supplier after all these replies saying 'flick the switch' and my van doesn't. Not sure where this leaves the 'leisure battery overcharging' worry. Have you checked the split fuse in the engine. I had that problem and it turned out mine was completely missing!! Joy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_n_Suzy Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 ROON - 2009-01-25 4:21 PM but remember - you may not have a switch. I've been ointo supplier after all these replies saying 'flick the switch' and my van doesn't. Not sure where this leaves the 'leisure battery overcharging' worry. Have you checked the split fuse in the engine. I had that problem and it turned out mine was completely missing!! Joy Hi, Thanks again for all the information contained above - Special THANKS to Brian for his lengthy indepth posts. The battery was all-but shot. I tested the current going into it from the charger and it was 13+, I also tried charging it in the house with my car charger to no avail. When I put a multimeter to it, it still only had a touch over 10v. I have already ordered a new one, with a long winded title - Its a "Lucas 110ah Sealed Deep-Cycle Calcium No Gas Leisure Battery". Sounds good, but i'll let you know in due course if it IS good. CHEERS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panagah Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Well welcome to the wonderful world of motorhoming, It's nice to have another family on board. We to have children, both boys of a similar age. Firstly of course advice is just that, advice, given freely on here (thankyou) but make sure you digest it fully before you start parting with your hard earned cash and end up with a load of worthless accessories that you don't need. You so far have been advised to buy a solar panel, not have a generator and stay lengthy periods on campsites to avoid bored children. Only you will have the answers to your own questions, for only you know your kids. BGD makes some great ideas for keeping your kids happy, however the modern day kid without a peice of electrical gaget for travelling will do your head in. My kids would rather shoot me than play board games or Bored games as they refer to them. We have travelled extensively motorhoming through the low countries, Germany Switzerland and France at least a couple of times a year. They love it, they love the traveling to Brian. In fact they would go nuts if we spent anymore than a couple of days in one place. They Love the aires,. sometimes its difficult but we always manage to find somewhere to stop in summer holidays. In the winter for skiing and markets, never a problem. My kids do have a laptop that we use on the move loaded with films and etc, they sometimes like to travel watching a film. My new van has a saterlitte system but TBH I have yet to use it. You will find out yourself what floats your boat, (and the kids). ALl I would add is be patient and when things go wrong, which they will inevitably do, laugh at them and just learn from it for next time. You may well use your MH very differently to others on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian_n_Suzy Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 Panagah, the description of your kids makes them sound "more like our kids than our kids do", lol. I have taken onboard everything that has been afore mentioned, and I have definately gained plenty of ideas/knowledge from the posts - and they are all greatly appreciated I can assure you. But I have to say your post makes alot of sense to me - i.e. "the modern day kid without a peice of electrical gaget for travelling will do your head in". We will definately try to make the most of the "us time" with the kids and we will endeavour for them to enjoy themselves as perhaps we did as kids, without all these new fandangled gadgets. But somewhere down the line we will have to give them a "little of what they want", be it only an hour or so a day on their Nintendo DS` etc. We are really looking forward to this "hopefully, new found freedom the MH allows us". CHEERS for your post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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