I was walking around a caravan park in Shark Bay just the other day looking at all the ingenious additions and modifications seasoned caravan owners have made to their vans to make the experience that little easier and more pleasurable. And it got me thinking, what are the best modifications you can do on a budget?
The best DIY caravan modifications to do on a budget are:
- Bathroom Soap Dispenser
- Roller blind damper
- Water Pump Accumulator
- Entry Carpet
- Under sink filter
- Hose connector
- Two-way spirit level
- Coach Bolts for hard ground stays
- Height Blocks
- Freshwater Hose Reel
Bathroom Soap Dispenser – $30
Caravan bathrooms usually have to squeeze a lot of functionality into a very small space and this often means limited storage for your toiletries. This is particularly true if you have a Combination Shower Toilet where they are both in the one room.
The best way to get around this is to spend some time and go through all of your toiletries and classify them as either Frequent use or seldom use. For example, the “just in case” medicines and bathroom cleaners would likely go in to the Seldom Use category as you don’t pull them out every single day. On the other hand, body wash, shampoo and conditioner would likely go in the Frequent use category.
The trick now is to find a way to have your frequent use products in a place where you don’t have to go rummaging through cupboards or drawers to get to them. Obvious right? But instead of just find an open shelf to put your body/hair wash products on why not have them in their own dedicated wall-mounted dispenser.
We got this one from eBay and it comes with adhesive strips to mount it which makes it dead easy to install. When finding a position for it, just ensure it is going to be readily accessible but still out of the way when you shower.
Not bad for $30!
Roller blind damper – $3
Most caravans manufactured these days have a window in the door that is either covered by a curtain or roller blind. If your van has a curtain, you would not even think that the following problem would be annoying but if you have a roller blind you will know exactly what I am talking about.
Roller blinds are usually manufactured with an aluminium rod at the bottom of the blind to weigh the blind down and keep it taught. The problem is this usually knocks against the door everytime you open or close the door with an irritating ‘clack clack’. Quite possibly one of the most annoying sounds and once you hear it, it’s hard to not hear it. If you have kids, you will probably avoid opening the door while they are trying to go sleep as the blind is just too noisy.
To fix this, simply get some felt pads used for the feet of furniture and stick them to the aluminium rod between the rod and the door.
Voila! The simplest yet probably most satisfying mods around! Now every time you open the door you will secretly smile that you don’t have the familiar ‘clack clack’. $3 well spent.
Water Pump Accumulator – $42.90 delivered
Free camping or off grid living can be one of the most rewarding experiences available to Caravanners. Living out in the bush with all the luxury your van affords you can be made even better if you spend a little time improving some of the functionality of your van.
Most of us who have water tanks and a 12-volt electric pump would be more than familiar with the sound the pump makes every time you want to turn the tap on the very slightest. Each time the pump cycles you can see the lights dim slightly as the power-hungry pump loads up the battery. What’s worse is every time the pump cycles in single cycles when the tap is only open a little, it uses more power. This is because electric pumps draw more power when they start compared to when they run continuously.
The way to get around this is to install an accumulator. This little device has an expandable bladder inside it which allows the pump to run and pump water into the bladder. The bladder is under pressure so when you open the tap for a small amount of water, the bladder drains slightly but not enough to activate the pump. As soon as the water in the bladder is used up, the pressure switch in the pump switches the pump on again and the process repeats.
Installing the accumulator is as simple as making a cut in the hose on the outlet side of the pump and fitting the accumulator in with secure hose clamps.
Before you start any of this work be sure to switch off the water supply, electric pump and water heater (gas and electric). Opening a tap that is as low to the ground as possible will help bleed off any residual water pressure. After you have installed the accumulator you can test for leaks and then run your hot water tap until you get all the air out of the system. Failing to bleed the air before switching the electric water heater back on can damage the heating element beyond repair.
Once it is all back together and leak free, you can test the accumulator in action. Just try turning on the tap a very small amount to get 20 or 30mL out. If everything has gone to plan, you should have water pressure with out the pump turning on. Once you have drained the accumulator, the pump should turn back on and re-pressurise the system.
No only will this mod also save you power in the long run, it will also extend your water pump and battery’s life. Nice work!
Entry Carpet – $34.99
Another simple but surprisingly satisfying mod for your caravan is an entry carpet. The only thing worse than a sandy vinyl floor, is a cold sandy vinyl floor. If you have kids or pets, you probably know exactly what I am talking about.
To fix this, we picked up a rubber-backed mat from Ikea (the KÖGE range) and used a cutting board, straight edge and scissors to cut it to fit around the caravan’s cabinetry. Getting a nice snug fit helps to keep the mat in place and the rubber backing makes sure that any sand or spilled liquid does not go through to ruin your vinyl flooring beneath. Having the mat removeable allows you to take it out for easier deep cleaning or shampooing.
Since fitting our mat, getting up in the morning is just that little bit more pleasurable, and I am sure the dogs appreciate it too!
Under sink water filter $59.99
When travelling around in a caravan, one thing you have little control over is the taste of water. We cannot stand drinking highly chlorinated or saline water. Yes, filtering it at the source is certainly an option but having chlorinated water in your tank can be of benefit since it will keep the storage tank hygiene up. So filtering just before you pour it in to your glass is a better option overall.
The best way we have found is to fit an additional inline filter under the sink for the sole purpose of drinking water. This can either be done to the main tap or with an additional drinking water spout.
Just like the water pressure accumulator, this modification is very simple to do especially if you opt to filter the main sink tap without installing a designated drinking water spout. This will mean the filter will need to be changed more regularly as it is filtering all the water that goes through the sink tap but will give you nice clean water for cooking as well.
Choosing the filter can be a bit tricky though as there are so many options: size, shape, filtration medium, reverse osmosis etc etc. The options are literally endless, so much so we are writing a whole article about all the different options. We will add a link to it here once its published.
If you want a simple solution, look foran under sink or under counter filter available online or from a hardware like Bunnings. Just make sure you compare the price of replacement cartridges before you buy the unit as this can be a bit like printers where they get you in the door with a cheap unit then sting you on the replacement filters.
A couple of points to keep in mind when choosing a water filter for your caravan:
- The bigger the filter, the higher the flow of water at the output. This means you won’t be taking 10 minutes to fill your kettle.
- The bigger the filter, the longer between filter changes (but usually at a slightly higher cost).
- The filtration size is measured in microns (1 micron is one thousandth of a millimetre).
- The smaller the filtration (1 microns versus 5 micron) means the filtration is better.
- More stages means that filtering happens from biggest particles to smallest giving a longer filter life (ie you aren’t filtering 10 micron particles out with a 1 micron filter as this would block the 1 micron filter very quickly).
- Check there is enough room to unscrew and replace the filter when the unit is installed in your cupboard.
- Again, make sure you compare the price of the replacement cartridges.
Hose connector – $1.50
You know those times when you have just disconnected the water from your powered site and have rolled your hose up, but now have two exposed entry points where dirt, dust and unfavourables can enter your hose ready to be washed in to your caravan’s plumbing the next time you connect. The simplest solution? Use a 2 way hose coupling to connect the fittings at each end of the hose. Now your hose will stay free of debris and want dribble water everywhere as you carry it around. Perfect!
Bonus Mod: to make sure you never leave your tap adapter connected to the tap, use some fishing line or strong thin chord to make a leash for it. Make sure you make the leash about 10cm long so you can disconnect the hose before you unscrew your tap adapter.
Two-way spirit level – $3.89
When levelling the caravan, nothing makes it simpler than having a spirit level that has been calibrated for your van. Installing this little baby will take the question of whether the van is level to your liking out of the equation.
To do this, level your caravan as you would normally using ramps, jockey wheel and stabilisers, then triple check its level everywhere. Even better if you do it while on a trip, through normal use you will notice if anything is not perfect.
Once you are satisfied with the level, use some silicone to mount a two-way level somewhere that you can get to easily while setting up. I don’t recommend the drawbar or tailgate as these can deflect under loading. You are better off having this somewhere like inside the tunnel boot or front locker where it is safe and out of the way.
Before the silicone sets, double check both bubbles read level so you can replicate the same level in future.
And now you can get a consistent level on your van every time, just to your liking.
Custom ground anchor kit for hard ground stays – $28
Trying to put tent pegs in to hold down your awning, mat or cloths line can be almost impossible in some locations with very hard ground. I have even seen some people using a hammer drill to predrill tent peg holes before bashing them in with a hammer!
There is how ever a very simple solution readily available from most hardware stores for next to nothing that will change this forever! Landscaping bolts.
These bolts are designed to hold large timber sleepers together for use in landscaping. They are available in a range of sizes up to about 300mm and can be driven into the ground with a decent battery operated bit driver in no time at all.
We find the best length is about 250mm and they cost $2 to $3 each (compared to the $20 each for screw in ground anchors on eBay!!!)
Now the only downside to using the bolts on a trip is that you will need a battery-operated bit driver (screwing them in by hand is definitely possible but takes a fair amount of effort). We always carry a bit driver and charger with us for interior and exterior repairs, so setting the bolts isn’t a problem.
One tip for using these bolts though, always keep the head of the bolt where the bit goes in clean otherwise you will find the bit will round out the head very quickly.
Voila! Now you can anchor down all of your gear quickly and easily like a pro with your custom ground anchor kit!
Height Blocks – $18.31
There is nothing more frustrating than trying level your caravan with ramps or jockey wheel on an uneven site when you keep running out of adjustment. All you need is another inch or two to get you to level but you just don’t have it in your adjustment.
Well never again with this super easy modification. All you need to do is make some height blocks out of timber. The best timber is plywood as it won’t split under load but is generally expensive and will normally only come in 25mm thicknesses. However, you can use pine, jarrah or any timber, just look for a nice piece without too many imperfections.
Look for timber about 40 to 50mm thick and as wide as your levelling ramps (if not wider). You will need to cut a length longer than your ramps to replicate the same angle of your ramp (two if you have tandem axle).
You should also make some height blocks for your stabilisers and jockey wheel out of the same thickness timber. Make them at least twice the size of the stabilisers foot so they can be used in soft sand as well. Making a couple of thinner ones for the side not needing the extra height means you have the ability to stack if you need a higher block or use them in soft sand for the other side.
Perfect, now you have a range of blocks you can use for levelling that are specifically designed for your caravan.
Freshwater Hose Reel – $10.87
One of the most ingenious set ups I have seen was at caravan park in Shark Bay. A seasoned caravanner who moved quite a lot had obviously got sick of coiling and uncoiling their fresh water hose. The solution? Mount a retractable hose reel to your caravan near your water inlet. Providing the non-retracting part of the hose is long enough to get to the van’s water inlet while the other end would spool out to park’s water tap you have simplified the set up / pack down process. Brilliant!
If you are going to do this yourself, there a couple of things to consider.
- First make sure the fixed end of the hose reel will reach your water inlet.
- Second, you would be best off replacing the hose on the reel with a food grade hose to eliminate the unwanted taste that can come from ordinary garden hoses. If you have a water filter set up for drinking water, this may not be necessary.
- If you don’t want to go through the effort of replacing the auto recoiling hose reel, there are plenty of manual options available from most hardware stores and will likely save you a few dollars too.
- Lastly, choose a decent length of hose (20m is ideal) as some water points can be quite far.
Great idea for those who move often and like to have a well set up rig.
That about rolls up this article (forgive the pun).
Thanks for reading and make sure you send us your suggestions for caravan mods for our next article on the subject.
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