Preparation for Travel - Houdini Proofing

Before we can go away there are some tasks needed to be completed 

One is to fully dog proof the property to allow for the possibly for a house sitter to manage our older two dogs, Mac and Cody who are not good travellers. 

Mac has always been uncomfortable traveling, unhappy with vehicle motion. 

Cody is now partially blind and becoming quite deaf. 

Our last trip Cody was under the opinion that the Motorhome was in its parking spot at home and would become disoriented at night when he found out otherwise.

Buffy and Bambi love to travel!

There is a gap under the downhill side fence to the adjoining property

Some treated pine logs 150mm x 2.4M works well.
Gap be gone!

The missing panel in our front gates and fence was small dog sized.

The concept drawing.

Some progress shots of the reality. The paint is still wet here and the colour is not a match. Should be Colorbond Pale Eucalyptus. A trip to Bunnings in the future will fix that.

A tad noticeable. At least it wasn't this colour! 

This is a real colour!

Then the last bit

A heavy rubber flap added to the gap on the gate.
It was a battle between the green ants, wind and the odd brief shower but we won in the end. 

Now we can get rid of the ugly rusty portable dog fencing!

Now to have a major sort inside

More to come.....

Modifying and Equipping Our Motorhome 2 Continued...

 The 2m/70cm/CB antenna mount was fitted and the Transceiver plugged into a cigarette Lighter to power it. Looks really messy!

The IVECO is quite a complex vehicle and difficult to add additional systems to. The VHF/UHF Amateur radio only draws a maximum of 5 Amps and there is a sub fuse panel behind the dashboard. The use of a Fuse Tap is not the preferable way of adding a circuit, but a better solution than intruding into the back of the fuse panel.

The Co-Ax cable made it though the grommet. 

Things are quite tight in here! 

There was a convenient earth point.

The end result is a lot more pleasing to the eye.

The planned install of a HF Transceiver draws up to 20 Amps and will need a direct connection to the battery and will also need the services of someone younger than I who is familiar with the Iveco electrics.

Automotive Electrics is a young persons game.

Modifying and Equipping Our Motorhome 3

 The outdoor BBQ

Our Motorhome BBQ was sent from Kaiser Boating by Australia Post on the 19th of August and arrived today 23 days to travel from Seaforth Victoria to us here in Largs NSW. COVID-19 has adversely impacted post in both NSW and VIC.

Samantha, Trent, Aubree & Abbie had sent me a nice BBQ flipper tool for Fathers Day which goes very nicely with it.

We are looking forward to the rain going away and for us to try out the BBQ here at home.  A purpose made cotton canvas storage bag is on its way.

Why not a cheapie BBQ? 

One well known camping store has a BBQ for only $119, a well known hardware chain have one for $149 and a Webber is $329, but buying a BBQ is not that simple.

The BBQ was bought to plug into an external gas outlet on our Motorhome and therefore must comply with the regulations requiring it to have a Flame Guard Safety Stop. Marine BBQs have had this requirement for longer than RVs.

Currently most of the big names products do not comply with this requirement!

It is a false economy to take risks with a RV worth $150K plus and remember insurers don't like paying out if they don't have to.

For a detailed explanation read below.

AS/NZS 5601.2 Gas Installations – LP Gas installations in caravans and boats for non-propulsive purposes clause 6.3 states “all appliances shall be fitted with flame safeguard systems to all burners.”

When a BBQ is connected to a bayonet or fixed installation it is deemed to be a part of the installation and must have flame safeguard.

If the BBQ is fixed to a caravan or on a product such as a slide out, the BBQ is deemed to be a part of the installation and must have flame safeguard.

Having a gas bayonet is legal if fitted by a licensed gas fitter. Appliances with flame safeguards can legally be run from that bayonet fitting. In the case of some popular barbecues on the market they do not, so legally they cannot be used off the bayonet fitting.

The report continues on: The solution is to have a BBQ that has flame safeguard or to not fix the BBQ to the caravan or a product such as a slide e.g. supply loose, connect via a gas bottle directly e.g. the gas bottle sitting on the ground and have labels to ensure the gas bottle does not get fitted into compartments where BBQ is. See This Link.

Modifying and Equipping Our Motorhome 2

The next item to be fitted is the antenna mount.

This is the 2m/70cm/CB antenna mount. 2m is an VHF Amater Radio Band, 70cm  is a UHF Amateur Radio band and CB is often what gets referred to, in error, as "The UHF". Used by Truck drivers and travellers.

In truth the UHF Radio Spectrum is used by many services such as, Government and Public two way radio/data, Digital TV, Garage Door Openers, Car Remotes, Military, Amateur Radio etc and CB uses a small part of the UHF spectrum too.

Depending in which state you are in dictates the rules on mounting antennas, light bars etc, so check with the rules that apply to you.

Some states frown on antennas on the drivers side  and anything that sticks out beyond the dimensions of the vehicle. Having said that I'm constantly amazed in what we do see on the road!

Deni Ute Muster 2014

The install of a commercially available mount was quick and easy once I knew where. 

A neat solution

Now to run in the cabling through the firewall gland and tap off the 12 volt power.

A Sticker for the Motorhome and what it means.

As newcomers to the motorhome world we became members at the Caravan and Camping show earlier this year, to a club called the Campervan & Motorhome Club of Australia Ltd (CMCA).

The CMCA offer some great products and services to their members and becoming a member is well worth considering.

The CMCA also support an initiative called Self Contained Vehicle (SCV) Policy and Leave No Trace® (LNT) Code of Conduct.

Those who have a RV suitably equipped and sign up the Code of Conduct get a sticker for their rig.

The Leave No Trace® (LNT) Code of Conduct is as follows

As an environmentally conscious recreational vehicle owner, I/we hereby agree to the following: 

• To have my vehicle comply with the CMCA Self Contained Vehicle (SCV) Policy and to display the SCV
accreditation on my vehicle at all times. 

• To stay in any approved rest area for the period that the accommodation vehicle can be self-contained
or as designated by the relevant signage. This includes obtaining any necessary permission from
controlling authorities and or payment of fees where applicable. When camping in other locations please
observe the CMCA Bush Camping Code. 

• To always take care of the natural environment and respect community facilities to ensure future
generations of RV travellers can continue to enjoy what local authorities have provided. 

• To park my vehicle so as not to obstruct reasonable passage, exit or access to other vehicles or property.
To be courteous and do not park in a manner that impedes the movement of other vehicles especially in
rest areas used by heavy transport. 

• To dispose of all rubbish, and grey and black water in an appropriate manner. 

• Where time and means permit, support local communities and businesses as an appreciation for the
facilities that have been provided.

Quite simply be thoughtful and a responsible motorhome/caravan user.

In NZ the accreditation (an official NZ Standard - NZS 5465) allows those accredited motorhome/caravan users to camp in posted areas where there are no facilities and the environment is protected. Australia needs to follow suit.

Shouldn't we all be able to follow the above? Yes, but there are a few who give RV travellers a bad name.

Who would have thought that this would be necessary? telling people to bury their waste? A promotion by Aussie Travel Code

The mind boggles!

Modifying and Equipping Our Motorhome 1

 One thing that was annoying is the location of the Inverter switch.

To turn on the inverter you need to go outside, Unlock and open the Battery Compartment and operate the switch in the top right hand side corner. There isn't any indicator inside the battery box or elsewhere to show it is on or off. The Battery compartment, along with the LPG Gas compartment do not have internal lights

The inverter is made by REDARC and they have an optional remote panel available, which I was able to buy. 

Now to fit.

The cable path between the Inverter GPO and the Inverter is not as easy as it looks.

By feeding a draw cable from the left hand storage compartment and another  from the battery compartment to the outside, it was then possible to draw the cable supplied through and crimp on a new Plug.

It took a few goes and reminded me of my days working on "O Boats", the Oberon Submarines.

 The results

From Top to bottom
The added REDARC Inverter remote panel
The inverter powered GPO (General Power Outlet)

and at the bottom are 2 x USB Power Outlets

Now on a cold and/or wet evening I do not have to take a torch and go outside to turn on the Inverter. 😁

_____________________________________________________

LPG Cylinders are hard to manage. Are they full? ...and if not, how much is left?

There are some nice and expensive systems out there that use sensors stuck on the underside of LPG Cylinders, along with Bluetooth connection and a Android App. 

This is a Garth Gas Safety Gauge and shutoff valve from Bunnings for $19.89. We will see how well it works.

The gauge in place and reading correctly as the gas is off and there is a little pressure in the gas line.

Next is a radio antenna for CB and more importantly 2 meter and 70 centimeter Amateur Radio.

Now we prepare

 

We are not traveling for the next couple of weeks, so we have spend the time becoming familiar with the systems, fitting out and preparing.

Seat covers are a necessity. We have some being made to order. We chose a grey material similar to wetsuit material which will be easier to keep clean and waterproof.

One of the things that is missing from the Sunliner build is to be able to remotely turn on and off the DC to AC Inverter.

Currently (pardon the pun) the Inverter is switched on by accessing the Battery Compartment and reaching awkwardly to the hidden side of the unit. Not at all fun on a cold wet rainy night to achieve.

A quick check with the manufacturer showed a remote panel is available with a switch and status indicator. The wiring just plugs in and the panel is an easy install. 

I will fit the panel next to the double GPO (General Power Outlet) marked Inverter and then it is a simple matter of touching a button.

More on this in a future post where I shall show the install

There has been interest from the fur family members on the goings on.

The things we need to consider is containing the fur family outside and I need to look at the fitting of radio equipment. Besides the obligatory UHF CB radio there is Amateur Radio gear to be fitted.