Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions or FAQ.
First up we’re not entirely sure why these things are are called frequently asked questions.
Like all so called FAQ and their corresponding answers, ours have been completely made up and we’ve never, ever been asked any of these questions. Just kidding, three of them the questions have been asked but that was too each other just to make our FAQ list(. Why is it “How much” is never on a FAQ list … hmmm
Our FAQ are more of a collection of short statements that we’ve randomly plonked together, but when presented in the form of questions and answers they somehow feel more engaging
We’ve repeatedly found that ideas that seem so bullet proof sitting around the kitchen table at home simply don’t translate into the practical application of actual road travel. Little things that seem like such a no brainer can often simply be wrong, or impractical. A good example is how to pack crockery for corrugations. Everyone knows you have to separate everything to avoid disaster … well so we thought to. We haven’t ever done anything special with our crockery or ceramic mugs and we’ve never had a single casualty. When we started out we did guess some things right.
A very wise person once said there’s no substitute for experience, and caravanning is no exception to that rule. Finding your own methods is all part of the fun and the process, and the advice and experience of others is nothing more than that …. advice. There’s no single way to do anything, in fact you’ll find some peoples advice borderline idiotic, but a cursory look at how others do things certainly cant hurt and may give you a starting point for your own methods and planning that ultimately suit you.
For us it’s all but routine and predictability. We (read Ross) finds that routine and predictability is king for our nomadic long term travels. We have routines, systems, patterns, procedures, controls, responsibilities and above all else precious little tolerance for non compliance … and that suit us (again, read Ross).
On a more serious note, by nature of travelling often considerable distances there is no second chances. If you leave something behind, or fail to pack something away properly it can result in loosing or damaging something. Routine responsibility and predictability ensures every thing is onboard and properly secured first time every time.
One person cant do everything all the time, and we don’t want to discover 6 hours and 500km down the highway that no-one put the milk away, wound the TV antenna down or untied the dog from the rear bumper.
Call it OCD or just a PITA, but its important to know that everything is always packed away and packed away properly where it should be. Our fridge and pantry for example are packed properly every single time and we never have to stop and check, or to repack at the start of a potentially rougher track simply because we were lazy and did a half arsed job before we left the last camp. It becomes second nature and very reassuring knowing everything is fine.
Everyone needs to know what their responsibilities are, and everyone then does a cursory double check of everything else. We have some friends who have a novel way to level the playing field. If something goes wrong, or isn’t packed correctly its not the fault of the person who packed it, but the fault of the person who didn’t double check it. That’s not for us because Barb would likely set Ross up to fail just for a laugh, but it worked very well for our friends.
We would encourage people to add comments at the bottom, or contact us directly via the email link if there is something specific your interested in that we haven’t mentioned. You could well be our first actual “infrequently asked question”
We don’t have all the answers but we have been doing this a long time reasonably successfully. (actually when Barb occasionally gets agitated she can be heard, with colorful language, suggesting I do in fact think I have all the answers)
For ease of navigation the answers expand and collapse under each of the question below
[expand title=”Freecamping safety ?“]A: In a nut shell, yes very safe. We have a article on this topic. Freecamping locations are often very well known, popular and well subscribed. You’ll rarely you find a Freecamping Utopia, ie be alone with no-one else about.
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[expand title=”Social Media ?“]A: Social Media is chock-a-block bursting at the seams full of well intention-ed but unfortunately often misguided and uninformed advice. Often social media is fueled by no more than the desire to grandstand, feel important or be heard rather than being based on any practical knowledge or experience.
Folks on Social Media are also not accountable for anything they say.
Social media has a healthy but random spattering of some very knowledgeable, generous and experienced people but the issue is sorting through the chaff and finding them; some of the not so experienced can be incredibly convincing.
Far from suggesting the avoidance of social media altogether, we would advocate getting as much info as your comfortable with, taking whatever you read or hear on board and using that info to help you make choices for yourself; and we would include our advise among that.
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[expand title=”First van ?“]A: This is a very complex topic and there are no short answers. There is a lot to consider, a lot of info to digest and get your head around. Many new caravaners may be a little overwhelmed and many of the considerations and limitations that will apply can be problematic, and exclude many caravans from the list of potentials.
It’s not uncommon for the newbie caravaner to fall in love with a particular van, only to discover for various reasons thats their circumstances wont allow it. It’s certainly not unheard for a brand new caravan to exceed the tow vehicles capacity and resign it to the second hand classifieds without ever having been used. So find a trusty, get some help and get it right.
Click here to go to the article “First Caravan. Things to Consider”.
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[expand title=”Our own GIYB caravan ?“]A: Ross’s camping progressed per the text book path; drunken mates sleeping in the back of cars, swags, tents, trailers, a wind up campers, poptops, and finally caravans.
Our first actual van was a poptop Jayco Expanda; only old people had real caravans and Ross wasn’t in any way ready for that and Ross could convince myself it was actually a camper and not a caravan. We fell in love with the Expanda and currently have a 20ft caravan full bathroom version.
We very rarely use the aircon in the Expanda particularly at night because we catch even the slightest of breezes.[/expand]
[expand title=”Staying hitched when freecamping ?“]A: In a word Abso ..bloody .. lutely.
We both hate unhitching with a passion and will avoid it at all costs . We stay hitched as often as we can, including caravan parks if we can possibly swing it.
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[expand title=”Accessories before or after van delivery ?“]A: Any new caravan payload weight allowance will be based on the ex-factory accessories fitted, so unfortunately accessories fitted by you after delivery will eat into the vans precious payload, and this could leave a significant shortfall and push you over the vans rated limit.
It’s worth asking the manufacturer to opt in some realistic extra payload weight if you want to add you own accessories later on (within your cars limits of course)
Do not buy a second hand van without taking it over a weighbridge, you could well be buying an anchor which is way over its, and your cars limits.
Routine caravan highway weigh-ins are only a matter of time. If you choose to roll the weight dice, expect to be caught out and have your holiday and wallet tipped on its head.
Some issues with accessories worth considering
– Some vans need internal wall supports for mounting TV brackets etc
– Additional plumbing should be roughed in, for example an outdoor shower which may be difficult to modify later
– Solar panels or at least the wiring roughed in for future use
– Any future accessories such as tv coax, 240v or 12v should be roughed in because they may be difficult to run cables later [/expand]
[expand title=”12v fans ?“]A: Caframo Sirocco model fans are rapidly becoming a standard factory fitted accessory. The Canadian based Caframo fans were originally made for the marine market and are fantastic high quality, power efficient fans which moves large volumes of air
The Sirroco is a 360 deg gimbal fan around 30cm, consumes 0.35amps on high and moves 140cfm of air volume. Caframo fans come in hard wired and cigarette plug varieties.
A clever fan installation location can cool the bed at night and then be spun around to cool the saloon or kitchen area during the day. If you are considering any type of 12v fans have them installed at the factory, or the wiring run during the van build.
We opted for the minimalist Caframo 747 Ultimate fans in our van which consumes 0.4amps and moves up to 200 cfm of air volume. Our bed end fan swings around from the bed to the saloon/kitchen area. The bunk fan at the other end of the van has been mounted to a block which slides into our TV wall bracket mounts. The fan then can easily slides into either bunk TV mounts, or purposed positioned TV mount on the kitchen wall[/expand]
[expand title=”Gas bottles ?“]A: Oddly there are 2 sizes of 8.5kg gas bottles. Thats physical size of the bottle itself. They are very close, but one is slightly taller and thinner. We need the taller thinner variety because the short fatty wont fit in our carriers.
You’ll find that regardless of how many gas swap facilities you attend you’ll have the same discussion and they’ll tell you absolutely there is only one size ….. but there’s two
There are a lot of variables as to how long a 9kg gas bottle will last. The size of the 3 way fridge, the ambient temperature, the ratio of gas cooking to camp fire cooking you do, whether you use the caravans HWS and whether you leave the HWS on all the time or just turn it on to shower, gas ducted heater, bottle or van fed BBQ.
We use a portable HWS, cook over the fire where possible and with a 50/50 mix of freecamping a bottle will last us around 3 weeks. As a rule when we empty one of our 2 9kg gas bottles we should have 3 weeks to refill (or swap) it whilst we’re switch to the other bottle
Swap and go gas bottles or refill ?” Circumstances will dictate this for you. Gas bottle refilling suppliers are not always available and at some point you’ll be forced to swap the bottles. We resisted swapping out our beautiful shiny well cared for bottles for as long as possible, but eventually we ended up with 2 x half rusted beaten up swap bottles coated in 8 dodgy layers of crap paint. Yes it was a sad day but we got over it, and you will to.[/expand]
[expand title=”What are main expenses when full time on the road ?“]A: Groceries, fuel and accommodation in that order for us.
As a tourist you could expect to spend around $1000 per week. Living on the road with some planning and being a little picky about where and how you spend your money you can live quite comfortably for $500 per week. Actual costs are very difficult to offer per individual because it is very subjective and will very much depend on your own resources, where you choose to stay and how high on the hoof you choose to live. There are people who have a working budget of less than $200 per week, and some just live from pension day to pension day[/expand]
[expand title=”The negatives about traveling full time ?“]A: “Negatives” evokes images of inherent problems and we don’t have any real problem area about living on the road. Before retiring good planning enabled us to to traveled both extensively and long term so we not only knew what to expect, we looked forward to it.
One issue could be the humidity up north. Everything feels damp all the time, washing doesn’t dry and the air constantly feels heavy. The likes of bread and bananas seem to last about 15min.
A 30deg Melbourne day is a pretty good day, a 30deg humid northern day for a southerner is absolutely suffocating and completely debilitating, its horrible.
Throughout our relationship we have enjoyed being together (weird, hey?). We compliment each other and enjoy each others company. (that’s of course when Barb’s not being a turd) We don’t routinely plan physical time apart and normal camping chores provide us with enough space and “me” time.
The odd trip to Bunnings, the Supermarket, an hour spent washing the car, a walk to the local shops, a morning swim down the beach or just reading the paper has for us always been enough space.
Ross is incredibly laid back, very much a glass half full person. He can magically extract a positive out of the very worst of disasters. Ross is also very confident, handy and resourceful which makes everything significantly easier. Mishaps, wrong turns, breakdowns or even full blown emergencies will when the dust settles mostly end up with a shrug of the shoulders, a laugh … and very likely just another opportunity for Ross to have yet another coffee.
Our only area on contention is the rare breakdown in the routines, procedures and rituals associated with breaking camp and packing up[/expand]
[expand title=”Leveling the caravan ?“]A: Leveling the van is important for one reason only and that is the 3 way fridge. The 3 way fridge performs to its optimum when its level or very close to it. The 3 way fridge will still function off tilt, and despite what you may read on social media the fridge will cool well enough that you’ll notice no difference. Its the mechanics of what is going on inside that is potentially damaging to the fridge over time when its continually operated too far off balance.
We do intentionally set up our van both front and off side slightly high. Its virtually impossible to accurately level a caravan, but we can off level our van perfectly every single time because off level is off level, and the amount of off level is just semantics. Our bed is east west so a slightly high off side raises our heads, which we prefer to high feet; the amount is irrelevant. A slightly high front tends to coax aircon condensation discharge and rainwater toward the rear of the van and away from the entrance to both the van and our camp in general which will reduce pooling, puddling and mudding where most foot traffic around camp will be, from the drawbar to the front door area of the van.
Being out of level to a small extent will generally have minimal impact of waste drainage because most caravans aren’t that great to start with. Freecamping we will drive around to find a level patch but if that is not do-able we will preferably, where appropriate, dig wheels in rather than use ramps. We have on odd occasions used rocks to roll the van onto so we don’t have raps to pack up
We have a very high clearance van and with dodgy knees we will do whatever we can to either lower or at least avoid raising the door step side of the caravan[/expand]
[expand title=”Washing machines ?“]A: You will have to wash clothes regardless of how intent you are on avoiding it so make a decision now on the best option for you. There are many varied methods of washing clothes from buckets to fully auto combo washing/dryer machines. (yes, washing dryer combos for caravans do exist).
He’s another example of where experience counts. Those handle rotated tumbling barrel washing devices are shite. They seem like a simple, terrific idea, except …. water always (ALWAYS) stays at the bottom so its ALWAYS off balance and with the frame flexing with the weight it’s ALWAYS very difficult to tumble.
A general rule, don’t ever listen to anyone who doesn’t own the particular device, or feature that they are denouncing … what the hell could they possibly know if they don’t have it. You will meet plenty of folk who will poo poo onboard washing machines but you will rarely meet anyone that actually has a washing machine that wishes they didn’t have it.
We walk for exercise and after a long sweaty walk we want to wash our sports stuff for tomorrow. I don’t want to wait for another 10kg of clothes to make a full load, nor do I want to pay $5 to wash my shorts, singlet and socks in a 10kg machine.
I once walked into a caravan park laundry and a woman was walking out carrying a dog bed and blanket … I have no clue which machine she had used so I walk out. Shortly after that we bought a tiny Companion single tub for around $100 which we carted around for many years in a previous van. The Companion was truly awesome and punched well above its weight.
We have 3kg auto top loader in the current van, and we wash everything in it including the sheets, doona covers and towels (including beach towels).
A washing machine of some description will save you a small fortune on the road, and at least pay for itself and save you sharing the machine with dog blankets and half rinsed nappies.
Auto washing machines can use a huge amount of water per cycle, for our 3kg machine its almost an entire 80lt tank for a full load through th wash and rinse cycles. Wool wash eliminates the need for the rinse cycle so that will half the water consumption. We can source water for the washing machine from rivers and water tanks and the washing machine will work perfectly well with the vans water pump turned off and river water tipped into the machine with a bucket. Water sourced from a clear moving river or stream and tipped into the machine with a bucket wont contaminate the vans potable water system
Washing machines can also be run from a small inverter, our washing machine only draws 320w. Our machines 21 min “Rapid” auto wash cycle includes a 8 minute wash cycle, so using wool wash and river water, we can interrupt the cycle after the 8 min wash cycle and then advance the machine straight to the spin cycle.
Back in the 4×4 tent camping days we would put a load of dirty clothes in a sealed 30lt water container and let the bouncing of the car wash the clothes as we drove about, again using wool wash.[/expand]
[expand title=”Food and camp cooking ?“]A: Everyone is different and some people cook and eat much differently when camping than at home. We cook and eat very much the same as we do at home. Some folk flatly refuse to cook in their caravan, and we don’t have any aversion to cooking inside at all. We use the oven at home almost daily and we do exactly the same when camping, which will include the camp oven when appropriate.
There isn’t much we don’t or haven’t cooked in the caravan including sous vide. We often use the sous vide even freecamping and then brown off over a camp fire.
Most of our cooking and eating equipment is geared for just the 2 of us ie we don’t have larger pots etc and we don’t cater for extra people. We can of course cook enough for probably 4 or so, but its just not by design.
We often camp with other people, but aside from nibbles caravaners rarely cook or cater for each other because it’s just accepted that people are mostly setup to cater only for themselves. We do share the social side of lunchtime and dinner time with others, but mostly we each prep our own food before we come together.
Because we wash up after each meal we only need the bare minimum of utensils and equipment, 4 x knives and forks, plates, bowls etc. The extras of each are used as salad bowls, servers, bread plates or preparation plates during cooking etc
We have shared many BBQs with friends on different occasions but that will more often that not be around a caravan park BBQ, or a campfire.
We carry a open fire cooking plate with folding legs and cooking equipment that is solely for use over the fire; we don’t use our van cooking equipment on a camp fire. We will also often cook a BBQ dinner, or a roast or pizzas in the camp oven, and we also bake bread, cakes or scones in the camp oven as well.
Food storage in the caravan is ample for the 2 of us. We only have a 150ltr fridge with a small freezer in the caravan ,but that serves us quite well. We supplement the caravan fridge with a 40 litre Engel which lives in the car. We like the idea that we have two independent and different fuel source fridge options, so we’ll never be without at least one fridge. [/expand]
[expand title=”Microwaves and other 240v appliances off the grid ?“]A: Appliances that require 240v power can only get that power from mains power, generator or 12v inverter power. Mains power needs no explanation. A generator needs to be large enough to power the appliance in question and that wont be the power output listed on the model name of the generator. Generator manufacturers label their machine with the higher short burst output and not its constant load output. A Honda EU20i, suggest an output of 2kW, which is only true for the first start up surge. Its constant load rating is actually much lower at 1.6kW, even then a constant load of 1.6kW may well still trip the overload
An inverter requires an article of its own, there is a lot more to consider than its output. We intend to do an article about inverters but in short, anything that produces heat consumes a great deal of energy and a kettle, toaster or hairdryer are all extreme examples. Power hungry appliances require an inverter with a large constant load capacity, and be positioned close to the batteries with very thick cabling.
Although appliances like microwaves will operate through an appropriately sized inverter, high energy appliances like microwaves will thump your battery significantly which is something batteries don’t particularly like; a deep cycle battery’s preference is a low gentle constant drain to a maximum of 50% of their rated capacity. Constant exposure to the kind of large scale short term surge type drain of power hungry appliances will significantly shorten the batteries serviceable life.
The typical caravan battery will be around 100 to 120amp/hr, and a microwave will thump upwards of 100amps from that battery. Its certainly doable and will appear to be working quiet well, but that kind of convenience comes at significant cost.
I cant see any circumstance where a microwaved pie or a short black from a pod machine is worth potentially damaging or reducing the lifespan of my $400 battery[/expand]
[expand title=”Storage tips for inside the caravan ?“]A: Space in a caravan may at first seem a little on the minimal side, but most caravans with consideration of weight issues have ample space for what you actually need. We have quiet a few cupboards that are basically empty.
Cupboard matting or lining will help to stop stuff moving about. How much your cupboard stuff will move will depend greatly on what the cupboard stuff is and where you take the van. On the blacktop nothing will move much at all, and dirt roads likewise. If stuff in the car isn’t bouncing around and hitting in you in the head, then it wont be bouncing around in the van either.
On rough remote tracks things are a little different. Stuff vibrates and jiggles about rather than bounces about. Even though it’s not bouncing around, stuff constantly bump each other can end up with breakage
We use empty 1 ltr ice cream and yogurt tubs to store stuff in the pantry and cabinets. The tubs help to separate fragile items, so two bottle for example aren’t touching. The tubs also keep the taller items upright … no one wants the olive oil falling over and the lid vibrating off. During our learning phase, we’ve experienced the joy of a cordial bottle on the top shelve of the four shelf pantry falling over and popping the lid
The is one of our strict routines, and this is how we pack all the time so we never have to stop, check, repack or question and second guess each other.
Our crockery is stacked as it would be at home, big plates, then smaller plates, then bowls all stacked together with nothing between. The bowls are Corelle and the plates melamine. We use the usual house ceramic mugs and they sit in the overhead cupboard with no special prep, just not touching. We’ve managed to stress fracture our caravans chassis, jettison the microwave, dislodge the oven, and completely loose the dinning table but we’ve never had a casualty in the pantry nor any smashed crockery etc.
A popular social media tip that gets handed up repeatedly is to put a dot sticker on everything inside the van. When each item is used the dot sticker is removed. After 12 months (or your period of choice) the items with the stickers remaining are simply removed from the van because they clearly get no use, and limited use. As often as its posted on social media Ive never met anyone who’s ever done this and I suspect no-one actually has, but it does help to visualise overloading with the “just in case” stuff.
Many people dual purpose their microwaves for bread storage, as do we too, just be mindful that the microwave will get quiet humid. In the southern dryer air this keeps bread nice and soft, but the northern humidity will quickly turn your bread into penicillin much faster.[/expand]
[expand title=”TV Storage ?“]A: We only remove the TV from the bracket when there is a likelihood we will be heading off the blacktop. We have antenna cables, satellite cables, media player cables, all hanging out of the TV and it’s the one thing that doesn’t comply with our usually inflexible packing credos. If we know we have only highway driving ahead of us the TV stays put on the wall bracket.[/expand]
[expand title=”Three way fridge v compressor fridge ?“]A: First up both types of fridges work very very well. Each type has a slight edge on the other in a specific area of their operation. In short the compressor fridge cool and recover very quickly so they can be opened and closed a million times, just like your fridge at home. The 3 way fridge can run happily for weeks without a single hour of solar producing sunshine.
A decent size compressor fridge with consume around 4amps per hour so running at 50% will consume 50amps per day. In order to keep up with the fridge via solar a minimum of 1 x 250 watt panel and constant full sun every day would be required, and that is is addition to the other usual 12v consumption. Any loss of solar producing sun for a compressor fridge and a dual battery van would be good for 2 days before it starts to affect the battery longevity.
A current model tropical rated 3 way fridge will work well in 42deg+ heat despite what social media experts say. The downfall of the 3 way is they cool and recover slowly so opening the door even a handful of times in extreme heat and the 3 way will struggle to recover.
There are pros and cons for both. With a constant supply of sunshine we would have a compressor fridge in a heartbeat because pound for pound and in the absence of outside influences they are simply a better option. But nature and the real world will sneak up and level the playing field. My take is a compressor fridge is 100% or its nothing, where as the 3 way fridge is 75% all the time.
We favour the 3 way because we can easily limit its one shortfall of slow recovery. In extreme heat we avoid opening the 3 way too often by loading up our daily needs into the Engel early in the morning leaving the 3 way closed, and no matter how hard I try, or how many solar panels I have I cant produce sunshine[/expand]
[expand title=”Inverters ?“]A: An inverter is a device that will convert 12v DC to 240v AC. As a safety note, the 240v AC that comes out of an inverter is the same as the 240v AC from your home GPO power point. The output is unearthed and it will kill you very effectively. It may have started from a safe 12v battery, but don’t let the fool you it is now deadly 240v AC current
Quality inverters are not cheap, and quality high output inverters are quite expensive. AC current oscillates and charges direction in the form of a wave. Inverters come in what called Pure Sine Wave or Modified Sine Wave. Pure Sine Wave inverters are more complex and expensive to manufacture but it a Pure Sine Wave you want to get because it produces an output which is closer to the normal mains 240v grid power.
Inverters much like generator have constant load and peak load ratings, and its the constant load rating you will be more focused on. The output of the inverter should be higher than the wattage of the appliances, or appliances, you want to run. Generally inverters step up in rated output in round number, so get the next size up.
Inverters consume energy just being plugged in, may an amp or 2. So only turn the inverter of when you are using it. Inverters also produce heat during the conversion process which also consumes energy. Inverter are not 100% efficient, ie they will consume more energy than what is final output they produce.
As a easy to remember general working rule of thumb, an inverter will consume from your battery around 10% in amperage of the total 240v appliances wattage. In english that translates into a 1000watt microwave will consume around 100amps from your 12v battery.
Assuming we have a 100amp/hr caravan battery, on paper the microwave scenario above would seem to suggest that my microwave should last 1 hour on on my 100amp/hr battery … the answer to that is no way José, nowhere near it. The next Question and answer will explain why.[/expand]
[expand title=”Deep Cycle Batteries ?“]A: Deep cycle batteries look physically similar to a large car battery. In simple terms your car battery is designed to provide one function, to produce a high brief surge output to start your car. A deep cycle battery is designed as a power supply and be repeatedly discharged and recharged many times. Deep cycle batteries come in 3 varieties which are all unique, Flooded, Gell and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat). Deep cycle batteries do not like to be discharged deeply, and the deeper they are discharged the lower the life expectancy. As a rule of thumb deep cycle battery discharge should be limited to 50% where they should last many years.
Deep cycle batteries are rated in Amp / Hours, and this figure is reach by the complete discharge of the battery over 20 hours. So a battery labeled 120AH (or AmpHr) will only provide its labelled 120amps if it is discharged at 120amps / 20hrs = 5amps per hour. Deep cycle batteries are not like buckets of water that will produce that 120 amp in any and all circumstances. Discharge that battery rapidly and you could easily halve its 120amp labeled capacity. Discharge it slower than 5amps and you will get more than its labeled capacity
Combining the recommended 50% discharge limit and a rapid discharge and your 120AH battery suddenly becomes a 30amp battery. Deep cycle batteries also don’t like to be rapidly discharged and this will reduce their life expectancy.
Treat well and looked after with a quality smart charger, a deep cycle battery will be a faithful source of power. Ive got one 120AH AGM that is now almost 10 years old.
Now, looking at the inverter and microwave question above and putting this all together, using a high energy 240v appliance though an inverter for extended or repeated period will have a dramatic impact on your battery and significantly reduce its capacity and its life expectancy. Im very gentle on my batteries and that’s why my batteries last a very long time.
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[expand title=”Solar ?“]A: Solar panels come in two varieties Mono and Poly. Poly used to be the poor cousin but they are now a lot better. Poly panels look like a random shaved wafer and mono is very uniform in appearance.
The photovoltaic cells can easily be identified looking at a panel, and convert solar light directly into electricity. Each individual cell in a panel is connected to the next cell in series, and because they are connected in series if one cell is compromised, ie damaged or shaded the entire panel will become almost useless. In practical terms a handprint of shade over one cell is enough to reduce the panels output by 70%.
Some panels are shade resistant which doesnt mean they work in the shade it means a group of cells within the panel are connected in an array and shade will only affect that group of cells. These panels are generally more expensive.
The output of a typical so called 12v panel is around 18v to 23v, under no circumstances ever connect these solar panels directly to a battery because you will rapidly overcharge and cook the battery. The solar regulator controls the panels output also acts a smart charger to keep the battery charged and in good condition.
There are two types of solar regulator PWM and MPPT
Solar charging is where the sun shines on your solar panels which then charges your batteries. The solar panels once they see sunlight then turn the suns rays into usable electricity. That electricity then travels from the solar panels to a solar regulator. The solar regulator then regulates how much electricity goes back into your batteries so that the batteries don’t boil and get over charged. Running appliance direct from solar panels with built in regulators is possible but has its downsides such as fluctuating power depending on sun and/or clouds along with other draw backs. Most commonly solar panels are used to charge batteries and it’s the batteries that you get the power from to run your electrical requirements.
The idea is to point your solar panel directly to the sun. If you have portable panels that’s easily done just by shifting them every hour or so to face the sun. However if your panels are mounted flat on the roof of the van like many are then they lose efficiency like this but that’s one of the joys of limited space.
Periodically aim to get on the roof via a ladder or in some cases a sky light and wash the panels with water as they get dusty or covered in leaves etc. and start to be less efficient. Don’t use anything abrasive and try not to use chemicals or you’ll damage the surfaces. Also keep in mind that depending how your panels are mounted on the roof you may get shade from your AC unit or roof hatches so try and park so this doesn’t happen IE: park north – south[/expand]
[expand title=”Generator and aircons ?“]A: Our air con unit draws 5 amps when running and can be between 1300 – 1600watts. As a general rule of thumb taking into account start up current draw also, a 2kva generator should do the job in most vans.[/expand]
[expand title=”Andersons plugs ?“]A: The Anderson plug is used to help charge your caravan batteries while driving. You can also plug in portable solar panels to the vans anderson plug to help charge the batteries when parked. In addition you can use the vans Anderson plug as a 12v battery source if you want to power something externally like a spot lamp or what ever[/expand]
[expand title=” Caravan wheel bearing serviced ?“]A: Our Jayco states they should be done every 10,000km or every 12 months whichever comes first. This is actually not a bad guideline to go by and would recommend the same.[/expand]
[expand title=”Grey water tanks ?“]A: Yes, add a cap full of laundry soaker powder to the tank every couple of days, this seems to do the trick nicely. Remember that grey water tanks aren’t meant to store grey water for longer than 24 hours so regular dumping in the right areas is a good thing.[/expand]
[expand title=”12v Water pumps ?“]A: ANSWER.
My water pump is noisy what do i look for ?
A: Before going to replace a water pump because it’s noisy take a look at the hoses for rubbing against any of the body work. It’s very common for the harder plastic pipes coming from the water pump to vibrate against the interior cupboards etc and cause things to get noisy. Some foam insulation around the pipes from Bunnings soon fixes that.[/expand]
[expand title=”Low caravan water pressure ?“]A: Under the middle of the van there is a bronze pressure reducing valve that is a bit under rated and /or can block up. It’s worth pulling this valve apart and cleaning it out then re fitting to check pressure has returned before looking at everything else. In some cases the spring inside can be stretched a little or a replacement valve at a higher rating can be purchased from a plumbing store.[/expand]
[expand title=”Caravan hot water system ?“]A: ANSWER.
A: There are two standard methods. One is to heat the water by turning on the gas heat button. This will use gas from your LPG bottles to heat approximately 20 litres of water (will vary based on models). Secondly connect to mains and use the element in the bottom of the hot water cylinder to heat the water. NOTE: there is a sacrificial anode in the hot water cylinder that needs checked and replaced each year. If you don’t replace the anode then you run the risk of killing your element. Alternatively solar heater system could be a option if your in a hot climate.[/expand]
[expand title=”Travelling with full or empty water tanks ?“]A: This depends on a couple of things. If you’re just travelling to a caravan park then you’ll have access to water so best to fill when you get there as this will save you in weight and therefore fuel costs. However, if you are going bush and free camping your best to fill up before you go providing it doesn’t put you over weight. Your also best to travel with full tanks not half filled tanks. A full tank is less likely to slosh around causing your caravan to sway.[/expand]
[expand title=”Food grade water hose ?“]A: Need is probably not the right word but what your best to have is a food grade hose. Food grade hoses eliminate the smells and tastes you’ll introduce to the water if using just a everyday garden hose. Using a garden hose is not wrong and can be done but when talking about water you’re going to also drink your far better off getting food grade hose from your dealer or Bunnings etc.[/expand]
[expand title=”Grey water disposal ?“]A: ANSWER.A: Short answer is No. Some sites and especially National parks do not like you emptying grey water on the ground and require you to be self sufficient whereas other sites almost rely on caravan grey water to keep their trees watered. If in doubt ask the owner or local council before dumping. A grey water tank is one way to eliminate the hassle then empty it at the next dump point, alternatively drain directly into 20 litre water containers and remove from site.[/expand]
[expand title=”Towing mirrors ?“]A: Tow mirrors are generally a legal requirement for almost every common tow vehicle. As a simple guide, you need to be able to see along the side of your van. Rear cameras are a great addition but the regulations dont allow them as an alternative to tow mirrors. There are many varied types and styles of mirrors. Clearview mirrors, known as Elephant Ears replace factory mirrors entirely and are loved by those that have them, but they come at huge expense. The other array of offering range from the absolute rubbish to the just ok. In a quirky twist, in at least some states tow mirrors must be removed when not actually towing. The fact Clearview mirrors simply slide in and out is one of their features which attract buyers. We use Mileco mirrors which whilst not perfect by any stretch, are a acceptable compromise on function and affordability. The Mileco’s clamp onto the cars existing mirrors and they do vibrate which takes some getting used to. On some vehicles the wind of passing trucks can over power the car mirrors, folding and flatten the mirrors against the car.[/expand]
[expand title=”Budgeting ?“]A: This is a easy question because we’ve done the hard work for you.
On our spreadsheet page
we have our budget tracker which will track what you spend and show you where all your money is going . Check it out[/expand]
[expand title=”Wikicamps ?“]A: The single best investment you’ll make is to get the Wikicamps app for your phone/PC it’s about $8 but lists spots all around Australia with user reviews and amenities it also has offline maps for those out of range moments[/expand]
[expand title=”Social media ?“]A: Although Im veru computer literate, coded and managed many websites Im a very late bloomer in regards to the whole social media experience. The most glaring function of social media particularly Facebook is the extrordinary level of lack of genuine knowledge, misguided and often rubbish advice. There are a few groups that are genuinely helpful and inclusive, but there are also many more that are nothing more than toxic platforms of soapboxing. By all means use any and very resource you can find, but with the important questions always double check; and that includes what you read on here[/expand]
[expand title=”What do you do about mail when on the road full time ?“]A: Change as many things as you can to your email instead of physical mail address. For any remaining mail that can’t be sent via email have it sent to a family member for them to forward on, alternatively there are online businesses out there that will forward mail onto you when you specify your next destination. Have also had mail delivered directly to a post office that we will be near in the future, and Australia post will hold that mail for for you up to 30 days.[/expand]