Minor disaster in France, help appreciated!

KjellNN
KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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edited May 2016 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

The mechanism in our Thetford C250 cassette has just failed, something in it has broken, so we need either new parts or a complete new cassette.

Heading from Le Puy en Velay to Millau tomorrow, can anyone recommend a caravan dealer or some other shop in the Millau area, or en route,  that would be likely to stock these?

The toilet is an essential piece of equipment as far as we are concerned, and at the moment the blade cannot be operated.

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  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited May 2016 #2

    Kjell, if you google "thetford dealers in France" and search Millau you will find a dealer listed. Obviously, I can't say how much use they would be but a good starting point.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #3

    Thanks, one place listed in Millau, so will ring them first thing tomorrow to see if they have a new cassette.

  • chrisn7
    chrisn7 Forum Participant Posts: 72
    edited May 2016 #4

    Are you certain it is broken? Most of the components are pretty sturdy. The C250, unlike the C200 before it, is pretty easy to access the internals. I've a .pdf of repairs with images, but don't see how to attach this here

     

  • DJG
    DJG Forum Participant Posts: 277
    edited May 2016 #5

    Would your insurance cover sending the part required by next day. You pay for the part they get it to you.??

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #6

    Can't be of any assistance, sorry. But hope you get it sorted soon. Vital piece of equipment

  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited May 2016 #7

    Ours did this once and it was a screw holding the lever mechanism that had worked its way out. I found the screw in the bottom of the cassette compartment.

    I often check now and find it loose and have to nip it up,

    It's a bittle of a fiddle reaching inside, because it attaches up in the roof of the compartment, but easlity fixed (if this is what it is).

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #8

    Thanks, yes I have the Thetford repair pdf,  but a small piece of  some plastic part has broken (it's lying in the casette but I cannot see where it has come from) and the whole thing has fallen apart.  The screw mentioned by Ian has also fallen out and
    disappeared, presumably when emptying, before I realised what had happened.

    Will bear that screw in mind in future Ian, and check it every so often, thanks for the advice.

    After 9 seasons of being used 4 months per year, it has done good service, so we will treat ourselves to a new one.

    Just contacted he place in Millau, they have one "fresh-up kit" for a C250 in stock, so are holding it for us till we get there this afternoon, so crisis averted!!

    Unfortunately it costs about 40% more than in our usual Caravan Shop at home (149 euros against £85, ) but needs must.

  • royandsharont
    royandsharont Forum Participant Posts: 735
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    edited May 2016 #9

    KjellNN, I know that there is a camping dealer at Millau but have not visited it myself. If you take the road from the centre alongside the river on your left and head south back towards the motorway you come to a roundabout and the road starts to
    climb up the gorge side. Just on the right, possibly 200m up that road, there is a dealer. Don't miss it as there is no place to turn around for a long way up the hill. From memory I think there is limited parking space outside and there may well be parking
    on the premises. Hope this helps. Regards, Roy

  • royandsharont
    royandsharont Forum Participant Posts: 735
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    edited May 2016 #10

    Just checked Google Earth, it is a bit further along the D809 than I said. There is parking at the premises called Aveyron Evasion and the gps says it is N44 05' 28.6" E3 05' 09.7"

    It is a motorhome dealer, not sure it does caravans as well but I think I can see an image of a caravan on their sign too, but thetford are all the same I think. Regards, Roy

    Sorry i've now read all the threads fully and it looks like you have found the dealer at Millau. Never mind it gave me something to do, haha

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited May 2016 #11

    I recall visiting a caravan accessory place in Millau, not far from the roundabouts near the river so if you are staying at one of the sites on the banks of the river (Les Erables etc.) it is not far and I am sure the site will direct you.

    Any fuel down there!

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,673 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2016 #12

    Sounds like the one we found, same one as Roy mentioned, thanks all.

    They had indeed set the "fresh-up kit" aside for us, so all is now operating smoothly again here!

    Fuel??......now that is a different matter!  Off out soon to see as we are down to 1/4 tank.  Diesel seems to be running out first, but everywhere we passed on the way here yesterday had unleaded.

    Lots to see around here so will be very disappointed if we have to curtail our trips out.

    Following your recommendation  HG, we are at Les Erables, and very nice it is too.

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