Rick | Caravanning 101

10 DIY Caravan Modifications for under $250

Rick — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 21:34:21 +0000

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.

11 Tips Caravanning with Dogs

Rick — Sun, 04 Aug 2019 01:40:26 +0000

As we are currently out bush caravanning with our three dogs. I started to wonder what has been working for us with the dogs and living in the caravan and what we could do better.

Some great tips and tricks to Caravan well with dogs.

Things to think about before hitting that open road.

Before you jump in the car ready to hit the road, you should put some energy into thinking about the following points so you can be prepared for any circumstances with your dog.

Where are your dog’s designated places in the car and van?
- Our caravan / RV has spaces down the sides of the bed that fit two beds for the chihuahuas on one side and then larger bed for our rescue dog. We have built a level behind the seats in the boot for the two smaller dogs and our rescue likes to lie under the front seat of the car, under the car seat.
Where will you store the dog food and accessories?
- We store the spare bags of dog food under the boy’s bunks in the centre of the caravan for weight. Then we have smaller containers that have pellets for everyday use.
Where will they relax outside and how will you keep them safe from wandering away?
- We purchased dog fencing that fits around our outdoor mat. This way the dogs can come and go inside the caravan but can’t roam around the campsite. It also stops them from being on long leads and constantly getting wrapped around the table and chairs.
How will you protect them from ticks, bait and other harmful situations?
- We make sure that whenever we go to a new place we are familiar with the area to see if it has bait around. We will also do a daily tick check when we are brushing them each day.

Own space in the car

As we have three dogs and two kids in the car. We knew that before we started we needed to have designated places for everyone. We are fortunate that we have small dogs which make finding spots a lot easier.

Our medium dog (Zihna) had an unfortunate event once when driving and got scared by a bridge. Since then she has always needed to hide under the front seat of the car. This made it easy as our youngest is still small so his legs are nowhere near hitting her from his car seat. We then built a frame in the back of the boot behind the back seats. The two smaller dogs have their beds in there. This is raised as they like to be able to see out of the car but are not hassled but the kids.

Storing dog food

As one of our dogs has a lot of health issues he has to have very specific dog food that can only be ordered at vets. So, we wanted to stock up on this so we were not stranded. Unfortunately, dog pellets are sooo heavy. We decided to use the space underneath the boys bunks to store a few bags of his specific pellets. We did this for two reasons.

1) The space under the bed isn’t the easiest to get to so we use it for things we don’t need regularly.

2) Bags are heavy and the best place for weight is right above the tyres in the middle of the caravan.

The other dogs pellet bags we can get anywhere so we don’t tend to stock up on this just buy one bag maybe two at most. The second bag would also be stored under the bunks if we had it. We then have the pellets in a Sistema cereal container for everyday use. We have been keeping the smaller containers in the cupboard with our cereals.

We then also have a designated dog’s basket in our cupboard that holds all the medication, leads, brush, poo bags and monthly worming tablets.

Sleeping arrangements

We have gaps on the side of our bed. We have put the two smaller dogs on my side of the beds and then the bigger bed and dog next to the door on Rick’s side.

We did this because she is the best guard dog so closer to the door and also not so far to walk if she needs to go outside while the kids are still sleeping.

We make sure that each night a bowl of water goes down.

We chose to have them next to our beds because they like to be close to us and they are furthest away from the boys so they don’t wake them at night if they get up for water.

Brushing each day

As any pet owner would know, dogs love losing hair!! We have made it a rule that the dogs need to be brushed once a day to try and keep on top of the hair lose. We have also brought along our Dyson animal vacuum that we use mainly for the car but also the caravan.

Ticks/bait

In Australia, it is very common to be in an area that has both Ticks and Bait. We are fortunate that the Ticks are only very harmful in a few places. We make sure that during the daily brushing we check them over for ticks especially if we have been down in the river or long bush walks. (also, good to check humans and kids, our youngest had a tick on the back of his ear).

We will also be very conscious of the area before we let the dogs run loose, normally you will see signs that say this area has bait or has recently been sprayed.

Outdoor during day

Once the indoor morning routine has been done we move the dogs’ beds outside so they can watch everyone going past and enjoy the outdoors. We tend to go for 2-3 walks a day so they can stretch their legs and have a sniff.

As our boys are still little and have naps during the day we will either bring the dogs in if it’s hot or let them siesta outside. We generally feel comfortable leaving them outside because they are secured in an area rather than on leads.

Places to stay

In Australia, we have an app called Wiki Camps. We use this app along with some other camping books to find campsites that specifically say they allow dogs. We will also normally reconfirm with the owners a few days before we get there or when we book.

I have heard that some places have restrictions on how many dogs they allow and also the weight of the dog. So, we just make sure we are always prepared early.

No dog outings what you do with dogs

A big downside to having the dogs travel with is that they are always with us and we can’t just leave them in the backyard and go out to dinner…

We also try and plan ahead for doggy sitters or places board the dogs for a night or two if we need. Generally, we have not needed this but always good to plan ahead.

Note that the dogs need to be up to date with vaccines if you want them in kennels.

We have come across some great websites that offer dog sitting. We also just ask at the reception of caravan parks and normally find someone willing to watch the dogs.

Collars / council tags

This is so important that you have collars and tags on your dogs at all times. I personally am more willing to help catch and find a dog’s owner if I can see that they have a collar and tag on. Make sure you include two numbers on the tag. We actually include my number as well as my mothers who is not traveling with us. We did this because for whatever reason we weren’t reachable they could still make contact with someone and mum explain where we were. Also, important to add the council tag. This may seem silly as you are thousands of kilometres away but at least they have some form of contact.

Travel sickness

We are unfortunate that one of our smaller dogs (Bailey) gets very anxious in the car. He isn’t too bad to the point where he vomits. However, he is very anxious and shakes the whole trip rather than sleeping like the other boys. This is fine for short trips, but not good for traveling around Australia. The vet has provided us with some medication that makes him drowsy and sleep during the drives. We definitely do not use these all the time just on our longer trips or if he is particularly bad.

We have found that he gets very heavy and obviously struggles to walk when we stop for the toilet. We also just have to make sure he keeps hydrated when he is on the tablets.

Entertainment

We sometimes forget that like us the dogs get bored and then subsequently noisy or frustrated. We try to make sure that they are getting at least two big walks a day and then smaller walks around the camp every couple of hours. Our chihuahuas are a bit old to really “play” anymore so they are happy with the walks and then being on guard for the rest of the day. Zihna on the other hand still really likes to play tug a war or have the ball thrown for her. We will try to do this at least once a day too.

To sum up, it is absolutely possible to go camping/ caravanning with the dogs. You just have to be a bit more prepared for their specific needs and know that you can’t do everything you would normally. By staying on top of the dog hair really makes a difference to the clean feel of the van.

Thanks

Caravanning101

Sleeping Ideas with a Toddler or Baby when living in a Caravan – That will keep everyone sane.

Rick — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 13:43:15 +0000

We are always looking for new ways to help improve everyone’s sleep. It’s even more important now living in a caravan, where the boys are literally on top of each other(hooray for bunk beds).

Some great tips and tricks for better sleep in a caravan with a toddler and baby.

Things to make note of before heading off on your first trip.

Before you jump in the car ready to hit the road, you should put some energy into thinking about the following points so you can be prepared for any sleep issues that might arise.

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Just because you are living in a caravan and have small children doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to a good night’s sleep. As long as the kids have the usual sleeping comforts that make them feel safe they will be more likely to sleep anywhere, making sure that they have an area they can call their own and feel comfortable in.

Using a curtain and noise machines to make the kid’s area a bit more segregated and sleep-friendly also helps especially for the day time naps. This not only gives the kids a chance to have a good sleep but also gives you back your nights without having to turn everything off and go to sleep.

Grab yourself a monitor and it will allow you to relax and enjoy the beautiful nature you’re there for. It’s not often our boys go to sleep at the same time every night it just depends on what we are doing or who we are with. They are fine they have adapted and they sleep better now than they ever have.

Thanks

Caravanning101

If you haven’t got one or not packed it yet…. GO do that now!!! We specifically chose our monitor because it could be used on battery or being plugged in. We have also got a cord that does 12v charging for when we are off the grid and have no mains power.

Having a monitor allows us to put the kids to sleep and sit outside still entertaining. You would be surprised to hear how noise proof the caravan really is. We have had a few times when we were outside and didn’t realise someone was having a good scream inside.

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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We also have this really great white noise machine. It runs off batteries and they seem to last forever. It’s great because we can make it slightly louder than what it needs to be if we know we will have a lot of noise around the caravan especially during day time naps. It blocks out noise as well as having a few different sounds to play but our boys only ever use the lullaby.

One other modification we made to the caravan was adding felt stoppers to the roller blind on the door. This is always so noisy when opening and closing the door and is annoying in general, let alone when finally getting a grumpy baby to sleep and someone walks in.

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

It took us one trip down south to realise we needed to make some changes to the caravan. We had completely lost our nights. As our caravan didn’t have separated areas we couldn’t black out where the boys slept. We ended up having to go to bed when they did just because of the lights being on. We decided to add a retractable curtain rod. We chose this because we didn’t want to screw in a fixed pole. A few reasons for our choice. When we have the aircon or heater on, we can bring the rod down slightly to allow airflow into the boy’s area. We are also able to completely take out the curtain if we don’t want it.

Since adding the curtain, it has changed everything. We have found that we got our nights back to have some time together. We are able to still watch a movie without worrying the flicking lights would wake the boys up and finish doing the dishes. It also helped for day time naps, because we didn’t have to close all the shutters to make the caravan dark we just closed the curtain.

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Like us,kids like to have a space to call their own and feel comfortable and safe in. As much as our boys still end up in our beds most nights,we still made sure that they both had their own space. A few weeks before we started on our trip we started sleeping in the caravan. We did this so we could move out of the house but most importantlytoget the boys usedto sleeping in their new beds. Surprisingly, we actually found that they slept so much better in the caravan than they did in their cots.

If we were to grow the family we have often spoken about making sure the extra addition had their own space. Our current caravan only has a double bunk space so we would either find a bassinet that fits down the side of the bed or get a bigger caravan. We have seen some clever ideas where people turn a spare sitting area into a cot.

We did the same for the dogs, we made sure that all of the dogs had their own area that was theirs and they knew was safe and comfortable.

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Own Space or Area

We did the same for the dogs, we made sure that all of the dogs had their own area that was theirs and they knew was safe and comfortable.

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Own Space or Area

We did the same for the dogs, we made sure that all of the dogs had their own area that was theirs and they knew was safe and comfortable.

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Have you got all of your child’s favourites?
- Making sure that you pack your child’s favourite blanket or teddy is always the most important thing for a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget an extra dummy or two!!
Have they got their own comfortable space to sleep in?
- This I think is important even when caravanning because children are more likely to sleep better when they are comfortable and safe in the space they are sleeping.
Can their designated area be blocked out from noise and light?
- Having a designated area that can be blocked away from most noise and light was the best thing for our own sanity. It also stopped us having to go to sleep at 7:30 when the boys did because we had nowhere to go.
Have you got the Monitor??
- Make sure you have brought the monitor!!! You will be surprised by how well the caravan can hold sound and having the monitor allows you to be outside during daytime naps.

Packing all the Favourites

When packing for any trip these are probably the first things that I put on the list and the last things I make sure have been packed when walking out the front door. Our boys both have dummies, and not just any dummy, specific ones that can’t possibly be their brothers’ ones. They also have a teddy each with my toddler having two favourite teddies that have to come everywhere.

We are always petrified of losing these teddies, as they have obviously stopped being made once our boyshad formed a strong bond and cannot be replaced. We went and made dog collars for the teddies. Each teddy has its own dog collar with a dog tag that has my mobile number and email address on each. This has come in handy a few times when we have left one somewhere and had a very hilarious phone call saying someone was left behind.

Wealsohave a lot of spare dummies for each boy. Dummies in the caravan, car and nappy bag. We just figure why have a horrible car ride or night’s sleep just because we left yet another dummy at the last service station.

We try with both the dummies and teddies that they are only allowed to have them in the caravan and car and not out and about exploring or playing around the caravan. This has helped a lot as the teddies tend to be left safely in the bunks and dummies in the cutlery drawer.

We also try and do any of our driving for the day when they are more likely to be having a nap. Our boys sleep great in the car during the day. We have tried really hard to not drive at night so it doesn’t disturb their sleep.

Own Space or Area

We did the same for the dogs, we made sure that all of the dogs had their own area that was theirs and they knew was safe and comfortable.

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Have you got all of your child’s favourites?
- Making sure that you pack your child’s favourite blanket or teddy is always the most important thing for a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget an extra dummy or two!!
Have they got their own comfortable space to sleep in?
- This I think is important even when caravanning because children are more likely to sleep better when they are comfortable and safe in the space they are sleeping.
Can their designated area be blocked out from noise and light?
- Having a designated area that can be blocked away from most noise and light was the best thing for our own sanity. It also stopped us having to go to sleep at 7:30 when the boys did because we had nowhere to go.
Have you got the Monitor??
- Make sure you have brought the monitor!!! You will be surprised by how well the caravan can hold sound and having the monitor allows you to be outside during daytime naps.

Packing all the Favourites

Own Space or Area

We did the same for the dogs, we made sure that all of the dogs had their own area that was theirs and they knew was safe and comfortable.

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Having the monitor allows us to sit and relax without jumping up every 5 minutes to check on the kids.

Thanks

Caravanning101

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Electric Brake Controllers: The Intelligent Choice

Rick — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 12:58:50 +0000

One of the most important pieces of equipment any caravan owner can buy is an electric brake controller but choosing the right one can be tricky. After having used and installed a few different types, I have learned a few lessons the hard way that I hope no one else will make.

Electric Brake controllers come in a few different flavours but can be classified as three different types:

Intelligent Proportional controllers which sense the tow vehicle’s rate of braking and apply the same amount of braking to the caravan
Standard controllers allow you to adjust the amount of brake applied and also how softly the braking will be applied

These days, most controllers on the market will be either the standard brake controllers or the intelligent proportional controllers but if you have an existing system or purchasing an older car, you may come across the basic type controllers.

So why does it matter which type of controller you get? As far as the legal requirements are concerned, both types will satisfy the requirement (check out our article on the caravan braking systems here which explains what is required depending on your caravans’ mass). The subtleties of which one is better can have a significant impact on how nicely your car will drive over a range of conditions without a lot of input from you. To explain this in practical terms, let’s have a look at how each the two controllers work and then a couple of different scenarios that will be encountered on any trip to see which type is best and why.

How are the two systems different?

Both the Intelligent controller and the standard controller will work in the exact same way if we only look at how they activate the caravan brakes. This is, as the brakes are applied, they will give a changing voltage to the caravan’s brake to change how much the brakes are applied. I.e., more voltage equals stronger braking. This is good because it means that either system can be fitted without needing to change the hardware on the caravan.

The main difference between the two is how they work out how much braking they should be applying. The standard controller generally has two adjustments that can be made while driving, the gain and the ramp. The gain determines how strongly the brakes are being applied, the ramp sets how gently the gain is introduced to the caravan. Think of the gain as how far you actually push the brake pedal down and the ramp as how long it takes you to get the final brake pedal position. A steep ramp is like you pressing the brake pedal fast and going from cruising to full braking in a very short space of time. A gentle ramp is like you are driving your grandmother to dinner and each brake application is slow and considered event that takes a while to take effect but keeps your granny from criticising your driving style.

To give you an idea of a typical brake application from a standard controller, try to imagine the following. Let’s assume that you have your gain set to a medium level of braking and the ramp to allow for a short build-up of brake application (let’s just presume that the controller will take two full seconds to go from no braking to maximum braking). When you press the cars brake pedal, regardless of how hard you press, the brake controller will receive the signal that the brakes are being pressed and will start its brake application procedure. Now, because the ramp is set to a slow build up, the brakes of the caravan start to apply more and more braking effort. This will continue to build until the controller reaches the maximum gain (the maximum level of braking you set).

The trick here is that it doesn’t matter whether you were pressing the brakes really hard or just applying a very light amount of braking pressure, the standard controller will go through the same procedure and will apply the same brake application irrespective of speed or tow vehicle’s motion.

Hence, in a standard controller, both the gain and the ramp will need to be changed depending on your caravan’s load, speed, road conditions and the type of braking your vehicle is undergoing. This usually means that you as the driver will be making a lot of adjustments throughout each different section of your trip.

The intelligent controllers work a little differently. Inside the unit, they have an Inertial Measurement Unit (or IMU) which uses a few different sensors to measure your cars motion by looking at its speed as well as its acceleration or deceleration. In addition to this, there is also a switch which checks if the brake pedal is being pressed.

On the intelligent controllers, the gain is still set by the driver but the ramp is determined by the controller. Understanding how your cars motion allows the ramp to adjusted automatically to match the tow vehicle’s motion providing an overall better brake application. Some modification to the gain is also made by the controller but only to keep the caravans braking effort consistent with the tow vehicle.

The difference in overall towing and braking experience can be understood best through examples.

On almost any caravan trip, there will usually be a couple of different scenarios that will require the caravan brakes to be applied in different ways to give you the best level of safety and comfort. Our four scenarios are

General braking at high speed like slowing down for an upcoming speed sign change
Braking at low speed while driving through populated areas or parking
Emergency braking

General braking at high speed

This type of braking is bound to happen several times in any trip. Imagine you are cruising down the road and there is a change in speed from 90 to 70 or the vehicle in front of you slows down to turn off the road. This scenario only requires gentle braking.

If you have a standard controller, the chances are your braking parameters (gain and ramp) have already been set and as you apply the brakes, the caravan brakes ramp in gently and you feel the caravan tugging you back. This is probably the most forgiving type of braking scenario being that most settings of gain and ramp will be useable even though they may not be ideal.

The intelligent controller in the same situation will match the braking effort of the car and you will likely not even register that you are braking with a caravan attached. This is because the controller will monitor the motion of your car and adjust the gain and ramp to suit.

Braking at low speed

Low speed braking is probably the most frustrating type of braking scenario to experience with a standard controller. When entering a town or even tootling around a caravan park to find your site, if you don’t have the gain and ramp dialled right down for the slow speed driving, you will likely find the caravans brakes almost jerking your car to a halt as the ramp reaches its peak and applies the maximum level of braking effort. This can be an extremely frustrating drive and quite often add a lot of frustration to what can be an already stressful situation (let’s face it, driving around towns and caravan parks with a caravan can be a little nerve racking for most new to the experience).

On the other hand, an intelligent controller will sense that the vehicle is moving and braking slowly in this environment and will match the braking effort perfectly. You certainly won’t feel the caravan tugging you back like with the standard controller. This is the most notable difference other than emergency braking.

Emergency braking

Emergency braking is where the standard controller really falls down. With a standard controller, as soon as you touch the brake pedal, the controller will start to run its procedure and will apply a predetermined brake application. In an emergency situation, like when a car pulls out in front of you, this kind of predetermined brake application is most likely not going to be perfectly matched to what the situation requires. For example, if you have the ramp set to give a gentle break introduction, this will not apply enough of a braking effort early in the emergency situation. Alternatively, if the gain is not set high enough, the caravan will not brake hard enough and will push the tow vehicle from behind during the emergency braking. In most cases, the settings will likely not be ideal, and a less than ideal brake application will be the result. Not what you want in an emergency.

The intelligent controller on the other hand will adjust the braking effort automatically based on the sudden change in motion of the tow vehicle. The controller will instantly change its braking procedure to match and will not allow the apply the brakes instantly. No lag, and just the right amount of braking effort. This will give a much better response for an emergency. In my opinion, this fact alone is worth spending the money on the intelligent controllers (not that there is much difference in pricing).

That about wraps up our comparison of brake controllers. We would love to hear your experience with controllers and when they have and have not worked well. Leave us a comment below and share your experience.

How to Clean a Caravan Water Tank

Rick — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 12:20:55 +0000

How to Clean a caravan water tank

Living in Australia, water is a very precious resource and when it comes to caravanning, this is no different. I have spent a lot of time researching the best way to clean a caravan’s or campers water tank and here’s what I have found.

To clean a caravan’s water tank, first drain and flush the system until the water runs clean. Next, fill the tank with a mix of either vinegar or chlorine (see below) and run all the taps for a few minutes. Leave the mix for a few hours before draining and flushing the system again.

To clean a caravan’s water tank, there are a couple of options depending on your situation. A vinegar mix cleans and descales the system well without affecting stainless steel. Alternatively, a chlorine mix is very effective at disinfecting the system but can damage stainless steel.

Why do you need to clean a water tank?

For most of, we simply do not use our caravan water systems frequently enough to keep the water stored in them fresh. Most of the time, we are filling our water tanks from scheme water which is often sanitized with a weak mix of chlorine. The problem is that chlorine dissipates over time and this can allow micro-organisms like bacteria and algae to grow.

Left untreated this can cause you to become quite sick after drinking the water or even using it to brush your teeth. In the worst case, some of these micro-organisms can be deadly particularly for your kids. The most harmful micro-organisms are:

Cryptosporidium,
Giardia,
Campylobacter,
Salmonella,
Coli

All of this can be avoided by good water tank hygiene and almost totally eradicated with the addition of a simple filter system (see below).

How often do you need to clean a water tank?

The question everyone asks is how often should you clean your tanks? And as frustrating as the answer is, it totally depends on your situation. For example, if you use your caravan full time and fill your tanks from a chlorinated scheme water point at a caravan park, your cleaning requirement will be far less than someone who only uses their caravan a couple of times a year. The reason being that every time your fill your tank from a chlorinated source, you are dosing the system.

Water testing can be done very easily and cheaply and after doing them a couple times you will get to know what is right for your system.

As a general rule though, cleaning and sanitising your fresh water tank every 3 months or before a trip if more than three months has elapsed in between uses is a good idea. If you have water filters fitted to your system, it’s a good time to change these too.

How do you clean the water tank?

Most caravan water tanks are underneath and are filled from a port in the side of the van. Depending on the tank manufacturer there may also be a an access port which will allow you to get a scrubbing brush inside the tank for thorough cleaning.

For the majority of cases, all that is required to clean the water tank is to

drain and flush the water tank and system thoroughly (including all the taps and shower).
Fill the tank will a cleaning solution (see below for options)
Run all taps and shower again to get the cleaning solution through the plumbing
Leave the solution to soak for three to four hours (or overnight)
And then drain and flush the system again until the water is free of taste or odour
If you have water filters, change these once your system is clean.

The biggest decision you will have to make is whether you use a chlorine mix to sanitise the whole system or use vinegar as a substitute.

There are other options such as bleach (which is actually just a bleach solution but can contain unwanted additives), or lemon juice (which uses the same acidic cleaning principle as vinegar to clean but can be more expensive to purchase). Other options include bicarb or a vinegar bicarb mix but don’t rate highly as they are better suited when the clean required isn’t as deep.

Should you use chlorine or vinegar?

This is the crux of the problem and again comes down to your situation and requirement. First of all, what is the difference between the two solutions and why would you choose one over the other?

Lets talk chlorine first. Chlorine is an alkaline compound that is predominantly used for water sanitation. Just about every pool in the world uses chlorine to kill bacteria and algae that grows in water and keep clean, clear and safe. Fun fact: even salt pools use chlorine (a chemical decomposition by electrolysis of salt which is just sodium chloride into sodium hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid).

The main benefit of using chlorine is that it is very effective at killing a whole range of bacteria that can cause us to become sick if ingested. If mixed in the right quantities, a chlorine solution will kill samlonella, E. choli, giardia, legionella and many algaes very effectively.

The other advantage (and in some respects disadvantage) of chlorine is that it dissaptes into the environment. This means that after a few days the chlorine will have sanitisied your water tank and dissipated leaving nice clean chlorine free water.

The main problem with using chlorine is due to its corrosive nature, particularly for stainless steels. While most caravan water tanks, plumbing and pump components are plastic these days, the sink and water heater components are not. Usually, these components are made of stainless steel. Hence frequent use of strong chlorine mixes can cause problems. Still, its better to replace a sink than it is to get sick!

What about Vinegar?

Vinegar being a mild acid is also relatively effective at cleaning water tanks and can also remove lime scale build up. Vinegar is safe to drink, inexpensive and best of all will not damage stainless steels.

For the most part, vinegar does a reasonably good job at killing algal growths and can kill some bacteria such as salmonella and e. coli however the effectiveness of this solution is not nearly as good as chlorine.

The other disadvantage is that if not rinsed out properly, the water can smell and taste of vinegar until it is flushed from the system.

So in summary, if you are in need of excellent water sanitisation and don’t have a lot of stainless to worry about, use a chlorine mix. If on the other hand your water has been treated regularly and just need a mild clean, use vinegar.

What’s the right ratio when using Chlorine?

If using a liquid sodium hypochlorite solution, mix this in 0.4mL per 10L of water. So an 80L tank would need 3.2mL of 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite. A 120L tank would need 4.8mL of 12.5% Sodium Hypochlorite. Sodium Hypochlorite can be purchased from hardware stores or pool shops and while you are there, be sure to get the right safety gear recommended like gloves and eye protection.

Just use a small syringe from a chemist to measure out your required dosage. Putting this into the tank before you fill it will help to mix the solution uniformly while filling the tank.

Always double check your dosing measurements and calculations before proceeding.

What is the right ratio when using vinegar?

The best ratio I have found is a one-part vinegar to four parts water mix (ie 20% vinegar). The only problem is that if you have a 100L tank, this needs 20L of vinegar! Other sources suggest anywhere from 5% to 25% as adequate but again it depends on how strong you need this solution to be. The advantage of using vinegar is that it is more of an art than it is a science. Just make sure you are not wasting your money on gourmet vinegar like balsamic!

What about water filters?

If you have water filters make sure you change these after you have flushed the cleaning solution out and only have clean water left. Failing to do this will mean the chlorine or water will be stored in your filters and you will not likely get rid of the taste and odour for some time.

If you don’t have any water filters, consider getting some. These days, cartridge type and reverse osmosis filters are very affordable and easy to install. Best of all, the good systems can even remove heavy metals, bacteria and viruses like giardia and e. coli.

A good system like a three-stage cartridge filter system can be purchased for less than $100 and can literally be a life saver. They are easy to install and maintain and honestly worth the investment even allowing you to get safe drinking water from ordinary bore water. Check out our article on how to select, install and maintain the right system to avoid the common pitfalls of water filtration.

That about wraps it up. If you have any other experiences or suggestions, please leave a comment below.

See you somewhere on our big lap.

Level a Caravan in 7 Easy Steps

Rick — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 12:05:20 +0000

Levelling a caravan in 7 easy steps

So you have just found an amazing caravan site (also called a pitch) in the great out doors with an incredible view. The only problem is that it leaves your caravan on an angle and your glass of wine on the bench looking uncomfortably tilted.

To level a caravan:

Drive the van into position and place a level across the draw bar.
Place levelling blocks in front of the wheels on the lower side.
Drive the vehicle forward until the van is level from left to right.
Place a chock behind the wheels and apply the hand brake.
Fit the jockey wheel and disconnect the caravan.
Turn the level so it measures front-to-back and level the caravan using the jockey wheel.
Lower and engage the corner steadys.

In a perfect world that’s it … but what if the above doesn’t work (for whatever reason). Now you have a beautiful site but your caravan is on an angle just enough to ruin your night’s sleeps and maybe even cause some issues with your plumbing or gas fridge.

So, below are a list of potential problems and how to fix them.. But first, why would you even need to get your caravan to level in the first place?

The most obvious reason here is comfort! No one wants to sleep feeling like they are going to slide out of bed. What’s worse, sleeping with your feet above your head can give you heartburn and headaches. Not exactly what you had planned for your relaxing trip away.

The less obvious reason to have your caravan level is that things tend not to stay on the counter tops when set down if the caravan and cabinetry is not level. Nothing worse than cleaning broken glass because your beautifully polished counter tops acted like a first-class ski slope.

The least obvious reason is that appliances may not work correctly if the angle is too severe. Three-way fridges need to be level (within a few degrees if possible) to work efficiently. If the angle is too far out of level, the fridge may not work at all. The other troublesome equipment is usually plumbing. Waste plumbing only relies on gravity to drain the waste from showers and sinks. If the van is on to much of a slope, this water can pool on the floor of the shower or in the piping and causes odours, drainage problems and leave unwanted water hanging around.

You left your level at home

Don’t panic try the following:

Use an app on your smartphone – (use Measure on iPhones and Bubble Level on Android)
Fill a glass of water and use it to check progressively (don’t leave it on the draw bar)
Fill the sink ¼ full and use it to gauge the level (use this water for washing dishes later!)
Use a bottle/glass/jar/can and see if it rolls left to right, then front to back on the floor. This is by far the least desired method as caravan floors are not always flat and round objects are not always symmetrically balanced but its resourceful if nothing else.

Hot Tip: Remember the bubble of a spirit level always goes to the higher side!

You left your levelling ramps at home

Find some blocks of wood/bricks to raise the low side though this may mean you have to jack the caravan up on the low side to get the blocks under the wheels.
Build a ramp out of rocks and compacted earth – be prepared for some hard work though.
Mark the high side wheels and approximate the height difference then move the caravan and dig out the high side down to level.
If all else fails, change the orientation or location of the caravan so that you have the caravan level from left to right. Remember you can always use the jockey wheel to level the caravan front to back.

Do you need to purchase levelling blocks?

The answer to this question is almost always yes but here is a good test to see if it is worth it:

Ask your self how much an hour of your time is worth? $25 per hour? $50 per hour?
Next ask yourself how many times over the life of your caravan ownership you will likely have to set up the caravan level? (hint how many times a year do you set up your caravan multiplied by how many years you intend on keeping it)
Multiply the number from 2 by 0.2
Multiply the result from 3 by your answer from 1.
If the result from 4 is more than $50 … you are literally wasting money by not buying ramps as they will save you time in the long run.. How much time? The result from 3 is the number of hours it will take setting up your caravan over the life of your ownership
(based on 12 minutes set up each time).

The ramps we use and love are Split ramps for tandem axle caravans. These are great for levelling a dual axle (AKA tandem axle) caravan. They are light weight, strong, and the positive engagement of the wheel chock to the ramp gives us piece of mind.

Why is driving forward up the ramps preferable?

The main reason here is that caravan brakes in most cases are the electric drum variety. This means the handbrake operates by acting on a cam and wedging the brake shoes against the drum. The important bit of this is that the handbrake is far more effective if the brake shoes last acted while the vehicle was moving forward. If the handbrake is applied after braking in reverse, the shoes are left in a slightly different position and this reduces the effectiveness of the hand brake.

The other reason is that it is easier to judge how far you have driven and the speed you are going when creeping forward rather than in reverse.

What if you cannot level your caravan front to back?

This may happen if you are parked on a hill with vehicle facing up the hill. The problem with this is that to get the caravan level front to back, the jockey wheel does not fit in to position as the ground is tto close to the draw bar.

Firstly, before you unhitch the caravan from the vehicle, try to set the jockey wheel in its minimum position. After unhitching if the caravan’s nose is still too low, you may either move the van up the levelling ramps to gain some height, add some packers under the levelling blocks, or dig the ground away under the hitch. In most cases reorienting the caravan is the most sensible solution. This can be done by turning the caravan so it traverses the hill rather than climbing straight up it. You do not necessarily need to rotate it a full 90 degrees, 30 or 40 degrees may be sufficient but this may then require you to level the caravan side to side.

The converse to this is also true if you parked your caravan with the nose pointing down the hill. In this case you will need to use packers under the jockey wheel to gain the height required. Reorienting the caravan may also be required to reduce the difference in height depending on the slope.

If all else fails – use a jack!

If you have got almost everything right but you can’t quite get enough height, use your caravan’s jack to raise the low side and then place packers under the wheels or levelling ramps. Jacking a 3 tonne caravan can be a dangerous endeavour so be sure to take the following precautions:

Leave the safety chains connected to the vehicle – this will prevent a roll away in the worst case.
Check the hand brake is applied adequately to both the vehicle and caravan.
If you have a break away system, pulling the pin will engage the brakes on all braked axles but don’t leave it out for too long as this will drain the battery.
Use wheel chocks on the opposite side
Use only designated jacking points.
If these designated jacking points are unknown, the tubular chassis or beneath the suspension spring mounts are a good option.
Use the correct jack and if you have an option avoid the use of the unstable scissor type jacks. These have a tendency to be very unstable if not used on flat, level ground.
Try to place the jack on firm solid ground. This may mean using some boards and packers to build a level platform from which to jack.
Never place any part of your body beneath a suspended load – it only takes a second for things to go pear shaped and this could change the rest of your life.

If you don’t have a decent caravan jack as part of your current equipment, check out the Kojack. This is designed specifically for caravans and RVs. It makes the experience of jacking safe and easy. In fact this jack is so good, many manufacturers are starting to put these into their new build caravans as a standard feature.

That about wraps it up for this article. As always we would love to hear your thoughts so either leave us a comment of send us a Pinterest Pin of your favourite caravan levelling solutions. And remember as my father always says

“Take the time it takes, so it takes less time”

As always, we hope to see you somewhere in this amazing world of ours.

The Ins and Outs of Cassette Toilets

Rick — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 12:43:44 +0000

The cassette toilet – a guide to the ins and outs

New caravanners or RVers often come away from their first encounter with a cassette toilet with more questions than answers. What are they, how do they work, and do they smell?

A cassette toilet is a low maintenance toilet where the waste is stored in a small removable sealed container (called the cassette), which can be taken out of the van and wheeled to a dumping station or local toilet to be emptied. This toilet uses two chemicals to neutralise odours and stay clean.

General overview

Cassette toilets are manufactured by a number of companies but the manufacturers most known for them are Thetford, Dometic and Camec. They vary in size, shape and function but operate on the same basic principle where by waste is stored in a removeable container called a cassette that can be emptied when required. The cassettes are usually 15 to 20 litres in capacity which is enough for three to five days of use. This is obviously dependent on the amount of use.

The waste in the tank is treated with an odour neutralising agent that also assists to break down solids to allow easier emptying. This chemical comes in two forms and can be septic safe meaning that the waste can be emptied in to any toilet system if needed.

The flush tank can have a second chemical added which further neutralises odours and helps keep the toilet bowl clean. This chemical is also septic tank safe.

The cassette itself is usually manufactured to resemble a small suit case on wheels. This can be removed from the caravan or RV via a hatch on the outside and wheeled to the dumping station. Emptying the cassette is relatively easy via an easy pour tube at the top of the cassette. A press button vent can be pressed during emptying to prevent air locks and unwanted “gurgling” while emptying.

How do you use it?

The cassette toilet is almost like using a regular toilet with the only difference being that there is an additional lever to be turned prior to using the toilet. This opens the trap door between the waste holding tank and the toilet bowl. You then use the toilet normally (though try not to use too much toilet paper) and use the flush button afterwards. The flush simply runs the rinsing solution over the toilet bowl to leave it clean and fresh.

If you find that you have left some undersirable “skid marks”, use a spray bottle on stream to shoot off the remnants. To prevent this happening in the first place, it can help to do a quick pre-flush before sitting down to lubricate the surface of the bowl and reduce the likelihood of skid marks.

Finish the process by closing the lever again to close off the waste holding tank.

Voila, cassette toilet successfully used!

How long does it last?

This all depends on how many people using it and their requirements. For the two of us it normally lasts between three and five days. This can be extended by using the flush button sparingly. One trick to help with this is to use a spray bottle of the rinse solution to spray the bowl after use instead. This reduces the amount of rinse solution that enters the waste holding tank but still leaves your toilet fresh and clean.

The cassette full light will illuminate when the cassette ios near to its absolute capacity and you should try to empty it as soon as possible. If you find that the cassette fills at the worst possible time, one option is to purchase a second cassette. These are about $200 and will allow you to go for much longer in between emptying.

Does it smell?

This all depends on how you clean and prepare the waste holding tank. If you follow the manufacturers recommendations and use the recommended chemicals, these toilets do not smell. Most of the time when people say their toilet smells in between uses, its usually comes down to one of three things:

Incorrect chemical or amount of chemical added to the holding tank
Cassette seals are old or damaged
The toilet has been used while the cassette is removed.

Adding the right amount of chemical to the holding tank is essential to breakdown waste and ensure that odours are minimised. Using either the wrong chemical or too little chemical will not allow the intended chemical reaction to occur in the waste holding tank and it will likely not eliminate the odours. Always use the recommended chemicals for your particular toilet or at least one that works on the same active ingredient and always check that the dosage is correct. Cheaper alternatives can be problematic and may not work as well as the chemicals designed for the system.

In other cases, odours from the holding tank may be leaking out of old or damaged seals between the cassette and the toilet bowl. These seals are made from rubber or silicone and can become hard with age. The harder these seals become, the more prone to cracking or poor sealing they are. This can allow the odours from the waste holding tank to escape. A visual check while emptying the cassette will give you a pretty good idea of their condition.

There is also a lubricant that can be wiped over the seals to them well conditioned. Most toilet manufacturers recommend their own brand of lubricant but most will also recommend an alternative in the owners manual. This is usually a silicone grease (which is safe for all plastics and rubbers) or olive oil.

The other cause for toilet smells may be that someone inadvertently used the toilet while the cassette was removed. This allows waste to go on to the floor of the cassette housing and can pool in the small catchment sumps in the base of the housing. To check this, the next time you remove your cassette, lift the covers to these catchment sumps and look for any accumulated waste. Should there be any, this should be cleaned out with a strong detergent that is safe to use on plastics.

How do you empty it?

Emptying the cassette is very easy and should be done within about five days or as soon as the “Cassette Full” light comes on. When you are ready to empty the cassette, you will need to find a designated dump point to empty the waste. These are made freely available by local councils. To find a dump point, there are a couple of really useful sources of information and most will locate a dump point near to your location. Stay tuned for our upcoming article on the top information sources for caravanning which includes free camping and dump point apps and maps.

Now that you have your dump point, remove the cassette from its housing (either directly under the toilet or accessed from an external access hatch). There is no need to close any valves as this automatically happens when you remove the cassette, but it is always a good idea to check that the all valves are closed properly

If your cassette has a handle and wheels, this will help to take your cassette to the dump point. If you have to transport the cassette by car to the dump point, don’t stress about spillage as these units are watertight when kept well maintained.

At the dump point, simply take the emptying spout lid off, aim the spout down the dump point opening and press the breather valve button and lift the back end of the cassette up to pour the waste out. It’s important to press the button before tilting the cassette as this will prevent a surge of waste emptying at once.

Once the cassette is empty, pour a couple of litres (half a gallon) of clean water into the cassette, refit the spout lid and hold the cassette in the horizontal position. Now gently swish the water inside the cassette to clean the last remnants of waste out and repeat the emptying procedure. Make sure that you aren’t too rough with the swishing as there is a float level switch inside the unit that puts the full light on and if you are too rough this can cause issues with this function.

Hot tip: always keep some hand sanitizer with you when doing this job to ensure there is no hygiene issues when you finish the job.

Now that the cassette is clean and empty, you can refit it to the caravan. The next step is to add the waste holding tank chemical to the cassette. The easiest and cleanest way to do this is to add chemical and a two to three litres of water to the holding tank is through the toilet bowl. Simply open the toilet flap and pour the chemical in followed by the water. And even better way is to have three-litre container with the right amount of water and chemical marked off on the side. This way the mixing and dosage of the chemical is done correctly and in the easiest way possible.

Lastly, make sure fill the flush water tank so you are not going to run out in between emptying times. Again, a two- or three-litre container can be useful for mixing the right amount of chemical to water. You can keep the left-over mixed solution for next time with out having to guess how much you need to mix up to fill your tank.

Do you need chemicals?

The answer to this is absolutely, yes. There are two main chemicals used in these types of systems. The first is in the holding tank and the main purposes of this is to breakdown the solid waste and toilet paper while neutralising the odours. The second is used in the flush tank and this chemical helps to clean and sanitise the toilet bowl while keeping adding a nice fresh scent.

There are some cheaper alternatives to the name brand chemicals and one that will often be mentioned is NapiSan laundry detergent. People seem to have varying levels of success with this product but either way, an additive to breakdown waste and neutralise odours in the waste holding tank is essential to keeping the cassette toilet experience enjoyable.

Is it leak proof?

This is a question almost all first timers will wonder when they have to carry their full cassette to the car or dump point. The good news is yes, these units are made watertight. I have tested this by shaking a full cassette to see if there would be any leakage and there was none what so ever, but one tip is to transport the full cassette in its normal operating position. For most cassettes this will mean it is horizontal and this keeps all the seals at the top of the unit to minimise the likelihood of spillage. The only caveat here is that all the seals need to be well maintained. As mentioned earlier, if seals age without adequate lubrication, they become hard and lose their sealing ability. Simply check these seals each time you empty it and replace the seals if they show signs of hardening or cracking.

The biggest risk for spillage comes from overfilling the cassette. Ideally, the cassette needs to be emptied as soon as the full light comes on but do not fear if it comes on in the middle of the night. All the good manufactures design this light to come on at about 90% capacity. This means you have a couple (but only a couple) of uses before the cassette is at absolute capacity.

Random Cassette Toilet FAQ

Does it smell? Not if used correctly with the correct chemicals
Do you need chemicals? Yes… 100% yes. This breaks down the solids and eliminates odours
Are there alternatives to name brand chemicals? Yes, some people recommend Napisan in the holding tank and suggest water and a few drops eucalyptus oil in flush tank.
Can you go number two in cassette toilets? Absolutely yes. The toilet chemicals break the solids down to ensure an easy emptying process.
Can you use regular toilet paper? Yes but don’t use too much as it does take longer than specialised toilet paper to break down.
Is it easy to empty? Yes but there are a couple of tips that can make the experience better. Make sure you press the breather button before you tilt the cassette and make sure you have some hand sanitizer available.
How long do you have after the “Cassette Full” light comes on? Most manufacturers design this light to come on when the cassette is approximately 90% of its total capacity. This gives you two or three more uses before it overflows but don’t risk it if possible.
Can you transport a full cassette in your car? Absolutely. This is often necessary if the nearest dump point is not close to where your caravan is located. The cassettes are designed to be leak-proof, so you should have no problems putting a full cassette in your car but do try to keep it in its normal orientation.
What happens if your cassette overflows? Most systems are designed that there are some waste catchment sumps at the bottom of the cassette housing. These are located below the cassette in the cassette housing. They are normally covered by lids that will allow any overflow or waste that was flushed when the cassette is out to be captured rather than running down the side of your van. Check these catchment sumps every time you empty the cassette to make sure there are no issues.
Can you dispose of female sanitary products in the toilet? No, this will likely clog the system as it would in a domestic system
What is the best lubricant to use for the seals? Silicone grease or olive oil.
Do you open the trapdoor before or after doing your business? Do this before to reduce build-up on the top of the trapdoor.
How do you deal with skid marks? Do a pre-flush to lubricate the toilet bowl to help the solids slide without clinging. Use a spray bottle on stream to blast off any skid marks that are left behind.
How long does a cassette before needing to empty? For the two of us, it is usually three to five days.
Can you deep clean a cassette if bought second hand or in between seasons? Yes, Thetford sells a good cleaner that works very well but does require 24 hours soaking.
Can you empty the cassette in to a regular toilet? Yes, but check whether the sewage system is a septic tank system. If so, you can only empty some chemicals in to these systems otherwise you can kill the bacteria that lives in the septic tanks. Just check the label of the chemicals to see if they are septic tank safe. Thetford “Aqua-Kem Pink” and “Aqua-Kem Green” chemicals are septic safe while the “Aqua-Kem Blue” is not.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions regarding the humble cassette toilet but feel free to add a comment or question below and we do our best to get back to you.

Choosing the Right Type of Vacuum for your Caravan / RV

Rick — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 06:44:20 +0000

When we moved into our first caravan, we had to rethink our vacuum cleaner and choosing the right type took a little bit of research.

The best type of Vacuum Cleaner for caravan / RV living is the cordless handstick vacuum as it is extremely versatile, can do the whole space in one charge, has low power consumption and doesn’t need much storage space.

Things to think about for caravan / RV vacuuming

Before you dive right into choosing your vacuum, you should put some energy into thinking about the following points so you can select the right vacuum based on your circumstances.

What is the area you will be cleaning and how often?
Our caravan / RV can be totally vacuumed in detail in less than 15 minutes. This includes going around the kid’s toys, the three dogs and the two children trying to help.
Do you have pets?
Pets create a lot of hair, and pet hair is particularly troublesome for some vacuums. If you have dogs or cats that shed their hair, you can count on needing to vacuum more often than once a week.
What storage space have you got available?
Storage space is a huge factor in a caravan and sometimes you have to compromise on performance
How much power do you have available
What is your budget

Types of vacuum cleaners

To be honest, we had never really thought about how many types of vacuum cleaner there actually were before we moved to our caravan where having the right or wrong vacuum makes such a difference. Below is a quick list and the pros and cons related to caravan / RV use.

Upright – These are the traditional type where the unit is all in one. They are usually powered by mains power and are designed for large areas. Some of these vacuums can be suitable for cleaning your couch or car if they have a hose and attachments. Uprights take up a fair amount storage space and in most cases are overkill for a caravan / RV.

Canister – These vacuums have a main canister which does all the work while you hold the vacuum tube and head. Like the Upright, these are also mains powered and designed for large areas. Canister type vacuums can also be used for cleaning your couch/car. These aren’t as bulky as the upright but still, take a fair amount of space.

Handheld – These are the smallest type of vacuum and are typically designed for “spot treatment” vacuuming where you are just cleaning one spot rather than a whole home. These vacuums are much more portable since they are battery powered and very small to store but are not practical for cleaning a whole caravan as they do not come with a tube for vacuuming from a standing position.

Handstick – These are a cross between the Upright and the Handheld, as they function like an Upright but with the portability and versatility of the Handheld. They are portable since they are battery powered but as such do have a limited run time, suitable for cleaning your couch/car, and don’t take up much storage space. These are the ideal choice for caravan / RV living.

Robotic – We have a few of these out with mixed results. These are generally small units that will map out your home’s floor space and furniture and create a cleaning routine that will cover most of the space autonomously. These units are battery operated and more than capable of cleaning a small space in one charge cycle. Robotic vacuums are not suitable for cleaning your couch or car. When these work well, they are absolutely amazing but all too often we have come home to find “Mickey” our Samsung vacuum stuck after ingesting a mat or trying to mount one of the pedestal breakfast nook stools. One other thing robotic vacuums don’t like is kids toys and pets (who also don’t like them).

Storage places

When choosing a vacuum, you really need to put some thought into where you are going to store it. In most cases, people just to store their vacuum in the cupboard on the floor… the only problem is that when you live in a caravan, cupboard space comes at a premium.
One of the best things about handstick vacuums is that they can be wall mounted. Essentially you fix the charging station to the wall or inside a cupboard or behind a door and run the power cable to a power point. Having this charging station off the floor opens up a whole range of options and utilises some of the dead space we all too often forget about.
With Dyson vacuums, the charging station comes as a nice neat little unit that can hold the additional attachments like the crevice tool or upholstery head. A place for everything and everything in its place. This charging station is also intelligent so you can leave your vacuum on the station and the station plugged in without having to worry about damaging the battery.

Prices

If you ask me, Dyson is like the iPhone of vacuum cleaner manufacturers. These units are sleek, very powerful and the aftersales service is second to none. We can personally vouch for this as we did have a problem with our Dyson Animal DC44 and Dyson sent us out a replacement part on two occasions and extended the warranty. Since then we have had no issues.
So, to compare prices of the different types of vacuums we will use a Dyson in each category. Obviously, there are plenty of other manufacturers and the prices vary considerably, but to keep everything as similar as possible we will stick to this brand.
Since Dyson don’t yet make a robotic vacuum I have included an LG vacuum which we have found to be the best make for robotics as their control algorithms seem to be the most robust in changing environments.

Type Model Suction Price US$ Price AU$
Upright Dyson Small Ball Multi Floor 141 Air Watts $399 $599.00
Canister Dyson Big Ball Original 252 Air Watts $399 $599.00
Handheld V6 Trigger 100 Air Watts $199 $249.00
Handstick Dyson V7 Cord Free 100 Air Watts $399 $599.00
Robotic LG Hom-Bot Unknown $499 $769

These Dyson prices have been taken from the Dyson website to provide the best comparison in terms of pricing. Usually these can be found online for less or older models which perform equally well can be picked up a lot cheaper. Check out Amazon or Ebay for some better deals.

Power Usage

One of the biggest things to consider when looking for new appliances for caravans, in particular vacuums and coffee machines, is power consumption. Large vacuums like the Canister and Upright types are designed for large areas and so are usually powered directly by mains power for higher performance. If you are like us and have an off-grid power supply, power usage is a big concern and vacuums like these bigger units can decimate your power resources.
To give you an example, most large vacuums consume around 1400W of power while being used.
So, if you use it for 15 minutes every week at a cost of 12 cents per kWh, you will consume 18.2 kWh of power and cost you about US$2.18 for the year.

In Australia, the same usage would cost you AU$4.73 for the year.
As you can see the cost of power isn’t the problem… it’s the need to deliver 1400W of power for fifteen minutes every week. If you live off grid, in a caravan or RV, or a tiny home, this power usage is not insignificant.
The same usage with a small handstick model like the Dyson animal, will run for 20 minutes (assuming you use a full charge) and then recharge for 3.5 hours at a power consumption of 21.4W. This total charge time will use a total of about 3.89 kWh and cost US$0.47 for the year. In Australia, the same consumption would cost AU$1.01
So instead of needing large amounts of power instantly, the battery-operated hand stick trickle charges the batteries over a long time. This is definitely not ideal if you are cleaning large areas like a suburban house, but if you are only needing it for your caravan or RV, it makes perfect sense.

One of the major differences between these two vacuums is the suction. The 1400W has twice the suction and so will deal with dirty environments or long pile carpets much more efficiently. But if you live in a caravan and want or need low power consumption, the handstick is the way to go.

Choosing a vacuum for caravan / RV living means you need to weigh up what your requirements are, what storage space you have available as well as your power and financial budget.

Our recommendation stands as the handstick type vacuum for almost all small space applications and in particular the Dyson brand. If you have any other suggestions for brands or if you have an experience different to ours with Dyson, leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading, happy Caravanning.

How to Stop Kids Falling out of a Caravan / RV Bunk Bed

Rick — Mon, 03 Dec 2018 06:12:57 +0000

As our boys are still young 1yr & 2.5yrs. We had to come up with a safety solution to stop them falling out of our caravan / RV bunk beds.

The best way to stop a child from falling out of a bunk, is to put up netting that has rope on the top to restrict the amount it will stretch. For babies you can also add two ropes that connect to the top bunk for added tightness.

Things to think about when making a safety net

Before you start making or looking around for your netting to cover the bunk, you should put some thought into how this space is going to be used and who needs to be able to open the netting.

How old is the child and do they need to be able to open the netting themselves?
- Our eldest son only really needs the netting to stop him from falling out during the night when he rolls around. Other than that, he is old enough to independently get in and out of his bunk so he needs to be able to open the netting on his own.
How tall do you need to make the netting?
- Our youngest has just started crawling, so we need to make the netting a lot taller for his bunk because he is still not aware that he can fall out if he leans on top of the netting. Our eldest sons’ isn’t as tall because he knows not to lean on the top.
Are you able to fix the netting with screws or stick it on?
- As our caravan is brand new we were reluctant to screw anything into the walls. However, we quickly found that because our youngest puts all his body weight onto the netting we had to screw his netting in to be strong enough. We were able to just use sticky pads for our eldest.

We had a look around Pinterest and online to find different solutions but didn’t really come up with the best solution that suited both boys needs. We found a cargo net that it used for the boot of a car to store things behind and were happy to see that it fit the bunk beds space really well. I will break it down into the two spaces. One that is suited for our 8 month old baby who is just crawling and moving around and the other into our older sons space who is 2.5 years old.

Babies

Although, our youngest had the bottom bunk we still found it hard to make this area work. We had initially just used a thick piece of cardboard which worked before he started crawling. Then when he started crawling we added the cargo net which worked until he started being able to pull himself up onto things.

We had an unfortunate event where he was playing in his bunk and managed to lean up on the cargo which just gave way and he fell out onto the floor. He’s fine but we knew it was time to add something else at the top of the net to stop it giving way as much.

We added a firm piece of rope at the top of the cargo net which has so far stopped him falling out as the rope at the top stops the net from bending down as much.

We had also initially used really strong double-sided tape to stick down the ends, however, this didn’t work for our youngest because he would lean up on the rope with all of his body weight and it was too much for the tape. We then screwed the ends in which has so far been flawless.

The set-up of the bunks worked out perfectly for us because we wanted the net to be taller for the baby’s bed. As our bunks have the ladder going up one side we were able to connect the rope to the ladder there for not having to pull it as tight to fit the whole way across leaving it taller.

Toddlers

As anyone knows who has had a very independent toddler. It was very important that he was still able to independently climb in and out of his bed ‘on his own’. This was a major factor we had to consider when making the safety net.

We didn’t need the netting to be as tall as the bottom bunk because he was old enough to know not to lean on the netting. It was purely there to stop him falling out at night when he rolled around. We did end up putting the rope on the top of his as well because we found it worked great for us at night as it glowed in the dark and was easier to get our bearings’

We made an easy loop and taught our son how to put his hand around the wall and unloop the rope off the hook. He is then able to climb over the fallen netting and climb down himself.

The net didn’t end up being as tall as the bottom bunk because it had to stretch the whole way across the bunk. This worked in our favour because our toddler didn’t feel like he was trapped. It was tall enough to be able to stop him if he rolled onto it at night.

Other Ideas for Bunk Safety

We have seen around on Pinterest a few other ideas that we liked but didn’t think they were right for us either for the boys’ particular ages or our caravan set up.

Kid Gate

This would be a great idea if you had the perfect size space. The kid gates are not as friendly to cut down and make the fit perfect. I also find they really overwhelming and kind of makes me feel like I have put my child in jail.

Pool Noodle

This will be something we try when our boys are a bit bigger and don’t need as much protection from falling out. I saw this great idea where you tape three pool noodles together and they form a triangle. You then put the noodles under the fitted sheet and it acts as a wall.

Fly Netting

This I thought was also a great idea it would definitely stop anyone from falling out. However, it would not have worked for us as we had the ladder to the top bunk to consider. I also didn’t think it looked very appealing to the eye.

Bunk Net / Cargo Net

We came across these nets that you can buy online which looked like they would do the job for both the toddler and baby. However, our toddler would have lost his independence as I couldn’t see him being able to undo the clips on his own.

PVC Bunk Rail

The idea of making up a railing using PVC piping did cross our minds. We would have had the flexibility to cut and custom design the railing to fit each boys bed perfectly. We decided to not use this idea for a few reasons. If we had the PVC we would have to leave a gap for to get in and out and the way our toddler rolls around we didn’t want to chance having even a small gap he could fall out. This was the same with the baby. As he is very active he would find the gap and fall out as he still needs full side protection.

Cot Bumper

Our first thoughts were that we were going to just use the bumper our toddler is using now for his crib. However, when we went to put it in the caravan we realized that the weights used to stop it falling over needed to hang down. Which in a caravan is imposable as it’s a flatbed, without any slates to push it through.

The best cot safety rail we have found for us and our particular caravan was the cargo netting. It worked for both of our boys and their different ages. We were able to screw it in nicely to the bed. Adding the tight rope was great because it stopped the netting from being to lose when weight was put on it. As an extra bonus the rope we used was glow in the dark so has been great for when we need to find out way to the boys’ beds at night. I have added some of the other ideas we came across when looking for ideas. Although they might not have worked for us, they are still all really good ideas and might work better for your specific needs and caravans.

Thank you for reading

Happy Caravanning

STOP!! Have you got these 5 Essentials when Doing a Long Car Trip??

Rick — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 05:27:18 +0000

With all of the traveling, we have done with our two boys 2.5yrs and 8 months. We have found these 5 essentials the most important things when traveling.

The 5 essential items you need when traveling on a long car trip – pram, snack box, small seat bag, tie your toys up and label your child’s toy.

Things to think about when going on a long car trip

Before going on your long car trip make sure that you are prepared to keep little ones entertained and have the things you need in places that can be easily accessed. Below are our 5 must-haves when traveling anywhere for a long period of time.

1. YOYO Pram
2. Pill Container Snack Box
3. Small Seat Bag
4. Toys Tied Up
5. Boys Teddys labeled

YOYO Pram

It doesn’t matter what age the child is this pram has been the best thing. They are on the more expensive side but you can buy cheaper options and if you live in a main city as we do in Perth. We actually found someone who we hired the pram off for the first few trips. Then for our baby shower for our second we asked for contributions for the pram rather than small gifts. We now have two prams.

These prams have been so good for us when traveling overseas or on long car trips. We even managed to find some connectors that connect both prams together to make a double.

PROS:
1. It’s so small you hardly have to make allocated space for it in the boot. Sometimes when our boot is full we just slip it in behind the seats as the boys’ legs are still too short. This is also a great place to grab it at stops quickly without having to empty the boot to get to the pram.
2. Once you get the hang of it it’s so easy to grab and fold with one hand (which is great for getting in and out of the car for quick stops)
3. You have a place to secure your child in when you are trying to unpack the car to set up the tent or caravan and they can’t run away. This has been very helpful as we can focus a bit more on getting the caravan ready without constantly having to do everything one-handed or running after the toddler.
4. Even if they don’t want to be in the pram it works as a great way of carrying all our bags and jackets. I don’t know about you but despite us trying to cut down on what we take we always seem to have a heap of extra stuff and the prams have been a great place to store these when the boys want to run.
5. We have fit both our boys one on top of the other and as they get older its actually easier to stack them. However, we loved the pram so much we ended up buying a second.

Cons:
1. Can be expensive, however, there are so many cheaper versions out there that do the same job.
2. Another thing that needs to be packed into the car. Before, we got the yoyo pram we just didn’t bring our pram with us as it took too much space up in the boot. Now, that we have these prams it is another thing that’s been added to the packing list.
3. The wheels don’t always like sandy gravel roads. So far, we have managed to use the prams everywhere that we have been. Including harder beaches, the bush and even snow. Although they don’t always like the terrain we have never not been able to push them.
4. Can be heavy if you are carrying on your shoulder. As these bags are so small we will sometimes just fold them up and carry on our shoulders, especially when going through airports. This can be hard at times as they weigh about 4kg which does get tiring and sore after a while.

Pill Container for Snacks

We first came across this amazing idea when flying but have again used it for our long car rides. Our toddler absolutely loves the idea and always goes looking for the box that has the smarties in it first. This will normally keep him entertained for a little while as well as helping his finer motor skills popping open the lids and closing them again. Win Win!!
Pros
1. Keeps our toddler entertained for a while and something new for him to do
2. Makes snack time a little different and we have found he is more likely to try and eat other foods that come out of the boxes than if he got a bag of nuts.
3. Less likely to be spilled as you can only really fit a certain about in the container and ‘hopefully’ if they do drop it… all the lids aren’t open.
Cons
1. Always goes for the chocolate first and then sometimes he has left the rest.
2. We have had a time where he has opened all the lids and then dropped the container.

SMALL SEAT BAG

The amount of times we have wasted during our stops looking for a nappy or wet wipe or some food was crazy. So, we used the same concept we use when flying and make up travel grab bags. These sit by the passenger’s seats and we have one for each boy (when they were smaller and had different sized nappies).
PROS:
1. Have all the essentials you need to grab the bag for a quick petrol station or roadside nappy change. This has saved us so much time and grumpy toddlers because we could just get out the car and get him out. Before he started getting frustrated that the car was stopped and he still had to wait while we searched for what we needed.
2. During the car ride, we also have a quick place to get some distractions/bribes for the boys if they are not coping. The little packet of m&m’s is always a hit as well as a small bottle of bubbles or some stickers.
3. Essentials like – Pain relief, Teething needs, small toys, WET WIPES, snacks, something for Nappies, WET WIPES, Pain relief for you, spare dummies. Just depends on the age of your child and what you consider necessities at the time.
CONS:
1. Something else to have to be by your feet when traveling
2. Another thing to have to pack and think about

TIE YOUR TOYS UP

We learnt very quickly that although toys were great for distractions….. it got very old very quick … when we had to pick up a car or teddy for the 1,000th time. We use small carabiners and the plastic ropes that are coiled and can be pulled out and then bounce back in.
PROS:
1. Keeps all the toys together. This was great because we then hung it from the window handle and they had a variety of toys to play with at their fingertips.
2. As it was just carabiners it was very easy to transfer all the toys in one go onto the pram.
3. Not having to pick up toys off the ground all the time…. ALL THE TIME!!!

Cons:
1. Can only pick toys that allow for a carabiner to fit through. This isn’t as bad when they are smaller and have the big bulky teething toys. However, as the toddler started to like cars and other toys it was more of a challenge to find toys that could be hung. We have also started using a zip tie around the wheels of the car then connect it to a carabiner.
2. Our toddler went through s stage where he would refuse to play with the toys that were hanging together so obviously it was just easier to have loose toys than the connected ones as we were always having to take them off anyway. But, that was only for a short period of time.

LABEL YOUR KIDS FAVOURITE TEDDY!!!

Our eldest son’s favourite teddy is called ‘Daryl Dog’ who has since ‘retired’ and we can no longer buy another one. So, as you could imagine this would be a complete disaster if he was lost. Especially with a long drive ahead of us.
We bought a cat’s collar and got a dog tag engraved with our mobile number for Australia and then added our email address for international travel.
We have been fortunate enough that the boys’ teddys did have the collars as we have left them behind a few places and have been phoned before we were too far away to come back and collect. We have also done the same with our youngest’s favourite teddy “Sonny the Bunny” who also seems to have been ‘retired’!!

Hope these tips have helped and you have a great road trip ahead. Remember, with babies and toddlers is always the journey, not the destination. So, just take the drive as it comes and if it takes longer than you would have liked to get there, spending that 20 minutes looking at a caterpillar was probably your kid’s favourite part of the whole trip!!

Rick | Caravanning 101

10 DIY Caravan Modifications for under $250

Bathroom Soap Dispenser – $30

Roller blind damper – $3

Water Pump Accumulator – $42.90 delivered

Entry Carpet – $34.99

Under sink water filter $59.99

Hose connector – $1.50

Two-way spirit level – $3.89

Custom ground anchor kit for hard ground stays – $28

Height Blocks – $18.31

Freshwater Hose Reel – $10.87

11 Tips Caravanning with Dogs

Things to think about before hitting that open road.

Sleeping Ideas with a Toddler or Baby when living in a Caravan – That will keep everyone sane. ﻿

Things to make note of before heading off on your first trip.

Have you got the monitor???

Have you got the monitor???

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Own Space or Area

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Own Space or Area

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Own Space or Area

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Own Space or Area

Can the designated area be blocked out from noise and light?

Have you got the monitor???

Electric Brake Controllers: The Intelligent Choice

How to Clean a Caravan Water Tank

Why do you need to clean a water tank?

How often do you need to clean a water tank?

How do you clean the water tank?

Should you use chlorine or vinegar?

What about Vinegar?

What’s the right ratio when using Chlorine?

What is the right ratio when using vinegar?

What about water filters?

Level a Caravan in 7 Easy Steps

You left your level at home

Do you need to purchase levelling blocks?

Why is driving forward up the ramps preferable?

What if you cannot level your caravan front to back?

The Ins and Outs of Cassette Toilets

The cassette toilet – a guide to the ins and outs

General overview

How do you use it?

How long does it last?

Does it smell?

How do you empty it?

Do you need chemicals?

Is it leak proof?

Random Cassette Toilet FAQ

Choosing the Right Type of Vacuum for your Caravan / RV

Things to think about for caravan / RV vacuuming

Types of vacuum cleaners

Storage places

Prices

Power Usage

How to Stop Kids Falling out of a Caravan / RV Bunk Bed

Things to think about when making a safety net

Babies

Toddlers

Other Ideas for Bunk Safety

Kid Gate

Pool Noodle

Fly Netting

Bunk Net / Cargo Net

PVC Bunk Rail

Cot Bumper

STOP!! Have you got these 5 Essentials when Doing a Long Car Trip??

Things to think about when going on a long car trip

Sleeping Ideas with a Toddler or Baby when living in a Caravan – That will keep everyone sane.