Three Simple and Quick Questions (1 Viewer)

Brakers

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Hi There everybody
I am going to re-seal some of the points round my motorhome where they are fixed to the body like the water filler etc. Do I use silicone sealer like the stuff we use in a bathroom or some other sealer I've heard people talk about when fixing solar panels Sikaflex 252 or is there some other sealer specially for motorhomes?
Any tips on this would be more than welcomed.
Second question,
I think I know this but I'll ask it anyway, I connect my van up at home with a 35Mtr power lead and have a small 10Mtr lead I have just bought for on sites, do I really need to carry the 35Mtr lead, is there a situation I have not though about where I would need this length of power lead?
Third Question
Similar to the second question the length of hose carried, I have a 75ft hose do people carry different lengths as I would not want to keep rolling out a 75ft length every time I need to fill up and the tap is right next to the vehcile. Do sites have hoses already connected to the taps or do you clip your own on. What is the normal length people take with them and do they carry the long one they might use at home? Also what connectors do you take with you i.e. if you go abroad, is there taps the same screw fitting?
Many Thanks Tony
 
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1. Can't help with this one.

2. Yes, it's worth carrying different lengths. I've got three and had them all joined together before. If you're only ever going to be on UK club type sites you probably won't need the longer one but further afield there's every chance you will.

3. You're quite right, rolling a long hose fully out would be a pain but again it's worth having even if it lets you fill up from your pitch every once in a while. I've got a hose reel something like with a long food grade hose on it. I can unwind as much or as little as I need

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Abacist

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I have a 10 metre and 25 metre electric cable and carry both and a one into 2 branch splitter in case I need to share abroad.

I carry 2 10m lengths of hose that can be joined together.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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1. Don't use silicone sealant as it doesn't stick well and will fall out rapidly. Sikaflex is much more adhesive.
2. We carry three lengths of cable. 6m, 10m,25m and can plug them into each other if needed. the really short one is handy when there is a ehu bollard right next to you.
3. Also carry three hoses of different lengths, which can also all plug into each other if needed. In practice the most used one is a little 3m one ideal for when you drive to the tap.
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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2 branch splitter in case I need to share abroad.
Hi There thanks for answering my thread, what exactly do you mean do you share your electric with another motorhame who has traveled with you?
Many Thanks Tony

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Brakers

Brakers

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3. Also carry three hoses of different lengths, which can also all plug into each other if needed. In practice the most used one is a little 3m one ideal for when you drive t
Hi There thanks for replying to my thread, is most of the taps you come across you just need to screw your hose onto it or are they the type where you need a connector which goes onto the end of the tap and is secured by a jubilee clamp round the outside of it.
Many Thanks Tony
 

Popeye

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do you share your electric with another motorhame who has traveled with you?

I think you'll find he means that the bollard feeding you your electrickery will also be feeding your neighbors caravan or MoHo
 
Feb 9, 2008
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Q2 - we have a 25m lead which has only proved to be too short once in all our travels.

Q3 - don't have a hose, use a watering can.

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Abacist

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Sometimes on foreign aires things get a bit busy and I have seen people share the electric hookup as otherwise there might not be enough electric points. In summer when its hot the electric is usually only for charging, lighting and maybe TV etc so no heavy use with the fridge and hot water using the gas.
So I'm prepared to share with a stranger if necessary.
 

Lenny HB

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Shouldn't need any sealant on water and mains inlets, they normally have a foam gasket that forms the seal.

Mains leads, if you want to get a hook up on an Aire 50m is useful on a site shouldn't need anything longer that 25m, personally we rarely bother with EHU usually works out cheaper to run everything on gas.

Water hoses, I have a 3m & 7m these are used for 99% of all fill ups and I carry a 20m roll flat one for emergencies, used it twice 8 years. Best to have all hoses terminated with female Hozelock type connector and carry a couple of male to male couplers then all hoses can we joined, also a variety of tap connectors 1/2" BSP is the most common fitting all over Europe, carry a few of the screw on connectors as you are bound to leave the odd one on a bourne.

My hose collection.

Hoses collection.jpg
 
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I have found the odd 1" BSP connector in France. They are not common in UK so if you see one in a garden centre buy it.

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Brakers

Brakers

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My hose collection.
Hi Lenny Thanks for replying to my thread, your answer and is clear an just what I wanted not to decry other peoples helpful advice, thanks for the picture, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
Best Wishes Tony
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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Sometimes on foreign aires things get a bit busy and I have seen people share the electric hookup as otherwise there might not be enough electric points
Well you live and learn Thanks for that, can you buy a lead like that already made up or do you have to make one yourself?
Best Wishes Tony
 

DanielFord

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Hi again @Brakers , simple answers:
1. I have resealed a few joints on our van using sikflex, that is all you need, bloody miracle stuff.
2. We only have a 25 metre hookup lead, normally this is way too long, but at a recent site, it only just reached the post. I am going to purchase/make up a 5m hookup lead so that I cover all bases.
3. We carry a 10m roll up hose, it is one that doesn't need to be fully rolled out to use. I have had trouble in the past using the flat types, you have to roll them out, usually about 30m beyond the tap, and then walk back. Very inconvenient!

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Brakers

Brakers

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Hi again @Brakers , simple answers:
Hi Daniel Nice to hear from you thanks for replying to my thread, a bit of this topic, I'm pleased you came on here as I wanted to ask you a question, I am going to get a 1800watt inverter fitted just like the one you have, Southdown Motorhomes are going to fit it for me and also do some other stuff I need doing. If I remember your setup you had a separate consumer unit fitted for safety, when I said I wanted a consumer unit fitting to Southdown they said it would not work without a spike into the ground as it needs to be grounded. Am I getting what you have done with your van wrong or what or do you put a spike into the ground or something else?
Best Wishes Tony
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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I didn't check to see if this is the cheapest available
Thanks For that, at that price I'm not going to bark at it, I think I'll buy something like that.
Many Thanks Tony

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DanielFord

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Hi Daniel Nice to hear from you thanks for replying to my thread, a bit of this topic, I'm pleased you came on here as I wanted to ask you a question, I am going to get a 1800watt inverter fitted just like the one you have, Southdown Motorhomes are going to fit it for me and also do some other stuff I need doing. If I remember your setup you had a separate consumer unit fitted for safety, when I said I wanted a consumer unit fitting to Southdown they said it would not work without a spike into the ground as it needs to be grounded. Am I getting what you have done with your van wrong or what or do you put a spike into the ground or something else?
Best Wishes Tony
Bizarre, I am not sure why they would say that. No we don't put a spike in the ground, and neither do we when we are on hookup! I think @eddievanbitz could offer his professional opinion on their statement. Incidentally I am collecting our van to go out this weekend, if you get yourself to Rownhams services (eastbound) at around 6pm you can see the van in all its glory :D
[edited to add]
I always stop there to have a cuppa, look for the fun sticker :D
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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I am collecting our van to go out this weekend, if you get yourself to Rownhams services (eastbound) at around 6pm you can see the van in all its glory
Daniel I would love to as that is very near to where I live, I assume you are talking about Friday evening, if so I'll be there, it will be nice to put a face to the words as they say.
Best Wishes Tony

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Brakers

Brakers

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No we don't put a spike in the ground, and neither do we when we are on hookup!
I said the Southdown all I need to do is jack down one of the steady legs at the back on my tag axle but he was a bit reluctant to say that would work.. I was hoping Vanbitz could do the work but they are booked up until late August.
Best Wishes Tony
 

eddie

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The Sterling range of inverters have RCD's built in, and Dometic state in the instructions to install a safety device from memory

Why would you want a potentially lethal amount of electricity in an appliance without any protection?

There is a reason that we are booked up until August I suspect
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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There is a reason that we are booked up until August I suspect
Hi Eddie there is no suspect about it, it's obvious that your company has had so many satisfied customers and recommends, we all would like to have our vans repaired and maintained by you but you have only so much workshop time available. Although I was recommend Southdown M homes hearing all the positive comments about Vanbitz, if the work could have been done in the same time or very near as Southdown then I would of come to you.
But I'm sure in the future I will be using you and your services. Perhaps It might be now's a good time to expand your workshop facilities and book me in next week. LOL
Best Wishes Tony

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Brakers

Brakers

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The Sterling range of inverters have RCD's built in, and Dometic state in the instructions to install a safety device from memory

Why would you want a potentially lethal amount of electricity in an appliance without any protection?
I do tend to understand what Southdown are saying the consumer unit will not operate unless it's grounded as in a house and there would have to be a earth spike grounding the unit for it to operate correctly but if this is true how do the consumer units work already installed in the vehicle, they work without a spike in the ground so I'm a bit confused and baffled.
Best Wishes Tony
 

eddie

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Hi Tony, wait till people start arguing about ground spikes when using Generators lol a whole different arguement to "are they noisy lol"

Do you know what make model of inverter your having fitted?
 

DanielFord

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Daniel I would love to as that is very near to where I live, I assume you are talking about Friday evening, if so I'll be there, it will be nice to put a face to the words as they say.
Best Wishes Tony
Correct, Friday (ie this) evening. I always stop there and have a break when collecting the van, it's about halfway, and I need a coffee by then! :D

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Terry

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Hi use Puraflex 40 from toolstaion -half price of Sikaflex and you will still be able to use what you did not use in the tube a couple of months later with a new nozzle -unlike Sika which will have gone hard in the tube after 24 hrs
terry
 
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Brakers

Brakers

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Correct, Friday (ie this) evening. I always stop there and have a break when collecting the van, it's about halfway, and I need a coffee by then!
OK Daniel See you at aroung 6PM.

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