Hymer Ayers Rock - new to us and no full handover by dealer.

[KnolePark]

I hope you don’t mind, as I will ask simple questions, some of which may strike you as ignorant, but please bear with me as due to the crisis the handover of our new Hymercar by the dealer was “socially distanced”. We’ve recently sold our VW California which did us proud for a decade, and had a Mazda Bongo before that.

I’ll start with this question - what is this switch for? I am assuming it turns the electric hot water ‘immersion” on and off but then there is the control panel also doing this.

Hymer supply a very detailed manual, but this switch does not get a mention.

With thanks

 

[Wombles]

Really know nothing about your model but if not in the manual & maybe an added extra then heater for waste water tank springs to mind but sure someone with knowledge will be along shortly to solve the mystery!

 

[Mark and Mindy]

We have a 2019 Hymercar Ayers Rock purchased almost exactly one year ago and we don't have that switch. Where is it located in the van? Is it a switch or an indicator or an LCD touch sensitive or what?

Mark

 

[EuroTrotters]

Underfloor Heating?
(Doubtful but maybe Electric Awning?)

 

[nicholsong]

Just guessing from the symbol, is it a smoke extractor?

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[danielf]

Hi

I've been digging into Ayres Rock campers a fancy one for our next camper.

I think it is for waste water tank heating.

Mentioned here ( in German )

Daniel.

 

[KnolePark]

It’s located on the side of the bench seat. It’s a switch. The wiring on the back runs down the inside, along the floor into the compartment adjacent where the heater is located, and runs under the heater and (just by feel) seems to join the wiring loom under the heater.

 

[KnolePark]

Thank you danielf- I’ve watched the video with the trusty translate app running and they say “and the switch for the additional waste water tank heating”

Well, there’s something I didn’t know I wanted, but we have camped in the Alps in the winter on the way to skiiing in the past so maybe I might remember to turn it on in freezing conditions. Always nice to have the comfort of knowing that you have lovely warm waste water of course.

 

[KnolePark]

So another little fun thing, the slider on the fridge where the latch engages - one way for lock and one way for “ventilation” when the fringe is not being used - neat! We used to lodge a dishcloth in the lid of our California fridge to leave it open a few cm for the same reason.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

From a California to an Ayres Rock.....I bet it feels like a cathdral inside
( no such thing as a daft question)

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[Mark and Mindy]

So another little fun thing, the slider on the fridge where the latch engages - one way for lock and one way for “ventilation” when the fringe is not being used - neat! We used to lodge a dishcloth in the lid of our California fridge to leave it open a few cm for the same reason.

Not so fast with the fridge latch. I found that leaving the fridge on the latch didn't turn off the fridge light which would drain the battery so my solution when hibernating the van is to pull fuse 3 (20A) which cuts all power to the fridge. It would be also be possible to set the battery cut-off switch to Off but as we have added solar it would mean that our vehicle and leisure batteries would not get topped up.

We now have quite a few additions to our Hymercar Ayers Rock

• Reversing sensors
• Solar panel for vehicle and leisure batteries
• E&P Levelling System - fantastic
• Underslung LPG gas tank
• 4G Roof Antenna and MiFi (first time to cut hole in roof and also had to remove cupboards, front roof vent and ceiling liner)
• Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe - more holes in roof but quite an easy install
• Convert gas locker for storage - very beneficial
• Outside Awning Light switch with LED indicator - no more going to bed with outside light left on
• Converted useless 3 drawers under bed to shelves for storage of our Cooks Professional 20L Mini Oven & Grill (and saved 15 KG of drawer hardware)
• 12v Socket for bedroom

I have now had most cupboards, panels and floor sections out and found most of the wiring. It is very sad to see how much valuable space is wasted by the standard fittings. For example if the backs of the cupboards are removed then you can increase cupboard space by almost 50%.

Now very jealous of your heated waste tank.

Mark

 

[KnolePark]

Looking at the price list I see an optional extra called” Waste water tank, insulated and heated”. As the waste water tank, insulated, comes as standard anyway it is just the heating that comes extra.

We bought our van off stock, in that it had been sitting on the dealers forecourt for a while - registered new when we collected it.

If you look at the photo below you can see the option, third down. A £470 option.

 

[KnolePark]

My next question.

On the spec sheet for the van when we were looking to buy it a second habitation battery is referred to as being fitted. I can’t find it, so if it is fitted, where might it be located?

 

[KnolePark]

Regarding the cathedral comment - yes it does feel much more capacious and I made myself chuckle as when I stand up or get off the rear seat I instinctively duck so as not to knock my head on the ceiling - a VW California habit formed over many years.

We chose the 5.4m long version as we still want to be as petite as we can (say the couple with a 2.6m high dark grey bus), but you know what I mean.

We chose the pop top for the same reason - we liked sleeping up in the roof.

 

[CazPaul]

Remember the heated waste tank is 12 volt so will really drain your batteries unless on electric.

To do it properly converters should, when designing and building it, run an extra pipe from the heating to a double skinned waste tank(And fresh if also underslung) with a lever somewhere so it can be used or not.

Lever/flap could close off the pipe when not required, easy to do when designing and building it.

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[KnolePark]

CazPaul - that sounds a lot cheaper than the £470 cost of this option. We wouldn’t have selected it if we were specifying the van. I’d rather keep us warm with £470’s worth of rum than heat my waste water.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

On the spec sheet for the van when we were looking to buy it a second habitation battery is referred to as being fitted. I can’t find it, so if it is fitted, where might it be located?

Do you have a single Varta AGM 95Ahl leisure battery under the driver's seat? On our Ayers Rock we only have one leisure battery and the space under the driver's seat seems tantalisingly large enough that it might be able to accommodate a second battery but I'm not sure.

 

[KnolePark]

Yes there is a single battery under the drivers seat. I can’t read the Ah.

Below is an extract from the dealers advertisement spec sheet for the van and you’ll see the entry for “2nd battery RRP £410”.

I’ll be ringing the dealer (reputable) tomorrow to ask, but if anyone knows where this 2nd battery gets located if specified I can maybe save myself that call.

It does show up on the official spec sheet from the brochure I posted above as an available option - “51707 Second habitation battery (95Ah AGM) inc. additional 18A charger 8.”

We may not need it, but we had two “leisure batteries in our previous van so were pleased to see it on the spec sheet.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

It wouldn't be easy to hide a second battery in a 5.4 m PVC and the extra battery wiring would be fairly obvious to see as it would need to be heavy gauge wiring connected directly to the first battery. Have you checked inside the central floor trap although I doubt if that would be deep enough to accommodate a battery?

If you do find a battery let me know where it is and I will fit on there too . If the dealer fits a second battery and it goes under the driver's seat then let me know too and I can fit one there as well.

 

[Landy Andy]

I found that leaving the fridge on the latch didn't turn off the fridge light which would drain the battery so my solution when hibernating the van is to pull fuse 3 (20A) which cuts all power to the fridge. It would be also be possible to set the battery cut-off switch to Off but as we have added solar it would mean

Can’t you turn your fridge off???

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[Mark and Mindy]

Can’t you turn your fridge off???

Isotherm fridge. If the dial is turned back to zero then the compressor stops but it doesn't stop the fridge light from coming on. So no???

 

[Landy Andy]

Wow. Thats odd not being able to turn off. Even domestic fridges these days have the ability to turn off, instead of unplugging.

 

[KnolePark]

The search for the elusive (and probably never there) 2nd habitation battery continues.

Lifting the hatch on the floor in front of the passenger seat and central console reveals - ta da! the engine battery as expected.

I lay on my back and had a good look under the van. Blimey there is a lot of room under there! Soon it will all be covered with loads of crud from the road but at least at the moment it is all clean and showroom finish under there. Give me a decent campsite on a rainy day and I’ll soon put that to rights.

Mind you the 100l waste water tank (heated in my case Mark in case you’ve forgotten ) is huge.

 

[Coolcats]

I hope you don’t mind, as I will ask simple questions, some of which may strike you as ignorant, but please bear with me as due to the crisis the handover of our new Hymercar by the dealer was “socially distanced”. We’ve recently sold our VW California which did us proud for a decade, and had a Mazda Bongo before that.

I’ll start with this question - what is this switch for? I am assuming it turns the electric hot water ‘immersion” on and off but then there is the control panel also doing this.

Hymer supply a very detailed manual, but this switch does not get a mention.

With thanks

We have an ayresvrock, that switch is for the insulated waste tank switch it on on the winter it stops the waste from turning to a block of ice. if you have anyother questions would be happy to help

 

[Vipar]

Are you changing your van name to Uluru the Aboriginal name for their sacred rock?

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[Coolcats]

My next question.

On the spec sheet for the van when we were looking to buy it a second habitation battery is referred to as being fitted. I can’t find it, so if it is fitted, where might it be located?

Both habitation batteries are under the drivers seat if you only have one that’s where the second will go

 

[KnolePark]

Uluru - yes we did talk about that a couple of days go. It might become a nickname for the van. Mind you might we then be banned from climbing upstairs?

I can’t see room for a second battery under the drivers seat but then it is very hard to see.

 

[Coolcats]

Uluru - yes we did talk about that a couple of days go. It might become a nickname for the van. Mind you might we then be banned from climbing upstairs?

I can’t see room for a second battery under the drivers seat but then it is very hard to see.

I will take a picture and upload tomorrow so that you can judge for yourself if you have two batteries

 

[KnolePark]

Thank you, that will be a great help.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

Mind you the 100l waste water tank (heated in my case Mark in case you’ve forgotten ) is huge.

I've been thinking about that and I'm wondering if if it's the whole waste tank that is heated or perhaps the picture of the switch is saying that just the pipe connecting to the tank is heated. Also I think you will find that you can never actually manage to completely drain the waste tank unless you park on a sideways slope or you get some hydraulic jacks like ours.

On our Ayers Rock the leisure battery is under the driver's seat and it takes up about half the space at the back so from the sound of it you have got two batteries under the seat.

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