This is not really a caravanning post,the wheels are still off and in the garage,but it may just help you retain your driving licence.
I waas recently prompted on my phone to down load Tom Tom Amigo as I have the phone set up to receive Tom Tom alerts.
Thought I might as well see what it was about so downloaded and installed it.
Now this is, in my opinion,a really good piece of kit for those of us who don't have a digital speed readout in our cars.
The hire car we used recently had one and I found it much easier to keep within the limit using it rather than use the analogue speedo.
It's a bit difficult to take a photo of it in use as of course I am driving at the time.
Amigo can be used as a traditional sat.nav but the most useful thing in my book is you can set it up to show a page with a digital speed readout,a coloured indicator which goes from blue to orange to red when you exceed the speed limit,a speed limit sign for that particular road and finally the name of the road you are on.
It also gives a visual and oral warning of impending speed cameras along with the distance to the camera.
If using as a sat.nav the speed readout can be overlaid over the map.
It is available for Android and Apple and best of all is free so in my book worth a try,if you don't like it you can always get rid of it.
Coupled with the above I recently bought a car phone holder from Halfords that has an adhesive magnet which you stick on the back of your phone that magnetically attaches to another magnet which fits onto an air vent.
It works through a case as well.
Get your phone,slap it onto the magnet and it's all done,fixed and available.
This is the USA website but as I say available in Halfords,about £14 or so.
Scoshe
Doubtless someone will say they have been using one for years but as I have said before I am always the last to know,.
Early adopter,no chance.
Ian
Saturday 28 December 2019
Tuesday 12 November 2019
Europcar
We have recently had some bodywork repairs to our car after someone bumped ito the rear.
All sorted out satisfactorily except for one thing,Europcar.
Suffice to say if you are contemplating hiring a vehicle for any reason my advice is to look elsewhere.
No more to be said.
Ian
All sorted out satisfactorily except for one thing,Europcar.
Suffice to say if you are contemplating hiring a vehicle for any reason my advice is to look elsewhere.
No more to be said.
Ian
Whee Centre Caps
After removing the van wheels for winter I noticed thet the centre caps looked a bit shabby.
I attempted to renovate them but they still looked rather faded so decided to replace them.
The only ones for a Unicorn on Prima Leisure specify that they are for a Unicorn 4 but after consulting Bailey I was assured they would fit a U3.
Well they have arrived and they do fit but slightly differently to the originals which had a wire circlip type device to hold them in place.
The replacements are simply a push fit and are recessed into the centre hole slightly deeper than the originals but are none the worse for that.
Just had a thought,I wonder if the circlip wire does fit on the back after all,will have a try and let you know.
Ian
I attempted to renovate them but they still looked rather faded so decided to replace them.
The only ones for a Unicorn on Prima Leisure specify that they are for a Unicorn 4 but after consulting Bailey I was assured they would fit a U3.
Well they have arrived and they do fit but slightly differently to the originals which had a wire circlip type device to hold them in place.
The replacements are simply a push fit and are recessed into the centre hole slightly deeper than the originals but are none the worse for that.
Just had a thought,I wonder if the circlip wire does fit on the back after all,will have a try and let you know.
Ian
Tuesday 5 November 2019
Socket To 'Em
Recently whilst removing the caravan wheels for winter storage I found that using a 19mm socket on the smaller ( outer) part of the wheel nut adaptor didn't give enough of a positive fitting to remove the nuts without the danger of chavelling ( technical term ) them up as it is not very wide ( see photo below ).
I had to get someone to hold the socket on,130Nm is surprisingly tight.
I managed to chavel last year and ended up buying a new set of bolts.
I then had the brainwave to use the inner part of the adaptor for a bit more purchase as it is a bit wider and closer to the wheel..
Now it may be the case that everyone else has been doing this since Adam was a lad but it was a new thought to me but I am always the last to catch on.
The purpose of this post is to say that if you are looking for a socket to fit the inner ( larger ) part of the adaptor it is 21mm,strangely a spark plug socket also fits it as well.
The socket cost £1.15,or it may be £1.75 I have lost the receipt,from B&Q,the "down south" proviso from the last post also kicks in here.
We have little money left up here after we have fed t'whippet and bought a new peak for our cap.
Ian
I had to get someone to hold the socket on,130Nm is surprisingly tight.
I managed to chavel last year and ended up buying a new set of bolts.
I then had the brainwave to use the inner part of the adaptor for a bit more purchase as it is a bit wider and closer to the wheel..
Now it may be the case that everyone else has been doing this since Adam was a lad but it was a new thought to me but I am always the last to catch on.
The purpose of this post is to say that if you are looking for a socket to fit the inner ( larger ) part of the adaptor it is 21mm,strangely a spark plug socket also fits it as well.
The socket cost £1.15,or it may be £1.75 I have lost the receipt,from B&Q,the "down south" proviso from the last post also kicks in here.
We have little money left up here after we have fed t'whippet and bought a new peak for our cap.
Ian
More Luxurious Seating..............Hopefully.
I think we all realise that the seating in the U3 Cadiz isn't the best.
Unlike models further up the range,the Alicanto for instance which I believe has sprung seating,the U3 Cadiz is simply foam,and not really top quality foam at that.
We have had ours replaced once for "bottoming out" but it didn't make much difference so we put up with it as I suspect most people do.
Recently there was a post on Caravan Talk by a chap who had tried placing pipe insulation over the under seat slats and said that this gave much improvement in comfort.
Well in for a penny etc.,your intrepid blogster thought he would give it a go.
Purchased some of the below from B&Q:-
In total you will need ten meters which comes out at round about £22,well it does up north for those in leafy suburbia down south it may be more.
The insulation is pre split so just open it up and fit around the slats.
This is an under seat view :-
Job done.
Now of course I can't vouch for any increase in comfort until we have thoroughly road tested it next year,it may have been a total waste of money so we shall have to see.
Ian
Unlike models further up the range,the Alicanto for instance which I believe has sprung seating,the U3 Cadiz is simply foam,and not really top quality foam at that.
We have had ours replaced once for "bottoming out" but it didn't make much difference so we put up with it as I suspect most people do.
Recently there was a post on Caravan Talk by a chap who had tried placing pipe insulation over the under seat slats and said that this gave much improvement in comfort.
Well in for a penny etc.,your intrepid blogster thought he would give it a go.
Purchased some of the below from B&Q:-
In total you will need ten meters which comes out at round about £22,well it does up north for those in leafy suburbia down south it may be more.
The insulation is pre split so just open it up and fit around the slats.
This is an under seat view :-
Job done.
Now of course I can't vouch for any increase in comfort until we have thoroughly road tested it next year,it may have been a total waste of money so we shall have to see.
Ian
Wednesday 30 October 2019
Winter
You don't get rid of me that easily,we may have stopped using the van till spring but for the benefit of newer caravanners here is a synopsis of what I do ( or have done ) to prepare the van for winter,you can adapt them for your own purpose or ignore them altogether,it's up to you ( our van is in storage ):-
1.Full draindown of the water system.I use a Floe but not everyone does,I usually get about 200mls out when I use it.
2.Remove wheels and replace with winter wheels,take wheels home and give alloys a good clean,sparay with Autoglym Wheel Protector and store in the dark under a sheet after checking tyres for splits and embedded stones.I am hopefully replacing the centre caps as ours look a bit grubby,more in a future blog post.
3.Remove toilet cassette and clean with Thetford Cassette Cleaner,spray seal with silicone,drain off toilet flush fluid.
4.Spray locks with lubricant to prevent freezing up,don't forget the hitchlock..
5.Either swap battery for a "winter" one or remove battery and put on a good bench charger such as a CTek ( Aldi charger very similar so I read at a fraction of the price ) things may be different if you have an alarm or tracker fitted,apply Contralube or similar to battery posts.
6.Open all cupboard doors to allow circulation of air and avoid damp.
7.Some people take the cushions etc home to avoid damp,we simply have not got the room at hone so I upend the cusions to allow airflow and have never suffered any damp.
8.Position taps half way and leave open.
9.Run fridge and Alde on gas for fifteen minutes or so to burn any crap from out of the jets
10.Cover the Alde gas exhaust with a plastic bag or the like to stop insects crawling in.
11.Wipe the solar panel and do so periodically throughout the winter to make the most of the weak sunshine,it gets surprisingly dirty.
12.Put sink plugs in and close waste pipe flaps once again to keep insects out.
13.If fitted give the motormover rollers a brush,ours were covered in crud.
14.Give the walls and cupboard doors a wipe down.
15.Remove all liquids that will be in danger of freezing and causing a mess.
16.I remove the doormat and take it home for a good clean.
17.Being a pedant I grease and oil the wheel lock and jack.
18.Apply silicone to all door,locker and window seals.
19.Give underbed lockers a clean out.
20.Our Wastemaster lives in the front underbed locker so I put 5mls of Zoflora ( Poundland ) in it and leave the cap off to let it air.
21.Put protection gel on 13-pin plug prongs,I use Contralube but there are many others.
22.I don't usually clean the van prior to winter as it is Paintsealed so leave it till spring.
23.Make sure the gas is switched off.
24.Leave fridge and freezer door open to avoid mould forming.
25.Remove bedding to avoid getting damp.
26.Make sure 12v is turned off.
There,it seems like a long list but you can knock most of it off in an afternoon.
I have probably forgotten something,so bear with me.
Ian
1.Full draindown of the water system.I use a Floe but not everyone does,I usually get about 200mls out when I use it.
2.Remove wheels and replace with winter wheels,take wheels home and give alloys a good clean,sparay with Autoglym Wheel Protector and store in the dark under a sheet after checking tyres for splits and embedded stones.I am hopefully replacing the centre caps as ours look a bit grubby,more in a future blog post.
3.Remove toilet cassette and clean with Thetford Cassette Cleaner,spray seal with silicone,drain off toilet flush fluid.
4.Spray locks with lubricant to prevent freezing up,don't forget the hitchlock..
5.Either swap battery for a "winter" one or remove battery and put on a good bench charger such as a CTek ( Aldi charger very similar so I read at a fraction of the price ) things may be different if you have an alarm or tracker fitted,apply Contralube or similar to battery posts.
6.Open all cupboard doors to allow circulation of air and avoid damp.
7.Some people take the cushions etc home to avoid damp,we simply have not got the room at hone so I upend the cusions to allow airflow and have never suffered any damp.
8.Position taps half way and leave open.
9.Run fridge and Alde on gas for fifteen minutes or so to burn any crap from out of the jets
10.Cover the Alde gas exhaust with a plastic bag or the like to stop insects crawling in.
11.Wipe the solar panel and do so periodically throughout the winter to make the most of the weak sunshine,it gets surprisingly dirty.
12.Put sink plugs in and close waste pipe flaps once again to keep insects out.
13.If fitted give the motormover rollers a brush,ours were covered in crud.
14.Give the walls and cupboard doors a wipe down.
15.Remove all liquids that will be in danger of freezing and causing a mess.
16.I remove the doormat and take it home for a good clean.
17.Being a pedant I grease and oil the wheel lock and jack.
18.Apply silicone to all door,locker and window seals.
19.Give underbed lockers a clean out.
20.Our Wastemaster lives in the front underbed locker so I put 5mls of Zoflora ( Poundland ) in it and leave the cap off to let it air.
21.Put protection gel on 13-pin plug prongs,I use Contralube but there are many others.
22.I don't usually clean the van prior to winter as it is Paintsealed so leave it till spring.
23.Make sure the gas is switched off.
24.Leave fridge and freezer door open to avoid mould forming.
25.Remove bedding to avoid getting damp.
26.Make sure 12v is turned off.
There,it seems like a long list but you can knock most of it off in an afternoon.
I have probably forgotten something,so bear with me.
Ian
Saturday 19 October 2019
NEC Show
Last Thursday we went to the NEC for our yearly pilgramage to the Caravan and Motorhome Show and a very enjoyable day it was from our base at CMC Chapel Lane in Wythall.
Managed to stock up on 'essentials' whilst SWMBO was looking the other way
Bailey had a full selection of their vans on show including the new Discovery,the new 8' wide Alacanto and the U4 Black Edition of which there was one on our site which must have been one of the first off the production line.
The Discovery looked a capable van in this important sector of the market to take advantage of lighter tow cars.
I wasn't so impressed with the "round the corner" awning which looked very good but how many pitches are big enough to put it on ?
If I was spending over £1K on an awning I think it would be Isabella,but then I am known to be an Isabella fanboy.
The Alacanto looked OK but it didn't appear much larger inside than a standard van to me,SWMBO however disagreed.
Little to be said about the Unicorn Black Edition as after all it is only a re-liveried version of the present model Unicorn.
I think,and it is only 'think',that the Unicorn 5 should be out next year ( should the Unicorn continue ),which should be interesting.
As usual we gave long thought to swapping the van for a campervan/motorhome and as usual came away none the wiser.
I would fancy a Bailey Autograph single bed model but would need a car besides.
Practicality suggests a VW based campervan to use for holidays but also as an everyday vehicle both the above are roughly the same price at about £60K.
No doubt next year we go through it all again.
This is our last trip in the van for this season,we have a few trips planned over winter in bricks and mortar accommodation though.
Later this week it will full drain down,road wheels off and winter wheels on,battery swap and a good clean inside.
Will still be blogging over the winter though as doubtless I will cause some cock-up worth reporting on.
We have a full list of sites booked for next year,virtually every two weeks so that is something to look forward to.
Ian
Managed to stock up on 'essentials' whilst SWMBO was looking the other way
Bailey had a full selection of their vans on show including the new Discovery,the new 8' wide Alacanto and the U4 Black Edition of which there was one on our site which must have been one of the first off the production line.
The Discovery looked a capable van in this important sector of the market to take advantage of lighter tow cars.
I wasn't so impressed with the "round the corner" awning which looked very good but how many pitches are big enough to put it on ?
If I was spending over £1K on an awning I think it would be Isabella,but then I am known to be an Isabella fanboy.
The Alacanto looked OK but it didn't appear much larger inside than a standard van to me,SWMBO however disagreed.
Little to be said about the Unicorn Black Edition as after all it is only a re-liveried version of the present model Unicorn.
I think,and it is only 'think',that the Unicorn 5 should be out next year ( should the Unicorn continue ),which should be interesting.
As usual we gave long thought to swapping the van for a campervan/motorhome and as usual came away none the wiser.
I would fancy a Bailey Autograph single bed model but would need a car besides.
Practicality suggests a VW based campervan to use for holidays but also as an everyday vehicle both the above are roughly the same price at about £60K.
No doubt next year we go through it all again.
This is our last trip in the van for this season,we have a few trips planned over winter in bricks and mortar accommodation though.
Later this week it will full drain down,road wheels off and winter wheels on,battery swap and a good clean inside.
Will still be blogging over the winter though as doubtless I will cause some cock-up worth reporting on.
We have a full list of sites booked for next year,virtually every two weeks so that is something to look forward to.
Ian
Friday 4 October 2019
CMC Hawes
This blog comes from a very soggy CMC Hawes,serviced pitch of course not in the cheap seats down by the toilets.
Had a couple of visits to the cheese factory of course,purely to check out the free samples for my blog readers.
We also had a magnificent fly past two days running of military aircaraft including a very low flying Spitfire and many passes of what looked like helicopter gunships,it was like M.A.S.H.
Had an inauspicious arrival on site when SWMBO,bless her,wound one of the front steadies down on my fingers whilst I was guiding the supporting blocks into place.
In case anyone was wondering yes a ton and a half of caravan on your fingers does make your eyes water.
To compound it all when I asked her in a calm and reasonable voice to raise the f*****g thing she wound it the wrong way.
It has taken us over a year but we have eventually worked out how to fit the Isabella Eclipse side panel properly.
If you are not in possession of the above you can skip this bit.
I have been positioning the Eclipse so it is equal on both sides of the caravan centre line,there is an equal amount of Eclipse round the bend of the awning rail on each side in other words.
Sadly this causes the side panel to flap about under poor tension so what you need to do is pull the Eclipse further around the far bend so the end panel is tighter when pegged out.
I have used a marker pen to indicate the position the Eclipse needs to be around the far bend.
There thats's cleared that up hasn't it.
Apart from SWMBO breaking my Isabella washing up drainer,and of course the finger incident, we have had no problems.
I really must bring it to the attention of Colapz at the upcoming NEC show that their peg support system for their expandable waste pipes is absolutely useless on a hard standing pitch.
They just won't penetrate the ground even though I have ground points on them.
Well we will be at the NEC show in a couple of weeks and then that is us for this year.
One last thing,I am now officially an OAP,pension and bus pass, fully paid up.
I must admit the bus pass is great,been from Hawes to Leyburn today,free both ways,can't beat it.
All you workers keep slaving away to pay for it.
Ian
Had a couple of visits to the cheese factory of course,purely to check out the free samples for my blog readers.
We also had a magnificent fly past two days running of military aircaraft including a very low flying Spitfire and many passes of what looked like helicopter gunships,it was like M.A.S.H.
Had an inauspicious arrival on site when SWMBO,bless her,wound one of the front steadies down on my fingers whilst I was guiding the supporting blocks into place.
In case anyone was wondering yes a ton and a half of caravan on your fingers does make your eyes water.
To compound it all when I asked her in a calm and reasonable voice to raise the f*****g thing she wound it the wrong way.
It has taken us over a year but we have eventually worked out how to fit the Isabella Eclipse side panel properly.
If you are not in possession of the above you can skip this bit.
I have been positioning the Eclipse so it is equal on both sides of the caravan centre line,there is an equal amount of Eclipse round the bend of the awning rail on each side in other words.
Sadly this causes the side panel to flap about under poor tension so what you need to do is pull the Eclipse further around the far bend so the end panel is tighter when pegged out.
I have used a marker pen to indicate the position the Eclipse needs to be around the far bend.
There thats's cleared that up hasn't it.
Apart from SWMBO breaking my Isabella washing up drainer,and of course the finger incident, we have had no problems.
I really must bring it to the attention of Colapz at the upcoming NEC show that their peg support system for their expandable waste pipes is absolutely useless on a hard standing pitch.
They just won't penetrate the ground even though I have ground points on them.
Well we will be at the NEC show in a couple of weeks and then that is us for this year.
One last thing,I am now officially an OAP,pension and bus pass, fully paid up.
I must admit the bus pass is great,been from Hawes to Leyburn today,free both ways,can't beat it.
All you workers keep slaving away to pay for it.
Ian
Friday 20 September 2019
CMC Hebden Bridge
As the sun rises over the trees welcome to a morning blog from CMC Hebden Bridge in Calderdale.
The site is a little gem hidden away by the side of the road up Cragg Vale ,we have visited before but it never disappoints as mainly it is usually child free as there is nothing here to entertain them,not even a toilet block to ride your bike/skateboard/hover board around.
There is an Airstream parked to the rear of us,I must say I can't see what all the fuss is about,just pop riveted aluminium at a premium price.
There are little dings all over it.
As we are only here for three nights,SWMBO has a function on Saturday afternoon,we have brought minimal gear,door canopy instead of the full canopy and no draughtskirt.
It makes a nice change sometimes to go lightweight and plus use the caravan shower and toilet which after all is what it was designed for.
Had a visit to Hebden Bridge yesterday to mix with the Bohemians,social workers and Guardian readers.
The Cadiz has behaved itself with nothing to report,this is proving to be a really good van compared to some of the horror stories you read about on forums.
As we are supposed to keep the locker and door seals well lubricated I have sent for some Armorall Silicone wipes off E-Bay which should make application a bit easier,will report back on their usefullness.
We only have a couple more trips planned for this year Hawes,and Chapel Lane for the NEC show as we are away in a cottage in November for a change ( best not to call it cottaging ).
So next stop Hawes.
Ian
The site is a little gem hidden away by the side of the road up Cragg Vale ,we have visited before but it never disappoints as mainly it is usually child free as there is nothing here to entertain them,not even a toilet block to ride your bike/skateboard/hover board around.
There is an Airstream parked to the rear of us,I must say I can't see what all the fuss is about,just pop riveted aluminium at a premium price.
There are little dings all over it.
As we are only here for three nights,SWMBO has a function on Saturday afternoon,we have brought minimal gear,door canopy instead of the full canopy and no draughtskirt.
It makes a nice change sometimes to go lightweight and plus use the caravan shower and toilet which after all is what it was designed for.
Had a visit to Hebden Bridge yesterday to mix with the Bohemians,social workers and Guardian readers.
The Cadiz has behaved itself with nothing to report,this is proving to be a really good van compared to some of the horror stories you read about on forums.
As we are supposed to keep the locker and door seals well lubricated I have sent for some Armorall Silicone wipes off E-Bay which should make application a bit easier,will report back on their usefullness.
We only have a couple more trips planned for this year Hawes,and Chapel Lane for the NEC show as we are away in a cottage in November for a change ( best not to call it cottaging ).
So next stop Hawes.
Ian
Thursday 5 September 2019
Ferry Meadows
This is another live blog from CMC Ferry Meadows near Peterborough.
Ferry Meadows site is dived into two by Ham Lane which is the road into Nene Park a country park with lakes,a train and miles of walks and plenty of space.
The main site is on the left coming down Ham Lane and the smaller site on the right which has mainly,but not exclusively,grass pitches and an enormous childrens playground,we are on the main one.
The site is very large and well used which belies the fact that,whilst being up to the usual CMC standards in cleanliness,is a little frayed at the edges compared with some CMC sites,and boy do they like their signs and notices.
Had further trouble with the main door lock jamming on the Cadiz which I eventually sorted with a bit of lubrication but I can see it needing replacement in the future.
I was sick of losing the TV and soundbar remote controls so invested in a couple of these:-
Not only do they hold the remote controls they also hold a mobile phone as well which is especially handy as I have positioned them above the front spotlight with its USB connections I had fitted last year.
Available from E-Bay at about £1.50 each.
I often,well every time,have problems finding Astra 2 when setting up the satellite dish so invested in one of these :-
It is easy to use and is much better than the "lights and squawk" device on the back of the dish.
The strange thing is that the retailer ( Satellite Superstore ) says you don't need to enter Lat. and Long. when you shift to a different region,but twice now it has not picked up Astra 2 until I have done so,strange.
Will give it another go without on our next trip and report back.
Oh and my Tilley lamp won't work again,spent a fortune on bits and pieces for it and it is still buggered,but of course works perfectly when I try it at home,hmm..........
Ian
Ferry Meadows site is dived into two by Ham Lane which is the road into Nene Park a country park with lakes,a train and miles of walks and plenty of space.
The main site is on the left coming down Ham Lane and the smaller site on the right which has mainly,but not exclusively,grass pitches and an enormous childrens playground,we are on the main one.
The site is very large and well used which belies the fact that,whilst being up to the usual CMC standards in cleanliness,is a little frayed at the edges compared with some CMC sites,and boy do they like their signs and notices.
Had further trouble with the main door lock jamming on the Cadiz which I eventually sorted with a bit of lubrication but I can see it needing replacement in the future.
I was sick of losing the TV and soundbar remote controls so invested in a couple of these:-
Not only do they hold the remote controls they also hold a mobile phone as well which is especially handy as I have positioned them above the front spotlight with its USB connections I had fitted last year.
Available from E-Bay at about £1.50 each.
I often,well every time,have problems finding Astra 2 when setting up the satellite dish so invested in one of these :-
It is easy to use and is much better than the "lights and squawk" device on the back of the dish.
The strange thing is that the retailer ( Satellite Superstore ) says you don't need to enter Lat. and Long. when you shift to a different region,but twice now it has not picked up Astra 2 until I have done so,strange.
Will give it another go without on our next trip and report back.
Oh and my Tilley lamp won't work again,spent a fortune on bits and pieces for it and it is still buggered,but of course works perfectly when I try it at home,hmm..........
Ian
Tuesday 27 August 2019
Shift of Focus ?
Just been browsing the Bailey site and was interested to see that the Unicorn has now been demoted from Bailey's flagship range to third in the pecking order behind the Pegasus Grande and the Alicanto Grande.
The Pegasus always came behind the Unicorn.
Bailey Range
I still tend to subscribe to the view that the Unicorn is under threat,after all what do car manufacturers do when they are running down a range ?
They bring out special editions,hence the Black Edition.
Just my thoughts of course but something that will be interesting to observe,makes a change from Brexit.
Ian
The Pegasus always came behind the Unicorn.
Bailey Range
I still tend to subscribe to the view that the Unicorn is under threat,after all what do car manufacturers do when they are running down a range ?
They bring out special editions,hence the Black Edition.
Just my thoughts of course but something that will be interesting to observe,makes a change from Brexit.
Ian
Friday 23 August 2019
Unicorn Black Edition
With reference to two posts ago,the Unicorn Black Edition rather surprisingly is announced today which is rather quicker than I had envisaged.
I had presumed that what with the new Alicanto and Discovery any new Unicorn would be twelve months away.
The boys at Bailey have certainly been busy,but then again it is not really "new" just a revamped U4.
I wonder if they have put a window in the bathroom and got rid of that ridiculous washroom sink.
Bailey Unicorn Black Edition.
Dan Trudgian on his You Tube channel has given a brief run through of two models with centre bathrooms,not the Cadiz.
Looking at the photos on the Bailey site the interior of the Cadiz doesn't look a lot different to the previous model although I thought I saw a cupboard with a shelf just inside the door,presumably for a TV which I don't think was there in U4.
Bailey present it as a Limited Edition,how limited I don't know and if it is limited is there yet another 'standard edition' to follow at some time because as I said previously apart from some flashy graphics it doesn't look a lot different from U4.
The price is not as bad as I suggested at £25K plus that ridiculous hangover from the seventies,the "delivery charge",it's high time Bailey got rid of that and had OTR prices.
According to Bailey it should be at dealers from the end of September and will be at the NEC show.
Ian
I had presumed that what with the new Alicanto and Discovery any new Unicorn would be twelve months away.
The boys at Bailey have certainly been busy,but then again it is not really "new" just a revamped U4.
I wonder if they have put a window in the bathroom and got rid of that ridiculous washroom sink.
Bailey Unicorn Black Edition.
Dan Trudgian on his You Tube channel has given a brief run through of two models with centre bathrooms,not the Cadiz.
Looking at the photos on the Bailey site the interior of the Cadiz doesn't look a lot different to the previous model although I thought I saw a cupboard with a shelf just inside the door,presumably for a TV which I don't think was there in U4.
Bailey present it as a Limited Edition,how limited I don't know and if it is limited is there yet another 'standard edition' to follow at some time because as I said previously apart from some flashy graphics it doesn't look a lot different from U4.
The price is not as bad as I suggested at £25K plus that ridiculous hangover from the seventies,the "delivery charge",it's high time Bailey got rid of that and had OTR prices.
According to Bailey it should be at dealers from the end of September and will be at the NEC show.
Ian
Saturday 17 August 2019
CMC Scarborough West Ayton
Just returned from four nights at CMC Scarborough West Ayton with three grandchildren.
Now I have had a period lying down in a darkened room it's time to proceed.
We have visited this site many times before so no need to dwell on it apart from to say the wash blocks could do with updating but I think this is in the pipeline.
Well we had a few minor problems to contend with on this trip.
First off the smoke detector packed up,tried new battery but to no avail.
Ordered a replacement which arrived today but there are some things to be aware of.
The model supplied as standard by Bailey is the Fire Angel SI-601 but according to Fire Angel this is now discontinued although strangely it is available on Prima Leisure for around £25.
Fire Angel say that the the ST-622 and the ST-620 will fit the original backplate so I ordered the ST-622 but even if it doesn't fit it is no big deal to swap the backplates over,hopefully.
I paid £11.29 off E-Bay but there are various prices and suppliers so you can take your pick.
Secondly the clock in the offside front corner stopped.
OK wants a new battery no problem.
Now I have removed this clock easily many times,but not this time,the little sod was determined it wasn't going to come out.
Eventually after pulling,prising and swearing the thing fell in to the void behind,anyway after fishing the bits out I eventually put it back together changed the battery,set the time and prised it back in although the hour hand is not quite correct it can stop where it is.
The only explanation for this removal difficulty is that it is now a bit warmer so the clock may have expanded a bit,only thing I can think of.
Incidentally I did price up a new one on Prima Leisure just in case and they are about £15.
Thirdly when we got back to storage the door lock jammed,anyway after a bit of fiddling SWMBO got it working again but I think this is going to give trouble in the future as it has been a bit sticky at times.
From Prima Leisure a new lock and keys is £86 but this is for two keys and nine lock barrels as if you want to keep the "one key fits all " feature then you have to change all the locks.
Hopefully will not have to go down that route.
Then the door key wouldn't retract into its holder and subsequent to me taking it to bits and the obligatory springs fell out it is now permanently open secured with tape,see above regarding a replacement.
The plate holder I affixed to the side of the plate storage cupboard came adrift so I removed it and it will be reafixed with Gorilla double sided tape.
When we were in Norfolk a neighbouring caravanner recommended a satellite finding device for the satellite dish so I will be purchasing one and will report back in a future blog as it not a task that I have taken easily to.
The LED light I purchased a bit back that fitted into the awning rail and I said that I was waiting for darker nights to prove its worth works very well.
Ian
Now I have had a period lying down in a darkened room it's time to proceed.
We have visited this site many times before so no need to dwell on it apart from to say the wash blocks could do with updating but I think this is in the pipeline.
Well we had a few minor problems to contend with on this trip.
First off the smoke detector packed up,tried new battery but to no avail.
Ordered a replacement which arrived today but there are some things to be aware of.
The model supplied as standard by Bailey is the Fire Angel SI-601 but according to Fire Angel this is now discontinued although strangely it is available on Prima Leisure for around £25.
Fire Angel say that the the ST-622 and the ST-620 will fit the original backplate so I ordered the ST-622 but even if it doesn't fit it is no big deal to swap the backplates over,hopefully.
I paid £11.29 off E-Bay but there are various prices and suppliers so you can take your pick.
Secondly the clock in the offside front corner stopped.
OK wants a new battery no problem.
Now I have removed this clock easily many times,but not this time,the little sod was determined it wasn't going to come out.
Eventually after pulling,prising and swearing the thing fell in to the void behind,anyway after fishing the bits out I eventually put it back together changed the battery,set the time and prised it back in although the hour hand is not quite correct it can stop where it is.
The only explanation for this removal difficulty is that it is now a bit warmer so the clock may have expanded a bit,only thing I can think of.
Incidentally I did price up a new one on Prima Leisure just in case and they are about £15.
Thirdly when we got back to storage the door lock jammed,anyway after a bit of fiddling SWMBO got it working again but I think this is going to give trouble in the future as it has been a bit sticky at times.
From Prima Leisure a new lock and keys is £86 but this is for two keys and nine lock barrels as if you want to keep the "one key fits all " feature then you have to change all the locks.
Hopefully will not have to go down that route.
Then the door key wouldn't retract into its holder and subsequent to me taking it to bits and the obligatory springs fell out it is now permanently open secured with tape,see above regarding a replacement.
The plate holder I affixed to the side of the plate storage cupboard came adrift so I removed it and it will be reafixed with Gorilla double sided tape.
When we were in Norfolk a neighbouring caravanner recommended a satellite finding device for the satellite dish so I will be purchasing one and will report back in a future blog as it not a task that I have taken easily to.
The LED light I purchased a bit back that fitted into the awning rail and I said that I was waiting for darker nights to prove its worth works very well.
Ian
Friday 9 August 2019
CMC Norfolk Broads
Just returned from two weeks at CMC Norfolk Broads,and what a fortnight it was.
Excellent site and excellent weather,friendly fellow campers and two wins at the quiz night at the local pub,what else could anyone want ?
Visited Lowestoft,Gt.Yarmouth and to crown it all SWMBO treated us to a day boat on the Broads to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
As for the Cadiz,not a whisper ( apart from SWMBO blowing the microwave fuse ),unlike the chap next door to us who had water dripping from the Stargazer sunroof on a £30K Bucaneer,he was not best pleased.
I may have mentioned previously that we were having trouble with the Isabella Eclipse side panel adaptor.it would always end up with a bad kink in it.
Anyway after contacting Isabella and discussing the matter with Steve Biggs ( he of the You Tube videos ) it came to light that we were feeding the adaptor and side panel through the awning rail,no this is not how it goes.
It simply pegs straight down the side of the van.
So if you are having problems there you are,all is solved.
I did point out to Mr.Biggs that the instructions,such as they are,could point this out as it seems counter intuitive.
A while ago I purchased a new set of Tefal Ingenio saucepans which weren't cheap.
I found that the non-stick coating was getting scratched as the van jostled around as they nestle inside each other.
I had it suggested to me to try some pan protectors,like these from E-Bay :-
Pan Protectors
They are cheap and work very well .
Finally,whilst away I heard a whisper that may contradict my assumption on the fate of the Unicorn from a previous post.
I was told from a dealer via a third party that next year a Unicorn 5 will be introduced and that it will be unlike previous Unicorns,so much so that it will be known as the "Black Edition".
Now this may be gospel or it may be a load of hogwash,I just retell it for what it is worth.
So if you are thinking of swapping and there is no urgency it may be worthwhile hanging on,it just might be true.
Oh the other thing I was told is that it will be around £30K.
Ian
Excellent site and excellent weather,friendly fellow campers and two wins at the quiz night at the local pub,what else could anyone want ?
Visited Lowestoft,Gt.Yarmouth and to crown it all SWMBO treated us to a day boat on the Broads to celebrate our wedding anniversary.
As for the Cadiz,not a whisper ( apart from SWMBO blowing the microwave fuse ),unlike the chap next door to us who had water dripping from the Stargazer sunroof on a £30K Bucaneer,he was not best pleased.
I may have mentioned previously that we were having trouble with the Isabella Eclipse side panel adaptor.it would always end up with a bad kink in it.
Anyway after contacting Isabella and discussing the matter with Steve Biggs ( he of the You Tube videos ) it came to light that we were feeding the adaptor and side panel through the awning rail,no this is not how it goes.
It simply pegs straight down the side of the van.
So if you are having problems there you are,all is solved.
I did point out to Mr.Biggs that the instructions,such as they are,could point this out as it seems counter intuitive.
A while ago I purchased a new set of Tefal Ingenio saucepans which weren't cheap.
I found that the non-stick coating was getting scratched as the van jostled around as they nestle inside each other.
I had it suggested to me to try some pan protectors,like these from E-Bay :-
Pan Protectors
They are cheap and work very well .
Finally,whilst away I heard a whisper that may contradict my assumption on the fate of the Unicorn from a previous post.
I was told from a dealer via a third party that next year a Unicorn 5 will be introduced and that it will be unlike previous Unicorns,so much so that it will be known as the "Black Edition".
Now this may be gospel or it may be a load of hogwash,I just retell it for what it is worth.
So if you are thinking of swapping and there is no urgency it may be worthwhile hanging on,it just might be true.
Oh the other thing I was told is that it will be around £30K.
Ian
Saturday 3 August 2019
New Awning
With reference to the previous post Bailey,in the guise of Prima Leisure,has produced a new wraparound awning for the aforementioned Discovery range:-
Discovery Awning
It is certainly novel ,nice to see a bit of innovative design in the caravan world.
Ian
Discovery Awning
It is certainly novel ,nice to see a bit of innovative design in the caravan world.
Ian
New Additions
Just in case anyone wasn't aware there are two new additions to Bailey's range of vans.
First to be announced was the 8' wide Alicanto Grande of which there are three layouts:-
Alicanto Grande
Eight foot wide vans seem to be the fashion this year.
The second to be announced was the Discovery of which there are two layouts :-
Discovery
I think the above has beeen introduced to challenge the Swift Basecamp whether it will be successful or not we will have to see.
The Orion was launched in a fanfare of trumpets but didn't last long,the Orion Evo even less.
Bailey don't seem to have any qualms about discontinuing unprofitable lines.
It has crossed my mind,and I have no 'inside knowledge' at all,whether the Unicorn may be discontinued.
Bailey now have a 'fun' van in the Discovery,an entry van in the Pursuit,
a mid range van in the Pegasus Grande and a 'luxury' van in the Alicanto.
Where does the Unicorn fit in ?
This is on top of their motorhome range.
We will have to see whether a Unicorn 5 ever sees the light of day.
Ian
First to be announced was the 8' wide Alicanto Grande of which there are three layouts:-
Alicanto Grande
Eight foot wide vans seem to be the fashion this year.
The second to be announced was the Discovery of which there are two layouts :-
Discovery
I think the above has beeen introduced to challenge the Swift Basecamp whether it will be successful or not we will have to see.
The Orion was launched in a fanfare of trumpets but didn't last long,the Orion Evo even less.
Bailey don't seem to have any qualms about discontinuing unprofitable lines.
It has crossed my mind,and I have no 'inside knowledge' at all,whether the Unicorn may be discontinued.
Bailey now have a 'fun' van in the Discovery,an entry van in the Pursuit,
a mid range van in the Pegasus Grande and a 'luxury' van in the Alicanto.
Where does the Unicorn fit in ?
This is on top of their motorhome range.
We will have to see whether a Unicorn 5 ever sees the light of day.
Ian
Monday 15 July 2019
A Warning & A Tip
Whilst on site recently I have noticed there seems to be more
and more caravanners and motorhomers leaving their EHU cable wrapped
around a drum/wheel type device pulling off just what is needed to reach
the electric point.
I don't know if this is from laziness or ignorance.
It is a dangerous practice as heat can build up in the cable with a possibility of it catching fire,what compounds the danger is that many cables are then stored under the caravan or motorhome raising the potential of a fire reaching the floor above.
Now lets keep things in proportion,coiled cables are not bursting into flame on a regular basis but the potential is there,probably more so in winter when more electrical devices are in use,heating,fridge,TVmicrowave and possibly hair dryers and the like.
If you look on Google there are plenty of examples of burnt EHU cables which at most could have caused a fire and at the very least would require the purchase of a new cable and possibly spoiling a holiday.
All for the sake of uncoiling cable and laying it out on the rear of the pitch,it's one thing if your van catches fire but I shouldn't imagine your neighbours would be best pleased.
Now onto a more cheerful topic.
In this months Practical Caravan is a tip for more easily aligning the receiver for the Al-Ko wheel lock with the gap in the alloy wheel.
Before trying to align the receiver by eye screw the threaded part of the mechanism into the receiver by a few turns without going through the red lozenge.
This makes aligning the receiver up easier as the end of the threaded bit is more at a level with the alloy spokes and is therefore easier to centre up.
Tried it upon our return to storage the other day and it works,much easier.
Ian
I don't know if this is from laziness or ignorance.
It is a dangerous practice as heat can build up in the cable with a possibility of it catching fire,what compounds the danger is that many cables are then stored under the caravan or motorhome raising the potential of a fire reaching the floor above.
Now lets keep things in proportion,coiled cables are not bursting into flame on a regular basis but the potential is there,probably more so in winter when more electrical devices are in use,heating,fridge,TVmicrowave and possibly hair dryers and the like.
If you look on Google there are plenty of examples of burnt EHU cables which at most could have caused a fire and at the very least would require the purchase of a new cable and possibly spoiling a holiday.
All for the sake of uncoiling cable and laying it out on the rear of the pitch,it's one thing if your van catches fire but I shouldn't imagine your neighbours would be best pleased.
Now onto a more cheerful topic.
In this months Practical Caravan is a tip for more easily aligning the receiver for the Al-Ko wheel lock with the gap in the alloy wheel.
Before trying to align the receiver by eye screw the threaded part of the mechanism into the receiver by a few turns without going through the red lozenge.
This makes aligning the receiver up easier as the end of the threaded bit is more at a level with the alloy spokes and is therefore easier to centre up.
Tried it upon our return to storage the other day and it works,much easier.
Ian
Friday 12 July 2019
The Firs
This is another on site blog post from CMC The Firs near Belper in Derbyshire.
Lovely quiet little site that we have visited many times before,one of its attributes being that there is no children's playground so peace and quiet can be more readily guaranteed.
Seeing heavy rain wasn't in the forecast we plumped for our 'usual' corner grass pitch rather than a hard standing,our usual preference.
Remarkably I even got the satellite dish up and running with a minimum of swearing but to compensate for that I lost the TV remote control battery cover which took forty eight hours to resurface.
Hadn't been here long when SWMBO broke the lock on the semicircular cupboard adjacent to the sink,she was always heavy handed that girl.
Anyway went on to Prima Leisure and ordered another one which arrives at home today .
One advantage of owning a Bailey,and would influence any future purchase,is the ready availability of spares.
As we were preparing to set off from storage we were talking to a chap who had been waiting weeks for a part from Lunar with no end in sight,I hope he doesn't die waiting.
Bailey parts may occasionally seem expensive but at least they are available,right down to the smallest screw.
We are still having problems making the Isabella Eclipse side panel adaptor fit properly.
Have contacted Isabella again so we shall see what they have to say.
In the meantime if anyone has made one fit properly then get in touch.
Breakfast is calling so cheerio from The Firs.
Ian
Lovely quiet little site that we have visited many times before,one of its attributes being that there is no children's playground so peace and quiet can be more readily guaranteed.
Seeing heavy rain wasn't in the forecast we plumped for our 'usual' corner grass pitch rather than a hard standing,our usual preference.
Remarkably I even got the satellite dish up and running with a minimum of swearing but to compensate for that I lost the TV remote control battery cover which took forty eight hours to resurface.
Hadn't been here long when SWMBO broke the lock on the semicircular cupboard adjacent to the sink,she was always heavy handed that girl.
Anyway went on to Prima Leisure and ordered another one which arrives at home today .
One advantage of owning a Bailey,and would influence any future purchase,is the ready availability of spares.
As we were preparing to set off from storage we were talking to a chap who had been waiting weeks for a part from Lunar with no end in sight,I hope he doesn't die waiting.
Bailey parts may occasionally seem expensive but at least they are available,right down to the smallest screw.
We are still having problems making the Isabella Eclipse side panel adaptor fit properly.
Have contacted Isabella again so we shall see what they have to say.
In the meantime if anyone has made one fit properly then get in touch.
Breakfast is calling so cheerio from The Firs.
Ian
Monday 1 July 2019
Durham Grange
We have just returned from four nights at CMC Durham Grange where we have stayed many times before so I won't dwell on the site.
We had a serviced pitch ( love serviced pitches ) so why is it when you pack something away it is perfectly OK yet the next time you come to use it it is knackered,
As it was a serviced pitch we were using the Aquaroll with the hose from the tap attached to a ball valve arrangement in the Aquaroll to regulate water input.
Would the valve work,would it chuff,it wouldn't turn the water off,so the Aquaroll overflowed.
At this point I chucked a wobbly and had to be calmed with tea.
Anyway I dismantled the valve and replaced every part as I have a repair kit for such instances.
Would it work ??
Well yes and no,when I first reconnected it all was OK,as soon as my back was turned the Aquaroll overflowed.
It was like this for a day or two until I gave up,just refilled from the tap "as and when" and ordered another valve ( in fact two,one as a spare ),not worth the continued grief.
Some may remember a few posts back I complained of the Whale pug working its way out of the socket.
Whale suggested dismantling the socket and cleaning it out in case any dirt was causing the problem,which my service man did,but it made little difference really.
Anyway I came up with a solution eventually,it's not pretty but it works,
Put a reuseable cable tie around the securing flap to force it down to lock the plug onto the input tubing like in the photo below.
( Sorry for the quality of the photo but whist mooring a rowing boat on the River Wear in Durham I fell into the river with my phone in my pocket.The phone survived as it is waterproof but some water got into the camera.The phone is sat in some rice ( not Ambrosia ) in the airing cupboard as I type to see if I can dry it out ).
Apart from a couple of minor reglueing jobs that was it really.
Oh I almost forgot to mention the satellite dish.
Does anyone else have difficulty in setting these up ?
I know the principle of the thing,have apps on my phone and all the rest but the sodding thing is a pain in the backside to align,so I gave up on Day 1.
Come the morning of Day 2 it aligned reasonably quickly,so we could watch Babenation in peace,explain that..
Ian
We had a serviced pitch ( love serviced pitches ) so why is it when you pack something away it is perfectly OK yet the next time you come to use it it is knackered,
As it was a serviced pitch we were using the Aquaroll with the hose from the tap attached to a ball valve arrangement in the Aquaroll to regulate water input.
Would the valve work,would it chuff,it wouldn't turn the water off,so the Aquaroll overflowed.
At this point I chucked a wobbly and had to be calmed with tea.
Anyway I dismantled the valve and replaced every part as I have a repair kit for such instances.
Would it work ??
Well yes and no,when I first reconnected it all was OK,as soon as my back was turned the Aquaroll overflowed.
It was like this for a day or two until I gave up,just refilled from the tap "as and when" and ordered another valve ( in fact two,one as a spare ),not worth the continued grief.
Some may remember a few posts back I complained of the Whale pug working its way out of the socket.
Whale suggested dismantling the socket and cleaning it out in case any dirt was causing the problem,which my service man did,but it made little difference really.
Anyway I came up with a solution eventually,it's not pretty but it works,
Put a reuseable cable tie around the securing flap to force it down to lock the plug onto the input tubing like in the photo below.
( Sorry for the quality of the photo but whist mooring a rowing boat on the River Wear in Durham I fell into the river with my phone in my pocket.The phone survived as it is waterproof but some water got into the camera.The phone is sat in some rice ( not Ambrosia ) in the airing cupboard as I type to see if I can dry it out ).
Apart from a couple of minor reglueing jobs that was it really.
Oh I almost forgot to mention the satellite dish.
Does anyone else have difficulty in setting these up ?
I know the principle of the thing,have apps on my phone and all the rest but the sodding thing is a pain in the backside to align,so I gave up on Day 1.
Come the morning of Day 2 it aligned reasonably quickly,so we could watch Babenation in peace,explain that..
Ian
Monday 17 June 2019
CMC Longleat
Yesterday we returned from a four night stay at the CMC site Longleat.
Of course the main reason most people visit this site,especially for the first time,is to visit Longleat itself especially as the entrance is about a 50m walk from the site and there is a CMC member discount if booked online.
Naturally we didn't deviate from the above and bought a two day ticket and without rambling on in"what I did on my holidays" style ( which I try to avoid ) let us just say it was a worthwhile investment.
The site itself,on part of the Longleat estate,is neat and tidy and well cared for but spoilt in my opinion by lots of very large overhanging trees which leave pitches in the shade and damp for prolonged periods after rain.
As far as I can see they will have to be cut back at some stage as it will become a jungle so why not do the job while it is relatively easy.
Other people may of course think differently.
The wardens are very approachable and friendly,SWMBO even got two bottles of wine given free.
I was surprised that in the middle of June how quiet it was,there were plenty of spare pitches.
It was a long tow ( 233 miles each way ) from Wakefield but there were no complaints from the Cadiz who behaved herself all week through periods of very heavy rain,lets be frank it absolutely pissed it down on a frequent basis.
The spare wheel,after the recent hoo-hah,stayed in place and didn't deposit itself on the M5.
The only problem was a broken extending mirror clamp as we were setting off but luckily I carry a spare so that was soon sorted.
Whilst wandering around the site I noticed that there seems to be a proliferation of new VW Transporter/California type motor homes,there were ten on site at differing times,at round about £50-60K a time that is a lot of investment.
I was reading a post on CT recently from a member of the Bailey Owners Club who reckoned that the Bailey Unicorn 3 will become a style icon so hold onto those vans they may be worth a fortune some day.
Anyway I digress,give Longleat a go if you haven't already visited,you won't be disappointed.
Ian
Of course the main reason most people visit this site,especially for the first time,is to visit Longleat itself especially as the entrance is about a 50m walk from the site and there is a CMC member discount if booked online.
Naturally we didn't deviate from the above and bought a two day ticket and without rambling on in"what I did on my holidays" style ( which I try to avoid ) let us just say it was a worthwhile investment.
The site itself,on part of the Longleat estate,is neat and tidy and well cared for but spoilt in my opinion by lots of very large overhanging trees which leave pitches in the shade and damp for prolonged periods after rain.
As far as I can see they will have to be cut back at some stage as it will become a jungle so why not do the job while it is relatively easy.
Other people may of course think differently.
The wardens are very approachable and friendly,SWMBO even got two bottles of wine given free.
I was surprised that in the middle of June how quiet it was,there were plenty of spare pitches.
It was a long tow ( 233 miles each way ) from Wakefield but there were no complaints from the Cadiz who behaved herself all week through periods of very heavy rain,lets be frank it absolutely pissed it down on a frequent basis.
The spare wheel,after the recent hoo-hah,stayed in place and didn't deposit itself on the M5.
The only problem was a broken extending mirror clamp as we were setting off but luckily I carry a spare so that was soon sorted.
Whilst wandering around the site I noticed that there seems to be a proliferation of new VW Transporter/California type motor homes,there were ten on site at differing times,at round about £50-60K a time that is a lot of investment.
I was reading a post on CT recently from a member of the Bailey Owners Club who reckoned that the Bailey Unicorn 3 will become a style icon so hold onto those vans they may be worth a fortune some day.
Anyway I digress,give Longleat a go if you haven't already visited,you won't be disappointed.
Ian
Thursday 6 June 2019
Spare Tyre Woes Contd.
This is another posting of misery but like a massage in a brothel it has a happy ending..
If you recall from my previous posting about the trials and tribulations of the spiked post decimating the spare tyre we survived the journey home,well if you don't include the caravan TPMS alarming on the outskirts of Castleford indicating too high tyre temperature which I put down the descending a lot of steep hills resulting in hot brakes,anyway it stopped alarming eventually and we made the two miles to our storage safely,checked the tyre pressures since and all seems OK and it motor movered into storage OK.
Whilst we were away Mr.Roscoe had miraculously sourced an exact replacement tyre which was £70.34 fitted,an expensive post.
As mentioned previously there were spots of rust on the rim so I lathered copious amounts of Finngans Waxoyl onto both sides which should protect it for a while.
Now all that we needed to do was attach the spare to the securing cable wind it up and all would be OK. right ?
Sadly that is not what happened.
Somewhere in the winding/unwinding process the cable had become stuck and despite tugging and pulling wouldn't shift..
My next bright idea was to consult the Bailey manual and there tucked away on Page 23 is the advice to keep some tension on the cable when winding/unwinding to avoid it chavling up on the drum which is what appeared to have happened.
The gubbins is bolted to the underside of the floor with just the winding hoop protruding into the van through the locker floor and the cable passing down a funnel to the exterior.
My next bright idea was to contact Prima Leisure ( Bailey Parts ) to see if a new unit was available.
I spoke to a very pleasant lady called Gemma who said she would have a look and get back to me which she duly did within the hour to say one was available but it was a dealer part at the princely cost of £116 plus presumably a dealer add-on..
Oh dear.
Mr.Roscoe then had the idea of unbolting the unit from the floor for a closer inspection which we ( he ) did and we came to the conclusion that it was indeed knackered.
Sadly I do not have the best back in the world so crawling under the van is no-go at the minute.
Part placed in car for trip home during which journey Mr.Roscoe said he would see if it could be fixed..
Now Mr.Roscoe has a garage better equipped than most main car dealers and he set to work on it,involving grinding the rivets off to eventually open up the unit and yes indeed the cable was firmly jammed fast never to move again under its own steam.
It does seem a complicated system for such a simple manouvre.
He released the cable and rebuilt the unit which involved drilling,tapping and bolting where the rivets had been.
Not bad for an ex food technician.
I could have done this myself of course given the tools [ sic].
Then it was back to the van to rebolt it to the floor,attach spare wheel,wind it up and Bob's your uncle it all worked.
I would just like to thank Mr.Roscoe who saved me £116 for a new unit.
I can see why Bailey used an under floor fixing as it doesn't take up room in the locker but I think a simple "fishng reel" type of device would have been simpler and easier to untangle if necessary perhaps hidden by a cover.
Also a sticker on the locker floor next to the black plug warning to keep some tension on the cable wouldn't go amiss instead of tucking it away in the handbook.
So,the spare won't be seeing the light of day for a good while unless in anger.
One last word or words:-
"IF WINDING UNWINDING THE SPARE TYRE,KEEP SOME TENSION ON THE F*****G CABLE OR YOU WILL BE UP SHIT STREET..
( Thank you to Mr.Roscoe for flasks of tea )
"Go caravanning,it is so relaxing"
Ian
If you recall from my previous posting about the trials and tribulations of the spiked post decimating the spare tyre we survived the journey home,well if you don't include the caravan TPMS alarming on the outskirts of Castleford indicating too high tyre temperature which I put down the descending a lot of steep hills resulting in hot brakes,anyway it stopped alarming eventually and we made the two miles to our storage safely,checked the tyre pressures since and all seems OK and it motor movered into storage OK.
Whilst we were away Mr.Roscoe had miraculously sourced an exact replacement tyre which was £70.34 fitted,an expensive post.
As mentioned previously there were spots of rust on the rim so I lathered copious amounts of Finngans Waxoyl onto both sides which should protect it for a while.
Now all that we needed to do was attach the spare to the securing cable wind it up and all would be OK. right ?
Sadly that is not what happened.
Somewhere in the winding/unwinding process the cable had become stuck and despite tugging and pulling wouldn't shift..
My next bright idea was to consult the Bailey manual and there tucked away on Page 23 is the advice to keep some tension on the cable when winding/unwinding to avoid it chavling up on the drum which is what appeared to have happened.
The gubbins is bolted to the underside of the floor with just the winding hoop protruding into the van through the locker floor and the cable passing down a funnel to the exterior.
My next bright idea was to contact Prima Leisure ( Bailey Parts ) to see if a new unit was available.
I spoke to a very pleasant lady called Gemma who said she would have a look and get back to me which she duly did within the hour to say one was available but it was a dealer part at the princely cost of £116 plus presumably a dealer add-on..
Oh dear.
Mr.Roscoe then had the idea of unbolting the unit from the floor for a closer inspection which we ( he ) did and we came to the conclusion that it was indeed knackered.
Sadly I do not have the best back in the world so crawling under the van is no-go at the minute.
Part placed in car for trip home during which journey Mr.Roscoe said he would see if it could be fixed..
Now Mr.Roscoe has a garage better equipped than most main car dealers and he set to work on it,involving grinding the rivets off to eventually open up the unit and yes indeed the cable was firmly jammed fast never to move again under its own steam.
It does seem a complicated system for such a simple manouvre.
He released the cable and rebuilt the unit which involved drilling,tapping and bolting where the rivets had been.
Not bad for an ex food technician.
I could have done this myself of course given the tools [ sic].
Then it was back to the van to rebolt it to the floor,attach spare wheel,wind it up and Bob's your uncle it all worked.
I would just like to thank Mr.Roscoe who saved me £116 for a new unit.
I can see why Bailey used an under floor fixing as it doesn't take up room in the locker but I think a simple "fishng reel" type of device would have been simpler and easier to untangle if necessary perhaps hidden by a cover.
Also a sticker on the locker floor next to the black plug warning to keep some tension on the cable wouldn't go amiss instead of tucking it away in the handbook.
So,the spare won't be seeing the light of day for a good while unless in anger.
One last word or words:-
"IF WINDING UNWINDING THE SPARE TYRE,KEEP SOME TENSION ON THE F*****G CABLE OR YOU WILL BE UP SHIT STREET..
( Thank you to Mr.Roscoe for flasks of tea )
"Go caravanning,it is so relaxing"
Ian
Thursday 30 May 2019
CMC North York Moors
I don't usually blog from a site but as I am up early and SWMBO is snoring I might as well.
Arrived a couple of days ago in a deluge of rain,it is a lovely site tucked away down a single track road about three miles or so south of Ruswarp on the North York Moors.
There is no toilet block so it is caravan facilities which is no problem,after all that is what we pay for.
If coming to this site be aware that if coming/going to/from the south there are two very steep hills in the Hole of Horcum and Blue Bank that require a little care but should prove little problem to a well matched outfit.
Well we arrived in a blaze of glory in the fact that unbeknown to both of us I apparently cut a corner whilst navigating the site looking for a pitch.
We didn't even know it was their until SWMBO pointed it out as we motor movered onto a pitch after I had once again jack-knifed the car trying to reverse.
This demolished a post which got stuck under the van the two prongs at the end of which made a beeline for the spare tyre and that was that,as flat as a fart.
I didn't know whereabouts this post had come from as we heard nothing until an irate warden descended on us and made us fully aware of its provenance.
Anyway after setting up,including spilling some toilet fluid and overfilling the flush which flooded the cassette compartment,I proceeded to wind down the spare wheel for a closer look.
Here I digress slightly,if you have never wound down the spare wheel then I suggest you give it a go before you need to do it in anger.
It is not particularly difficult rather than awkward but certainly better than that AL-KO abomination found in some vans.
For those that don't know there is a winding handle in the back locker which engages in a hook under a black cap [ which is a PITA to remove ] in the rear locker next to the fridge.
I found this very stiff to turn and had to apply some lubricant to ease it.
This drops the wheel down on a wire and if it is lowered far enough it enables the wheel to be pulled out from under the van.
There is then a toggle passing through the centre of the wheel on which the late Stephen Hawking wrote a paper on how to remove [ please refer to handbook as we are going out this evening].
The wheel itself looked a little worse for wear with bits of rust here and there which will need to be attended to.
Need less to say the spikes had gone through the tyre near the sidewall so a replacement tyre will be called for I think.
At this point I must give praise to my neighbour Mr,Roscoe who was coming for a visit yesterday.
Having been asked to bring his overalls he crawled under the van to find the location of a piece of wood that the warden had triumphantly presented us with from the scene of the crime.
This turned out to be one of three supports that the spare wheel sat on
The spare was then loaded into Mr.Roscoe's car and he is going to see if he can sort it today.
We now move on to The Awning Incident which I am sure we will laugh about in our dotage.
Decided to put the awning up in the pouring rain the thinking being that it will get wet anyway and once a couple of poles are in I can work inside in the dry,
Came to put the centre roof pole in and half of it is missing.
Much scratching of head and,it has to be said,bad tempered ranting as I stood in the rain,surrounded by a sodden awning minus half a pole.
After about an hour I wondered if the pole had slipped down inside another and,need I say more,there it was,it took a further thirty minutes to get it out.
The fact that SWMBO had suggested this three quarters of an hour previously and been told to go forth and multiply didn't go down well.
Anyway all has gone relatively smoothly since,all we need is a puncture on the way home with no spare to round things off nicely,
Ian
Arrived a couple of days ago in a deluge of rain,it is a lovely site tucked away down a single track road about three miles or so south of Ruswarp on the North York Moors.
There is no toilet block so it is caravan facilities which is no problem,after all that is what we pay for.
If coming to this site be aware that if coming/going to/from the south there are two very steep hills in the Hole of Horcum and Blue Bank that require a little care but should prove little problem to a well matched outfit.
Well we arrived in a blaze of glory in the fact that unbeknown to both of us I apparently cut a corner whilst navigating the site looking for a pitch.
We didn't even know it was their until SWMBO pointed it out as we motor movered onto a pitch after I had once again jack-knifed the car trying to reverse.
This demolished a post which got stuck under the van the two prongs at the end of which made a beeline for the spare tyre and that was that,as flat as a fart.
I didn't know whereabouts this post had come from as we heard nothing until an irate warden descended on us and made us fully aware of its provenance.
Anyway after setting up,including spilling some toilet fluid and overfilling the flush which flooded the cassette compartment,I proceeded to wind down the spare wheel for a closer look.
Here I digress slightly,if you have never wound down the spare wheel then I suggest you give it a go before you need to do it in anger.
It is not particularly difficult rather than awkward but certainly better than that AL-KO abomination found in some vans.
For those that don't know there is a winding handle in the back locker which engages in a hook under a black cap [ which is a PITA to remove ] in the rear locker next to the fridge.
I found this very stiff to turn and had to apply some lubricant to ease it.
This drops the wheel down on a wire and if it is lowered far enough it enables the wheel to be pulled out from under the van.
There is then a toggle passing through the centre of the wheel on which the late Stephen Hawking wrote a paper on how to remove [ please refer to handbook as we are going out this evening].
The wheel itself looked a little worse for wear with bits of rust here and there which will need to be attended to.
Need less to say the spikes had gone through the tyre near the sidewall so a replacement tyre will be called for I think.
At this point I must give praise to my neighbour Mr,Roscoe who was coming for a visit yesterday.
Having been asked to bring his overalls he crawled under the van to find the location of a piece of wood that the warden had triumphantly presented us with from the scene of the crime.
This turned out to be one of three supports that the spare wheel sat on
The spare was then loaded into Mr.Roscoe's car and he is going to see if he can sort it today.
We now move on to The Awning Incident which I am sure we will laugh about in our dotage.
Decided to put the awning up in the pouring rain the thinking being that it will get wet anyway and once a couple of poles are in I can work inside in the dry,
Came to put the centre roof pole in and half of it is missing.
Much scratching of head and,it has to be said,bad tempered ranting as I stood in the rain,surrounded by a sodden awning minus half a pole.
After about an hour I wondered if the pole had slipped down inside another and,need I say more,there it was,it took a further thirty minutes to get it out.
The fact that SWMBO had suggested this three quarters of an hour previously and been told to go forth and multiply didn't go down well.
Anyway all has gone relatively smoothly since,all we need is a puncture on the way home with no spare to round things off nicely,
Ian
Wednesday 15 May 2019
Service
Well Mr.Cadiz had his yearly service today by my mobile man and passed with flying colours.
A couple of little jobs done as well plus a damp reading of 11% all round so no complaints.
Ian
A couple of little jobs done as well plus a damp reading of 11% all round so no complaints.
Ian
Monday 13 May 2019
CMC Teeside White Water Park
Just had four nights at CMC Teeside White Water Park and I have to say that this site is a credit to the wardens who run it.
All the pitches are hardstanding and it is immaculate,every pitch is neat and tidy without what appears to be a blade of grass out of place.
The toilet block is equally spotless.
Well done Whitewater Park wardens.
As its name suggests the site is next to Teeside White Water Park which has available rafting,canoeing etc.
I was hoping to have a go but you can't just turn up with your trunks and towel ,you have to book online,health and safety briefing etc.so had to give it a miss,
We booked a serviced pitch but much to my annoyance I forgot to take the mains water pipes to the Aquaroll so could only use the drainage,therefore I paid extra to hump an Aquaroll about,not pleased.
I blame it on the medication,no really.
The Cadiz was its happy little self ,the only problem was the pan store door got stuck but with a bit of persuasion and some lubrication,all sorted.
It is due for its yearly service on Wednesday so fingers crossed ( the Cadiz not the pan store door ).
I used the light mentioned in my last missive but it must have to be really dark to work and as I am an early to bed sort of chap never saw it work in anger.
Tried it in the back of the car under a sheet and it seemed to function so it is a work in progress at the minute till it gets darker nights.
Ian
All the pitches are hardstanding and it is immaculate,every pitch is neat and tidy without what appears to be a blade of grass out of place.
The toilet block is equally spotless.
Well done Whitewater Park wardens.
As its name suggests the site is next to Teeside White Water Park which has available rafting,canoeing etc.
I was hoping to have a go but you can't just turn up with your trunks and towel ,you have to book online,health and safety briefing etc.so had to give it a miss,
We booked a serviced pitch but much to my annoyance I forgot to take the mains water pipes to the Aquaroll so could only use the drainage,therefore I paid extra to hump an Aquaroll about,not pleased.
I blame it on the medication,no really.
The Cadiz was its happy little self ,the only problem was the pan store door got stuck but with a bit of persuasion and some lubrication,all sorted.
It is due for its yearly service on Wednesday so fingers crossed ( the Cadiz not the pan store door ).
I used the light mentioned in my last missive but it must have to be really dark to work and as I am an early to bed sort of chap never saw it work in anger.
Tried it in the back of the car under a sheet and it seemed to function so it is a work in progress at the minute till it gets darker nights.
Ian
Wednesday 24 April 2019
Solar Light
The solar light mentioned in a previous post has arrived and looks to be the business,will review after our next trip.
The lights were evidently out of stock but according to David Mantell they are now back in stock on E Bay and can be located at :- 113724227891 .
Incidentally I have nothing to do with the seller at all.
Ian
The lights were evidently out of stock but according to David Mantell they are now back in stock on E Bay and can be located at :- 113724227891 .
Incidentally I have nothing to do with the seller at all.
Ian
Tuesday 23 April 2019
Insurance
Just had my insurance renewal from the Caravan and Motorhome Club and the increase over last year is................................................exactly one pound.
I will probably increase it slightly to cover the cost of new awning etc. but not bad,I wish the car insurance was the same.
May look into the CMC car insurance when the renewal comes.
Ian
I will probably increase it slightly to cover the cost of new awning etc. but not bad,I wish the car insurance was the same.
May look into the CMC car insurance when the renewal comes.
Ian
Monday 22 April 2019
For Sale
Got a couple of these Isabella items for sale:-
The exact title isn't very helpful but they affix to the top of the poles that rest against the caravan walls in a porch awning.
They would fit our Magnum so I imagine they would be OK for any Isabella porch awning.
They are brand new and in unopened Isabella packaging.
£12 ic. P&P (usually retail about £16 )
Ian
The exact title isn't very helpful but they affix to the top of the poles that rest against the caravan walls in a porch awning.
They would fit our Magnum so I imagine they would be OK for any Isabella porch awning.
They are brand new and in unopened Isabella packaging.
£12 ic. P&P (usually retail about £16 )
Ian
Friday 19 April 2019
Poolsbrook Country Park
We have just had four nights at CMC Poolsbrook Country Park near Chesterfield complete with grandchidren.
Poolsbrook is a lovely spotlessly clean and tidy site situated on an old mine complete with playgrounds,lake for fishing and a cafe.
I am glad we bought a Passat estate and not a Mini as every nook and cranny,including a Kamei roofbox, was jam packed.
Cadiz wise it was a non event,everything performed as it should,well the Avtex TV soundbar wouldn't work on HDMI but I think we can overlook that one in the "problems from hell,first world dept".
Gave my new Colapz waste pipes their first run out and they were very good,much,much better than fighting with coils of waste hose.
The waste pipe supports worked as well although they could do to be of a thicker gauge for hard standings and a sharp point would help..
I wanted to put two extra rafter poles in the Eclipse canopy to make it a bit more rigid and resistant to wind and to avoid water pooling on the roof,but they are a price,about £50 or so each,but in one of those miracles that come once in a lifetime I was just browsing round a dealers last week and they had two for £15 each.
They needed shortening slightly as they were intended for a different awning but two minutes with a hacksaw from Mr.Roscoe's comprehensive tool set and they fitted perfectly.
Isabella have agreed to take back the Eclipse side panel adaptor and shorten it to 210cm FOC as it certainly doesn't fit as it is at present,well done Isabella.
You may pay top dollar for their awnings but the customer service is excellent.
I have sent for one of these from E-Bay and are awaiting delivery:-
Caravan Solar Light
I saw one on a van on site and it looked a good idea as you can situate it over the Aquaroll area,or anywhere else for that matter, to give a bit of illumination if the barrel needs attention in the dark.
Beware when buying though,I have noticed that some models on E-Bay only have 20 LED's whereas this has 30.
All In all a good trip,I even met someone who I used to work with forty years ago,coincidence is
a strange thing.
( Just one of my periodic reminders,if you click on any picture they come up full screen.You may have to do this with the waste pipe one to see the supports ).
Ian
Poolsbrook is a lovely spotlessly clean and tidy site situated on an old mine complete with playgrounds,lake for fishing and a cafe.
I am glad we bought a Passat estate and not a Mini as every nook and cranny,including a Kamei roofbox, was jam packed.
Cadiz wise it was a non event,everything performed as it should,well the Avtex TV soundbar wouldn't work on HDMI but I think we can overlook that one in the "problems from hell,first world dept".
Gave my new Colapz waste pipes their first run out and they were very good,much,much better than fighting with coils of waste hose.
The waste pipe supports worked as well although they could do to be of a thicker gauge for hard standings and a sharp point would help..
I wanted to put two extra rafter poles in the Eclipse canopy to make it a bit more rigid and resistant to wind and to avoid water pooling on the roof,but they are a price,about £50 or so each,but in one of those miracles that come once in a lifetime I was just browsing round a dealers last week and they had two for £15 each.
They needed shortening slightly as they were intended for a different awning but two minutes with a hacksaw from Mr.Roscoe's comprehensive tool set and they fitted perfectly.
Isabella have agreed to take back the Eclipse side panel adaptor and shorten it to 210cm FOC as it certainly doesn't fit as it is at present,well done Isabella.
You may pay top dollar for their awnings but the customer service is excellent.
I have sent for one of these from E-Bay and are awaiting delivery:-
Caravan Solar Light
I saw one on a van on site and it looked a good idea as you can situate it over the Aquaroll area,or anywhere else for that matter, to give a bit of illumination if the barrel needs attention in the dark.
Beware when buying though,I have noticed that some models on E-Bay only have 20 LED's whereas this has 30.
All In all a good trip,I even met someone who I used to work with forty years ago,coincidence is
a strange thing.
( Just one of my periodic reminders,if you click on any picture they come up full screen.You may have to do this with the waste pipe one to see the supports ).
Ian
Wednesday 3 April 2019
Colapz Waste Pipes
Back at the NEC in October I purchased a set of Colapz waste pipes for use on a serviced pitch and today in storage I thought I would give them a try.
They must be an improvement on fighting to get those ribbed waste pipes anywhere near a bag or sack when they have taken on a life of their own.
This is the set as purchased :-
The actual set is five pieces of pipe but I purchased an extra length to be on the safe side,they extend from 50cm to 1 metre,it also includes a storage bag and an ingenious cleaning brush...
I also bought a set of pipe supports which are like wire tent pegs bent int a U shape at the top to support the pipe at different heights to give a bit of fall to the serviced pitch drain.
Thw "two into one" piece does not come with the set,I made it up myself as the old connection leaked.
Well I was most impressed,the lengths of pipe pull out into a longer length and are simply push connected together to make up the length you want.
This is a pic of thr pipe supports in place ( might have to enlarge the picture,it's not the best ).
I have also decided to hang one of the unextended pipes into the Wastemaster when using a none serviced pitch.
All in all an excellent idea well executed,can recommend.
Colapz Waste Pipe
I will report further after using it in battle.
Incidentally this is a completely stand alone review of a purchased product and has no connection whatsoever with Colapz and no money or favours have changed hands.
Ian
They must be an improvement on fighting to get those ribbed waste pipes anywhere near a bag or sack when they have taken on a life of their own.
This is the set as purchased :-
The actual set is five pieces of pipe but I purchased an extra length to be on the safe side,they extend from 50cm to 1 metre,it also includes a storage bag and an ingenious cleaning brush...
I also bought a set of pipe supports which are like wire tent pegs bent int a U shape at the top to support the pipe at different heights to give a bit of fall to the serviced pitch drain.
Thw "two into one" piece does not come with the set,I made it up myself as the old connection leaked.
Well I was most impressed,the lengths of pipe pull out into a longer length and are simply push connected together to make up the length you want.
This is a pic of thr pipe supports in place ( might have to enlarge the picture,it's not the best ).
I have also decided to hang one of the unextended pipes into the Wastemaster when using a none serviced pitch.
All in all an excellent idea well executed,can recommend.
Colapz Waste Pipe
I will report further after using it in battle.
Incidentally this is a completely stand alone review of a purchased product and has no connection whatsoever with Colapz and no money or favours have changed hands.
Ian
Monday 1 April 2019
Beechwood Grange
Returned yeaterday from four nights at Beechwood Grange near York.
Been here many times before so won't dwell on it suffice to say that the CMC must have spent shed loads of money on it during the revamp as the place is immaculate,all credit to the wardens for keeping it so.
On to the Cadiz and I am glad to say that there is nil to report after the winter lay up,everything worked as it should and no dramas.
The new Pro Tec front cover was much easier to put on than the old one,a total success.
I forgot a few things but fortunately nothing vital.
We put our Eclipse canopy up along with the side and infill.
Once again the infill didn't fit properly>
I contacted Isabella who said if we measured the gap it was supposed to fit they would alter it for us,great customer service.
Whilst away I received at home a box containing some new Colapz waste pipes for use on a serviced pitch along with some supports so it all drains properly which I ordered at the NEC so I will be giving them a run out in a few weeks .
I am also contemplating a full cover for next winter to keep the ravages at bay but I will have to ponder that one a bit more.
Ian
Been here many times before so won't dwell on it suffice to say that the CMC must have spent shed loads of money on it during the revamp as the place is immaculate,all credit to the wardens for keeping it so.
On to the Cadiz and I am glad to say that there is nil to report after the winter lay up,everything worked as it should and no dramas.
The new Pro Tec front cover was much easier to put on than the old one,a total success.
I forgot a few things but fortunately nothing vital.
We put our Eclipse canopy up along with the side and infill.
Once again the infill didn't fit properly>
I contacted Isabella who said if we measured the gap it was supposed to fit they would alter it for us,great customer service.
Whilst away I received at home a box containing some new Colapz waste pipes for use on a serviced pitch along with some supports so it all drains properly which I ordered at the NEC so I will be giving them a run out in a few weeks .
I am also contemplating a full cover for next winter to keep the ravages at bay but I will have to ponder that one a bit more.
Ian
Friday 8 March 2019
Another One of Ian's Top Tips
Recently whilst trying to reverse the car via the reversing camera to hitch it up to the van to remove the winter wheels,I noticed how difficult it was to see the black hitch against the background which made getting the hitch over the tow ball unnecessarily difficult.
I found some flourescent stickers on E-Bay ( other outlets are available ) and stuck them on the nose of the hitch.
It is now much easier to see when reversing.
Ian
I found some flourescent stickers on E-Bay ( other outlets are available ) and stuck them on the nose of the hitch.
It is now much easier to see when reversing.
Ian
Friday 22 February 2019
*Important Sat Nav News*
For those of you who use a sat.nav then the date of April 6th is very important.
Every nineteen years sat navs evidently "roll back to zero" ( don't ask me for the details ) ,anyway the nineteen years is up on April 6th.
If you don't update your unit it will be inaccurate from this date.
As far as Tom Tom go this page allows you to check:-
Tom Tom Checker
Doubtless other manufacturers have much the same.
To say we all rely greatly on sat.navs these days one way or another this has received little publicity,I only stumbled on it by accident.
I hope the aircraft industry is up to speed or your long weekend in Majorca may end up being spent in Dubrovnik.
Ian
Every nineteen years sat navs evidently "roll back to zero" ( don't ask me for the details ) ,anyway the nineteen years is up on April 6th.
If you don't update your unit it will be inaccurate from this date.
As far as Tom Tom go this page allows you to check:-
Tom Tom Checker
Doubtless other manufacturers have much the same.
To say we all rely greatly on sat.navs these days one way or another this has received little publicity,I only stumbled on it by accident.
I hope the aircraft industry is up to speed or your long weekend in Majorca may end up being spent in Dubrovnik.
Ian
Thursday 21 February 2019
Gas Stop
Recently whilst browsing round Go Outdoors I came across a Gas Stop device which automatically shuts off the gas should there be a leak.
Gas Stop
Had a read of the literature and the web site and it seemed like a good idea so I purchased one from Prima Leisure.
Easy to install but with one small proviso,the securing nut is not the usual standard size of 30mm.
Gas Stop said it was 25mm but I measured 24.. but in the end I had a similar spanner ground down to fit.
It would have been much better if it was a standard 30mm fitting IMHO.
Anyway Dan Trudgian does a review of it on You Tube,at the end he mentions free spanners* but I couldn't find any evidence of them,perhaps you may have better luck.
You Tube - Gas Stop
You Tube - Gas Stop Small Leaks
Ian
Gas Stop
Had a read of the literature and the web site and it seemed like a good idea so I purchased one from Prima Leisure.
Easy to install but with one small proviso,the securing nut is not the usual standard size of 30mm.
Gas Stop said it was 25mm but I measured 24.. but in the end I had a similar spanner ground down to fit.
It would have been much better if it was a standard 30mm fitting IMHO.
Anyway Dan Trudgian does a review of it on You Tube,at the end he mentions free spanners* but I couldn't find any evidence of them,perhaps you may have better luck.
You Tube - Gas Stop
You Tube - Gas Stop Small Leaks
Ian
* Contacted Gas Stop and the free spanners ended over a year ago.
Sunday 20 January 2019
Sat.Nav Update.
In my sat.nav. review I said that the unit seemed a bit reluctant to connect to wi-fi.
I have just discovered that if the unit is connected to the computer via USB it is either very reluctant to or it won't,connect to wi-fi. ( I can't quite decide ).
So if you want a decent quick connection to wi-fi disconnect it first.
If you reconnect it to USB after connecting to wi-fi it maintains the connection.
If I discover anything else,watch this space.
Ian
I have just discovered that if the unit is connected to the computer via USB it is either very reluctant to or it won't,connect to wi-fi. ( I can't quite decide ).
So if you want a decent quick connection to wi-fi disconnect it first.
If you reconnect it to USB after connecting to wi-fi it maintains the connection.
If I discover anything else,watch this space.
Ian
Friday 11 January 2019
13-Pin Plug
Came across this useful little diagram which readers may find useful if having problems with the 13-pin plug on their vans:-
Ian
Ian
Saturday 5 January 2019
Tom Tom Camper Sat.Nav.
Anyone who reads my Twitter feed will know that my Tom Tom
Camper and Caravan sat.nav took its bat and ball home just before Christmas
causing me to have to shell out on a new model,the Tom Tom Camper.
I thought I would do a short review of the new model in
comparison with the old so anyone buying it will have a rough idea what to
expect.
Before I start I need to say that these are my own views and
other people may think differently.
I am not going to go into every feature in every nook and
cranny of the thing,but there is an on-line manual available on the Tom Tom
site which if you see the length of it you will understand the above comment
and is worth some study although if you fiddle about with the sat.nav. long
enough you will get an idea of what you want it to do.
Right,first off is what do you get in the box,firstly the
unit itself which has a six inch screen covered in a black safety film,a magnetic
mount which can attach to the windscreen or side window ( more of this in a
minute ) an adhesive disc for fitting to the dashboard,a USB cable and a brief
instruction book .
It also possesses free “lifetime” Europe Camper maps,traffic
and speed cameras.
When it says “Lifetime” though,don’t be thinking you will be
downloading maps etc.in your retirement home for the elderly,it means for as
long as Tom Tom continue to support it which is presumably at their discretion.
As mentioned earlier the unit has a six inch screen which is
quite a size when placed against the windscreen so sensible positioning is vital.I
use the beanbag mount that I used with the previous model which I find a better
option than attaching it to the screen but everyone to their own.
I shall now move on to the differences to the previous unit
most of which I preferred.
Firstly on the old unit there was a light incorporated into
the on/off switch which gave the state of battery charge,secondly you could run
a preview of a chosen route which you can’t on the new model,thirdly the layout
seemed more intuitive on the old model and you could place things on the home
screen for easy access,for example whether you were in car mode or car with
caravan mode which I can’t find on the new model even if it exists.
These are all missing from the Camper and I used to find
them useful.
Moving onto the new unit,the on/off/sleep button is at the
rear and when turned on gives a bright screen on which the brightness is
adjustable.
To the bottom left is a Menu icon above which is an icon to
enlarge or decrease the image size and change from 2D to 3D imaging,tapping the
screen enlarges the image.
Touching the Menu icon brings up,not surprisingly, the Menu
which incorporates My Places,locations
that you save to the unit,My Routes for
saved routes and so on through Record
Route,Voice Control,Petrol Station,Parking and Settings.
Destinations of your choice can be inputted and when these,or
ad hoc destinations,are selected a side bar,adjustable in width,appears on the
screen giving various information such as ETA,time,distance,location of petrol
statons,speed cameras etc.
As opposed to the old unit,this one can download updates via
wi-fi rather than using a computer but I have to say it is not brilliant at
connecting to wi-fi,it does connect but can be a bit picky about it.
Now any of you who have used Tom Tom units before may have used Tom Tom My Drive Connect to download updates to the unit,on this one you can’t,hence the wi-fi.
Now any of you who have used Tom Tom units before may have used Tom Tom My Drive Connect to download updates to the unit,on this one you can’t,hence the wi-fi.
BUT,you can still
download updates via your computer if you have My Drive Connect running in the
background,just plug the unit into the computer and it does the rest.
Of course no-one tells you this until you have driven
yourself into a psychiatric unit trying to get Connect to work and have to go
fishing about to find out why it won’t.
It tells you in the voluminous instruction manual but who
reads that as a first off,it’s like War and Peace ( abridged version ).
It can also connect and sync.to your smartphone with the Tom Tom My Drive app ( note NOT My Drive Connect ) and the same with your computer.
You can find routes on the app which will then be sent to your sat.nav.,works as well.
It can also connect and sync.to your smartphone with the Tom Tom My Drive app ( note NOT My Drive Connect ) and the same with your computer.
You can find routes on the app which will then be sent to your sat.nav.,works as well.
There is a Bluetooth function that allows hands free calling
by connecting to your phone and I believe,though I haven’t tried it yet,that it
reads out incoming texts.
The unit can be controlled by voice but in the short tries
that I have had it doesn’t seem brilliant but perhaps I need to give it a bit
of practice so it remains a project to work on.
That is about it really,I was a little disappointed that
some of the features of the previous model seem to have been removed but it
does seem a competent unit which should do the job I bought it for admirably.
It is of course a little pricey over a standard sat.nav. but
it does contain far more map information so I suppose it has to be paid for.
The present full retail price is £379.99 but at the time of
writing Halfords are offering it at 25% off which is where I got mine.
If anyone has any questions about it then get in touch,it is
important that it is what you hoped for before shelling out what is a sizable
sum.
As I come to use it more I will update the blog with things
that I discover or find useful.
Ian
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