What is the best type of security devices for my tourer?
Always check with your insurer as it may have a specific list of approved security devices, however if it just specifies a wheel clamp and some other device such as a barrier post or a hitchlock for a trailer, we suggest you look at the Sold Secure tested products catalogue.
These products are given ratings on how well they resisted attack testing.
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Do caravan wheels have inner tubes?
No, for many years now most caravans have been equipped with tubeless radial tyres.
Classic and vintage caravans may have inner tubes, as might some wheels on compact pod caravans that are based on standard small trailers.
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Can I use a wind generator when camping?
In principle you can but there are some caveats.
Most small wind generators can give a meaningful charge with a wind speed over 10knots (6m/s), however when you look at the
Met Office’s wind speed map for the UK, most such places are coastal or high up.
Campsites are often quite sheltered, for the comfort of campers, and the turbine will need to be mounted over 4m high. Consideration needs to be given to how this tall structure will be stabilised and tethered safely.
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I’m struggling to add coordinates into my satnav. How do I work out what’s east and west or plus or minus (+ or -)?
Assuming you’re travelling in the northern hemisphere and the numbers are in decimal (rather than degrees, minutes and seconds), all coordinates east and west (longitude) are measured from the Prime Meridian.
This is a line, effectively through Greenwich, which is nominated as 0 degrees, neither east or west.
Where longitude is denoted with a minus it means west of the Prime Meridian and a plus symbol denotes an east direction.
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What are the UK speed limits for a motorhome?
A motorhome or, more correctly, a ‘motorised caravan’ has the same speed limits as a car with one exception.
Larger conversions with an unladen weight exceeding 3,050kg are restricted to 60mph on dual carriageways. A full breakdown of the regulations can found
here.
Is it normal for a modern engine to consume oil? As far as I can tell, it doesn’t leak.
There will always be a small loss of oil in any engine. Under modern emission regulations this should be burnt off through the combustion chambers.
Check your vehicle handbook, as it should suggest a nominal range of oil consumption, you may find up to 500ml per 1,000km is considered normal. Under heavy loads this may increase slightly, so when on a long tour check your oil level and carry a small bottle of the correct type of oil to top it up, if required.
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The tyre size and pressure plate on my motorhome doesn’t match the details on the tyre sidewalls. Is this OK?
This can happen when the tyres have been changed from the original van specification during conversion or by a previous owner.
When the size or load index changes then you may need to keep the tyres at a different inflation pressure from that given on the plate. The two most important points are that the tyres can carry the maximum axle weight with capacity to spare and they’re not under inflated.
Tyresafe has created a
pressure calculator for motorhomes but you must know your axle weight to get the best from it.
Do you allow dogs on your campsites?
Yes we do and there’s no charge on our Club Sites but we do have a few simple rules, which you can find here.
Other site operators, even those in our main SiteSeeker directory, may operate different policies so it’s worth checking before you book.
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Can the AL-KO Diamond wheel lock be retro-fitted to any caravan?
With certain limitations, yes. The caravan will need to have a post-2001 AL-KO axle with the correct style of alloy wheels (for which AL-KO has made a lock yolk) and the caravan needs to have a dedicated receiver fitted.
You can check whether you already have a receiver by peering through the wheel’s spaces on the left-hand side of the caravan. If there’s no receiver then you can order the necessary parts, in the
AL-KO Plus Kit, and have them fitted by a trained AL-KO chassis technician.
For chassis dated between 2001 and 2005 the
Premium Kit is required, with a replacement back-plate.
Can I get internal tyre pressure sensors for my motorhome, the valve-cap type seems so vulnerable to theft?
Most of the valve-cap kits come with some means of theft prevention, whether a grub-screw or a secondary lock nut.
Some manufacturers offer the internal type but these can only be installed by a tyre fitter. Ask about battery life, ideally you’ll want the sensor’s battery to last around five to seven years, the typical life of a tyre.
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My awning zips are a bit stiff, can they be lubricated?
Products such as Aquatex from Isabella are sold as a waterproofing product but also act as a light lubricant for zips without harming surrounding materials.
It can also be used as a lubricant to help draw an awning through the channel.
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Can I carry bikes on the towbar and tow a trailer too?
There are systems that allow you to fit a cycle carrier but still leave the towball free to allow the coupling of a trailer, Maxxraxx and Witter are two manufacturers of these.
Most such systems are designed to fit behind the flange of a fixed towball, there must be sufficient clearance and the capacity to carry the weight of the rack, bikes and the load from the trailer. Large 4x4 vehicles often have high noseweight limits and have the necessary spare capacity but this can be an issue with a more conventional car.
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Does my caravan (or motorhome habitation) service cover the fridge?
In routine servicing the fridge, whether two or three-way, will be checked for general function and basic safe operation.
You can ask for a fridge service at extra cost, this can be particularly important for the gas-powered fridges.
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Is it worth using a caravan or motorhome cover?
The simple answer is yes, a good quality cover will protect a tourer when in storage.
However, you must follow the instructions for use and make sure the vehicle is clean and reasonably dry before the cover goes on. Any dirt will act like a fine abrasive, damaging the finish, as the cover moves over the surface.
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Is there an easy way of finding an Approved Workshop for my caravan or motorhome service?
The Approved Workshop’s website has a search function and you can also download an app.
If you have a suitable iPhone or Android smartphone you can download and install the free app from the appropriate app store. This allows you to search using your handheld device. Remember, as the network grows you’ll need to update the app.
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Can you replace fluorescent tube lights for LEDs in the same housing?
In principal you can but it is not a direct swap. The fluorescent tubes require a circuit to get them started and this is not required for the LED replacements.
Your supplier should be able to advise but if you have any doubts ask a caravan technician to do the work for you.
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How often should I re-proof an item such as a coat or rucksack?
There’s no hard and fast rule about this. Most treatments sit on a surface and change the surface tension, making it hydrophobic – water doesn’t want to stay on it.
Watch out for areas where water begins to soak in rather than run off. Areas that get rubbed tend to fail first, so for example a coat may be compromised first where rucksack straps press and rub against it. Don’t wait for something to leak before re-treatment.
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Do I need to use a lighting board when I’m carrying bikes on the back of my car?
If any of the bikes interfere with the clear view of the lights or registration plate at the back of the vehicle then you must rectify this and a lighting board is the ideal low-cost solution.
You can have a socket for this fitted under or behind your bumper. This is effectively just the electrics pack of a normal towbar. You don’t actually have to have the towbar itself fitted if the car offers some other structure where a socket can be attached.
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I had a bit of a scare going down hill as my brakes faded. Can you get up-rated pads?
Many vehicles have an aftermarket option for enhanced or heavy-duty brake friction pads.
There are rules regarding permissible friction materials such brake pads, controlled by ECE regulation 90 (abbreviated to ECE90) since September 1999. A vehicle should be fitted with pads that conform to this. They will be marked with ECE90 and some high-performance products meet this requirement.
The age and condition of the brake fluid will also have an influence on thermal performance. The older it is the less well it copes with heat. It is best practice to have the fluid changed every two years. If you do a lot of heavy braking then change it more frequently.
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Why do motorhomes seem to rattle so much on the road?
To an extent this can be model specific and some are a little worse than others, but a major factor is what you carry and how you load it.
One tip is to take a few extra dish cloths or micro-fibre cloths. Pack them around metallic objects, such as pans and grill trays, and lay them out where a glass lid closes if possible. This can reduce a lot of noise and you’ve also then got a handy reserve of cloths in case there’s a spillage.
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I know I can’t tow a caravan in the right-hand lane of a motorway with three or more lanes, but what about a light trailer?
The rules in the Highway Code regarding trailers in the outside lane are motorway specific.
Rule 265 says any trailer, whether light, leisure or heavy goods, cannot use the right-hand lane of the motorway where there’s three lanes or more unless directed to do so because of a lane closure or obstruction.
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Where can you buy caravan tyres?
Most caravans and larger trailers are not necessarily fitted with dedicated trailer tyres, though such things exist.
More often than not your caravan will be fitted with a light commercial tyre – effectively a van tyre. These are fine to use as long as they are capable of carrying the load.
With lighter caravans a reinforced car tyre should be sufficient. Good tyre retailers will be able to advise you on the correct load rating and get tyres in quickly for you as they may not have any on the shelf.
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Is it possible to use a gas appliance, such as a heater, in a motorhome when you’re driving along?
Technology such as Truma’s crash sensor allows the use of a gas appliance while in motion as it is capable of shutting down the system of the unlikely event of a crash.
This has been developed to allow the use of the space heater to keep passengers in a motorhome comfortable when the cabin heater cannot cope, usually in the depth of winter. You must remember to turn off a gas appliance before you drive on to a fuel forecourt.
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Can I use a tarp (tarpaulin) to extend my small tent?
As a campsite operator, in principal the Club has no issue with this and tarps make great shelters to add to a tent.
If the intention is to cook under it, please don’t put a barbecue underneath due to the risk of flare-ups and the possibility of carbon monoxide blowing inside. Also if the footprint of the tarp (not including guy-lines) exceeds our maximum pitch width of 5m you’ll have to book a
Jumbo Pitch.Can I use a Club Site to top up my motorhome’s water tank?
For Club members we go a little further than just topping up water, but there’s a fee involved.
You’re welcome to empty your grey and black waste water, top-up the fresh water and have access to the campsite facilities for up to three hours. For a list of sites with such facilities and fees visit our
webpage.
I’ve come back to camping but why is it so hard to tune a television now?
This is probably because of something called the digital cliff. Put simply, if the aerial is not pointing in exactly the right direction then you won’t get any reception.
Unlike the old analogue system, which showed a weak snowy signal when the aerial was pointing in the roughly the right direction, digital signals are either ‘on’ or ‘off’, hence it 'falls off the cliff’ when you’re slightly out of alignment. We have a web page that goes into greater detail about aerial type, the importance of alignment and a list of
transmitter locations.
Can I double the battery capacity by adding another in parallel?
In theory, adding an equal capacity battery or cell in parallel will double the effective Ah rating of the battery while keeping the correct voltage output for your 12V equipment.
However, it’s never that simple. Having taken advice from battery suppliers and manufacturers, it is advised that where two or more batteries are used in parallel they should all be the same capacity, about the same age and ideally from the same supplier. If there’s an older or inferior quality battery and a better one is added then the less able cell will effectively weaken the better one.
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How long can a caravan be if it’s to be towed by a car legally?
A caravan is technically a trailer in legal terms and any vehicle (including light commercial vehicles and large 4x4s) up to 3,500kg is entitled to tow a trailer with a body length up to 7m.
It is worth noting this does not include the draw-bar or A-frame structure with the coupling head.
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What are the power limitations of a dedicated tent electric hook-up?
The electric hook-up bollard will have a limit managed by a circuit breaker and this will be up to 16A (but could be a lot less).
The hook-up lead will also have a circuit breaker but depending on the supplier this could be 10A or 16A. You need to be mindful of the limits when choosing appliances and our
data sheet on this subject has a useful guide to common appliances and their power consumption as well as safety advice.
How should I get rid of my grey water?
Grey water is waste water that’s been use for such things as washing up. Disposal is dependent on the site you’re staying at.
Well-equipped sites will have dedicated grey water points and some also have motorhome service points with a convenient drain set in the ground. More basic sites and many temporary locations will not have anything formal and you may be asked to get rid of the water in the hedgerow or to put it in a latrine ditch. This is fine if you have portable water carriers but awkward with an on-board tank unless you’re prepared to decant into a carrier. Nevertheless, you should not allow grey water to soil the pitch.
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Can fitting a solar panel invalidate a caravan or motorhome’s warranty?
It could, so this is something you’d need to discuss with your supplier and installer.
Where a panel’s mounting points are bonded this normally doesn’t cause a problem but if you have a hole drilled then this area, and any faults that can be deemed to have been affected by the hole, will not normally be covered by a warranty.
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Can non-members stay on our Club Sites, Certificated Sites and Temporary Holiday Sites?
Non-members are welcome on most Club Sites but they will have to pay a non-member fee.
A non-member is also welcome to stay on one of our
Temporary Holiday Sites or at a
Certificated Site as a guest of an existing member, but non-members cannot stay their in own caravan or motorhome unless they join the Club beforehand or on arrival.
Can you add off-road testing to the tow car awards?
Off-road testing is something we have discussed and the Tow Car Awards judging team would like to do this.
However, we’ve not been able to work out a method that’s repeatable, and all of our other tests can be performed again with consistent results with different drivers. It’s worth noting the hill-start test is a tough challenge and this is a good general indicator of traction and pulling power.
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What’s best when I’m touring the UK, terrestrial or satellite television?
Probably a satellite system because all you need (besides the correct equipment) is a clear line of sight to the sky.
Terrestrial television works very well but you must be in an area served by a transmitter or at least a local relay. Such transmitters serve population centres and camping can quite often be about getting away from these. We have some guidance about aerial alignment in our
technical help area.
Is there a limit on the amount of gas I can carry on a ferry?
Yes, there will be a limit to the amount of gas you can take and this will be contained within the booking information provided by your crossing operator.
It should also be included in the operator's online Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) pages. Typically it’s quite a bit higher than a campervan or caravan can carry in its locker so you should not have a problem, but it’s important to check.
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I have a new car with a factory towbar but it was supplied without the feed for the fridge. Is this correct?
This is quite common with cars from mainland Europe as Continental caravans are generally wired slightly differently from UK ones, often without a leisure battery.
You can have the necessary kit retrofitted by a good towbar fitter if your dealer cannot help. Ideally though it’s best to make it clear when you order a vehicle or towbar kit that you want full wiring, including all auxiliary power feeds.
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Do I really need to use every guyline?
Tents and awnings should have sufficient guying points to secure them in all but the worst storms.
In less severe conditions it may not be necessary to use every attachment point, but due to the fickle nature of UK weather it’s wise to use most of them regardless of the conditions at the time.
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Should my motorhome’s fuel tank be empty or full when in storage?
It’s always wise to check the handbook for the base vehicle’s guidance but the normal advice is to store with the fuel tank full to minimise condensation.
Put simply, the less air space there is the better.
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What are winter wheels?
The items known as ‘winter wheels’ are not really wheels at all. They’re simply a steel fabricated structure fitted in the place of road wheels.
They are often used on trailers and caravans when there’s no plan to move them for a period of time. The normal wheels and tyres can then be stored under cover.
It’s worth noting that winter wheels don’t constitute an immobiliser in insurance policy terms. They mustn’t be used as an alternative to a wheel clamp. Your insurance provider will be able to advise on its security requirements.
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How do I find out if my campervan can go into London?
London’s Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has been in place for some years now and impacts most motorhomes, depending on the year of registration and gross weight (maximum authorised mass).
The minimum emissions requirement is Euro 3 and this is for campervans with a gross weight from 2,500 to 3,500kg. You can do a
vehicle check here.
Why aren’t hydrostatic head figures given for cotton tents?
Hydrostatic head testing relies on a column of water that applies a load to a textile.
Testers then measure the resistance to the water permeating through. This doesn’t work with cotton as it will get pushed through very easily. As cotton gets wet in a shower it swells slightly, closing the gaps in the weave and it becomes naturally waterproof, hence the need to
weather a new cotton tent, and therefore making the water column test an unsuitable method to use.
Can tinted glass interfere with a satnav’s reception?
Normal dark glass tint shouldn’t affect the weak signal from a global positioning satellite (GPS).
However, if the tint agent is metallic or the main screen has heating elements built in (sometimes called a quick-clear screen) then the metal within these components could block the signal.
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Does an electric hook-up lead have to be orange?
It’s not a requirement to have an orange lead. However it’s sensible to have one that’s easily visible against the ground to help minimise any trip hazard.
Darker leads may blend in, especially at night, so a light coloured cable is considered better.
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My on-board electric heater is struggling to get my campervan warm. Is it faulty?
Not necessarily. In winter the electrical system with a maximum 2kW output may struggle to give sufficient output to warm the tourer properly.
In some instances you may need to run it on gas, as this is often twice the power. Once a comfortable temperature is achieved you can switch to electricity to maintain this.
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I’m struggling to find the correct tyre pressures for my car when towing.
All modern cars should have a tyre pressure guide printed on them, sometimes inside the fuel filler cap or within a door closure.
It will give two, or sometimes three, pressure ranges. Where no specific towing pressures are recommended then it is best to go to the high-load and high-speed pressures. It may also be beneficial to increase the rear axle pressure further by another 4-7psi (do not exceed the stated maximum on the tyre’s sidewall) if you have a high luggage load at the rear of the car as well as the weight from the towing coupling.
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Which insurance covers a trailer when it’s being towed?
All the third party risks are passed to the towing vehicle when any trailer is coupled up to it.
That is why it’s so important to check the car’s policy covers towing. When un-hitched, all risks revert back the trailer or caravan’s own policy.
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Do I need a driving licence to ride an electric bike?
If you mean an ‘electrically-assisted pedal cycle’, which has strict constraints on its maximum speed and power then no, the rules are the same as for a self-powered bicycle.
If your bike is a high-powered electric cycle that continues to provide power over 25kph (15.5mph), then strictly speaking it is defined as a moped and you must have the appropriate licence. Depending on when you passed your test this could be category p or AM and these are given when you pass a standard car driving test.
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