Road Tips

ADVICE ON SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL MOTORHOMING

• SIZE IS IMPORTANT

  Whether you are hiring a motorhome for a short break or thinking about buying for the long term, there are certain things you need to consider. First and foremost you need to be comfortable with the size of the vehicle. If you intend to live in your motorhome for any length of time you need to ensure that the living and sleeping space is not too cramped for the number of occupants.

  When considering the most suitable vehicle - please remember that your choice will often be a compromise that has to be balanced by your needs.

  • Your sleeping comfort, often overlooked when influencing vehicle choice, is vital. You need to consider whether you will be comfortable and whether an over-cab bed is really for you!
  • Small vehicles will have only limited storage space; NOT very advantageous if you plan to take your motorhome on the road for lengthy periods
  • Although motorhomes are easy to drive, a large vehicle might be intimidating for some drivers
  • In some areas of Britain, Cornwall in particular; country lanes can be extremely narrow and may be 'off limits' to motorhomes. As a wise precaution, before committing, you should check your route to ensure that you will have adequate access to your intended locations
  • Ensure there are sufficient seat belts fitted for the number of travelling occupants

  ON BOARD EQUIPMENT

  The level of equipment provided in your motorhome is often a matter of personal comfort. Some people will prefer to pitch at sites that have excellent facilities including a restaurant and shower facilities; others use their motorhomes only as day vehicles, spending nights in bed and breakfast accommodation. If these are your preferences having a fully functional oven, hob unit, microwave, efficient shower and even a comfortable bed may be less fundamental.

  Most modern motorhomes come with a high level of home comforts, equipped with oven, fridge, television, sound system, shower, toilet, blown-air heating and fitted fresh and waste water tanks.

• GAS

  Liquid petroleum gases (LPG) - Butane and Propane are the convenient fuels of choice that provide most of the energy in your motorhome for cooking, heating, hot water and fridge. Although some motorhomes have built in gas tanks, often the gas comes in cylinders. These operate under pressure, are safe, easy to use and refills are widely available. Usually a one-off payment is charged for a cylinder that, when empty, is exchanged for a refilled cylinder.

  • Cylinders from different suppliers do not have identical fixings. This is overcome by using a universal coupling fitted to most motorhomes
  • Most motorhomes have storage lockers that hold for two gas cylinders. it is wise to carry a spare cylinder to avoid suddenly running out
  • For safety, gas cylinders must be kept upright
  • NEVER store batteries in the same cupboard as gas cylinders
  • It is a sensible precaution to turn gas cylinders off while travelling unless you use a SECUMOTION regulator
  • Gas gives off an obnoxious smell that warns of leaks
  • Gas is heavier than air needs to vents through floor grills - NEVER cover these
  • In winter, Propane can be used at temperatures as low as - 40°

  CALOR GAS offers 3 bottle sizes: Butane 4.5kg, 7kg and 15kg; Propane: 3.9 kg, 6kg and 13kg

  FLOGAS offers Butane in 4.5kg, 7kg & 13kg cylinders: Propane in 4.5kg, 6kg; 7kg, 11kg and 19kg

  For detailed information about motorhome gas issues please view the motor caravanning web site or Caravanning Now.

• ELECTRICITY

  Motorhome electrics need to be understood but once you have grasped the fundamentals and understand the limitations you can relax and enjoy your motorhome experience.

  At many sites you will be able to hook up to main supplies for electricity. Motorhomes normally rely on 12 volt batteries for power but this is insufficient for heating. A 1kW heater or power for a cooking ring will eat up 85 amps of battery power; with this consumption batteries would need to be recharged every half an hour. The 12 volt vehicle battery is designed to start the engine and is charged while the engine is running. But, most of the power consumed by a motorhome occurs when it is stationary with the engine switched off. To overcome this many motorhomes are equipped with a second power supply, normally a deep-cycle battery specifically designed to discharge slowly. Nevertheless, battery power is not limitless and it needs to be used with some thought. If you use electrically powered heating, shower, cooker, television, lighting and radio all at the same time your battery will drain very quickly. You may have to prioritise. A solution can be to hook up to the mains (230-240 volt) when available or to use a portable generator that runs on gas or diesel. Generators can be noisy and their use is restricted at some camp sites.

  For more information on individual motorhome sites please view the Motorhomes Parks website

  • To conserve power always switch of any items that are not in use
  • Batteries that are being charged give off hydrogen/oxygen so you need to ensure there is adequate ventilation during charging
  • To prolong life, batteries should never be discharged by more than 80% of their capacity although no more than 2/3rds is recommended
  • A new 'gel' type sealed-unit battery is available that gives off no gases during charging
  • Motorhome electrics are usually protected by circuit breakers that 'trip out' when the system is overloaded
  • In modern motorhomes the power supply normally switches automatically from battery to mains power when it hooked up to a campsite supply
  • Mains supplies vary at different campsites. The best provide full 16 amp supplies but other sites can be as low as 4 or 6 amps

  For detailed information about motorhome electrics please view the motor caravan web site

• WATER

  Fresh water is essential and fortunately most motorhomes have separate built-in tanks to store drinking water and to collect waste water. Tanks are generally filled from outside and are normally marked to prevent accidental filling with fuel. Although most sites will have mains fed standpipes for drinking water, it is not always possible to park close enough to transfer water. You will therefore need to carry containers to carry fresh water from source to your motorhome.

  • Tanks should be flushed out regularly to avoid contamination, algae etc
  • Milton Sterilising Solution is a good cleansing solution to use in water tanks
  • Fresh water should be filtered
  • Water is heavy and although tanks are usually located between the vehicle axles to provide stability; some suggest emptying tanks before travelling
  • 120 litres of fresh water will probably last two adults 2-4 days without hardships
  • Tanks, pipes and showers should be drained during the winter if your motorhome will be left idle for lengthy periods. Follow the manufacturer's advice for draining tanks and leave taps and drains open but cover pipe access with gauze or mesh to keep out unwanted wildlife
  • Use food-grade hoses to fill tanks. Other types can taint the water leaving an unpleasant taste that is difficult to eradicate once in the water system
  • Many campsites insist that customers carry 3-6 metres of hose with a universal connector to connect hygienically to site water supplies
  • Algae will form if you leave drinking water containers in sunlight
  • Internal tanks are more convenient but on smaller vehicles space limitations may prohibit their inclusion
  • Carry extra food-grade containers inside the vehicle to provide fresh drinking water etc

  For detailed advice about motorhome water issues please view the motor caravan website

• WASTE MANAGEMENT (grey waste)

  Not all motorhomes, particularly older models, may have adequate waste tanks or outlets. An easily accessible 40mm waste disposal pipe, usually located at the rear of the vehicle is ideal and will allow gravity emptying. Some sites have concrete areas with waste gullies that you drive over for disposal; But don not rely on this.

  • In UK it is illegal to dump grey waste in roadside drains
  • Because there are too few waste disposal facilities it is a good precaution to carry a container to collect your waste
  • Some campsites have 'super pitch' facilities enabling motorhomes to connect to fresh water, electricity, television, telephone and sewers.

  For detailed advice about waste management for motorhome please view the motor caravan website

  TOILETS

  Motorhome toilets normally come in two types: chemical toilets and holding tanks. Holding tanks usually have a cassette to contain the waste that is accessible from an external door that can be removed for emptying.

  Most campsites have chemical toilet disposal points but they may not always be sophisticated and may be anything from a hole in the ground to a purpose built sluice.

  For detailed advice about motorhome toilets please visit the motor caravan website

• SAFETY OF THE ROAD

  Modern motorhomes have power steering, servo-assisted brakes, large mirrors and a high driving position to provide good all round vision making it easy to judge the road ahead. All of our motorhomes are right hand drive, and although overseas hirers may initially find driving 'on the other side' a little strange it is something that is easy to master.

  A few tips to ensure trouble free motorhome motoring:

  • Drive at a comfortable, easy speed until you have gained confidence
  • Remember that the vehicle is higher and wider than a car so you will need to position the vehicle closer to the centre of the road and to give cyclists/pedestrians a wider berth
  • Take care on motorways of large trucks (especially car transporters) that create turbulent air as they pass you
  • Motorhomes do not react in the same way as cars; take great care when cornering and be aware of low hanging branches and other overhead obstructions
  • Be aware that motorhomes handle differently to a car when braking
  • Ensure your tyres are inflated to the manufacturer's recommended pressures. For more information on motorhome tyres please follow this link
  • Restrictions make it difficult to park in towns and motorhomes cannot use multi-storey car parks
  • London has a congestion charge; it is probably better not to attempt driving into the capital or other major cities. It is usually easier to use a campsite on the outskirts of large town and cities and take public transport
  • The UK has standard international road signs and direction signs to locations are generally exceptionally good and easy to follow. Elite Motorhomes can provide you with a Tom Tom 3rd version satellite navigation system as an extra with hired vehicles
  • If you are an overseas visitor it is wise to study the Official Highway Code - a small book that provides the rules of the road, shows road signs etc. This is available from most book shops including those at UK airports and costs around £1.60. The online version is available here

• BUYING A MOTORHOME

  If you have been bitten by the bug and are now considering buying a motorhome of your own, you will find that there is plenty of choice of vehicles to tempt you. However it is recommended that you seek expert advice before committing. Motorhomes can be expensive but they hold their price well and do not depreciate in the same way as cars. The largest luxury fully equipped motorhomes such as Winnebagos can cost upwards of £250,000 but you will find excellent used or new motorhomes more modestly priced from around £18,000-£45,000.

  The American trend of towing a small car, such as a Smart, behind your motorhome is winning favour in the UK and provides added flexibility to your motorhome enjoyment.

  Elite Motorhomes always has a good stock of new and quality second-hand motorhomes in stock and we are always delighted to offer our experience to advise you once you are ready to consider buying.

  For the latest news and information about motorhomes please go to the Motor Caravan Magazine or Practical Motorhome Magazine websites.