Learning about motorhomes

GeordieNomad

GeordieNomad

Joined
May 4, 2023
Posts
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95,716
MH
Fiat Ducato Mooveo
Right. Brand new to all this caper. Picked up our first van last week and went away to first a festival, there one night in EHU.
I am quite overwhelmed with all that you have to learn, whether its sat navs and reverse cameras to inverters and toilet maintenanc, the list goes on. How do you good folk learn about all this? Is it just learning on the job or experience or are their like classes you can attend to learn about all this?
Dont get me wrong, this forum alone has increased my knowledge 100%, but i feel so useless at times and overwhelmed by the whole experience that i may not enjoy the life.
Would just like some thoughts…

Many thanks
 
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Top tip, watch a you-tube video on how to empty a cassette toilet, splash back is not a good thing:LOL:
The rest you'll pick up in no time, it's best learned on the job so to speak.
<M>
 
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Get on some rallies talking to.people helps
I would suggest that you always close the drain down valve on the water tank before filling as if you don't you will get to your location without any water.
Guess how I know that :wink:

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Like anything, you'll pick more and more up over time, some you'll learn yourself, some from searching the forum for answers (I can guarantee someone has asked a similar question on here before, whatever the question is), if you can't find an answer ask on here and choose the answer that you feel is right from the many solutions that are provided, attending Rallies can be a great way of picking up information, and of course just talking to your neighbours while away.

Most of all don't feel daunted by it all, if you can drive, empty a toilet cassette, put water in it and switch the hab lights on and off you're already 95% of the way there.

Enjoy

Cheers
Red
 
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Some 30 years ago we picked up our first campervan and immediately spent 3 weeks in France with it. We had tent camped when young with our parents but that was all we knew. Sometimes I think we had more fun then because we didn't know what could go wrong so didn't worry about it! However, after some years learning on the job we now think we can get by with a little help from our friends (on here :giggler:).
Do like most of us non-technical people do - learn about things when they go wrong otherwise leave well alone and enjoy the freedom the MH gives you.
Sue

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One of these for about the right year of your van, can be a useful travelling companion and saves endless youtube viewing.
Often cheap on ebay.
haynes.com

Motorcaravan Manual (3rd Edition)

This radically updated third edition encompasses the very latest developments in motorcaravans. It is full of practical information for both new and experienced owners and includes an overview of models, maintenance and repairs on habitation elements, explanations of construction methods...
haynes.com haynes.com
 
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You will progress through the stages of Unconscious Incompetence, Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, Unconscious Competence. After 33 years of caravanning and motorhoming I'm at Conscience Incompetence. So don't ask me ...

To get to Conscience Incompetence I read magazines, the manuals provided with the motorhome, and what Riverbankannie suggested. I learned to be aware of advice that is well meaning and wrong, or in jest, or out of date. Check out what advice is given by three sources/people - easily done on forums. Make friends with people who are experts in that they know what they are talking about, are able to explain to laymen, are up to date, and always learning.

Or just fumble through as you go because it's more fun!

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69 years old when we got our first motorhome and we watched several (hundreds of) youtube videos on do's and don'ts, how to's. Joined this forum, which has been invaluable (but don't tell the powers that be in case they get all full of themselves!) and talk to other caravan/motorhome /Campervan owners.

Believe it'll all come to you after the first few trips out.

Most of all. just go and enjoy it - we do! Good luck 😉
 
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And if stuck find a van similar to yours (make / age) and knock on their hab door!

We've had that happen a couple of times on sites and been able to help out. One person had read the manual but couldn't find the clip that kept the fridge door shut when traveling (an older Chausson - sorted that out very quickly, the catch was hidden under the top housing of the fridge handle, the same as on our van) and someone else had no electrics in their living area - again easily sorted as the control panel didn't have the electrics switched on.

Often the simplest things are the most flummoxing as they might not be in the instruction manuals!

Never be afraid to ask. There is no such thing as a stupid question, if you need to ask there will be many others who are also head scratching over the same (or a similar) problem.

Not sure where I am on Aspenshaw 's list, perhaps there should be another category "knows enough to be dangerous". lol
 
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Make sure you compile a comprehensive check list of things to do before you drive off.
Make sure you keep it somewhere its easy to ignore.
Once you have set off, ignoring said check list, stop after the first roundabout/sharp bend and put the contents of the van back where they should be and unplug EHU lead from side of van.
Works for us.

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GeordieNomad said:
Right. Brand new to all this caper. Picked up our first van last week and went away to first a festival, there one night in EHU.
I am quite overwhelmed with all that you have to learn, whether its sat navs and reverse cameras to inverters and toilet maintenanc, the list goes on. How do you good folk learn about all this? Is it just learning on the job or experience or are their like classes you can attend to learn about all this?
Dont get me wrong, this forum alone has increased my knowledge 100%, but i feel so useless at times and overwhelmed by the whole experience that i may not enjoy the life.
Would just like some thoughts…

Many thanks
Click to expand...

First bit of advice is that on MHF, there are experts, pros, amateurs and newbies. All have valuable knowhow that you can tap into, because while the experts can offer extremely technical advice, the newbie can alert you to a pitfall that they have just climbed out of. You don't have to follow advice if it doesn't seem to fit your circumstances. While not unique, motorhomes are at least individual, and funsters will all have stories about how Xxxx motorhomes hide their boiler fuses in the glove compartment or somewhere really wacky.

Secondly, if you have spent one night in your bus, not burned or flooded it, it rolled into a ditch and woken up more or less after having a decent nights kip, congrats, you are now a seasoned motorhomer, and can give forth with authority and confidence in the pub.

Thirdly, things WILL occasionally go wrong. The MH is a complex beastie. Gas, leccy, water, boiler, fridge, taps, heater, khazi, and then you have the added fun of the Ducato chassis. Get pdfs of every single instruction manual and download onto your phone and tablet. When you are watching the sunset with a glass of the good stuff, read a bit. Oh and make sure that you always can access MHF for advice.

Fourthly, stop worrying about how much you don't know. The idea is to dream away, out in to the world, and seek relaxation and freedom. You can't do that if you are wondering whether you should buy green toilet glop or blue

Fifthly, be wary of buying 'stuff'. Most of us have sheds full of essential accessories bought at the NEC, that are still in their film wrapping. If you are looking at getting that highly recommended, granulated awning imaginator spool, do you need it? Or just want it. More importantly, how heavy is it? Weight. Oh ... you are gonna hate how much things weigh ... :crying1:

Lastly, there is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask, ask and ask. No one minds. Everyone wants to help. Just ask. Be prepared to take a picture if you need to explain a problem. Did I mention that you should ask?

Enjoy it mate. There's nothing like it.
With a hotel, it isn't yours, with a static, you have the same view every morning. In a tent, you sit in the car and wait until the storm dies down, and with a caravan, you spend several week setting up. With a motorhome, you put the handbrake on, grab a chair, pop a beer and you are done.
 
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I think your experience is the one thing that surprised me most …. It is a bloody minefield.

My top tip is take your time with everything …try not to rush and slow everything down - whether it’s leaving a site and forgetting to unplug, or leaving home and forgetting something.
These vans are a bit complicated and a bit fragile tbh (they have to be to save weight). In time it all becomes second nature 👍
 
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We bought our first motorhome in 22, had great fun on our steep learning curve!
I’d say go away as often as you can even if it’s just Britstop or weekend away.

We managed to flatten the batteries, flood the van with waste water, had a burst tyre on the motorway, changed a load of wing mirror parts after some white van man smashed it for us, got stuck in the mud, drove off with the kitchen window open (no damage, but won’t do it again!)
Sounds like a bunch of disasters, but we really are enjoying it!
 
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We were as green as well first time away, a frosty night on a remote car park , couldnt get the trauma heater to fire up then didnt know anything about having a boiler dump valve the next morning when all the water was on the floor and none for a cuppa 🤣
 
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The two things I still forget from time to time - turning the gas off before driving off and switching the fridge to 12v for travelling.

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cyberyacht said:
The two things I still forget from time to time - turning the gas off before driving off and switching the fridge to 12v for travelling.
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Me too, and on the subject of gas if on bottles you can guarantee ot will run out either in the middle of the night, when piddling down, or when desperate for a cuppa
That's another ask me how I know :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
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It could be worse. You could have bought a caravan. Now THAT would take a lot of learning.

Just relax, go with the flow and you will learn an awful lot of stuff up as you go along - It's all part of the fun.
 
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They are all very different as well. I got to thinking I knew my last van inside out but when I swapped vans felt like a complete novice again!
 
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Chris/Tracy said:
We were as green as well first time away, a frosty night on a remote car park , couldnt get the trauma heater to fire up then didnt know anything about having a boiler dump valve the next morning when all the water was on the floor and none for a cuppa 🤣
Click to expand...
I only found out about the boiler dump valve 5 years after I got the van. Thank heavens for mild winters.
 
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We’ve had our Peugeot Autocruise 2004 for around 8 weeks now. Finally ( I think) mastered the water system, after quite a few sleepless nights, where it occupied my every thought.
I always find once I’ve finally done something right it sticks and seems easier after that. I watched a lot of You Tube videos which were helpful and read the manual many times ( made me even more confused) and read notes from previous owners. The best thing though was asking people on site, who are usually very helpful.
 
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