Hook-up disaster avoidance

stuartholmes

stuartholmes

LIFE MEMBER
Joined
Nov 18, 2022
Posts
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Location
Nottingham
Funster No
92,522
MH
Murvi Morello
Exp
Since 1989
What is your favourite way to be 110% sure of not driving off with the electric hook-up still connected?

I used to always route the wire through the steering wheel but in a few places recently it's not been long enough so use a piece of string tied to the plug & again looped through the wheel. Not elegant!!!

Any other suggestions please?
 
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Checklist, same as other's. Just don't get complacent and ignore them. I used to fly aircraft so in the blood. Seen lots of boats in marinas shoot off the pontoon with ehu attached...ouch.
 
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I started the engine ready to move, fortunatly an alarm went off and after a few seconds realised that the hydraulic jacks were still down, that was close!
 
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In the early days I drove off a couple of times with the hab door not secured. I stuck a large sticky label with the word DOOR on it in big letters onto the dashboard.
 
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stuartholmes said:
What is your favourite way to be 110% sure of not driving off with the electric hook-up still connected?

I used to always route the wire through the steering wheel but in a few places recently it's not been long enough so use a piece of string tied to the plug & again looped through the wheel. Not elegant!!!

Any other suggestions please?
Click to expand...
Interesting read through the comments.

Most of the self build van tours I watch on YouTube talk about the significant cost of a) staying on a site every day and b) the additional significant cost of hookup on top of the site cost.
They all recommend putting enough solar on your roof to allow you to stay off grid.

Let’s face it, if you are away for a week, then 6 or 7 days on site will not break the bank, but if you are doing an extended trip of say 4-6 weeks, the costs could certainly mount up.

Is this something you guys and ladies have to consider on such trips?
Off grid you don’t have the safety and facilities and hookup. How vital is that daily?
A nice quiet pitch rather than a car park, side of the road or unknown off road spot in the wilds?
Not sure yet?

I am planning enough solar to not need to rely on hookup to recharge but that is not the only reason you go on a site. I get that.

How easy is it to go off grid?
I read varying reports.

Are there other considerations?

I sort of want to plan for hookup to be a choice rather than necessity.
Is that wise?

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I simply refuse to move until I have walked a circuit of the MH and checked every hatch, wheel, window, underneath and anything on the rear carrier. That way I would have to hurdle the EHU to avoid it.
 
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CazPaul said:
I’ve never even thought of that one, if you’re worried just stick a note on the cab/steering wheel area, REMOVE HOOK UP LEAD in big letters.
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I have a note which i place on the steering wheel mentioning EHU, Fridge, step (taken care of with a very loud alarm) and skylights
 
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I once drove off with rear steadies down, ploughed a good furrow.
Also a net bag of oranges hanging on the bike rack.

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garymumford said:
Interesting read through the comments.

Most of the self build van tours I watch on YouTube talk about the significant cost of a) staying on a site every day and b) the additional significant cost of hookup on top of the site cost.
They all recommend putting enough solar on your roof to allow you to stay off grid.

Let’s face it, if you are away for a week, then 6 or 7 days on site will not break the bank, but if you are doing an extended trip of say 4-6 weeks, the costs could certainly mount up.

Is this something you guys and ladies have to consider on such trips?
Off grid you don’t have the safety and facilities and hookup. How vital is that daily?
A nice quiet pitch rather than a car park, side of the road or unknown off road spot in the wilds?
Not sure yet?

I am planning enough solar to not need to rely on hookup to recharge but that is not the only reason you go on a site. I get that.

How easy is it to go off grid?
I read varying reports.

Are there other considerations?

I sort of want to plan for hookup to be a choice rather than necessity.
Is that wise?
Click to expand...
A big topic. You'd be better off starting a new thread for that one.
 
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garymumford said:
Interesting read through the comments.

Most of the self build van tours I watch on YouTube talk about the significant cost of a) staying on a site every day and b) the additional significant cost of hookup on top of the site cost.
They all recommend putting enough solar on your roof to allow you to stay off grid.

Let’s face it, if you are away for a week, then 6 or 7 days on site will not break the bank, but if you are doing an extended trip of say 4-6 weeks, the costs could certainly mount up.

Is this something you guys and ladies have to consider on such trips?
Off grid you don’t have the safety and facilities and hookup. How vital is that daily?
A nice quiet pitch rather than a car park, side of the road or unknown off road spot in the wilds?
Not sure yet?

I am planning enough solar to not need to rely on hookup to recharge but that is not the only reason you go on a site. I get that.

How easy is it to go off grid?
I read varying reports.

Are there other considerations?

I sort of want to plan for hookup to be a choice rather than necessity.
Is that wise?
Click to expand...
Mains electricity is def a choice for me. Campervanned for 30yrs without it & I'm sure others have done longer.
We also use a number of sites where it's part of the deal, these site owners have chosen to stop catering for non-mains people. Very sad I agree but there it is.

We have one large solar panel & would really like three but not at the expense of the big opening roof, which it would be. However, that's more about peace of mind on grey sunless days than absolute need because led lights and tap pumps are very miserly with power so I think you'd also be fine with just one.

When on a site with mains we heat the van with electricity instead of diesel, cook on induction hob instead of lpg and watch television on an actual television instead of a mobile phone or laptop.

It seems to work fine.
 
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We've got a checklist for everything on the sun visor. The only time we went off with the EHU connected was when we were changing to the next pitch and so didn't think we needed to look at the list. Luckily someone spotted it and yelled at us!
 
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InvictaMoto said:
Mrs Moto and I have a pre-flight check.... Leccy off, Gas off, Blinds up, Wndows closed and locked, roof vents closed..... but still forget to slide the flap across on the Thetford bog.
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Should keep that closed to keep the pong in🤮

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Ducatikid said:
Why is it open in the fist place ? We just open it when useing it .
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It´s an extra step to close it that you don´t do at home, the navigation assistant forgets at least once per trip and has done so for the last 10 yrs with the MH 😕
 
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Roby2008 said:
It´s an extra step to close it that you don´t do at home, the navigation assistant forgets at least once per trip and has done so for the last 10 yrs with the MH 😕
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Forgetting to close the cover might stop if some piece of jewellry (for example) were to 'accidentally' 'fall' into the awaiting receptacle.... 😱
 
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As an ex HGV driver, and private pilot licence holder. a thorough, and systematic walkaround, sometimes twice, does it for me.

Craig
 
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I am programmed to walk around the motorhome, as I always did when we had our camper van - my greatest fear is missing what I can't see on my walk-round. As the van never had stabilisers, I added a reminder to my permanently on display "Dimensions" chart.
I usually retrieve the dogs toys after leaving the pitch :LOL:

dimensions.jpg

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Recently discovered a problem with relying on automation for making life "simpler".
I drove for 200 miles across France with the hab doorstep un-retracted, until a passing car passenger frantically waved at me that something was wrong. The ignition usually pulls the step in before I set off. For the first time after 7 years of doing this, it failed.
After a bit of juggling and pushing the button by the hab door, it retracted.
Something else I have to remember now.......sigh.
 
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steve69 said:
Recently discovered a problem with relying on automation for making life "simpler".
I drove for 200 miles across France with the hab doorstep un-retracted, until a passing car passenger frantically waved at me that something was wrong. The ignition usually pulls the step in before I set off. For the first time after 7 years of doing this, it failed.
After a bit of juggling and pushing the button by the hab door, it retracted.
Something else I have to remember now.......sigh.
Click to expand...
But a great lesson, thank you! I got my first 'van with retractable step fairly recently & wondered why it didn't retract automatically, there being so much other automation, but your experience is why I'm not going to regret it's absence.
 
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