Preferably replace any tyre more than five years old, but never exceed seven. They will have significantly deteriorated by then, whatever the tread depth. Tyres which require higher pressures (say 50psi and above) may be more susceptible to impact, cutting or penetration damage and it is recommended that such tyres are inspected more frequently.

As higher pressure tyres carry higher loads, they are working harder and hence their life expectancy may also be shorter (say 3-4 years). If the caravan is not used for a length of time, it is recommended that the wheels and tyres are removed and stored at normal inflation pressure in a cool, dry place and protected from direct sunlight, sources of heat, ozone concentrations and fuel/oil spillages. They can be covered with a natural material (e.g. hessian not plastic) for protection.

A second hand caravan is unlikely to be in mint condition. However, there is a huge difference between general wear and tear (scratches, fading, etc.) and issues that compromise the safety of the caravan (rust, damp or electrical issues, etc). There are many common issues to look out for when inspecting a caravan.

On the exterior, be sure to check the following:

• Is any rust visible on the exterior of the caravan (including underneath)?
• Are there any dents, scratches or other marks (including on the roof)?
• Are the tyres in good condition (i.e. with legal wear and tear)?
• Do all of the windows and doors open correctly?
• Does it look like any issues have been painted over?
• Are there any cracks in the chassis of the vehicle?
• Is the axle of the vehicle in good condition?
• Does the wiring and piping under the vehicle appear in good repair?
• Is the handbrake working properly?
• Does the jockey wheelwind up and down easily?
• Do awnings open and close as they should?

Inside the caravan, always check the following:

• Are all gas and electrical components or appliances in good working order?
• Are there any signs of damp? (Check with a damp meter)
• Is the floor of the caravan in a good state of repair?
• Does the caravan have a working smoke alarm and fire extinguisher?
• Are all doors, drawers and cupboards in good condition?
• Do the water sources work properly (e.g. shower, sink, etc.)?
• Can the caravan be locked securely?

Levelling your van is important in some cases yes.

For example, if you have a 3 way fridge, your van needs to be level to allow it to work properly. Compressor fridges have no problems if you’re not level.

You’ll also find that if your van is not level then when washing your dishes the water from the dishes may also run off your draining board the wrong way.

Most importantly though, when cooking the morning bacon and eggs it’s annoying when the eggs run off to one side of the pan because you’re on a lean 

We suggest a small T shaped level from Bunnings be attached to your draw bar ( or somewhere you prefer) so that when setting up you can easily determine what you need to do to make the van level.

Also, we have been known to tip some water on our draining board to see if water runs into the sink or down the bench top.

Solar charging is where the sun shines on your solar panels which then charges your batteries.

• Once the solar panels see sunlight they turn the suns rays into usable electricity.
• That electricity then travels from the solar panels to a solar regulator.
• The solar regulator then regulates how much electricity goes back into your batteries. This is so the batteries don’t boil and get over charged.
• Running appliance direct from solar panels with built in regulators is possible, however it has it’s downsides. There could be fluctuating power, depending on the sun and/or clouds along with other draw backs.

Most commonly, solar panels are used to charge batteries and it’s the batteries that you get the po

The idea is to point your solar panel directly to the sun.

If you have portable panels that’s easily done just by shifting them every hour or so to face the sun.

However, if your panels are mounted flat on the roof of the van like many are, then they lose efficiency. That’s one of the joys of limited space but on the upside there is no adjusting them everytime the sun shifts

Periodically, aim to get on the roof via a ladder or in some cases a sky light and wash your solar panels with water. Needless to say they get dusty or covered in leaves and start to be less efficient.

Don’t use anything abrasive on your solar and try not to use chemicals or you’ll damage the surfaces. 

Also, keep in mind, that depending on how your panels are mounted on your roof, you may get shade. This could be from your AC unit or roof hatches. Try and park so this doesn’t happen IE: park north – south

The Anderson plug is used to help charge your caravan batteries while driving.

You can also plug in portable solar panels to the vans anderson plug to help charge the batteries when parked.

In addition, you can use the vans Anderson plug as a 12v battery source if you want to power something externally like a spot lamp or what ever

Jayco states wheel bearings should be done every 10,000km or once a year whichever comes first.

This is actually not a bad guideline to go by and would recommend the same.

Question: Do I Need A Special Hose To Fill My Water Tanks ?

Answer: Need is probably not the right word but what you’re best to have is a “food grade” hose.

Food grade hoses eliminate the bad tastes that some people mention when using regular garden hoses.

Using a garden hose is not wrong and can be done. In fact we do it often, when on farms. However, our water goes through three filters, four if you count the fresh water tap filter in the van.

When talking about drinking water, you’re far better off getting a food grade hose just in case