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Hello, I'm new to this forum. I tow a Bailey Phoenix 650 with a Volvo XC60 and we're just back from Camp Bestival in Dorset - amazing!! It was our first "off EHU" trip and it went OK but I have some queries about charging a leisure battery with a solar panel (40W). 1. I charged the battery to 13.6V with the panel before we went (battery out of the van) 2. Took the battery back to the van (in storage) and reconnected the battery - it read 12.5V, where has the 1.1V gone? 3. At the festival, I connected the panel to the battery, via the controller. Saturday was sunny and the battery was soon up to 12.8V (van panel and controller). On our return, both the controller and van panel reading 12.3V, where has the 0.5V been lost to? In addition to that, our CO alarm went off yesterday morning - could that be because we had been charging the battery without the air tight internal cover fitted?

Hi The proposal to repair a damaged side panel is to remove parts of panel protruding and cover area outlined in blue with a similar panel, glued on top. What are your thoughts about this type of repair - apart from the edge of the glued-on panel being seen at the vertical line at battery box and below the door? The glued-on panel would be under the door seal. Thanks for your input.

Hi all, After receiving some much needed advice from user - BeeJay (many thanks) - I have installed a battery and Solar panel in my 2003 Hobby Prestige 560 caravan. I thought I would share the pictures, short discription and wiring diagram for anyone else who would find it useful. I have a 7 pin plug to my vehicle as the 13 pin plug had been replaced so I could not run the 12v electrics from my vehicle when on the move. I required a 12v supply as we attend several music festival every year and they charge a fortune for electrical hook up. I decided last year with my Elddis hurricane to invest in a good cheap solar panel to keep the battery topped up for phones, showers and lighting. After buying a 2003 hobby prestige 560 this year for the extra room I was sure I could instal a battery and my solar panel to ensure i get the most from my caravan. I do not require to charge the battery from the mains hook up as the solar panel will be fixed and control the charging of the battery Here is how I done it. .. Shopping list 110Ah Leisure battery - go outdoors - £74. 99 80w Solar Panel and 10A control Panel - ebay - £89. 99(last year) red and brown roll of 27amp cable - Halfords - £ 7. 78 mixed box splice connectors - £3. 89 positive and negative battery terminals - Halfords - £7. 98 total cost - £184. 63 I disconnected the mains hook up and opened the main electrical box to see the incoming wires. I sourced the 12v cable going to main electrical board from the car hook up cable. The wires were the thick red+ and white- wires I opened the 12v distribution box under the fixed bed at the front of the caravan. I connected a splice connector to each wire with a length of 27amp wire and connected the to the battery - red to red (positive) and white to brown (negative) I attached the crocodile clips for the solar panel from the control box to the battery and that was it. it took me about an hour to figure it all out and complete the job. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be and I am no electrition. I am in the process of making a battery box in work and intend to vent it through the floor and place it under the fixed bed beside the 12v distribution board. I intend to tidy up the wiring from the photo's and put them on the bed sides to keep them off the floor as the water heater is under the bed also and the seals blew in the vents the first time I used it. This flooded under the bed so I think keeping everything sealed and off the floor is for the best. If any one has any comments advice or would like any advice please feel free to comment. 2003 Hobby Prestige 560 Wiring Diagram with mods Solar Panel 10A Control box

Morning everyone (and hi!) -- I own a 1982 Eccles Amethyst. It's a lovely little van and has done us some wonderful holidays, but it's old and coming back from the coast a couple of weeks ago, I heard a rattle followed by a slight tug where the wind was catching. When I pulled into a layby to check everything, I found a side of the external gas locker had broken off: We *think* it happened because the lid wasn't secured down - the lock came loose - and the wind took it. Thankfully it was a quiet time of day. .. So, given the vintage of the van (1982 Eccles Amethyst, a lot of pieces are originals on it), I've not managed to find a breaker who might have one kicking around so please, if I may pick the collective brains here, my options seem to be: 1. Fabricate another from fibreglass and join it onto the remaining frame. It's not a flat panel, thus would involve me building a mould. The rest of the panel *appears* to be uPVC maybe vacuum-formed. 2. Try and nobble an entire gas locker from another van (I may have access to another more recent van for spares, it's not roadworthy), however I'm not sure how "standard" in size these are. I'd guess not? I did note that on the potential donor van, the towbar cover and the locker itself were all one unit. 3. Rebuild the upper section maybe using other materials - even just timber and uPVC panels. I do want to get another year or two out of this van but plan on replacing it after that, so I'm not after spending lots of cash on it. I don't have drive space to pick up a second unit and pull it to bits. We're not taking it out again this year (I don't think anyway, depends on what my partner says!) so no epic rush and I have the time to spend sorting it out properly. Any advice would be very much appreciated please! Thanks in advance, Jessica. x

I am looking for a wiring diagram on how to fit a solar panel. This would include fittment to the roof and all subsequent sealing and wiring in. Can any member be able to supply some links to carry out this undertaking? Many thanks. Tony1952

Can someone help me? Just taken delivery of a new Conqueror 570 and the alde heating worked fine with the Command panel and App for 3 days then this message came up. Alde will now not talk to Command panel and app does not work. I have been told by Sargeant that it must be a cabling fauly between the 2. If thats the case, why did it work fine for several days before failing. Has anyone any other ideas?

I'm thinking of permanently fixing my 80w metal framed solar panel to the roof of my caravan. (I currently have it on suckers and place it on the roof when I arrive on site and put the cable through the skylight). I'm intending to use a corner bracket set such as this: www. ebay. co. uk/itm/261829687314 Since it's a rectangular panel I may also add side brackets such as these: www. ebay. co. uk/itm/301224863428 The cable will be fed through a cable gland such as this: www. ebay. co. uk/itm/311274148389 I'm intending to glue the brackets and cable gland to the roof using Sikaflex 512. My questions are: (1) Will a 300ml tube be enough to stick those 6 brackets, and the cable gland? (2) I've seen reference to cleaning the roof with white spirit or meths, and sanding the surface to get good adhesion. But I've also read that some people have used Sikaflex Primer as well to get a strong bond. And Sikaflex Primer is £40 a bottle! I'm a bit confused if that's necessary? Also any other tips to make sure I get a good permanent bond would be appreciated. I don't want it coming off on the motorway! Thanks

Hello everyone. I'm so new to this, I don't even own a caravan yet! I've been offered a 1994 Golden Crown caravan, 4-berth, from a friend for £800, including an awning (bought last year) and all accessories. It seems a good deal and the inside was mint, with the exception of one thing. They told me that they had to get a leak fixed and it had been siliconed externally on the roof. There was no smell of dampness, but I did notice that there was some movement in the wall where the water had accessed. On external examination, I could see that the offside upper half panel was bulging and had created a gap between it and the bottom panel. When viewed from below and looking up, I could see the foam filling of the panel and my fingers could fit in the gap. Now obviously this has me concerned, but I'm not too bad at DIY and I was wondering if you think this is an easy thing to repair, or whether it will be more hassle than it is worth? I'm in the process of trying to upload some photos to help explain my predicament. Thanks in advance, Iain