new motorhome collected 12 days before we go away! brave or stupid?

Hel999

Hel999

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Location
Huddersfield
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MH
Coachbuilt, AS Winchcombe
Exp
since 2013
We have traded in our trusty 2010 Autosleeper Suffolk and bought a 2015 Autosleeper Winchcombe which is slightly bigger. We have known for a while that we fancied the Winchcombe next but they dont come up for sale often. Typically one did last week so we went to view it at the weekend and collected it yesterday. We travel through the tunnel and are heading to spain and/or portugal on 27th for 6 weeks.

i have loads of questions for you knowledgable folks.

1) On our Suffolk we had a 100w solar panel fitted. This one has a really small panel fitted (i think it is a 30w) but not sure as no paperwork anywhere about it. We do a combination of wild camping, aires and campsites. As long as we either hook up on a campsite or keep moving every few days, will we be ok? We never ran short of power with the 100w but im a bit wary of only having a 30w but dont have time to get another one fitted before we go. we usually charge phones, iPads, lights are LED, tv on during evening.....

2) It appears the original owner requested the winter pack as the 2015 AS brochure was in the vehicle and he had highlighted and ticked Premium pack and Winter Pack upgrades. Ive checked the wheel arches and the definitely have quilted insulation pads on them, i also found in with the bumpf that came with the MH something about a tank blanket. Am i right to assume that if this is the case, the tank blanket is fitted and therefore we won't have a problem with the dump valve dropping the boiler contents while we are travelling through the cold weather?

3) It has a strike back and Growler fitted by Eddie at VanBitz so i will be ringing and getting that registered to us etc but in the meantime, is the gas detector a small black box that is fitted below the ashtray (see pic).

4) anyone know what this is? Pic 2

Thanks in advance. I am sure i will have further questions as we come across things we aren't sure of.
 

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Not brave of stupid, our last van V5 arrived on Friday we were in France on Saturday.
 
gus-lopez said:
Will you get the V5 in time ?
Magic safe appears to be a gas alarm
https://www.**********s.com/magic-safe-gas-alarm-msg-150-p-64.html
Click to expand...

thank you that solves that one then. I thought the black box under the dash was something to do with gas so havent a clue what it is now then.

I have everything crossed that the V5 will be back in time - they were very quick with the retention certificate and new V5 for our suffolk when i took the personalised plate off. i only applied online saturday eve and the V5 came back yesterday. If not i have an email confirmation from DVLA that we are the new keeper of the vehicle and im hoping that if i print that off, take the receipt from buying it and a photocopy of the V5 that has been sent off will be enough if it doesn't come back in time.
 
Lenny HB said:
Not brave of stupid, our last van V5 arrived on Friday we were in France on Saturday.
Click to expand...

Love it! hope you find some good weather. Might see you on our travels.

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We picked up our new van on the 24th Nov but still don't have a V5 yet.
 
Wouldn't have thought you'd have a problem getting a new solar panel in that time, although of course don't know your personal circumstances. If you can't just keep an eye on it and try to do your recharging when you're actually driving, there'll be plenty of surplus power then.

Magic Safe is a gas alarm. No idea about the black box though, some kind of sensor? Doesn't look professionally fitted to me, a bit exposed to knocks etc.
 
Can you charge phone and iPad from dashboard while you're driving? I used to limit TV and also had a few battery lights in case I ran out of power when not on EHU.
 
Hollyberry said:
Can you charge phone and iPad from dashboard while you're driving? I used to limit TV and also had a few battery lights in case I ran out of power when not on EHU.
Click to expand...
I presume so if you have a usb point.
 
Hel999 said:
Love it! hope you find some good weather. Might see you on our travels.
Click to expand...
:xrofl::xrofl::xrofl:
That was my last van 4 years ago, This one it was a couple of weeks before we went away. We always import our vans so have to wait for DVLA to get their finger out.

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Last edited:
The paperwork issue aside
A new van not tried and tested given all new vans are not without issues
Stupid maybe ? shall we settle for unwise :xeek:
I once new a funtser who cancelled his entire trip and came home
His rear view camera gave up:xdoh: I hope your made of sterner stuff
Good luck and with the right attitude it could even be FUN
 
I got conned with the propane/Butane alarm scam.
Both gases are heavier than air and will find their way out the van through any floor/low level vents before the volume is enough to reach the alarm.
Floor level would be a better location.
Some advertising pics even show it at bed height which is correct for a CO detector
 
Thanks everyone. We will be charging whilst driving and will keep an eye on it although hubby says he is ordering a solar panel and will fit it himself as the wires etc are already there.

Another question - it has the strike back and Growler fitted. How would i know if it also has the non-start? It has 4 little black rocker switches on the passenger dash which i assume are for the external loop, the external LEDS, the internal sirens and the gas detector. I dont know how to check if it has any other extras though and cant apply to VanBitz for info until i have the V5 which will probably not arrive before we go off (i just have the email confirmation from DVLA that i am the new keeper). It came with 2 little blue fobs and a red plastic card but nothing to indicate the MH has a 'phone number' or pager.
 
At this time of year assuming you are in Northern Europe, even a couple of panels will be pretty useless, assuming your battery/ies are fully charged with sensible use 2 days should be possible, so if you can use hook ups/drive every couple of days you should be fine.
 
Hel999 said:
Thanks everyone. We will be charging whilst driving and will keep an eye on it although hubby says he is ordering a solar panel and will fit it himself as the wires etc are already there.

Another question - it has the strike back and Growler fitted. How would i know if it also has the non-start? It has 4 little black rocker switches on the passenger dash which i assume are for the external loop, the external LEDS, the internal sirens and the gas detector. I dont know how to check if it has any other extras though and cant apply to VanBitz for info until i have the V5 which will probably not arrive before we go off (i just have the email confirmation from DVLA that i am the new keeper). It came with 2 little blue fobs and a red plastic card but nothing to indicate the MH has a 'phone number' or pager.
Click to expand...
Your not that stupid then

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Wish you well with your new purchase, we did the same many years ago with a new Autotrail, big mistake ! that many things went wrong with it we cut our holidays short and returned from Spain after 3 weeks and had to go too Autotrail factory in Grimsby to try and get in sorted, gave up in the end and rejected it !!
All the best to yo and fingers crossed that any problems that occur are small and you can fix them yourselves !
Enjoy !!
 
Can you beg, borrow or ....... purchase a portable solar panel before you go? At this time of year you would get more out of a portable panel propped up at a steep angle anyway.
 
We picked our IH up on the 21st March 2016, took it straight to Dave Newell for the alarm, air suspension and solar panel.

13th April started a three month tour of France and Spain.

We had a great time and only dropped a couple of bloopers.

Nothing broke on the motorhome although we did highlight a few warranty problems during the trip.

But the mainland is pretty well stocked with everything you might possibly need to survive so no great problems were encountered.

Go and enjoy your trip. :xThumb:
 
Hel999 said:
....but in the meantime, is the gas detector a small black box that is fitted below the ashtray (see pic).
Click to expand...
It's a tracker, fitted by dealers to all Autosleepers that are under warranty so that they know you're coming................ and close up for the day.

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Last edited:
I think you will find that the little black box is the movement sensor for your strikeback alarm, be careful when the alarm is set if you go out for the day that nothing can fall or blow across it if the van is blown about on a windy day on site or it will trigger the alarm. All my vans have had strikeback fitted and never a false alarm, best alarm you can have.
Don
 
Hel999 said:
We have traded in our trusty 2010 Autosleeper Suffolk and bought a 2015 Autosleeper Winchcombe which is slightly bigger. We have known for a while that we fancied the Winchcombe next but they dont come up for sale often. Typically one did last week so we went to view it at the weekend and collected it yesterday. We travel through the tunnel and are heading to spain and/or portugal on 27th for 6 weeks.

i have loads of questions for you knowledgable folks.

1) On our Suffolk we had a 100w solar panel fitted. This one has a really small panel fitted (i think it is a 30w) but not sure as no paperwork anywhere about it. We do a combination of wild camping, aires and campsites. As long as we either hook up on a campsite or keep moving every few days, will we be ok? We never ran short of power with the 100w but im a bit wary of only having a 30w but dont have time to get another one fitted before we go. we usually charge phones, iPads, lights are LED, tv on during evening.....

2) It appears the original owner requested the winter pack as the 2015 AS brochure was in the vehicle and he had highlighted and ticked Premium pack and Winter Pack upgrades. Ive checked the wheel arches and the definitely have quilted insulation pads on them, i also found in with the bumpf that came with the MH something about a tank blanket. Am i right to assume that if this is the case, the tank blanket is fitted and therefore we won't have a problem with the dump valve dropping the boiler contents while we are travelling through the cold weather?

3) It has a strike back and Growler fitted by Eddie at VanBitz so i will be ringing and getting that registered to us etc but in the meantime, is the gas detector a small black box that is fitted below the ashtray (see pic).

4) anyone know what this is? Pic 2

Thanks in advance. I am sure i will have further questions as we come across things we aren't sure of.
Click to expand...
I have the same black box in my Le Voyageur. In mine it is (so I am told) the interior alarm movement detector (crap Scorpion system) but I could be wrong. I'm pretty sure it will not be the VanBitz one - @eddievanbitz does a good job in hiding stuff like that and the movement sensor was well hidden in the previous two vans I had. Maybe Eddie can throw some light on this....
 
We collected our new PVC on 28th November, last year, packed it and, on 5th December, started a trip to Belgium to visit the Christmas Markets.

The only problem we found was a catch on the gas bottle locker was loose due to the securing screws being too short! No other problems at all.

Enjoy your trip and your new motorhome.:xThumb::)
 
There may be a switch to heat the waste tank. But the ice would form on the top and the heat pads are at the bottom of the tank, so may still freeze up. Mine did.
 
I third the interior alarm sensor for strikeback/growler mine is hidden away out of site.:xThumb::xThumb::xThumb:

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Hi.
Don't shoot the messenger.Borrow, or buy a " Cheepo Generator ?" (Sell it when you get back if you cannot get the Solar panel in time.) You DON'T have to run the genny at night,top up the batteries enroute in a service area while you have a brew. Me, i have jumped into vehicles that had earnt previous owners thousands,pressed the button and carried on to make more money. FEEL LUCKY......
Tea Bag.... Have a Good Christmas wherever :xThumb:
 
Tea Bag said:
Hi.
Don't shoot the messenger.Borrow, or buy a " Cheepo Generator ?" (Sell it when you get back if you cannot get the Solar panel in time.) You DON'T have to run the genny at night,top up the batteries enroute in a service area while you have a brew. Me, i have jumped into vehicles that had earnt previous owners thousands,pressed the button and carried on to make more money. FEEL LUCKY......
Tea Bag.... Have a Good Christmas wherever :xThumb:
Click to expand...
Oooooohhhhh.......generators. At least the noise hides the glugging sound as you dump your grey waste at 2am
 
So a shakedown for a cpl daysk after. If major issues, will have to book in and go after holiday
 
I had my new Pilote on the 20th December, set off for Spain on the 30th no solar panel as the folding one I ordered did not arrive in time.We lasted 4 months without problems. Battery size is an important consideration as is your gas set up.

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