Cliffy Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 As we are going away for 6 weeks in Europe this year I thought I should take some essential spares. Such as an habitation water pump and and spare bits for the Gaslow system. The pump is a Posiflow Floking which I am thinking of buying a spare complete unit unless you good people think this is not necessary. We have had no problems with the Gaslow system which was fitted in 2007 but having read about problems with 'clogging up' I am planning on taking necessary spares but don't want to buy things I don;t need. Which parts of the gas system are the weak links. (Change over valve, Gauge, regulator or other items). Are there any other habitation spares that we would be wise to take to avoid the trip becoming an endurance if the worst happens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Well, we're also doing a 6-8 week trip in Europe. First timers! Apart from bulbs, fuses, and a decent tool kit, I wasn't planning on taking anything else. Well, a credit card! My thinking is that we should be able to get replacements for most things somewhere. If that takes a few days and some driving, we'll just go to a full facility campsite. Plus, if I started worrying about taking a spare water pump, I'd end up taking a spare everything and have no room for the wife. Hmmm, you may have a point. :D Enjoy your trip and don't worry too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Apart from the legal requirements ;-)...............In light of recent mishaps..... maybe a clutch cable *-)...........but considering most habitation parts are generic, then I'd be more inclined to carry parts for the base vehicle that may make repairs quicker and easier ;-).................. So if your base vehicle has a common problem then maybe that spare part is the thing to carry :-|......... At least you'd be able to drive to somewhere to sort out any habitation problems :D.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted April 17, 2014 Author Share Posted April 17, 2014 I have been led to believe that spares for Gaslow systems are not available outside the UK. I am working on the presumption that base vehicle repairs all though an inconvenience can be carried out wherever we are in Europe but as we have a British Made Autotrail conversion, habitation parts are not easy to come by Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Cliffy - 2014-04-17 10:39 PM I have been led to believe that spares for Gaslow systems are not available outside the UK. Quite possibly...........But it is quite easy for Gaslow to send the parts to a campsite in Europe ;-)........... Speaking as an exporter :D........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Cliffy, How much spare payload do you have? If I recall from previous postings it is not an enormous amount so why waste it carrying possibly none essential items. There are motorhome/caravan dealers all around mainland Europe and as has been suggested as a final route you can get parts posted from the UK. I would have thought, as has already been suggested, that you carry essential vehicle spares, such as fan belt, fuel filter, etc, which are far more likely to disrupt your holiday in the case of a failure than a gaslow washer! There will always be a solution to a problem with a habitation system that means you can carry on your holiday but a vehicle failure will cause far more distress. eg if your water pump fails use an empty plastic bottle to fill the kettle until you can get a replacement, but if you fan belt breaks what do you do? Pinch the wifes stockings :D Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildi Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Cliffy - 2014-04-17 10:39 PM I have been led to believe that spares for Gaslow systems are not available outside the UK. I am working on the presumption that base vehicle repairs all though an inconvenience can be carried out wherever we are in Europe but as we have a British Made Autotrail conversion, habitation parts are not easy to come by We did a six month trip last year, after a few months we decided we wanted a second Gaslow bottle as we had only fitted one, ordered from Gaslow Tuesday 4pm and arrived at the campsite Thursday 11am in southern France and cost £20 for the delivery..........lucky if I could get it that quick in the UK. What great service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 When it comes to taking spares, if I take any, they would be related to vehicle maintenance. Keeping the vehicle on the road is the important thing - any problems with ' habitation ' can usually be coped with in some temporary way until you can get a fix. ( Taking spares is always a dilemma - where do you stop ? ) Have a good - problem free - trip anyway ! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Europe has become quite civilised over the past few years, despite what UKIP thinks. There is always a way around habitation problems, but if the MH can't move that could be the end of the holiday. Spares are readily available, but it is usually those things particular to right hand drive vehicles (assuming your's is) that cause problems. Clutch cable as mentioned . What I actually find most useful is a dictionary with all the technical terms in. Once telling a mechanic that I had " un cavité dans mon pipe hydrolique" elicited a strange look. Toothache in my smoking apparatus was not something he'd come across before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 The only thing I would consider essential is that if you have a Truma gas regulator I would take a bottle top regulator with a some hose and necessary adapters to enable you to by pass the Truma unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Haynes manuals offer free dowloadable auto technical dictionaries in 19 languages. Most habitation equipment is European made or at least sourced. The problem is locating a sales outlet. We spend most of our time in France and once every couple of years I pick up a French Motorcaravan magazine in a supermarket for the adverts for dealers. We used this to locate a new rooflight when ours blew off when passing oncoming trucks at speed in a Force 8 minus 5 C gale. Thats the good news. The bad news was I was charged over double the UK price. Mechanical Spares - you guys worry too much. Its Europe not darkest Africa for most people. I had a minor mechanical breakage for my VW Lt and the local VW dealer in a small French town got them 1 1/2 days later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliffy Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 Thanks for the reassuring posts. Maybe I was getting a little bogged down with what ifs. I do have only limited payload so I will just keep my fingers crossed and worry about getting things sorted if and when there are any problems. We don't have any limit on the length of our trip so if we have any problems to we will just have to treat it as part of the adventure and rely on our resourcefulness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 It is amazing what you can do with a wire coathanger - hang broken exhausts, pipes etc & gaffer tape can get you out of 100's of fixes. I remember my friend a Williams F1 race engineer telling me that Keke Rosberg won the Monaco grand Prix with blocks of wood gaffer taped to the pedals so he could use the spare car. He was shorter than - I think it was Nelson Piquet, and the spare car was set up for him. I always have spare bulbs for habitation & vehicle spare fuses gaffer tape a roll of string lengths of wire/wire coathangers a few assorted screws assorted cable ties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Cliffy, Its fingers crossed at the start of every trip, but in over 100,000 miles in just two VW vans we have only needed to spend under £10 on spares. The first had nearly 100,000 on the clock when we changed it and the present one has over 70,000 and is sixteen years old. The main danger with older vans is the proliferation of LE Zones. When touring I take a quick scan under the bonnet checking oil, water, brake and other fluid levels and for any signs of fresh leaks and kick the tyres every day or so. That way if trouble is brewing there is a fair chance of spotting it early. Tyres work hard so pressure check once week or so is also part of the routine. if you want all the comforts of home and no risks then home is the place to stay. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globebuster Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Good quality self-amalgamating tape - brilliant stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Spare Gas regulator for sure! Get a gaslow Cleese one if you have Truma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archiesgrandad Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Even middle aged motor vehicles are pretty reliable these days, and the same seems to be true of the habitation equipment. The chances of a serious problem occurring is quite small, so go and don't worry.AGD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I would take a good emergency tool kit and a computer, it seems that nowadays nothing is impossible to do with you tube, and parts can be sourced quickly via t'internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I have had a clutch replaced in Portugal,a radiater was replaced roadside in Portugal and an exhaust welded in France all on the worlds best Motorhome Hymer ( not) Fiat based,so If I were you I would not worry about a few spares, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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