second opinions before i buy stuff please (1 Viewer)

autoswan

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I have a list of things i think i need before our first trip abroad in mh any advice on better options etc will be appreciated .The list is to long so just a few here if you dont mind.

TV i read on here about a good 12v tv a while back but lost the link it needs to play dvd`s and avi films of usb stick not bothered about tv channels cause prob wont get many progs we know in france ?
Two i found
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http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AFX4NIW/?tag=mhf04-21 any good ?

Portable power supply i was thinking of solar panel but little time and know of none around here fitting though ive got a small maplin windscreen solar to top up the batteries also thinking of kippor genny but noise running and weight is a factor ? Chatter had a good idea one of those portable power pack engine jump starter packs with 12v lead to power tv & laptop .
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Tyres they are michelins 215/70 R15C XC at the moment with loads of tread and very minor cracking on side walls but due to thier age of 9 years and being a bit spooked by coments on forum ive decided to change them all had a quote for new michelins £ 135 each but Hancooks which i read on forum as being decent for £ 350 for 4 !

Also changing cam belt kit, water pump and brake fluid and checking pads & discs because not known if done before i got mh & not stamped in service book .

Booked ferry through Dover exchange flexi ticket, but guy seemed unsure about dogs he recons free dover to calais, but £25 - £30 each on return ?

If your still with me i`ll hold it right there for now . Any opinions welcome thanks.:thumb:
 
Feb 16, 2013
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Portable power supply

If you are traveling about, shouldn't need one

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TheBig1

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I have a list of things i think i need before our first trip abroad in mh any advice on better options etc will be appreciated .The list is to long so just a few here if you dont mind.

TV i read on here about a good 12v tv a while back but lost the link it needs to play dvd`s and avi films of usb stick not bothered about tv channels cause prob wont get many progs we know in france ?
Two i found
Link Removed

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AFX4NIW/?tag=mhf04-21 any good ?
most cheap tvs use the same screen manufacturer but the build quality varies wildly between brands. we have a cheap Aldi bought tv that runs on 240v or 12v cost under £100 with 3 year warranty

Portable power supply i was thinking of solar panel but little time and know of none around here fitting though ive got a small maplin windscreen solar to top up the batteries also thinking of kippor genny but noise running and weight is a factor ? Chatter had a good idea one of those portable power pack engine jump starter packs with 12v lead to power tv & laptop .
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cheap little solar panels such as the maplin one are more a novelty than useful. using a jump starter pack wont last long. all they are is at best a 30amp hour battery in a plastic box. get a second leisure battery and charge it with your other one. generally would recomend a 100a/h so 3 times the capacity plus


Tyres they are michelins 215/70 R15C XC at the moment with loads of tread and very minor cracking on side walls but due to thier age of 9 years and being a bit spooked by coments on forum ive decided to change them all had a quote for new michelins £ 135 each but Hancooks which i read on forum as being decent for £ 350 for 4 !
hancooks are excellent value for money. essential you change tyres if splits are showing their dangerous

Also changing cam belt kit, water pump and brake fluid and checking pads & discs because not known if done before i got mh & not stamped in service book .
common sense to protect your investment dont forget the oil change too

Booked ferry through Dover exchange flexi ticket, but guy seemed unsure about dogs he recons free dover to calais, but £25 - £30 each on return ?

If your still with me i`ll hold it right there for now . Any opinions welcome thanks.:thumb:

hope this helps :thumb:
 

GJH

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I had one of those Maplin panels - useful as a chocolate fireguard ::bigsmile:

For a proper solar panel contact Dave Newell and get Funster discount on the job. Telford is only about 3 hours from you and you could combine the work with a couple of days away.
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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Thanks guys .
kogan was the one i wanted nice one chaser :thumb:

The little solar dash panel has kept both batteries at around 12.5v since its been standing still since early may but obviously no good for normal use. If i cant find a reputable firm around here i will defo ask Eddie van bits to fit proper panels if able to find time before we go.
I have one 110ah leisure battery and will be using aries mostly so will be moving a lot so as you say maybe enough to run lights, tv, laptops etc for upto 4-5hours a day ?

I had the oil changed last July around 3,000 miles ago does it need changing again so soon ?

Do they do rissoles in france ? :roflmto:

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Wildman

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I suppose it depends on what you call a rissole, from what I remember welsh so called rissoles are corned beef and mashed potato not a patch on the real thing. Certainly nothing like then that I came across.
 

TheBig1

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Thanks guys .
kogan was the one i wanted nice one chaser :thumb:

The little solar dash panel has kept both batteries at around 12.5v since its been standing still since early may but obviously no good for normal use. If i cant find a reputable firm around here i will defo ask Eddie van bits to fit proper panels if able to find time before we go.
I have one 110ah leisure battery and will be using aries mostly so will be moving a lot so as you say maybe enough to run lights, tv, laptops etc for upto 4-5hours a day ?

I had the oil changed last July around 3,000 miles ago does it need changing again so soon ?
Yes changing the oil at minimum 12 monthly will extend the life of the engine. Engine oil becomes acidic over time whilst in contact with metal and loses viscosity. 3000 miles does not seem much on the scale of the life expectancy of the engine but think how many times the engine turned in that time. say 2000rpm or 120,000 rotations per hour. 3000 miles at 50mph is 60hours, so 120,000 rotations for 50 hours is 7, 200,000 rotations in total.

Also standing time does the oil no good as it drains toward the sump and into any sludge left there. a normal oil change doesnt include a flush after all, so it tends to build up. the bottom line is though, changing the oil regularly is the best way to maintain your vans engine.



Do they do rissoles in france ? :roflmto:

Bet your pleased you asked now :ROFLMAO:
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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:Eeek: well i did ask for it i supose hahaha !
You make a lot of sense so added oil change to the list now thanks big 1, i think :ROFLMAO:

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Jun 17, 2012
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France

It was my first trip to France with MH and dog last year. Dog is £15 each way with most operators but free to France with DFDS but £30 back ??
Several vets in Calais and some kind sole has compiled a list (Rorys dad I believe). I paid €30. Dog stays in MH during crossing.
List of things to take?? How long do you have?
I took 2 x 6kg Calor bottles, they last me 9 days each so think about gas and water.
I am now mentally geared for buying French bottle and pigtail to suit, then use Calor as backup as I'm off over in July for 4 weeks.
What to take becomes what to leave behind in the end.
Half of what you need won't be used and you will need most of what you didn't take.

Bon voyage
 

TheBig1

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just remember there are shops in France too! its not the third world where you need to provision your entire trip before setting off. worrying about forgetting anything will only put a dampener on your trip. just have FUN and enjoy yourself
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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Ihave 13kg & 9kg butane gas bottles i use at mo but going for 5-6 weeks so hoping to plumb calor back on, have gas adapters in locker maybe for french bottles ? copper pipe disconnected with rubber hose fitted to it with butane valve on end at moment so my gas safe plumber mate will reconnect pipe to calor & check it. But if hose ok be easier to swop to french gas valve unless french use same thread screw as calor ?

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davibubb

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Sleek to the boys at Vanplus in Cross Hands ref solar panels etc they have done me some good deals on my Adria, just google Vanplus :thumb:
 
Jun 17, 2012
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Ihave 13kg & 9kg butane gas bottles i use at mo but going for 5-6 weeks so hoping to plumb calor back on, have gas adapters in locker maybe for french bottles ? copper pipe disconnected with rubber hose fitted to it with butane valve on end at moment so my gas safe plumber mate will reconnect pipe to calor & check it. But if hose ok be easier to swop to french gas valve unless french[HI] use same thread screw as calor ?[/HI]

I understand they are not the same hence my intention to buy French bottle and pigtail.
The regulator on mine is 30mb and attached to locker so high pressure from bottles to regulator. The way I understand it is, buy French bottle, buy pigtail with appropriate connection for French bottle and the standard M20 threaded pigtail and hey presto, or I may be wrong?
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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Thanks for all the replies theyre very imformative any more opinions most welcome :thumb:

Part 2 :ROFLMAO:
I read you can get some cash cards you can top up like pay as you go for out there to use for toll roads, sites,fuel and shops etc... which ones offer best deals ? and how do you manage money in mh abroad without to much cash to stash ?

Reverse polarity hook up plugs myth or fact ?

Dogs anti mozzi and sand flies tick repelants for hotter zones ?
Onderweg linked a good one ADVANTIX spot on but cant find it in uk so maybe in france any others ?

Are you allowed to take milk and certain other ordinary supplies over i know i can get em there but ?

Any good aries (ive got new all the aries book) you stopped at and municipal sites etc also not to be missed attractions or historical places etc from calais across to st malo then cut across to west coast down to la rochelle and down ? we will check out future scope and pay du fou on route
WE may wander inland more on way back up.

Also heading from swansea to dover then arie at honfleur long drive so wheres good stop over on way ?

I have been researching for a while so not totally green or lazy :ROFLMAO: just think i may have missed some info you guys know about .
Many thanks for your time, Jack :thumb:

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Feb 16, 2013
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France passions worth a look, we did 3 weeks on them last year, with the odd stop at motorway aires to empty tanks no probs, not always just where you want to be but nice rides to them so keeps your battery up as well:winky: and all free, what more can you want
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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Thanks Chaser i was thinking the passion may be good iff we head inland on the way back up to port , i will look for link to price it if cheap may be worth having in portfolio ::bigsmile:
 

Wildman

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Thanks for all the replies theyre very imformative any more opinions most welcome :thumb:

Part 2 :ROFLMAO:
I read you can get some cash cards you can top up like pay as you go for out there to use for toll roads, sites,fuel and shops etc... which ones offer best deals ? and how do you manage money in mh abroad without to much cash to stash ?
Whats wrong with a standard credit card, Just notify your provider in advance, we have never had a problem

Reverse polarity hook up plugs myth or fact ?
The French system is fused on live and neutral and a/c is just that it changes direction 50 times a second so electricians there have no need to wire the plugs the same all the time. It will only become a problem in your van if you have a neutral fault as all metal could then become live. Fit a fuse in the neutral side and forget polarity checks.

Dogs anti mozzi and sand flies tick repelants for hotter zones ?
Onderweg linked a good one ADVANTIX spot on but cant find it in uk so maybe in france any others ?
Avon "o so soft works" well in Scotland so why not in France.

Are you allowed to take milk and certain other ordinary supplies over i know i can get em there but ?

Take whatever you want as long as it does not leave your van other than inside you:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

Any good aries (ive got new all the aries book) you stopped at and municipal sites etc also not to be missed attractions or historical places etc from calais across to st malo then cut across to west coast down to la rochelle and down ? we will check out future scope and pay du fou on route
WE may wander inland more on way back up.
There are so many aires not listed and many have free leccy as well (see heyuplov's posts and comprehensive aires photos and reports) You may not need any other sites, we manage 3 weeks at a time.
TV you mentioned in a previous post, a portable sat dish will keep you amused for hours and eventually give you all of the UK freeview channels or you could take your sky box and card if you have one.

Also heading from swansea to dover then arie at honfleur long drive so wheres good stop over on way ?

I have been researching for a while so not totally green or lazy :ROFLMAO: just think i may have missed some info you guys know about .
Many thanks for your time, Jack :thumb:

Have a great trip

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autoswan

autoswan

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Thanks Roger :thumb:
I checked out my card charges and they take a fee and % of everything i use it for that seems a rip off to me (well they are dick turpin institutions aint they) i just thought there may be fee free cards designed for use over there that act like top up phone paygo thingys ?

The long hook up lead i have has a short adapter cable to plug on end with 2 prong plug that i plug into a normal box uk plug over here so if i open that up and fit an inline fuse to the neutral wire it be good for here and there yes ?

Avon o so soft sounds nice may try it on my hair if find it :roflmto:

I have a smallish dish kit and a sky dish from a job but no sky box on virgin but from what ive read here over the months you need a jodrell bank dish to pick up uk sat progs out there ?
 
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I can also recommend Dave and Jackie Newel for your 'bits'; they did a good job on our van recently - 80w solar panel, alarm, autogas refillable, roof fan and base vehicle and habitation services. They also give you good simple and straight forward advice and don't try and sell you what you don't need.

Sorry for some reason this has appeared on the wrong thread!!!
 
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Bluemerle

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Advantix is available in UK, but only by prescription. So you can buy from your Vet, or pay for them to sign a presription and then there are several places on line where you can purchase.

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thehutchies

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Ihave 13kg & 9kg butane gas bottles i use at mo but going for 5-6 weeks so hoping to plumb calor back on, have gas adapters in locker maybe for french bottles ? copper pipe disconnected with rubber hose fitted to it with butane valve on end at moment so my gas safe plumber mate will reconnect pipe to calor & check it. But if hose ok be easier to swop to french gas valve unless french use same thread screw as calor ?

I have a French 13kg bottle and regulator that I've been trying to give away for months ::bigsmile:

You're welcome to it if it's any use.
 
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Haven't got one but I fancy Mytravelcash it is all free plus cash back but not always the best conversion rate

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MikeandCarolyn

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I have a list of things i think i need before our first trip abroad in mh any advice on better options etc will be appreciated .The list is to long so just a few here if you dont mind.


Portable power supply i was thinking of solar panel but little time and know of none around here fitting though ive got a small maplin windscreen solar to top up the batteries also thinking of kippor genny but noise running and weight is a factor ? Chatter had a good idea one of those portable power pack engine jump starter packs with 12v lead to power tv & laptop .
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The Shop at Continental Leisure vehicles in Carmarthen could sort solar panels for you ::bigsmile: But I'm sure you could find a local guy on Google like I did.
I use Automasters nr Pontyclun for all my work http://www.auto-master.co.uk/

Mike
 
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autoswan

autoswan

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Thanks Burnster boy i meant dave newal earlier when i said Eddie van bits by mistake though i read Eddies a good guy to get gear from too ?

The list is getting smaller and if main points not done can sort it out there .

Security is next ! same as here mostly use comon sense but if extra needed onderweg paul had good idea chain / tie front doors behind front seats so can still drive off if needed .

also a small hidden safe may be handy for docs, keys etc if can fix it somewhere solidly maybe even outside under mh any tips ? not to worried but be nice to have hiddy places & easy extra security ideas. I cant imobilise mh by just taking ht leads off engine like petrol vans though built in imobiliser should work dont really want wheel clamp type thingy may make it look like ive got something worth nicking and a bit paranoid :Eeek:

Thanks Bluemerle i rang vets receptionist never heard of ADVANTICS so i will go see the vet myself and search harder online for it in uk .

Thanks again Chaser i should have thought of money saving expert guy :Blush: looks the type of thing i want but which one to choose now !!

Thanks for the offer Hutchies but i bet your up scotland way :roflmto: out of range ?
 
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MikeandCarolyn

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Thanks for all the replies theyre very imformative any more opinions most welcome :thumb:

Part 2 :ROFLMAO:
I read you can get some cash cards you can top up like pay as you go for out there to use for toll roads, sites,fuel and shops etc... which ones offer best deals ? and how do you manage money in mh abroad without to much cash to stash ?

Reverse polarity hook up plugs myth or fact ?


Are you allowed to take milk and certain other ordinary supplies over i know i can get em there but ?


Also heading from swansea to dover then arie at honfleur long drive so wheres good stop over on way ?

I have been researching for a while so not totally green or lazy :ROFLMAO: just think i may have missed some info you guys know about .
Many thanks for your time, Jack :thumb:

We take cash and our debit cards.

Reverse polarity exsists-easy to correct if you want to by using a short lead wired the other way (12" or so )
You can get a tester very cheaply-Cintinental Leisure vehicles or any camping store.

If you need to overnight at Dover,we use Marine Parade-free from 1800-0900 hrs

Have a good trip,

Mike
 

MikeandCarolyn

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Sleek to the boys at Vanplus in Cross Hands ref solar panels etc they have done me some good deals on my Adria, just google Vanplus :thumb:

Small world ::bigsmile: I just discovered that Vanplus is what was CLV when we bought our van from them 3 yrs ago :ROFLMAO:

Mike

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