Mould cleaning and hook-up advice

[CPeachey]

Hi All

We have just bought our first van. A Trigano Tribute 2005 model.

Hope someone can give me some advice please.

1. What product can I use to remove black mould from the seal around the toilet service door?

2. Toasters kettles and heaters are often rated at 2000watts. Are these suitable for standard hook-ups in the UK? or are there lower wattage appliances available? What happens if you plug in a 2kw appliance and the hook-up is rated at 5amp?

(don't want to get into trouble on our first trip!)

(it took me 1/2 hour to work out how to light the gas stove this morning so I do have a lot to learn!!!)

Chris :$

[duffers]

hi chris, welcome to the mad mad world of motorhomes :D :D

 

learning is part of the fun you know

 

there is a tried and tested formula for working out how many electrical items you can run on the amp provided without tripping out

no idea what it is - but the cleverer ones'll be along soon

 

 

on a more interesting point - where are you planning to go ? :D :D

[Big Momma]

I find that Black Mould can be treated quite easily. First use a mild detergent (Fairy Liquid is good) with piping hot water and a bit of elbow grease. That should remove the worst of it, you can purchase Motorhome wash treatments which have an anti-mould formula, seem to work. However, once you have cleaned it up the best way to keep it at bay is keep the area dry. Once you have washed the van and wipe down open all the external lockers and ensure that excess water that get's into the rubber seals is cleaned out. You can treat your rubber seals with products like 'Armoral' which helps keep the rubbers supple and acts as a water repellant (Good on window seals as well).

 

Not sure about Toasters but you can certainly buy low wattage electric kettles which are good for the van. Most of these type of accessories can be sourced and purchased from the internet as well as Motorhome/Caravan accessory shops.

 

If you havn't got a second Hook Up cable, may be worth investing in one for two reasons. If one becomes faulty whilst you are away then you have a spare and your holiday is not inconvenienced and secondly, some pitches may be siuated some way from the hook up point and you may need to use two.

 

Hose Reel is essential for re-filling fresh water and a spare water container just in case you cannot get to a fresh water tap.

 

I am sure there will be lots of other advice on it's way from other forum members. But in the meantime, if you have any further questions then just ask away because there is a lot of knowledgable souls on this forum :D

[peterandlinda]

Hi

 

Big Momma gives good advice. If you can't sort out the mould using her advice you could try Dettol mould and mildew remover which is widely available, but be careful, this is a strong bleach solution and it will turn blue jeans pink. You need to use it and monitor it, then rinse everything with large amounts of water.

 

On the electricity question, you need to divide the watts by 220 (which is the european standard voltage) to arrive at the Amps. So a 2kw (2000 watts) kettle will draw just over 9 amps, but this assumes that everything, including the power outlet is perfectly adjusted. If you plug a 2kw kettle into a supply rated at 5amps it will trip the isolator. The isolator is usually on the supply pillar you plug into and you can tell it has tripped because the little red switch will be up, unlike all the others, which will be down. Don't worry about all this, it will be quite safe in the UK.

 

There are lower wattage appliances available, travel kettles from Lakeland (for example) and specialist heaters from caravan dealers and sometimes LIDL and ALDI have deals on suitable appliances, though don't expect quite the same performance as domestic appliances.

 

Not everything will go smoothly on your first trip but that is part of the fun!

 

Enjoy!

 

P&L

 

 

 

 

[Brambles]

Vinegar kills most mould spores and will help to remove the staining. You can also try bathroom spray cleaner.

 

Power = Volts x Amps.

So 5 amp hook up is 240 x 5 = 1200watt.

or other way for 2Kw then Amps = 2000/240 = 8.3Amps

 

Jon.

[spospe]

You can buy small jug kettles rated at under 1000 watts (ours is 900) and fan heaters commonly have several heat settings, such as 1000 and 2000 watts.

 

On Caravan Club sites, nearly all the hook-up points are rated at 16 amps which works out at 3680 watts (this is based on the present UK mains voltage of 230 volts).

 

 

[CPeachey]

Thanks for the help.

No doubt I will be back! I will need to look at the tyre this weekend as the van is 5yrs old but only done 4000miles. (The tax ran out in May 08!)

Chris (lol)

[flicka]

Hi Chris & welcome to the forum.

I'm guessing if the Tribute has been laid up for 17+ months, there is a strong possibility that you have purchased privately.

 

If so & as the Equipment has not been used, I would recommend a Habitation check, to ensure Gas system is safe & electrical connections are all working.

Regarding Heaters, if you are considering free standing, the Oil Filled Electric Radiators are much safer IMHO than any other form of free standing heater & they don't have to be high output.

e.g. 700watt (around 3amp)

http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=200-1549

1kw (around 4amp)

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152301/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+and+furniture%7C14417894/c_2/3%7C15701253%7CHeaters+and+radiators%7C14417957/c_3/4%7Ccat_14417957%7COil+filled+radiators%7C14417968.htm

 

[sheer lunar-see]

Try Tesco budget range of appliances, check the box for its rating, you should be O.K with most of their range, but dont forget, with lower wattage items, the heating time is increased, so when you fill the kettle dont put so muchwater in. As for cleaning, good old fairy and elbow grease. Still learning tricks after 15years at it.

[Mel B]

Hi Chris - welcome to the mad house and the wonderful world of motorhoming!!! :-D

 

Electic bits and pieces - you'll find a lot of the supermarket 'budget' ranges are lower powered and cheap too. There's no need to buy the 'expensive' stuff (like from Lakeland!) - I have in the past acquired quite a bit of kit from car boot sales, charity shops, pound shops etc, where you'll also be able to get a lot of the other stuff you need such as pots, pans, picnic (melamine) sets, cutlery.

[lennyhb]

The only mains electrical kit we carry is a small jug kettle 1000W and a small hair drier 500W for SWMBO & they don't get used very often as we hardly ever use hook ups.

Don't bother with the low wattage camping kettles etc. or travel kettles they take for ever to boil easier to use the gas.

 

Best not to trip the hook up as you might have to get the site manager out of bed if it's in a locked cabinet, also you might plunge the vans around you into darkness.

 

 

[maggyd]

Hi Chris, if all else fails Bicarbonate of soda mixed to as paste and applied with an old toothbrush might work, I have used it on white vertical blinds, I leave it for a while and then clean off with cold water.

 

As others have said buying a low voltage kettle! they are usually very small and expensive, as we have a electric ring on our cooker I bought a normal kettle that you can use on either gas or electric it saves on space, if were on hook up we use it if not as on aires we use the gas.

[Guest peter]

Liddl's mould remover is pretty good and not expensive. Or Milton baby bottle cleaner also works. I've used both on the inside covering of my boat.

Spray it on and leave it for a while. Mlton contains bleach and salt, the other one doesn't.

[RogerGW]

Hello Chris,

 

Re electricity. I use an electric toaster, an electric kettle and a microwave in my van - but only one at a time! They're all domestic models from supermarkets. I never have problems on club sites (either club) or large independent sites.

 

For small sites (CLs and CSs) and others with low wattage supply, I use a travelling kettle and cook and make toast using the van's gas oven.

 

Roger

 

PS Have you considered joining the Tribby group? See http://www.tribby.co.uk/forum/

[Mel B]

lennyhb - 2010-11-18 9:01 PM

 

The only mains electrical kit we carry is a small jug kettle 1000W and a small hair drier 500W for SWMBO & they don't get used very often as we hardly ever use hook ups.

Don't bother with the low wattage camping kettles etc. or travel kettles they take for ever to boil easier to use the gas.

 

Best not to trip the hook up as you might have to get the site manager out of bed if it's in a locked cabinet, also you might plunge the vans around you into darkness.

 

 

Travel kettles (the 12v type) are useless, but I've used a small sized kettle without a problem, they aren't expensive and being smaller are easier to store.

[Guest pelmetman]

On site with hookup we are all electric (lol) We have kettle, toaster, hairdryer (not that I need it :D ), cooker and heating..........................................I likes to get me monies worth (lol)

[Camperdude]

Big Momma - 2010-11-17 7:18 PM

 

 

If you havn't got a second Hook Up cable, may be worth investing in one for two reasons. If one becomes faulty whilst you are away then you have a spare and your holiday is not inconvenienced and secondly, some pitches may be siuated some way from the hook up point and you may need to use two.

 

 

I joined 2 10 metre hook-up cables sealing the joining plugs from the elements on a Caravan Club site, and was told by the Warden that it breached CC rules. He said no pitch is more than 25 metres from a hook up post so I had to purchase a 25 metre cable and kept the 10 meter for when I'm closer to a hook up point.

 

John

[duffers]

Camperdude - 2010-11-19 5:04 PM

 

Big Momma - 2010-11-17 7:18 PM

 

 

If you havn't got a second Hook Up cable, may be worth investing in one for two reasons. If one becomes faulty whilst you are away then you have a spare and your holiday is not inconvenienced and secondly, some pitches may be siuated some way from the hook up point and you may need to use two.

 

 

I joined 2 10 metre hook-up cables sealing the joining plugs from the elements on a Caravan Club site, and was told by the Warden that it breached CC rules. He said no pitch is more than 25 metres from a hook up post so I had to purchase a 25 metre cable and kept the 10 meter for when I'm closer to a hook up point.

 

John

 

good old caravan club *-)

[Brambles]

duffers - 2010-11-19 5:18 PM

 

Camperdude - 2010-11-19 5:04 PM

 

Big Momma - 2010-11-17 7:18 PM

 

 

If you havn't got a second Hook Up cable, may be worth investing in one for two reasons. If one becomes faulty whilst you are away then you have a spare and your holiday is not inconvenienced and secondly, some pitches may be siuated some way from the hook up point and you may need to use two.

 

 

I joined 2 10 metre hook-up cables sealing the joining plugs from the elements on a Caravan Club site, and was told by the Warden that it breached CC rules. He said no pitch is more than 25 metres from a hook up post so I had to purchase a 25 metre cable and kept the 10 meter for when I'm closer to a hook up point.

 

John

 

good old caravan club *-)

 

The only reference I can find in the CC rules to hook up cables is as follows.

 

e) The Club is responsible for the safety of electrical points only up to the socket outlets. Persons using the electrical point are responsible for their connector cable, plugs and all equipment connected thereto which must comply with all current British Standards and Regulations.

 

 

So no mention of not beng allowed to join two cables.

[Big Momma]

Have to say that I have never had cause to use two hook up cables on a CC site. However, have had to use two frequently on private sites and also in Europe.

[Guest JudgeMental]

Jeez forget about the multitude of electrical appliances or next thing you will be saying is Oh dear! we should have bought an RV!:-D

 

boil water in a kettle, carry a small 230v travel kettle, and for quick, good and cheap toast one of these

 

http://www.johnscross.co.uk/products/Gelert-Folding-Toaster-Camping-.html

 

 

[Big Momma]

Mel B - 2010-11-18 10:25 PM

 

Travel kettles (the 12v type) are useless, but I've used a small sized kettle without a problem, they aren't expensive and being smaller are easier to store.

 

We use a small kettle, not a travel kettle one that is slightly larger and provides enough water for two decent mugs of tea/coffee. We bought it off one of the Internet sites and I think it is 900w and was not expensive. It is about a third smaller in size than a normal domestic kettle so storage space is not an issue and when we are on site it does not take up an enormous amount of space on the kitchen unit. We tend to use the Grill for making our toast but do have a toastie machine for the Cheese and Ham toasted sandwiches which we enjoy as a snack for lunch. A slow cooker is also a good purchase as you can leave that on whilst you are out and come back to a nice hot casserole.

[tonyg3nwl]

Hi Re joining of 2 shorter hookup cables and "club rules", it may not be specifically forbidden, but the warden is "playing safe". What if someone came along and disconnected the join, the open end would then be "live" and could be a danger to anyone admittedly stupidly "playing" with it .

 

I would strongly recommend never using any join, and see no reason why it should ever be necessary as normal hookups cables are 25 meters., sufficient to reach hookup points on any club site.. On continental sites, I have in the past seen obviously potentially dangerous lashups, but now days, any decent site does the job properly.. If your cable wont reach, it is safer to move to a nearer pitch.

 

Remember ELECTRICITY CAN KILL.

 

Club sites outlets, are rated at 16 Amp max, but there is a site "diversity factor" built in, such that if everyone attempted to load each point to the max, the switchboard isolator would trip out and shut down all the outlets on the circuit. The diversity factor is most likely around 30%, so if more than 1/3 of the outluts are loaded to max, itwill trip off.. Domestic Kettles are rated at around 2kw, which is close to 10 amps, so 4 adjacent vans on the same circuit at the same time will trip the circuit out if they all have a kettle on for breakfast together. Be sensible and use the electricity sensibly.

 

tonyg3nwl

[Guest JudgeMental]

But the blue 230 v sockets are designed for outdoor use? not sure if IP 65 rated but while I would not go swimming with one they are shower/rain proof? *-)

[lennyhb]

The mains connectors used on hook up leads are IP44 which is shower proof, "Protected against sprays from all directions - limited ingress permitted"

IP 65 are waterproof they have different cable glands and when you plug them in they have a locking ring with a waterproof seal that you screw up, "Protected against low pressure jets if water from all directions - limited ingress permitted".

 

Do what I do don't stay on CC sites don't use mains, much easier & cheaper. (lol) (lol) (lol)