Bristol Caravans and Motorhomes

Rust Prevention

Rust Prevention for your motorhome, caravan or campervan

Protecting Your Investment: Motorhome Rust Prevention Motorhomes, caravans, and campervans represent significant investments. When a water leak or scratch catches your attention, it’s easy to address. But what about the areas hidden from view? The Hidden Vulnerability The underside of your vehicle is often overlooked yet plays a crucial role in maintaining its value and structural integrity. Neglecting it can lead to costly repairs, increased MOT expenses, and heightened risk of water ingress from road spray. Invisible Threats Everyday wear and tear, road debris, inclement weather, and winter road treatments can all take a toll on the underside of your […]

What Is ALDE Heating System Fluid?

ALDE use a specific type of glycol fluid in the heating system, which is similar to antifreeze. As the glycol fluid ages it becomes less effective. If not changed at the correct interval, your system could be at risk of permanent damage. The damage is usually to internal components, when the fluid becomes acidic, the acid corrodes aluminium components. At the time of writing a relacement Alde system is in the region of £3,500 plus fitting, so definately cheaper to maintain the system rather than replace it. When first built, manufacturers fit Pink or Blue fluid. The blue glycol must […]

What is ALDE Heating?

So what is ALDE Heating? ALDE is a Swedish heating company, and design systems to heat the hot water system and the interior of your Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan using radiators or underfloor heating. It works in a similar way to your central heating at home. A heats transfer liquid is heated, and pumped through pipes to convectors (radiators), the fluid then back to the boiler. Within the boiler, there is a hot water tank, which produces the hot water for your shower and taps. The single boiler within the ALDE system works on 230v and LPG gas, and heats […]

Winter preparation - drain down

Winter preparation for your motorhome or caravan: Winterisation

Winterisation is the Winter preparation for your Motorhome/Caravan. Bristol Caravans have put together a check sheet of all the things your vehicle requires before it goes into hibernation this winter. Winter Preparation Top Tips Drain down Watch out for ‘The First Frost’. Try to beat Jack Frost, by emptying your water system and any water tanks. Why should your water system be emptied? As temperatures get colder, water begins to freeze in the taps. As water freezes, it expands! If even the tiniest droplet of water was to expand in your pipework, the taps could begin to split. Split taps […]

ALDE Heating System FAQs

What is ALDE Heating & How does it work? The ALDE Heating system for Caravans and Motorhomes works in a similar way to your central heating at home. The system heats a transfer liquid, which is pumped through convectors and pipes then back to the boiler. The ALDE Heating system is very efficient, and only uses 1 amp when in operation! The convectors are placed in an optimal position all along the walls of your leisure vehicle, providing an ideal barrier against the cold. As heat is pumped around the vehicle, hot air rises creating a circulation of heat throughout. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Toilet Not Working in Caravan or Motorhome?

Toilet Not Working in Caravan or Motorhome?

If your toilet is not working in your caravan or motorhome, here are my top tips for year round successful toliet operation, keep your toilet fresh and ready to go! Nobody wants to go back to a smelly toilet in their Caravan or Motorhome…! 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 […]

Mains electic tripping at the post, why?

Overloading your Caravan / Motorhomes Electrics?  If your Mains electic is tripping at the post, and you are wonder why? There are two common causes that trip my electrics,1. Overloading – MCB Trips2. An Earth Fault – RCD Trips If you think you have a fault with your 230v system, consider an EICR test, it is a sefty test and will give you a written report on the sfety of your caravan, motorhome or campervan. Here is some more info on EICR. The last thing you want to do on holiday is trip your electrics, and potentially your neighbours! To […]

Winterisation drain down

How Do I Drain Down My Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan?

Why are we talking about drain down, does it really matter? Yes it does, this article is about “draining the fresh water” out of your caravan, motorhome, campervan. This is usually undertaken at the end of the season, before you store your vehicle for a long period. If water is left in the system, as weather temperatures drop, water can freeze in your taps. As water freezes, it expands! If teaspoon of water was to expand in your tap, the tap could split. A split tap usually means a new tap, a repair you want to avoid. The cost could be […]

Lost Wheel Syndrome: Caravan Wheel Detachment

At Bristol Caravans we have heard a lot about caravan wheel loss over the years. And from time to time we are asked for more details on the subject when we recommend WSL wheel bolts. The following may be seen by some in the caravan industry as controversial, so I preface the following by saying this is the view of Bristol Caravans (ACORNCO LTD), and is shared in the interest of improving safety within the caravan community – Without Prejudice. We hope caravan owners adopt the recommendations at the end of this article to improve road safety. We hope caravan […]