Off to the weighbridge tomorrow

[97243]

Our commune's Mairie have told me that the quarry up the road offers a weighbridge service, so I have booked the Esterel in for tomorrow.

I've never done this before, so looking for opinions on whether to preload it as for a trip or to weigh the van empty? At the moment I have about a third of a tank of diesel, two full 13kg propane bottles, but I emptied the water tanks before the cold weather arrived.

My wife has a mobility scooter which weighs about 40 kgs and I can either put that in the garage or leave it out.

This is what we are plated at just now, but I don't think we will have very much payload to work with.

 

[97243]

You've only got 340kg above your PV so be prepared to lose some weight from your normal travelling trim

The PV includes the vehicle in working order,
the driver - (75kg),
a gas bottle - 15kg
fresh water (20l) - 20kg
fuel tanks up to 90 % of their capacity - 75kg
with a tolerance of +/-5 % (in accordance with European Directive EC 92/21).

Where have you found the PV value (3160 ?) ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Im looking at a camping trailer for our summer trip with grandchildren.

I did have a cracking Little fold up trailer, Duuo Plus. Sold it, now I can’t find another .

I've got a small one in excellant condition it's a big bigger than 4x3. But a bit of a long way away for you.

 

[97243]

Im looking at a camping trailer for our summer trip with grandchildren.

I did have a cracking Little fold up trailer, Duuo Plus. Sold it, now I can’t find another .

Can't be doing with trailers.

 

[dunnah01]

Where have you found the PV value (3160 ?) ?

It just popped up on an the French Esterel forum

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[EuroTrotters]

Can't be doing with trailers.

I don’t normally. But it’s a month long trip and we are in France for a big part of it.

That and 4 main stops of one week . So should be easier

 

[97243]

It just popped up on an the French Esterel forum

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Ah, good old Charly ! I've put the question on there as well, but it's not a very active message board.

 

[97243]

Using a PV of 3160 or 3200 (depending what you read) something just isn't adding up, but I'm guessing that the spare wheel is "extra load" as well. I'm going to unload everything and have the van weighed again and see what our basic weight is including the awning, sat dish and solar panel.

 

[nabsim]

The awning, sat dish and solar will all have been added on to your base weight, thus already reducing payload. Figures manufacturers use are normally excluding all extras and can be a manual gearbox

 

[97243]

The awning, sat dish and solar will all have been added on to your base weight, thus already reducing payload. Figures manufacturers use are normally excluding all extras and can be a manual gearbox

That's what I thought. The registration document states that the PV for this van is 3107 kgs and 3182 kgs including driver.

So this is what was weighed yesterday

Awning, dish and panel - 50 kgs
Spare wheel - 25 kgs
Driver / passenger - 155 kgs
2nd gas bottle - 25 kgs
Additional water - 80 kgs
Mobility scooter - 45 kgs
Folding chairs / table - 18 kgs
Level up ramps - 4 kgs
Two electric reels / various tools - 20 kgs
Dishes / pans / cutlery etc - 6 kgs

Total 428 + PV 3107 = 3535 kgs

The recorded weight was 3700 kgs, so that's 165 kgs not accounted for.

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[dunnah01]

That's what I thought. The registration document states that the PV for this van is 3107 kgs and 3182 kgs including driver.

So this is what was weighed yesterday

Awning, dish and panel - 50 kgs
Spare wheel - 25 kgs
Driver / passenger - 155 kgs
2nd gas bottle - 25 kgs
Additional water - 80 kgs
Mobility scooter - 45 kgs
Folding chairs / table - 18 kgs
Level up ramps - 4 kgs
Two electric reels / various tools - 20 kgs
Dishes / pans / cutlery etc - 6 kgs

Total 428 + PV 3107 = 3535 kgs

The recorded weight was 3700 kgs, so that's 165 kgs not accounted for.

The +/- 5% allowance could be used to magic away 150kg of the PV by unscrupulous manufacturers

 

[97243]

It just popped up on an the French Esterel forum

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Got the following reply from Charley who is the font of all knowledge Esterel . He doesn't speak English, so it's a rough Google translation, but close enough.

"your motorhome is overweight, this is the case with many motorhomes in France. In Germany, this same chassis is classified as 3800 kg, and derated at 3500 kg in France.

Theoretically, your motorhome could be reclassified as 3800 kg. To do this, you must make a request to the manufacturer, Esterel, which was bought by Rapido.
So make the request at Rapido (53).

But you will need to have a heavy goods vehicle license, or a B79 endorsement (B license obtained before 1975)"

 

[97243]

I have just heard back from Rapido and the revised plating exercise can be handled by the concession we bought the van from.

 

[PaulW2]

Got the following reply from Charley who is the font of all knowledge Esterel . He doesn't speak English, so it's a rough Google translation, but close enough.

"your motorhome is overweight, this is the case with many motorhomes in France. In Germany, this same chassis is classified as 3800 kg, and derated at 3500 kg in France.

Theoretically, your motorhome could be reclassified as 3800 kg. To do this, you must make a request to the manufacturer, Esterel, which was bought by Rapido.
So make the request at Rapido (53).

But you will need to have a heavy goods vehicle license, or a B79 endorsement (B license obtained before 1975)"

Between the lines: when in Rome...

(Also: could you, when it comes to selling it to the 'many' in France, downplate it again as easily?)

 

[Lenny HB]

Do you qualify for the B79 or does that only apply to French nationals, if you do it be worth uprating to the max of 4050kg.

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[97243]

Do you qualify for the B79 or does that only apply to French nationals, if you do it be worth uprating to the max of 4050kg.

I'm waiting for my renewed licence (UK -> French) at the moment, so won't do anything until I have that and see what classes I have. I don't know what a B79 is ?

 

[Pilote87]

I'm waiting for my renewed licence (UK -> French) at the moment, so won't do anything until I have that and see what classes I have. I don't know what a B79 is ?

B79 is an "add-on" for French drivers who have held a licence since 1987 (I think it is), very similar to the UK "Grandfather rights". I asked about the addition of B79 to my licence when I swapped to the French one about 12 years ago, but was told it couldn't be done. I already had C1+E, so there wasn't a problem for me. I have since stopped having the yearly medical so the validity has lapsed.

John