Fulltiming in a motorhome - a blog
Discussion
A tiny update as I've taken the thread slightly away from Fulltiming and more onto getting the new van up to scratch....
As you all know, Carrie the Concorde is the perfect substitute for a house and can be lived in very comfortably indeed. Most of the time I don't feel much in the way of compromise; probably assisted by the fact I spend every other week in Frankfurt on business, so I'm not in the van "fulltime" anyway. But some things do still grate and a few off the top of my head:
- although I have space (and much more than I had before), coming back from a work trip or weekend away; packing or unpacking a suitcase is a bit of a nightmare, since it just fits on the seats - trying to stow things in the right locker is a challenging logistical exercise of manouvering around table, climbing on bed, trying not to nudge the suitcase which has one corner hanging off the sofa etc. Space is the issue here;
- emptying the toilet. It's not a massive issue. But I can guarantee that the toilet cassette will get brimmed just at the most inoportune moment (middle of the night, when throwing down with rain, just before you're about to go out etc.). I do have the spare in the Garage which I just whip out and pop back in but then there's some decent planning involved then in emptying two to ensure it's not left until the last Minute. I empty directly into the septic tank but the manhole cover frame has started falling apart due to the frequent lifting, so it's not just wear & tear on the van which has come about from not living in the house;
- the oven - it's great to have an oven. I really missed it in Harry. But the oven being not exceptionally efficient does tend to unevenly cook food and it's difficult to get things cooked just right. Also need to ignore the cooking times on packets, since it rarely gets hot enough all over to cook within a specified time.
- heating - it's brilliant. Believe me, having central heating is an absolute godsend compared with Harry. But I like to sleep in a cool environment, so dial down the heating overnight to around 17degs C. But in the morning, trying to get out of a nice warm bed when it's really cool outside is a nightmare. It would be so much nicer if I could have it on a timer to warm up for when I get up. I know the new Alde wet central heating systems have this functionality but I'm not sure mine can be upgraded effectively. It's a niggle rather than a gripe.
But what I did find out on Monday was how much of a load I'm placing on the house. I woke up Monday morning, walked into the bathroom via the Nespresso machine. Turned it on to pour the coffee as I was having a pee and was rather surprised not to hear it working. Went and checked back on it and it wouldn't turn on. Strange. Looked at the fridge and it was showing on gas and looked at the control panel and the "Mains" had disappeared from the screen. Assumed a power cut (which happens frequently on the farm), switched on the Inverter and ran the coffee machine from the batteries and went to work.
As I was outside, I noticed the lights were on in the house so no power cut. Therefore, in my mind a tripped fuse in the van or the summerhouse (where I power the van from). When I got back that evening, I had a good scoot around and couldn't find any issue with tripped fuses in either vehicle or summerhouse so assumed a rodent had eaten the cable. Nope. So I unplugged the cable to try a different socket. Upon doing so I saw a singe mark on the plug socket and looked at the plug - only to find that it had midly melted around the fuse!!
It had melted so much that the fuse holder wouldn't accept another fuse. Thankfully I had another mains adaptor in the van, so swapped over and had it all working again.
Lesson is - clearly the van is chugging a lot of power. With the heating on, fridge on, charging mobile devices, water pump etc. there's a lot of amps being consumed so a bit of a different tactic is needed. Thankfully the Alde heating system allows you to vary the heating draw on AC between three Settings. I have dumbed it down to the lowest (which I think is if you only have a 3amp supply) which will hopefully allow enough capacity for the fridge and ancillary items to draw without overloading the socket.
Goes to show that fulltiming, even with all the life support systems in place is not as straightforward as house living and attention still needs paying to living "offgrid" in the loosest sense of the word.
In other matters - we're now pretty much 12 months on from when the casms started appearing in my marriage. I have learnt an awful lot about myself and the issues involved in that time and after a lot of navel gazing, I'm pretty sure that things had been going wrong for a long time previous and I was either too blind or too proud to see it. Things are still amicable with the ex-Mrs Spuff and we are continuing to co-parent effectively. Mediation kicks off next week for no other reason than to draw up the MoU required to instruct the Solicitors on the divorce without any further argument over settlement etc. And I would hope that going into the New Year we'll be able to petition for divorce early in January. No visibility yet on when she will be able to move out of the family home, but no rush on that since I will likely be moving to Germany at Easter. I will commute back every 10 days to spend 4-5 days with my daughter (living in the van still until I can either sell or move back into the house).
All in all, everything is fine if not slightly odd compared to the "norm".
As you all know, Carrie the Concorde is the perfect substitute for a house and can be lived in very comfortably indeed. Most of the time I don't feel much in the way of compromise; probably assisted by the fact I spend every other week in Frankfurt on business, so I'm not in the van "fulltime" anyway. But some things do still grate and a few off the top of my head:
- although I have space (and much more than I had before), coming back from a work trip or weekend away; packing or unpacking a suitcase is a bit of a nightmare, since it just fits on the seats - trying to stow things in the right locker is a challenging logistical exercise of manouvering around table, climbing on bed, trying not to nudge the suitcase which has one corner hanging off the sofa etc. Space is the issue here;
- emptying the toilet. It's not a massive issue. But I can guarantee that the toilet cassette will get brimmed just at the most inoportune moment (middle of the night, when throwing down with rain, just before you're about to go out etc.). I do have the spare in the Garage which I just whip out and pop back in but then there's some decent planning involved then in emptying two to ensure it's not left until the last Minute. I empty directly into the septic tank but the manhole cover frame has started falling apart due to the frequent lifting, so it's not just wear & tear on the van which has come about from not living in the house;
- the oven - it's great to have an oven. I really missed it in Harry. But the oven being not exceptionally efficient does tend to unevenly cook food and it's difficult to get things cooked just right. Also need to ignore the cooking times on packets, since it rarely gets hot enough all over to cook within a specified time.
- heating - it's brilliant. Believe me, having central heating is an absolute godsend compared with Harry. But I like to sleep in a cool environment, so dial down the heating overnight to around 17degs C. But in the morning, trying to get out of a nice warm bed when it's really cool outside is a nightmare. It would be so much nicer if I could have it on a timer to warm up for when I get up. I know the new Alde wet central heating systems have this functionality but I'm not sure mine can be upgraded effectively. It's a niggle rather than a gripe.
But what I did find out on Monday was how much of a load I'm placing on the house. I woke up Monday morning, walked into the bathroom via the Nespresso machine. Turned it on to pour the coffee as I was having a pee and was rather surprised not to hear it working. Went and checked back on it and it wouldn't turn on. Strange. Looked at the fridge and it was showing on gas and looked at the control panel and the "Mains" had disappeared from the screen. Assumed a power cut (which happens frequently on the farm), switched on the Inverter and ran the coffee machine from the batteries and went to work.
As I was outside, I noticed the lights were on in the house so no power cut. Therefore, in my mind a tripped fuse in the van or the summerhouse (where I power the van from). When I got back that evening, I had a good scoot around and couldn't find any issue with tripped fuses in either vehicle or summerhouse so assumed a rodent had eaten the cable. Nope. So I unplugged the cable to try a different socket. Upon doing so I saw a singe mark on the plug socket and looked at the plug - only to find that it had midly melted around the fuse!!
It had melted so much that the fuse holder wouldn't accept another fuse. Thankfully I had another mains adaptor in the van, so swapped over and had it all working again.Lesson is - clearly the van is chugging a lot of power. With the heating on, fridge on, charging mobile devices, water pump etc. there's a lot of amps being consumed so a bit of a different tactic is needed. Thankfully the Alde heating system allows you to vary the heating draw on AC between three Settings. I have dumbed it down to the lowest (which I think is if you only have a 3amp supply) which will hopefully allow enough capacity for the fridge and ancillary items to draw without overloading the socket.
Goes to show that fulltiming, even with all the life support systems in place is not as straightforward as house living and attention still needs paying to living "offgrid" in the loosest sense of the word.
In other matters - we're now pretty much 12 months on from when the casms started appearing in my marriage. I have learnt an awful lot about myself and the issues involved in that time and after a lot of navel gazing, I'm pretty sure that things had been going wrong for a long time previous and I was either too blind or too proud to see it. Things are still amicable with the ex-Mrs Spuff and we are continuing to co-parent effectively. Mediation kicks off next week for no other reason than to draw up the MoU required to instruct the Solicitors on the divorce without any further argument over settlement etc. And I would hope that going into the New Year we'll be able to petition for divorce early in January. No visibility yet on when she will be able to move out of the family home, but no rush on that since I will likely be moving to Germany at Easter. I will commute back every 10 days to spend 4-5 days with my daughter (living in the van still until I can either sell or move back into the house).
All in all, everything is fine if not slightly odd compared to the "norm".
Glad to see you are still doing ok in your home on wheels. Have you tried using a large bag instead of a suitcase for your travels ? I have got one with a handle and wheels on it that has replaced the suitcase I used to use when travelling on business. Not only is it quicker and easier to hide away at home, it is also easier when staying in the rather compact accommodation my company supplies.
Good to hear.
On the heating front.. as you say most heaters will consume 2A so I am surprised it blew a fuse. Did it have a 13A fuse in it? Secondly it is worth making sure the cable is also rated at 13A as if you have rubbish cables, this will cause the volts to drop and amps to increase.
On the heating front.. as you say most heaters will consume 2A so I am surprised it blew a fuse. Did it have a 13A fuse in it? Secondly it is worth making sure the cable is also rated at 13A as if you have rubbish cables, this will cause the volts to drop and amps to increase.
The combination of gear you are running on your van when all on together is quite likely to be very close to drawing 16amps. Once your alde boiler is up to temp from cold the lowest setting will maintain it efficiently, it just takes an age to warm up from cold.
Which version of the alde system do you have? Im an alde trained engineer and some of the control panels from the newer models are backward compatible.
Which version of the alde system do you have? Im an alde trained engineer and some of the control panels from the newer models are backward compatible.
Couple of things mate..
- Can you not just put the suit case on the bed to pack/unpack it. I 'think' you have a fixed bed don't you?
- re: toilet cassette emptying. We (I say "we" but it is me!!) empty it every other day when we are touring. Usually it isnt full but by then its still a manageable weight plus it doesnt have time to develop any niffs. It might be worth you getting into a routine so that you don't get caught out.
- Can you not just put the suit case on the bed to pack/unpack it. I 'think' you have a fixed bed don't you?
- re: toilet cassette emptying. We (I say "we" but it is me!!) empty it every other day when we are touring. Usually it isnt full but by then its still a manageable weight plus it doesnt have time to develop any niffs. It might be worth you getting into a routine so that you don't get caught out.
oblio said:
Couple of things mate..
- Can you not just put the suit case on the bed to pack/unpack it. I 'think' you have a fixed bed don't you?
- re: toilet cassette emptying. We (I say "we" but it is me!!) empty it every other day when we are touring. Usually it isnt full but by then its still a manageable weight plus it doesnt have time to develop any niffs. It might be worth you getting into a routine so that you don't get caught out.
Thats what I do! Certainly worth doing if you have on of those chemical less fan things. I worked out we can get by on one aqua roll a day with two showers and daily water. That is filled each evening. The loo is emptied every other morning, usually when had too much to drink the night before and the water wasn't filled for a shower!- Can you not just put the suit case on the bed to pack/unpack it. I 'think' you have a fixed bed don't you?
- re: toilet cassette emptying. We (I say "we" but it is me!!) empty it every other day when we are touring. Usually it isnt full but by then its still a manageable weight plus it doesnt have time to develop any niffs. It might be worth you getting into a routine so that you don't get caught out.
Strongly recommend not leaving it until its full. PITA.
Nice tip BTW on swapping the control module, great PH community.
Spuffington said:
- heating - it's brilliant. Believe me, having central heating is an absolute godsend compared with Harry. But I like to sleep in a cool environment, so dial down the heating overnight to around 17degs C. But in the morning, trying to get out of a nice warm bed when it's really cool outside is a nightmare. It would be so much nicer if I could have it on a timer to warm up for when I get up. I know the new Alde wet central heating systems have this functionality but I'm not sure mine can be upgraded effectively. It's a niggle rather than a gripe.
I have the same bugbear with our Hymer. Truma make an addon timer but it's something silly like £300. I might end up moving the temperature dial into the bedroom as a quick fix. A replacement cable is still a hundred-and-someodd quid though, I'm not sure the existing one will willingly be liberated from wherever it's routed behind the bathroom. While we're in the uk on hookup we have an electric heater too, so i might just stick that on a timer plug overnight so it comes on ready for the morning.
I have a Dyson Hot/Cold with a Infra Red remote. Its great because in the mornings you just turn it on and set the temperature. Because it rotates you can have it blow hot air at you or away. But yeah still £300 odd though.
Cheaper way to do it is set the temperature on an electric fan heater and use a RF switch remote control for it. You could also do the Kettle and the radio if you want.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-Remote-Control-...
Cheaper way to do it is set the temperature on an electric fan heater and use a RF switch remote control for it. You could also do the Kettle and the radio if you want.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-Remote-Control-...
chasingracecars said:
Cheaper way to do it is set the temperature on an electric fan heater and use a RF switch remote control for it. You could also do the Kettle and the radio if you want.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-Remote-Control-...
You'd need to get out of bed (in the cold) or have line of sight for that to work though wouldn't you?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Energenie-Remote-Control-...
Better to get a plug in timeswitch surely?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Timers-Security-Time...
oblio said:
You'd need to get out of bed (in the cold) or have line of sight for that to work though wouldn't you?
Better to get a plug in timeswitch surely?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Timers-Security-Time...
RF is Radio Frequency meaning no line of sight required. Better to get a plug in timeswitch surely?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Timers-Security-Time...
chasingracecars said:
oblio said:
You'd need to get out of bed (in the cold) or have line of sight for that to work though wouldn't you?
Better to get a plug in timeswitch surely?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Timers-Security-Time...
RF is Radio Frequency meaning no line of sight required. Better to get a plug in timeswitch surely?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plug-Timers-Security-Time...
So - brakes have been done. Fronts that is. Couldn't afford right now to get the rears done, so I just purchased the rear discs & pads from MG Caravans and will keep them until such time as I can afford to get them fitted. Good job I got the fronts done though. I knew they were in bad condition when we had the wheels off for the new tyres - discs were scored and pitted. But when the pads came out, they pretty much almost disintegrated!!!
Anyway, the brakes feel a lot more positive now (unsurprisingly) and it's a weight off my mind. Although at the same time a large weight out of my wallet. I dropped 850quid at MG Caravans last week on new front discs & pads (fitted), new rear discs & pads (parts only), new side marker and a couple of bulbs.
Now setting about trying to source a door seal for the habitation door frame, which I'm convinced is missing as there's a bit of a draft and it looks like the previous owner tried to botch in some draft excluder around the door. I've asked other Concorde owners to post pics of their doorframe and they appear to have a seal there, so I've written to Southdowns (Concorde importer in the UK) to get a quote and part number. Not quite as straightforward as it might seem as before 2007, their systems weren't as good as they now are in terms of keeping a track of parts used in the build etc. They rely a lot on photos of existing parts when needing replacing, which doesn't help when I don't have anything to actually show them.
In other news, the divorce is gathering pace and the family home will be put on the market in the New Year, so I will be moving off the plot and back onto a campsite to prepare myself mentally for the move, together with also trying to make the house and plot look less
by having the van hooked up on it.
Next year will be a year of trying to save every penny I earn in order to try and build up the finances again as I won't get anything from the sale. The van will be an even more welcome companion as I try and scrimp to start again. Not letting it get me down though - new start. I have my health and job so things could be a lot worse and I'm grateful for what I do have and the support I've got from family & friends.
Anyway, the brakes feel a lot more positive now (unsurprisingly) and it's a weight off my mind. Although at the same time a large weight out of my wallet. I dropped 850quid at MG Caravans last week on new front discs & pads (fitted), new rear discs & pads (parts only), new side marker and a couple of bulbs.
Now setting about trying to source a door seal for the habitation door frame, which I'm convinced is missing as there's a bit of a draft and it looks like the previous owner tried to botch in some draft excluder around the door. I've asked other Concorde owners to post pics of their doorframe and they appear to have a seal there, so I've written to Southdowns (Concorde importer in the UK) to get a quote and part number. Not quite as straightforward as it might seem as before 2007, their systems weren't as good as they now are in terms of keeping a track of parts used in the build etc. They rely a lot on photos of existing parts when needing replacing, which doesn't help when I don't have anything to actually show them.
In other news, the divorce is gathering pace and the family home will be put on the market in the New Year, so I will be moving off the plot and back onto a campsite to prepare myself mentally for the move, together with also trying to make the house and plot look less
by having the van hooked up on it.Next year will be a year of trying to save every penny I earn in order to try and build up the finances again as I won't get anything from the sale. The van will be an even more welcome companion as I try and scrimp to start again. Not letting it get me down though - new start. I have my health and job so things could be a lot worse and I'm grateful for what I do have and the support I've got from family & friends.
Full respect to you.
When my marriage ended 2008 (was really over 2001 tbh!) I spent every other week when not working in a £500 caravan spesh off fleabay. It was damp, cold and shyte. My dog used to sleep on floor next to me and look up at me in the mornings saying in his eyes what a f++ktard I was buying it!
Your cruiser sounds a palace and fab for morale. You will come back from this. Nothing happens quickly but change cannot be stopped and your approach to the situation is to be fully applauded.
When my marriage ended 2008 (was really over 2001 tbh!) I spent every other week when not working in a £500 caravan spesh off fleabay. It was damp, cold and shyte. My dog used to sleep on floor next to me and look up at me in the mornings saying in his eyes what a f++ktard I was buying it!
Your cruiser sounds a palace and fab for morale. You will come back from this. Nothing happens quickly but change cannot be stopped and your approach to the situation is to be fully applauded.
Thank you to the most recent posters for your kind comments and support.
Looking back over the last 12 months, my life couldn't be more different. I'm on the verge of being without a property for the first time in 10years, down to my last few k's in the bank, living in a motorhome, and a single Dad. But I actually couldn't be happier and I am genuinely happier than I've been in a long time.
Back to Carrie for a second though - I'm beginning to learn how to use the heating a bit more effectively. After the cold stint over the weekend, I'm even more grateful for the Alde wet central heating. The van has been toasty and warm at 23degs C, whilst outside being minus 4. It's such a subtle and cosy warmth compared with the blown air heating of the Hymer, it makes such a difference to the ambience and comfort and does feel like I'm "home" rather than camping. But managing the fuel demands has been learnt.
Since blowing the fuse on the hookup, I generally keep the heating set to the middle electric setting (c. 6amp draw IIRC), but I have learnt that it takes quite a while for the van to heat up using this setting. I've also noticed that the hot water is hot, but not steaming hot. So in the last few days I have started turning the electric off in the morning (I turn the heating down to around 17-18degs C overnight), turning it on to gas and then upping the thermostat to around 23degs C. On gas, the van warms up very quickly. Once up to temperature, I turn the gas off and switch back to the middle electric setting.
Same thing before showering. I turn the electric off, gas on and leave it for 10mins before jumping in the shower. Means that the water is steaming hot, which also makes my shower longer as I'm not draining the hot water tank as quickly.
Little things, but just goes to show how much you learn about your life support systems when you're in full time.
Looking back over the last 12 months, my life couldn't be more different. I'm on the verge of being without a property for the first time in 10years, down to my last few k's in the bank, living in a motorhome, and a single Dad. But I actually couldn't be happier and I am genuinely happier than I've been in a long time.
Back to Carrie for a second though - I'm beginning to learn how to use the heating a bit more effectively. After the cold stint over the weekend, I'm even more grateful for the Alde wet central heating. The van has been toasty and warm at 23degs C, whilst outside being minus 4. It's such a subtle and cosy warmth compared with the blown air heating of the Hymer, it makes such a difference to the ambience and comfort and does feel like I'm "home" rather than camping. But managing the fuel demands has been learnt.
Since blowing the fuse on the hookup, I generally keep the heating set to the middle electric setting (c. 6amp draw IIRC), but I have learnt that it takes quite a while for the van to heat up using this setting. I've also noticed that the hot water is hot, but not steaming hot. So in the last few days I have started turning the electric off in the morning (I turn the heating down to around 17-18degs C overnight), turning it on to gas and then upping the thermostat to around 23degs C. On gas, the van warms up very quickly. Once up to temperature, I turn the gas off and switch back to the middle electric setting.
Same thing before showering. I turn the electric off, gas on and leave it for 10mins before jumping in the shower. Means that the water is steaming hot, which also makes my shower longer as I'm not draining the hot water tank as quickly.
Little things, but just goes to show how much you learn about your life support systems when you're in full time.
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