Few Niggles & Questions with our new C Tourer 148H (1 Viewer)

Oct 29, 2016
4,469
51,766
Surrey
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45,842
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Carthago C Tourer
Exp
Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
First one should be easy when you know the answer....how do I remove the outside Top & Bottom Dometic FF vent covers? cant see any screws dont want to break them in this cold weather.

Second: what is going on with the interior light switching arrangement in our van, its either all on or all off in some cases!!! There are two way switching, and even an intermediate switch that turns all lounge lights on or off! They are also too bright, I counted 15 LED lights in the front lounge alone, so so hoping that I can fit a master dimmer switch to replace the intermediate one so as to set a more pleasing lighting level...is that a good idea?

Carthago is renowned for its quality cabinets, which I agree are pretty good, except for the curved under sink ones that is. First trip out from dealership, going around a roundabout the bottom one flew out, came of its underside runners, the cupboard was empty. Couldn't work out how to get it back on the runners with those funny looking black clips on the underside of the draw itself. I thought sod it, the dealer can sort this out which I thought they had done, but no it hasnt gone back properly, and now binds when pushed in. I had a go at pulling both runners out to fully extended and lifting the draw unit back in and pushing down to relocate the clips on the runners but, it wont slide in smoothly and has come off again, so abandoned using that drawer altogether.
Any suggestions on how to fix this problem would be great. I will probably have to take out all the drawers in the near future anyway to run gas pipe for BBQ and solar wiring etc, not looking forward to getting them back in though.

Hoping that I can get some additional 12 volt & USB sockets at the Peterborough show, along with some other electrical bits. I will do the Solar panels and controller wiring late in the year, if it ever stops raining that is.

Thanks for any help you can give on the above.

Les
 
Oct 30, 2010
4,256
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14,290
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Since 2008
The drawers on our C-Line have small curved levers underneath, each side, at the front. Pressing on the levers disconnects the drawer from the runners and it then just lifts out. To replace, pull the runners out, rest the drawer on said runners and flip the little levers to re-locate.

We have had one drawer fly off its runners a couple of times when going round one of the very numerous French roundabouts but we put that down to driving off with out checking the drawers and lockers first.

The main light switches are also dimmers so holding the switch in either dims or brightens the lights. Works on the lighting in the main cabin area.

Of course your C Tourer may well be different.

Richard.
 
Oct 30, 2010
4,256
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Oh, forgot to mention.
I assume you mean the winter protective covers.
The covers should have a small twist lock close to the bottom edge on both sides. A quarter turn with a coin, screwdriver or key will open them and just pull the covers off.

Richard.

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Feb 26, 2012
528
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19,975
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coach
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Motorhome since 2006 (caravanning 38yrs)
Some external covers have two slide locks under the top louvre about 3" in from the vertical edge. They click into the locked position, so will click when unlocked, then tip the cover from the top and lift off

.https://www.thetford-europe.com/product/vent-covers/#

Download the installation instructions for 257x432
 
Last edited:
Mar 16, 2016
1,072
6,601
Norfolk
Funster No
42,019
MH
Hymer S520
First one should be easy when you know the answer....how do I remove the outside Top & Bottom Dometic FF vent covers? cant see any screws dont want to break them in this cold weather.

On some Dometic covers there should be 2 small round disc shaped buttons on the left hand side of each grille, with a little effort they slide down and the grille can then be released by pulling and moving it to the left (as there should be 2 lugs on the right hand side to help keep it in place).
Hope that makes some sort of sense.

Pete
 
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TinaLes
Oct 29, 2016
4,469
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Carthago C Tourer
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Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
Many Thanks Guys I will give the vents a better look when and if it ever stops hissing down with rain.
Richard, when you say holding in or pressing the "main" switch I take it you mean the ones as you enter the van by the hab door?
Also being that its the bottom drawer thats playing up, its so close to the floor that oit may prove very difficult to get my fingers underneath to operate the spring catches to relocate the drawer on its runners, but will give it another go. Cant see why they didnt fit side runners it would have been so much less complicated, maybe even stronger.
Will update when I get out there for another try.
Best wishes to all.
Les

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two

Aug 4, 2011
4,901
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For the drawer, practice with the one above, first, to discover the technique.

I'd expect your Carthago to be pre-wired for solar. Two sets of wires: one set from above the fridge going forward to RHS of dash; second lot going on to batteries. Yours may differ, of course. The controller is intended to be installed at the dash.
 
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TinaLes
Oct 29, 2016
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Carthago C Tourer
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Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
For the drawer, practice with the one above, first, to discover the technique.

I'd expect your Carthago to be pre-wired for solar. Two sets of wires: one set from above the fridge going forward to RHS of dash; second lot going on to batteries. Yours may differ, of course. The controller is intended to be installed at the dash.
Thats a good idea Rogher, I did think of doing that, but got too scared in case I buggered up the middle drawer operation as well.:eek:
Yes I do have bundles of wires located above the tech tower oven, inside a top RHS cupboard above my head, below the TV slide up in the lounge, and loads behind the radio head unit. These "pre-wires" are ignored by the dealers I have been told as they prefer to wire their own, which tells me its quicker to do that for them, than to have to bell out each end of every connector....as I will do however. Eddie at Vanbitz has ignored the rear camera pre-wiring as he prefers to run their own, maybe also because we wanted dual camera function, not just reverse.
Oh well it will be fun belling out all the cables, I just wish there was a mention in the handbook as to colour/position etc, but maybe that would make it all too easy for me.
The solar controller will be doing both Hab batteries and engine battery, along with a D+ AES feed to the FF, also a signal feed cable to the separate Votronic battery monitor hopefully positioned above the hab door which the dealers say is impossible to reach, but we will see about that as they have got the wires up there for the heating controller and battery level indicators
The proposal is for the Solar panel 4mm wiring will come through the roof above the tech tower oven, run down inside conduit behind the FF, then along into the hab batt cupboard to the solar regulator above the battery cover. A B2B battery conditioner unit will be fitted in there also.
Well thats the plan thus far.
Thanks again for your interest and advice.
Les
 
Oct 30, 2010
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20,707
Suffolk or France or ........
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Richard, when you say holding in or pressing the "main" switch I take it you mean the ones as you enter the van by the hab door?
Yes. We have a double switch beside the main door. One side switches the lights over the cab seats, the other side the LED's and spots around the lounge area. That area is also switched from above the side settee.
These three switches are also dimmers.

Richard.

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two

Aug 4, 2011
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A-Class Fiat
Yes you'd think that, having paid handsomely for the pre-wiring, that they'd tell you where the cables are and how to recognise them. The standard wiring is only for a single camera, so a double will require extra. The route you describe for your wires sounds fine but, in places, there's not always much spare room. Have you considered an inverter?
 
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TinaLes
Oct 29, 2016
4,469
51,766
Surrey
Funster No
45,842
MH
Carthago C Tourer
Exp
Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
Yes you'd think that, having paid handsomely for the pre-wiring, that they'd tell you where the cables are and how to recognise them. The standard wiring is only for a single camera, so a double will require extra. The route you describe for your wires sounds fine but, in places, there's not always much spare room. Have you considered an inverter?
Thanks rogher, I am going to try my best without an inverter, and do everything we can on 12 volt, TinaL has already adapted to this approach having had her hair design altered to "The Moho Cut" so she doesn't now need a hairdryer, she will in theory, just towel dry and scrunch with her fingers.....we will have to see how long that idea lasts:D
Yes. We have a double switch beside the main door. One side switches the lights over the cab seats, the other side the LED's and spots around the lounge area. That area is also switched from above the side settee.
These three switches are also dimmers.


Richard.
I am hoping that when I go into the van the switches are also dimmers as you suggest, that would be great if they are. I am also hoping that as Carthagos were new to our dealership that the nice old fella that did the handover was not aware of this facility so didnt mention it:pray2:

Thanks again chaps
Les
 

awg

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 9, 2013
302
354
Suffolk, UK
Funster No
27,414
MH
WIldax Altair RS
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Since 2015
I have a 2015 c-tourer and it doesn't have dimming lights. I agree the light combination is complex but eventually we found a combination that gave the light we wanted.

We also had the drawer problem which I fixed by removing the lock "keep" (the part screwed into the upper central rail at the front of the drawer hole). It's the part which the drawer locks against when you press the button in. I put a couple of small washers between it and the cabinet frame it before re-fitting. We only had a problem on the lower right drawer but I put washers on all the drawer lock keeps just in case. Not had the problem again since the washers were fitted.

Allan

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