Just did online chat with CAMC regarding this, you can have the camper on the same pitch with gas bottle, but can only use one.
It was CAMC who told us that we couldn't leave our MH parked next to sisters caravan while we went out on final day in their car. Apparently it's to do with regulations of distance between 2 units that has to be left. Otherwise there would be a MH and caravan next to each other.
------------- Jean
Sometimes a little rain must fall before you reach a rainbow.
The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won't wait while you finish the work.
I can only relay what I was told, I asked the question twice the second time she went to double check with a supervisor.
The answer was as stated, two units with gas bottles on one pitch, but only use one units gas.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Thanks. I’m interested that you get a weeks food in the fridge (topped with stuff that doesn’t need to be in a fridge). There would be more options if I could look at models with smaller fridges. How many does that feed? There will be four of us. Does yours have a freezer compartment?
Use a portable fridge whilst in France, but it's always used for drinks of varying degrees of strength.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
I looked at a Dethleff a few years ago when my kids were younger. It looked lush but my (now ex!) husb said no. It had a fixed double bed at one end and bunks at the other. Lounge & kitchen in the middle. It’s German so the door is on the right hand side but that doesn’t bother me. Personally, I wouldn’t restrict yourself to a separate freezer. That is rare in a caravan. Get a fridge with an ice box and a separate cool box and lots of ice packs that you can keep freezing in your ice box. You can always get supermarkets to deliver food if you run out.
PS I’m now divorced and own a Defleff campy 😁
Couple of points you need to be aware of with caravan fridges, the vast majority are 3-way (12v/240v/LPG gas) 'absorption' types as opposed to normal domestic 'compressor' types. There are a few 12v/240v compressor type fridges beginning to appear in upmarket and probably continental caravans, but they are rare.
Absorption fridges work perfectly well so long as you use them correctly (read the manual!) and within their ambient temp range (typically plus 10C to plus 32C), but are VERY slow to respond, the Dometic model fitted in my modern van advises waiting 12 hours from switch on before putting food into it to allow it to chill to appropriate temp. Equally, if you stuff a properly chilled fridge full of recently purchased food that is not sufficiently chilled, it will take many hours before it reaches the 'safe' storage temp of 4C or below for perishable food. Probably one of the greatest abuses many people unthinkingly indulge in is continually putting large quantities of warm beer, wine or soft drinks in to chill when they have a bit of a 'session', that'll put your perishable foods at risk!
When being towed, it will be powered by 12v supply from the towing vehicle, but more and more modern vehicles have 'smart alternators' that don't always seem to provide the full power continuously, therefore, coupled with the fact that absorption fridges are highly sensitive to operating angles (only about 4 degrees from level tolerance) and the vehicle movement degrades their performance anyway, it will not perform to it's max capabilities whilst under tow! It's a good way of starting the chill down so that once on site and hooked up to EHU or LPG (it'll only run on 12v when being towed) it will get down to temp a lot quicker, but may not get or stay at appropriate (4C or below) in transit. Not that anyone has ever likely experienced it due to the compromised performance in transit, but theoretically at least, due to no thermostatic control when running on 12v, the whole fridge could drop to sub zero temperatures and freeze contents!
My fridge, as do many, has a removable 'ice box', that works perfectly well as a mini freezer, but can be removed to give a increased capacity to the fridge (103/110 litres in my case).
If packing the fridge before starting journey, you'd probably be horrified at how much stuff jumps and jiggles around in transit, don't be surprised by damage and spills of contents by time you reach destination unless packed with great care! If you put heavy bottles/jars in door shelves, you risk breaking the rather flimsy shelves too.
As to taking an extra 'coolbox', I do indeed. I take a 3-way (higher performance version) camping fridge that I use as a freezer in transit (in the car and powered from 12v socket), transferring contents to caravan fridge (icebox) once on site and suitably chilled. I then use the camping fridge as an overflow fridge/beer fridge. I chill the camping fridge at home on 240v, transfer frozen food to it at last minute and pack a load of freezer blocks into it as well. It'll stay suitable frozen for a good 14 hours.
I generally only have myself and the dog to cater for, but tend to take a week or more worth of food with me to save going shopping at destination. I adapt my diet/menu to use a lot more easily stored tinned and dried food than I would normally use at home, it reduces the dependency on the limited capacity of the fridge/freezer, but still lets me be entirely self sufficient for my stay. It's only a week or so, a slightly alternative diet isn't a huge hardship. Catering for 4 is another matter, be acutely aware of how much weight you are carrying, you will eat into your caravan safe (legal) load capacity significantly if packing it into the van! Even my single person plus dog supplies go in the car as rather weighty!
Thank you for the information. I have decided to suspend my search for a caravan. It’s all become rather overwhelming. However the information is useful for future reference and I definitely think the cool box tips are very useful.
It does get rather overwhelming. You cannot plan for every foreseeable event. You can either just take a punt and buy a caravan or go and see a few. I think they’ll increase in value a lot this year as most people will be staycationing, so I’d advise to buy one soon. Also, campsites are booking up quickly too! Good luck x
Quote: Originally posted by George76 on 01/3/2021
Thank you for the information. I have decided to suspend my search for a caravan. It’s all become rather overwhelming. However the information is useful for future reference and I definitely think the cool box tips are very useful.
May I enquire if you have camped before in any units?
I would advise the "try before you buy" approach, probably not with a caravan if you have never towed one before, but to hire a motorhome perhaps, to see if you like it.
Personally, I have never camped in a tin tent before before I dived into the deep end to get one - it is either a tin tent or I don't go camping at all.
When life gets back to some form of normality, I would strongly advise you to attend shows in person, to have a look and feel of different layouts in order to find out what may suit.
It helps to have some ideas on your priorities in your needs and wants.
So if you need as big a fridge freezer as you need for say a family for 4, then so be it! Don't forget to take into consideration for the ratio and volume of the fridge and freezer, as each household's requirement is different!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by George76 on 01/3/2021
Thank you for the information. I have decided to suspend my search for a caravan. It’s all become rather overwhelming. However the information is useful for future reference and I definitely think the cool box tips are very useful.
It is all a bit overwhelming, especially if starting from scratch! It's bad enough if you start with some insight!
For my step up from tent to caravan, I spent over a year looking at different models and specs, visiting shows and dealers etc. to gain knowledge and explore options. I changed my view and expectations considerably over the period, but made a choice on the van I purchased with a good deal of accumulated knowledge behind me, and unlike quite a few people on their first caravan purchase, it was definitely the right van for me and I have no intention of replacing it any time soon.
Quote: Originally posted by Monty15 on 01/3/2021
It is all a bit overwhelming, especially if starting from scratch! It's bad enough if you start with some insight!
For my step up from tent to caravan, I spent over a year looking at different models and specs, visiting shows and dealers etc. to gain knowledge and explore options. I changed my view and expectations considerably over the period, but made a choice on the van I purchased with a good deal of accumulated knowledge behind me, and unlike quite a few people on their first caravan purchase, it was definitely the right van for me and I have no intention of replacing it any time soon.
Likewise with me, in that I knew I would be changing unit in 2020 five years prior, and spent time visiting shows, checking out different caravans and MHs, reading up on each layout's pros and cons, and came to the conclusion that I needed to go down the custom-conversion route.
Hopefully, I got it right first time. Only time will tell, and roll on 13 March 2021 which is the current ETA of my van.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Caravan layouts
via mobile 26/2/2021 at 6:01pm
