Bristol Caravans and Motorhomes

Workshop at Bristol Caravans

Top 5 tips for maintaining your Caravan & Motorhome

You have just bought a new Caravan / Motorhome and want to make the most of it. Do not worry, we are here to make sure you are maintaining and making the most, during the ownership of your pride and joy. Here are the Top 5 Tips for you to maintain your Caravan / Motorhome: 1. Make sure you book into a trusted workshop for your annual services! For you caravan owners it is important to book a service every year, ensuring all the water, gas, electrics, brakes, chassis, and A frame hitch assembly are checked thoroughly. Not only does […]

Damp repairs

How to avoid DAMP in your Caravan or Motorhome!

Nobody wants to come back to their Caravan or Motorhome after the winter break to see a damp patch. Although it is hard to identify when water ingress is happening, we have some helpful tips to prevent damp in your vehicle. How does damp occur in my Caravan or Motorhome? The three stages of damp to be aware of: This is caused by damp air being trapped in a cupboard or room. The visual effects are mould on the walls or inside cupboards. This is the main cause of Damp! Potentially coming from sealant failure, for example sealant cracking around […]

Wash & Wax at Bristol Caravans

Cleaning my Caravan & Motorhome

How often should you clean your Caravan / Motorhome? We recommend giving your vehicle at least two deep washes a year. One at the start of your holiday season, and one at the end. Of course, whilst your Caravan / Motorhome are in storage it will gather dirt, algae, and moss; making it harder to clean. If you regularly give it a wash over, the easier and quicker your seasonal washes will be. Should I wash my Caravan / Motorhome with Hot Water? It is important to bear in mind you Caravan, or Motorhome is made of up many plastic […]

MOT at Bristol Caravans

Does my motorhome need an MOT?

Here at Bristol Caravans, we book your Motorhome or Camper van’s MOT with the additional charge for collection and delivery. Before completing your MOT, our technicians complete a visual pre-check including all exterior lights. What is an MOT? An MOT (Ministry of Transport) is a test to check the general health of your Motorhome. Although your Motorhome may seem in working order, it must meet the DVSA’s legal safety and environmental standards. The MOT must be carried out by a vehicle technician with an MOT qualification, and they must be in possession of specific testing equipment. What will be checked […]

How to connect my caravan or motorhome to 230v hook up

How to plug in to mains electric on site The last thing you want is to arrive on site and your electrics do not work. As soon as you get on site, follow these steps and you will be sat back relaxing in no time! How to hook-up: My electrics are not working on site – What do I do? First you want to plug in your 230V hook up cable into the mains electric supply. Next, connect your Caravan or Motorhome. Using the mains socket tester, insert the tester into a socket and turn on. The tester will indicate […]

Why is there Water leaking underneath my Caravan / Motorhome?

You have arrived on site, switched on your water pump and now water is leaking from underneath your Caravan or Motorhome. Where is the leak coming from? It is most likely coming from your drain valve! Your drain valve allows for excess water to escape the Caravan / Motorhome. You would most commonly open the valve when draining down for the winter period. Find out why this is important on our ‘Winterisation’ post. Where is the drain valve in my Caravan / Motorhome? Look under your sofa cushions, at the bottom of the wardrobe, bottom cupboards, and underneath the bed. […]

How to set up the WHALE water system and pumb

Setting up a WHALE Water Pump First things first… Make sure your WHALE pump is securely attached and locked into position. Is your 12v power supply working? Assuming your caravan / motorhome has a charged battery, and all the appropriate fuses are intact, the power to run a water pump’s motor is usually activated at the 12V control panel. WHALE Control Panel: Now your pump is in the correct position, go inside your caravan / motorhome and check the control panel. It should look something like this: All switches should be in the on position. If your control panel presents a fault […]

What is my ATC light indicating?

What does the AL-KO ATC light do on my Caravan? Do you ever feel your Caravan moving side to side on a long journey? Worried you can’t control it whilst driving? Don’t worry, this is exactly what your ATC is for! What is an ATC? An ATC light, also known as the Automatic Trailer Control, is the AL-KO anti-snaking device. The point of the ATC is to assist the driver should the caravan encounter strong winds, overtaking, or sudden braking traffic. How does the ATC work? The ATC tracks movement. Once a considerable movement is detected, the ATC automatically applies […]

leisure battery

What is the best leisure battery

Need help choosing the right battery? If you can email us a list of appliances in your caravan, motorhome, or camper van, we can estimate the power needed for your caravan and recommend a few battery options. If you are considering a new Habitation Battery, please give us a call with your vehicle’s Make, Model, Age, and information on the current Leisure Battery fitted. What is a leisure battery? The leisure battery will power all 12v appliances including your lighting, and water pump! Accessories can be run off the 12v system, however accessories will increase the rate at which the […]

Electrical Safety Check

Caravan Electrial Safety Check

EICR Safety Test – What every owner should know! The electrical installation condition report (EiCR) identifies damage, deterioration and defects which may cause danger within your Caravan, Motorhome or Camper van. It is a safety check of the 230v mains electrical wiring, switches, and appliances in your Caravan, Motorhome or Camper van. Bristol Caravans are trained, qualified and have the correct kit to complete this important safety check. What is included in a EiCR? The testing process involves the wiring and accessories undergoing several, and rigorous, electrical tests using: Problems discovered during the inspection and test can be remedied, or recommendations given to […]

CTEK Lithium Battery

What are the benefits of a Lithium Battery?

What does a leisure battery do? The leisure battery will power all 12v appliances including your lighting, and water pump! Your habitation 12v system needs to be above 11 volts for appliances to work. Benefits of a Lithium Battery Maintenance of a Lithium Leisure Battery Lithium batteries require little maintenance. Simply remove after a season and store in a cool place, out of direct sunlight. Ensure it is left at a minimum of 50% charge. It is not a requirement out of season to keep the battery on charge. Unlike other batteries Lithium (Li-on) batteries can re-charge hundreds of times […]

Solar Panels

What is the right size Solor Panel for my Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan?

There are a few items to consider when thinking about a new solar panel: What type of leisure battery are you going to charge, and how many amps can it take when being charged? Only a Lithium battery can accept more than 10 amps, therefore if you have “standard” leisure batteries i.e. Lead Acid, Gel or AGM you should aim for a max or 10 amps charging. To put 10 amps into context, solar panels are usually sold based on a Watts rating. A 120w Solar Panel in theory without any loss, will give 10 amps, in reality it is […]

Maxx Fan to keep your motorhome cool

How to keep your Caravan / Motorhome Cool

Do you suffer from a hot and stuffy Caravan or Motorhome?Have sleepless, uncomfortable nights?Have little air flow, despite all the windows being open? Bristol Caravans are here to help you make your Caravan or Motorhome cool and comfortable through the summer months. It is important we make the most of the summer season. Setting up your Caravan for Summer Keep Blinds and Curtains closed Blocking the sunlight from entering your Caravan or Motorhome keeps the air inside from heating up. Although a simple trick, it can be very effective! Next time you go to the beach for the day, leave […]

How to maintain my Caravan / Motorhome Toilet

Nobody wants to go back to a smelly toilet in their Caravan or Motorhome. Bristol Caravans is here to provide helpful tips all year round to keep your toliet fresh and ready to go. How to leave the toilet out of season: Flushing the Top Tank –Before tucking your Caravan or Motorome away over the winter season, make sure you flush the top tank with clean water. You do NOT want to leave any resedue of chemical in the system as it will crystalise. Once crystalised your flush pump will seize, and you will have to pay for a replacement. […]

Why do I keep tripping at the post?

Overloading your Caravan / Motorhomes Electrics  There are two ways you can trip the electrics,1. Overloading2. You have an Earth Fault The last thing you want to do on holiday is trip your electrics, and potentially your neighbours! To avoid this, keep reading for our helpful tips and advice on your Caravan or Motorhomes electrics. Overloading – What does it mean to overload your electrics? By overloading the 230v system in your vehicles electrics, this means the appliances your using are trying to take more power than the system is designed to handle, causing a trip. This kind of trip […]

Off-Grid Lithium Battery

Considerations when you plan to go off-grid

Are you planning to take your Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan off-grid?Fancy going off-grid, but a little nervous?Need your leisure battery to last the whole trip? If you are a keen explorer, here are some lithium battery considerations to ensure you get the most out of your Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan. If you are considering installing an inverter, battery charger, or solar panel, contact us and request our short questionnaire to help us identify exactly what you need. An example of an off-grid system: How it works: Without having 230v mains electricity, you will need alternative power solutions in its place. […]

Brake fluid replacement at Bristol Caravans

Brake Fluid Replacement, What, Where, How, When

Automotive experts agree that Brake Fluid should be changed regularly as a part of normal routine service. Not all manufacturers mention Brake Fluid in their scheduled maintenance recommendations, those that do, recommend fresh Brake Fluid approximately every 2 years or 24,000 miles, your motorhome probably cover less than 12,000 miles per year, so when was the last time your motorhome benefitted from some new Brake Fluid? The tech bit… Brake Fluid is a safety-critical subject, how important are the people onboard your vehicle? Most people don’t know why Brake Fluid should be changed, well Brake Fluid is hygroscopic, which means […]

How does an Inverter work?

An inverter is used to convert your 12v into 230v. This is perfect for going off-grid as you do not have access to mains electricity hook-up. In conjunction with your inverter, we recommend having a lithium battery. Due to inverters using a lot of energy, you must ensure you have a powerful battery. Having a lithium battery is the perfect solution because they have a higher energy density, a longer life, and the ability to maintain voltage even when heavily discharged. Why should I install an Inverter? Caravan and Motorhome owners use inverters because sometimes, they will want to power […]

Lithium Installation

Why should I fit a new Lithium Battery?

Do you enjoy spending time off-grid? Have you always wanted to try going off-grid, but have been deterred by the limited facilities? Here at Bristol Caravans, we aim to provide a solution to all your leisure vehicle needs… A case study is probably a good way to discuss the benefits of a new Lithium Battery. A new customer asked how we could breathe life into an older motorhome. A great question from the customer, but we needed a little more info, so asked about his aims, and how he would like to use his leisure vehicle. He said his hobby […]