Davans Frequently Asked Questions
Caravan FAQ's
Anyone new to caravanning will be concerned about towing a caravan safely. It really isn’t as difficult as some people assume and you can pick it up quite quickly with a little practice on your own. If you’re still a bit nervous, you can always book yourself onto one of the Caravan Club’s Practical Caravanning Courses for beginners. They are held at various locations up and down the country and will give you all the experience and confidence you need.
A noseweight is the maximum caravan hitch weight permitted on the car towball for any given car model. This can be found in the car manufacturer’s handbook and should not be exceeded. It is also worth remembering that the caravan noseweight should be heavy enough for towing stability. A general rule of thumb for any car/caravan outfit is for the caravan noseweight to be approximately 5% to 7% of the caravan’s ALW (generally between 50 and 90kg) for optimum stability.
No you don't need an MOT on a caravan.
No, you don’t need to tax or MOT a touring caravan. However, to keep your caravan in good towing and habitation order, we recommended that you have it serviced annually.
It depends on the caravan and it’s service requirements. Contact Davan Caravans and we’ll provide you with a fixed quote for your caravan. Davan also provide very cost-effective Service Plans, providing an easy and convenient way to budget for your scheduled servicing with monthly instalments.
For any caravan first-time buyer, a good starter pack will set you back around £350 and contain basic items you will definitely need. These include things like an Aqua Roll, Waste Master, leisure battery, caravan step, mains cable, gas bottle wheel clamp and a hitch lock. If you buy from a knowledgeable dealer like Davan, they’ll get you kitted out with the essentials.
Most caravans use high rated tyres as used with light vans. Caravan wheels however, are different to car wheels because of the extra weight they have to carry. You should therefore always carry a spare wheel that meets the caravan manufacturer’s specification, with a suitable tyre. Correct caravan tyre pressure will be indicated in the handbook. It is sometimes marked on the wheel arch as well.
Always check your caravan tyres in the same way you check your car tyres, visually inspecting for signs of wear and tear and tread depth (legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tyre width). Even a small variation in tread depth across the tyre width is a possible sign of overloading. It is also worth noting that although caravan tyres won’t be doing the same mileage as a car, they will deteriorate with age. Even if they look okay, caravan tyres should be replaced every 5 years from new.
Most caravan appliances can use either. So, what is the difference?
The main difference to caravan owners is the temperature that each can be used at. Propane can be used at much lower temperatures, even at minus 42˚C, making it the best choice in colder weather. Propane burns a bit hotter too, meaning it will take less time to cook with or heat water. It’s also a bit lighter than butane which means your caravan will be carrying less weight and it’s easier to lift.
Butane however, is less toxic and it burns cleaner. It’s also worth mentioning that propane is stored at a higher pressure, so could be considered more dangerous and it’s illegal to store it indoors.
For our money, we would recommend using propane. You’ll spend less, can carry more nose weight and be able to enjoy your caravan all year round.
Caravan or leisure batteries are very different to car batteries, so you should learn how to charge and maintain them so that they provide sufficient power for each trip and you extend their life as much as possible.
Car batteries are built to deliver a surge of power that is needed to start the engine and the engine’s alternator replenishes that power while the engine is running. Leisure batteries, on the other hand, are built to provide a lower, steady power output over prolonged periods of time,
until a recharge is provided. To keep a leisure battery in tip-top condition, manufacturers recommend recharging as soon as it reaches 50% of full charge.
Leisure batteries are designed to withstand a life of heavy discharge and recharge cycles and are essential for touring caravans, especially when there is no electric hook-up available. If maintained correctly, they will run the caravan’s various electrical appliances for a good week or more (depending on usage).
When travelling abroad, it is worth remembering that a broadcast aerial will only provide access to local TV channels. If you want to receive English-language broadcasts, you’ll need to have a multi-standard digital TV capable of receiving a digital signal from a satellite dish.
There are two basic types of TV aerial for a caravan – omnidirectional and directional. Omnidirectional aerials can pick up a signal from any direction but as a consequence are more prone to interference. This generally means poor quality TV watching and some channels may not be picked up at all. Directional aerials on the other hand can be rotated to point directly at a transmission tower and adjusted for best-quality reception. However, reception can be impeded when line of sight is blocked by hills, trees or large buildings.
There are two schools of thought on this. The first believe that caravans are outdoor vehicles and as such should simply require a clean-up and polish after winter storage. The other believes that covering a caravan is the most sensible and safe way to protect them from the elements.
If you do decide to cover your caravan during winter, ensure the covering material is breathable otherwise you may be promoting a build-up of condensation mould on the inside and outside. Poorly-fitted covers may also flap around in the wind causing scratching to windows and paintwork, so ensure you use one that is designed to fit.
That really depends on the caravan size, time needed and level of security being offered at the storage site. Typical outdoor, farm yard storage can start at around £125.00 for Winter, and increase to around £350 for ‘Gold’ standard, covered storage, that is manned 24 hours. These figures are just guidelines and you will need to contact your storage site to obtain a firm quote.
We all know that nothing is safe from a determined thief. However, to avoid becoming just another crime statistic, and to meet most caravan insurers’ conditions, certain precautions need to be taken to minimize this risk and reduce insurance policy price increases.
There are many security devices on the market, from popular wheelclamps and hitchlocks, to sophisticated alarms and tracking systems.
Wheelclamps attached to a caravan wheel which, in effect, demobilises it. Not all wheel clamps are universal so ensure you buy one that is designed to fit.
Hitchlocks are designed to cover your hitch mechanism, so a thief can’t simply hitch it up and tow it away. This is a minimum requirement for most insurers when a caravan is left unattended.
High-pitched alarms and tracking devices represent the latest in hi-tech approaches to caravan security. A pro-active tracking device will alert a central control room if your caravan moves without your knowledge and depending on your response after contacting you, will inform the police.
Connecting to a caravan site electricity hook-up allows you to receive electrical power in much the same way as your home. This would normally be a 230V supply, which you can use directly to power 230V electrical equipment or indirectly through a power supply unit that converts to a normal 12V DC, which powers a leisure battery.
There are limitations however. A caravan site hook-up incorporates a device to prevent overloading and therefore limits the number of appliances you can use at any one given time. Most sites will provide a 16 amp supply, slightly less than a household kitchen supply of 20 amps. To prevent circuit breakers ‘tripping’ your electrical supply, you need to ensure the total wattage of appliances used at any one time is less than the power supplied to you.
A useful calculation is to divide the wattage of your appliance by the voltage supply to determine how many amps (power supply) it will require. i.e. a typical 1000 watt toaster using a 230-volt power supply will draw 4.3 amps when in use. That’s perfectly adequate for a supply set at 16 amps. However, if you have four 1000 watt appliances in use at the same time, this would require over 17 amps and overload your supply.
Different toilet chemicals work in different ways, so you need to choose carefully. Some campsites may also insist that you only use environmentally-friendly chemicals. Some kill bacteria and other use a biological action. All toilet chemicals have two basic functions, to break down human waste and reduce odours.
Most toilet chemicals contain formaldehyde, which is toxic, blue in colour and not eco-friendly. These days you’ll discover lots of formaldehyde-free chemicals on the market, which are usually coloured green.
Absolutely. They are a legal requirement which says you must fit suitable towing mirrors if your trailer or caravan is wider than the rear of your car. You must also have an adequate view of the road, 20 metres behind you and four metres down both sides of the outfit. That aside, by using extension mirrors, you will improve your view, and thus the safety of yourself and other road users.
In 2010 a new law on towing mirrors was introduced, stating that all new cars and motorhomes registered since January 2010 must carry the ‘e-mark’ which indicates that it complies with EEC regulation 2003/97 (in the EU) or UNECE Regulation 46.01 or 46.02 (in the United Nations).
Just like buying a car, if you buy from a reputable dealer like Davan, you don’t need to worry as the responsibility lies with the dealer, and if the worst should happen you’ll get all your money back. However, the same can’t be said with private purchases, although there are some tell-tell signs to look out for and things you can check.
Firstly, look for any tampering of the CRiS number, which identifies a caravan and is displayed on at least seven windows and stamped into the chassis. You can call 020 3282 1000 and for a £15 fee they’ll confirm if the caravan is stolen, been written-off or has any outstanding finance on it.
Visually check if the towing hitch has been damaged or the overrun rubber is heat damaged, which could indicate theft. Also, check that the wheels match as odd wheels suggest that there’s something amiss.
Lastly, check that the owner has the original ownership documents with the correct make, model and 17 digit ID number plus a written purchase receipt.
Motorhome FAQ's
In recent decades the motorhome market has evolved to provide greater choice than ever. It is therefore wise to thoroughly research the market before making a final decision. A great way to get free help and advice is to speak to like-minded individuals through a club or an online forum. Friendly, family-run dealers like Davan are also a great source of knowledge and are more than happy to explain which motorhome would be best for your needs and budget.
There are a few main ‘types’ of motorhomes or campervans for you to consider.
“Panel Van Conversions” are typically white-van-man vehicles that are kitted out for camping. They are referred to as “campervans” and usually come with elevating roofs for extra headroom when you arrive at your destination.
“Coachbuilts” usually start life as a front cab with rear chassis to which a converter will add a caravan body. These vehicles have more interior space and ‘overcab’ models have space for a double bed over the front cab.
“A-class” are manufactured by placing a full caravan shell over the chassis and engine. These larger motorhomes optimise the interior space with innovative design features and on some models, even incorporate a full-size, drop-down double bed.
“RV’s” or Recreational Vehicles, are the biggest and usually priciest motorhomes on the market. They usually include features and facilities normally found in residential homes. Quality and luxury are words usually associated with these models.
With such a wide range of vehicles, it’s hard to know which will be best for you, so we'd recommend visiting a dealer with a large showground like Davan or visiting a show, to gain confidence in your decision.
In most cases, a motorhome won’t exceed 3500Kg, so a standard driving licence will cover you, regardless of the date you passed your test. However, if you’ve passed your driving test since 1st January 1997, for much larger motorhomes up to 7,500Kg, you will need to pass an additional driving test to add a C1 category to your licence.
The reason most buyers choose motorhomes over caravans is so they can discover and enjoy parts of the world where hotels or campsites simply don’t exist. It’s at these destinations where a motorhome truly comes into it’s own.
At these destinations your vehicle truly becomes your home from home and will happily run on a combination of 12V leisure battery and gas cylinder for a few days. Battery power can sometimes be topped using a solar panel (or re-charge when the vehicle is driven). Gas cylinders will run out quickly if they are used to supply heating and run a fridge, so always check the amount in a cylinder before a trip or take a spare.
Not really. The only recommendation is that motorhomes will often stay on the vehicle for a lot longer because the mileage you do in a motorhome is often much less than your car. You should really replace any motorhome tyre once it reaches 5 years of age. After that, they will deteriorate regardless of their tread depth.
Most campsites allow all shapes and sizes of motorhomes to use the same pitch as caravans. However, some can be a bit particular if you exceed 8.7 metres in length. Also, as motorhomes are heavier than caravans, hard-standing pitches are more suitable. Motorhomes can use grass pitches but it’s advisable to check the ground first before driving on to it, by digging the heel of your shoe into the soil.
It is also advisable, if you have a particularly large or heavy vehicle, to check that the site can accommodate you.
In the UK, depending on when you passed your driving test, different rules apply to your licence and it’s limitations regarding towed vehicles and combined outfit weights. You must also ensure that you’re within the manufacturer’s vehicle towing limits.
For a motorhome to tow a small car (the law doesn’t specifically say you can do this) you would need to use an a-frame, which allows the car to be towed on its own wheels without anyone sitting in it. According to the government, a towed vehicle using an a-frame essentially becomes a trailer and must conform to the same regulations i.e. brakes, handbrake, triangular rear reflectors etc. Vehicles will have a towing limit for unbraked trailers and another limit for braked trailers.
In Europe however, towing leisure vehicles is a very grey area. Some countries prohibit towing a car this way. Therefore, to ensure you comply with any legislation you may encounter travelling abroad, we’d recommend towing the car on a braked trailer instead, which raises all four wheels of the car off the ground.
There are differences in the efficiencies and properties of these two camping gases but in simple terms, butane burns at about 10% more efficiently than propane, so you’d use slightly less gas. Propane, on the other hand, and can be used in any climatic condition, even down to minus 42˚C. It’s also a bit lighter than butane which means you’ll be carrying less weight and it’s easier to lift.
Butane is much less toxic however and burns much cleaner. Another thing to note is that propane is stored at higher pressure, so is potentially more dangerous. It’s also illegal to store propane indoors.
There are basically two types of motorhome aerial you can choose from; directional and omnidirectional. To decide which is best for you, you need to understand the difference between them.
Omnidirectional aerials are really useful if you don’t know which direction your signal is coming from as they are able to pick up a signal from any direction. However, the downside is that they can also pick up interference from the many signals being transmitted in your location. This can sometimes mean poor quality TV and some channels just don’t get picked up at all.
Directional aerials are simpler products but they must be rotated to point directly at a transmission tower in order to get the best signal and then adjusted for best-quality reception. A problem with these aerials is that reception can often be worsened due to hills, buildings or trees being in the way. Siting an aerial on a tall pole can sometimes help with this problem. It’s also worth noting that campsites exist mainly in rural locations where TV signals are often weaker.
A car or motorhome engine battery is designed to provide a surge of power for a short burst of time in order to start an engine. After that, it is not doing anything more than re-charging itself by way of the alternator.
Your leisure battery, on the other hand, does an entirely different job by providing a low power output over a prolonged period of time, so you can operate the electrical appliances within the habitation area of your motorhome throughout the day.
Leisure batteries are also constructed to be discharged and re-charged many times and their lifespan and efficiency is enhanced if not often overloaded and as such will keep everything running smoothly for about a week without a re-charge.
No you can’t! In truth, you shouldn’t need to for short crossings of just a few hours. If the refrigerator is pre-cooled beforehand, the contents should remain adequately cool until you are able to re-connect the other side. You can also help the fridge stay cool by filling it as full as possible with ice packs (same ones used in cool boxes) and by not opening it with the power off.
If you’re laying-up your motorhome for the Winter, where to store it along with measures to stop it deteriorating during cold, wet months need to be considered.
If you’re considering paying for secured storage, try to obtain a hard-standing area so you don’t struggle with soft, wet ground traction when you return. Make sure your vehicle isn’t sat under trees where paint damage can be caused by falling leaves and bird droppings. A covered area is therefore much better.
Frost damage in Winter is enemy number one, so make sure you drain down the water supply system including heaters and taps. Moisture and condensation are also real problems and can create an environment for mould and fungus growth if ventilation is limited. So, try to ensure as much ventilation as possible without leaving windows ajar for vermin or even thieves to get in.
Running the engine periodically along with any airflow systems will help and moving the vehicle occasionally will help the tyres stay flexible. Covers are also a good idea to help prevent brake disc corrosion by preventing moisture coming into contact with the discs.
All modern motorhomes now have seat belts fitted to all designated travelling seats. Any seat which is designed to be used only when static, does not need a seat belt but should also not be used for travelling passengers. Travelling seats are forward-facing and static-use (non-travelling) seats are generally side-facing. Where seat belts are provided they must be worn.
Seat belts in older motorhomes might only be fitted to the cab seats, which raise questions about carrying passengers in the habitation area. In these instances, you should only carry the number of passengers as there are berths. Always check with your insurer if you intend to carry passengers with insufficient seat belts available.
The popularity of motorhomes also make them popular targets for thieves. Apart from the obvious precautions such as door and window lock security, you might also consider installing an alarm, immobilizer or tracking device. There are also some sound mechanical devices to consider, such as wheel clamps and steering wheel locks, which will provide a deterrent and reduce the risk of theft.
Many motorhomes are stolen from storage compounds that provide little or no security. Secure storage can be hard to find and may cost more but is very worthwhile.
Watching TV in the UK has changed dramatically in recent years as it has in much of Europe. A multi-standard TV (used in most motorhomes today) will help, but if you want to watch UK TV channels when in Europe, a satellite system and receiver is the only real option.
With a satellite dish and receiver, you can receive whatever TV channel signals your dish is configured to receive. To receive UK Satellite TV abroad, the simple rule of thumb applies that biggest is best. An 85cm dish is much more capable of receiving a signal than a 40cm dish. There are also TVs with built-in Freesat receivers, removing the need for a subscription service.
Well yes, you can but there are limitations you need to take into account. Any campsite electricity hook-up will provide you with electrical power in much the same way as your home does. This is normally a 230V supply, which you can use directly with 230V electrical equipment or indirectly through a leisure battery that converts to a normal 12V DC.
Most campsite electricity hook-ups incorporate a safety device that prevents overloading and consequently limits the number of appliances you can use at the same time. Most sites will provide a 16 amp supply, which is slightly less than a normal household supply of 20 amps. To prevent the safety devices from cutting your electrical supply, you must ensure the total wattage of appliances used at the same time does not exceed the power supply provided.
To work this out simply divide the wattage of your appliances by the supply voltage to determine how many amps (power supply) they will require. i.e. a household 1000 watt toaster using a 230-volt power supply will require 4.3 amps of electricity when in use. That’s easily within a power supply of 16 amps. However, if you increase the load to four 1000 watt appliances at the same time, they would draw over 17 amps and overload your supply.
Toilet chemicals have two very basic functions, to break down human waste and kill smells. A very toxic chemical called formaldehyde was commonly used but not so much these days as it isn’t kind to the environment. Some campsites may also insist that you only use environmentally-friendly chemicals.
These days you’ll discover lots of formaldehyde-free chemicals on the market, which are usually coloured green as opposed to the blue colour of formaldehyde.