First mistake. (1 Viewer)

Scarrow

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18th August 2012
Hi All

We colllected our first ever Motorhome on the saturday just gone.:Smile: (Bessacarr 769). Just to confirm our newbie status, we started filling it up with the basic requirements. The things like the toaster. kettle, kitchen utensils etc etc. we placed on the work surfaces for easy reach. It wasn't until I pulled out of the drive and went about ten yards, we understood this was a almighty error. The crash of falling kitchen appliances with a already first time nervous driver, nearly provided me with my first heart attack.
Probably not the best start into our new adventure, but the wife and I did agree we will learn from our mistakes. Hopefully next time out, we will get beyond our street before we make our next newbie error.:Blush:
 

Popeye

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Congrats on your new purchase Scarrow;

You'll need to update your personal details now then, :thumb:
 
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chatter

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errr you might want to reconsider taking a toaster and other electrical appliances. Kettle for on gas ring is the best and the grill for toast. Ideally you try to keep your weight down by taking essential stuff only - toast can be done in the grill and a kettle suitable for use on a gas ring - that way you can make a drink in a layby if you wish where you would not be able to use any electrical equipment. As you have already found out you need to stow stuff away for travel with the heavier items low down in your motorhome. Nothing worse than something flying out of a cupboard and denting the worktop or smashing the glass cooker/sink lid. So always make sure all doors/drawers are fully closed and that the retaining catches work proper.
Enjoy your travels

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Scarrow

Scarrow

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18th August 2012
errr you might want to reconsider taking a toaster and other electrical appliances. Kettle for on gas ring is the best and the grill for toast. Ideally you try to keep your weight down by taking essential stuff only - toast can be done in the grill and a kettle suitable for use on a gas ring - that way you can make a drink in a layby if you wish where you would not be able to use any electrical equipment. As you have already found out you need to stow stuff away for travel with the heavier items low down in your motorhome. Nothing worse than something flying out of a cupboard and denting the worktop or smashing the class cooker/sink lid. So always make sure all doors/drawers are fully closed and that the retaining catches work proper.
Enjoy your travels

Thanks. Some great tips regarding electrical appliances. I think you are right, we are going to have to re-address our appliances and pay load. We had a 'static home' before and we just moved things over without much thought.
 
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chatter

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and If you dont have an oven in your van check out a 'double skillet', can be used as ordinary pans, deep frying pan and with both fitted together as a stove top oven, a set of 2 pans that have multiple uses
 
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starsky

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I am a novice of 2 years, its only resently I have stopped doing daft things, leaving the fridge unlocked, shower room door open, the odd locker here and there, there's no sound like a set of plastic crockery falling from a overhead locker on the first bend, you got to laugh at yourself and not swear to loud, everyone does it
 
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Apr 27, 2008
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We still have the occassional crash from unlocked fridge door or whatever.
We do use an electric kettle and toaster though, saves gas and uses some of our surplus solar energy in the summer. Electric kettle works in a layby from inverter and doesn't heat up the interior like gas does.
Incidentally you are, I beleive, not allowed to have a naked flame on a motorway service area, not that anyone bothers.:Smile:

Thing is it's better if in doubt to leave things behind rather than carry them thousands of miles before you decide you didn't need them. Trouble is, what people need is very individual, for example we use our shower and oven on a daily basis, whereas lots of people never use them.
 
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Apr 29, 2009
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We've all done that..left a drawer unlocked and left the fridge unclipped more than once in our case..we had to refit a drawer in our Autocruise when WE (cos it's not just my fault) left one unlocked and it came out when I cornered at tad quick...

We had the obligatory eleccy kettle and toaster...albeit low wattage ones..in fact we still have em and a halogen oven too all good stuff and they spin out the gas a treat..we also had a big Calor Gas bottle A907) with a burner screwed onto the top so whenever we stopped we could have a cuppa without having to go and turn the van's Gas on..I used to use said gas bottle in my truck when I was an HGV driver tramping all week..still have that too..anything that makes life easier and simpler is good by me..

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gawatt

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Congrats on the new van!

We've all done stuff like that. Our daftest moment was buying a bag of ice for the fridge and cornering too quickly. The door opened and the van was flooded with ice-balls rolling around the floor until I could pull over. We could hardly pick them all up with laughing. ::bigsmile:

Another time I forgot to stow the handwash in the sink. That was a little less fun to clean up!

We have a checklist taped to the dashboard now. One for arrival and another for leaving. Fridge, cupboards, doors, pans in oven, kettle in overhead cupboard (locked!), toiletries safely stowed and same with washing up liquid!
 
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We,ve all done it, actually saw one joker drive past me on a site with his EHU lead still attatched, our first trip saw the telly rocketing into the cab, nearly had kittens!:Doh:
 
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Gunner29

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vacuum flask

why not take a flask of hot water for tea,coffee or cup a soup etc? No need to flash up any cookers in a lay-by.:Smile:
Before moving off, I do external jobs, unhook EHU, switch off gas, stow and check cupboards, toilet, wind up stays etc and Wiffie does internals, fridge and cupboards etc.
We then do a verbal x check before we start up. So afar,touch wood, we haven't had cupboards swing open etc :thumb:

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Welcome and congrats on new van:thumb:

I have been doing this just over 7 years and still have the odd brain fart.

The worst one has to be the cupboard with the eggs, flour, shampoo and rice in it all of which broke. It was like araldite:Doh:

Last weekend I lost all my beer out of the fridge after deciding to move quickly to a new location..... It doesn't happen often these days but it still happens now and again...
 
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Lindylooj

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Enjoy your van. Its all a learning curve, we always end up stopping along the road where something is rattling usually me forgetting to put t-towel under the glass cooker top or wrapping up the cooker shelves. :Smile:
 
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june123

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cooking oil

The worst thing to spill is a bottle of cooking oil. Always keep that well wrapped up!

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maz

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After a year and a half of fulltiming, my pack-up and move-on routine has become pretty much automatic although, like Karl, I still have the odd lapse with the fridge door. Nothing else, just the fridge door! :wub:

Anti-slip matting is brilliant for use in lockers - stops movement and rattles with no need to wrap anything up. Depending on your driving style, it will even hold toaster and kettle in place on the worktop. :Cool:
 
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Bill123

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First time we went out I carefully stowed everything away, or so I thought. We drove off down the road with everything rattling about in the back. Everything had to be repacked, but it took me weeks to find that very last rattle, which turned out to be the shower screen door! You'll get the hang of it.

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Minxy

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I know a lot of this has been said tongue in cheek but I would NEVER suggest you leave anything out and unsecured, it can do an awful lot of damage to the interior of a motorhome it you do! :Eeek:

I store frying pans etc in my Smev grill (about all that its good for!) which is located above the sink but one day they decided to make a bid for freedom ... the door came open and they flew across the van hitting the edge of the washroom door opening!!!:shout:

Fortunately the only damaged was on the very edge so I have been able to put in some plastic angled strips on either side of the doorway (which hubby painted dark brown to blend in more than the stark white they were). Now the grill has a cord on it with a hook which slots into the vent above the door which can be tightened with a toggle to make it secure ... no way are the little beggers escaping again!:thumb:
 
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motor roamin

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Congrats on the new Van.......above all have fun and enjoy it.......we all do and have done daft things just laugh them off.......even the ones that cause damage.....do a check list then in not too long a time it will become second nature.

All the best Rick
 
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Theonlysue

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Congrats on your new van! you name it-we've all done it. the worst is when the crash is so loud you dare not look back ha ha
keep heavy stuff low down and it may be an idea to camp locally to give you more of and idea what you use.
start reading up on winter preparation, so you know what to do when the weather turns.
Good luck and enjoy ::bigsmile:
S:thumb:

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kaybee

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Congrats on the new van. I am pretty new to motorhoming and much as I love it still having problems from time to time. I can't get my head around the 12V system but after several outings without any electricity seem to be getting there. Be patient and allow yourselves time to adjust. I keep all tins bottles etc in cheap plastic baskets that seems to stop them moving about or flying out of cupboards when you open the door. I have one cupboard in the kitchen area which opens just about every trip and have decided to fit one of those kiddy locks from mothercare.
Kath ::bigsmile:
 
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DuxDeluxe

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As you can see, you are not alone....... Everything and everyone, including ourselves.

Our van is used a lot for towing my racing dinghy around and because there is always a load of electrical tape lying around (it is a sailor thing.... Used to cover up shackle ends, split rings etc) when parking up I always put a strip of it hanging down from the steering wheel. It reminds me to check and double check before setting off. Also the external cover to the gas water heater lives on top of the the bit in front of the steering wheel where the dials are so that is another reminder to check. We have all done it and we all still do, on occasions (fridge door is the favourite)
 
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maz

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As you can see, you are not alone....... Everything and everyone, including ourselves.

Our van is used a lot for towing my racing dinghy around and because there is always a load of electrical tape lying around (it is a sailor thing.... Used to cover up shackle ends, split rings etc) when parking up I always put a strip of it hanging down from the steering wheel. It reminds me to check and double check before setting off. Also the external cover to the gas water heater lives on top of the the bit in front of the steering wheel where the dials are so that is another reminder to check. We have all done it and we all still do, on occasions (fridge door is the favourite)

Following on from Dux's checking reminder: if you lower the corner steadies, put the handle across the steering wheel. That way you won't drive off with them still down! :Eeek:
 
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