What's your modification

Metheven
Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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edited July 2016 in Caravans #1

Fed up with my cracked, flapping in the wind fragile fairing on the 'A' frame, I replaced it with this folded 5 line alluminium plate. Ideal for cleaning the front of the van now. Happy

Comments

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited July 2016 #2

    I put a couple of 'treadmaster' pads on the safe step areas of my moulding. I must say that yours looks a very neat job.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited July 2016 #3

    Excellent Dave! Laughing

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,155 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #4

    I thought this thread was going to be about forum Champions.Happy

    Nice mod, Dave.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2016 #5

    I thought this thread was going to be about forum Champions.Happy

    Nice mod, Dave.

    EmbarassedFoot in Mouth
    Whoops, forgot we're not allowed to discuss 'mods' Laughing

  • surburban2000
    surburban2000 Forum Participant Posts: 84
    edited July 2016 #6

    I pute a mini comprsorfridg in wear the old preflatscreen tv went so the fredg is for beer and other drinks
    CoolKiss

  • Sandgroper
    Sandgroper Forum Participant Posts: 210
    edited August 2016 #7

    Computer fan (£4) in the top vent of the fridge, linked to a switch inside, helps the fridge in very hot conditions.

  • MrGarval
    MrGarval Forum Participant Posts: 120
    edited August 2016 #8

    Very smart Dave, have you got a pattent on it? Well Done.

  • volvoman9
    volvoman9 Forum Participant Posts: 1,053
    500 Comments
    edited August 2016 #9

    Yes a very good mod there and not too difficult for a diy,er Happy

    v9

  • Stemar
    Stemar Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited August 2016 #10

    Charging phones, tablets & what have you is  a constant problem which I solved by fitting a couple of USB charger points from eBay. I tapped them into the 12v TV supply via a spare switch on the control panel. They work a treat and free up the power points. As an added bonus, the LED power indicators give enough light to see where I'm going for nocturnal visits to the loo.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited August 2016 #11

    yet another mod then ,...... Sealed

  • 63ellsbells
    63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
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    edited August 2016 #12

    Very nice indeed..

  • keithpres
    keithpres Forum Participant Posts: 22
    edited August 2016 #13

    Fed up with my cracked, flapping in the wind fragile fairing on the 'A' frame, I replaced it with this folded 5 line alluminium plate. Ideal for cleaning the front of the van now.
    Happy

    Write your comments here...If the aluminium is in direct connect with the chassis I would be concerned about the zinc chassis coating acting as a sacrificial anode and causing galvanic corrosion especially if you are located near the seaside with salt laden
    air.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #14

    Fed up with my cracked, flapping in the wind fragile fairing on the 'A' frame, I replaced it with this folded 5 line alluminium plate. Ideal for cleaning the front of the van now.
    Happy

     

    Write your comments here...If the aluminium is in direct connect with the chassis I would be concerned about the zinc chassis coating acting as a sacrificial anode and causing galvanic corrosion especially if you are located near the seaside with salt laden
    air.

    I won't be too concerned, Alluminium and Zinc are very close in the Anodic table so very little potential difference, not enough to worry about in my caravans lifetime.

    Plus the fact it's not bolted but actually has a layer of Araldite between the two.

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #15

    Will try to upload photo again!

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited August 2016 #16

    Our mods include fitting domestic style radiator in bathroom and slide out baskets to kitchen in cupboard twixt cooker and fridge. 

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #17

    My modification?

    Removed my towcars Voltage Sensing Relay (also known as spilt charge relay) and replaced it with my own module as I was fed up with the usual problems with them such as switching back & forth until the voltage has stabilized (even with so called correct adjustment) after the towcars' engine has terminated, not to mention Smart Alternators.

    How my module works;

    Ignition off, no power to caravan fridge. Ignition on and towcar engine started, no power to caravans' fridge. After the engine has slightly warmed up and put the bulk of the cranking power back into the towcars battery (adjustable between 1.75 and 3.5 minutes) it switches the power through to the caravans' fridge. Terminating said supply the moment the towcars ignition is switched off. This module is compatible with towcars that have auto-stop-start, as it has a connection to the towcars starter motor solenoid so it can detect when the starter is operated by key or auto-stop-start. There is no way the towcar can draw from the caravans' leisure battery when cranking. This photo is of the prototype module not the finished product. The finished product is cut to size and mounted in a plastic module box and looks professional. The circuit has a 555 chip used in monostable mode. The module controls a standard automotive relay which in turn controls the supply to the caravans' fridge i.e.12s pin 6 or euro pin 10.

    Colin

    Click for Options

     

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #18

    Fed up with my cracked, flapping in the wind fragile fairing on the 'A' frame, I replaced it with this folded 5 line alluminium plate. Ideal for cleaning the front of the van now.
    Happy

    Fantasic job Dave

  • IamtheGaitor
    IamtheGaitor Forum Participant Posts: 529
    edited August 2016 #19

    We have done a few minor ones but a trip switch in the electrics which drops out at a set level is a  useful one when I keep forgetting I shouldnt use the hairdryer when the kettle and heating are already on......oops! On club sites its set to 15 so it goes
    before the bollard does.

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #20

    Well, this isn't a modification it's a daft little invention I came up with a few years back, I made a plug & go device to aid caravanning;

    This device is designed to power the road lighting, including the hazard warning lights etc of a touring caravan without the caravan connected to a towcar. This device is to aid roadside safety during a vehicle breakdown should the towcar be disconnected from the caravan at the roadside etc. The device uses power from the caravans' own leisure battery to power the caravans road lighting circuitry, just simply plug your caravans' 13 pin euro plug into the device and switch on whatever emergency road lighting is required at the time.

    I know what the experts amongst you may now be thinking, How can the device exstract leisure battery power from within the caravans' 13 pin euro plug and divert it back down the road lighting pins within the euro plug to the caravans' road lighting, when the leisure battery does not connect to the caravans' euro plug until it is pluged into a towcar with the engine running, this statement is correct, but this is where my device is cunning and has the upper hand.

    The device has two PP3 batteries within it (18 volts, slightly reduced by circuitry within the device), via a push button switch, it sends a priming electrical charge down the caravans' fridge line to activate the caravans' changeover relay, this diverting power from the caravans' leisure battery to the 13 pin euro plug, when this happends, power from the caravans' leisure battery then keeps the changeover relay activated so PP3 battery power is no longer required, a red warning light within the device is illuminated to confirm the device is primed and ready for use. There is a small current regulator within the device that prevents the PP3 batteries from being shorted out if the owner fails to turn off the caravans' fridge (ie, the fridges' 12 volt supply) prior to connecting the device. If this were to happen, the device would then bleep, reminding the owner that the device cannot prime until the fridge is turned off from it's 12v supply, this preventing any damage to the device or caravan. The vehicle flasher unit within the device used to operate the caravans' hazard warning lights is of the transistor type, this is to allow for voltage drop within the caravans' leisure battery during long operations.

    No modification whatsoever is required to a caravan in order for this device to function, simply "Plug & Go". The device has also been designed to check all the caravans' road lighting circuits (including, stop, fog & reversing lights etc) without a towcar connected, this aiding seasonal and pre-journey checks. It can also be used to clear the AL-KO ATC's Log without the need for a towcar to be left connected for several hours.

    Colin

    Click for Options

    Click for Options

     

     

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited August 2016 #21

    great idea snowy! This is where the lack of a 'pm' facility is frustrating.....

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited August 2016 #22

    great idea snowy! This is where the lack of a 'pm' facility is frustrating.....

    Indeed ..... maybe when we get the new forum Innocent

  • Simon100
    Simon100 Club Member Posts: 666
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    edited August 2016 #23

    I have fitted a dry electric heated towel rail to my caravan. I have added 240 volt sockets throughout, LED lights, extension flap to the kitchen work surface and cabled the van for Sky HD. The van now has a WiFi rear view camera so I can see what is behind
    me!

  • Snowy1
    Snowy1 Forum Participant Posts: 263
    edited August 2016 #24

    I have fitted a dry electric heated towel rail to my caravan. I have added 240 volt sockets throughout, LED lights, extension flap to the kitchen work surface and cabled the van for Sky HD. The van now has a WiFi rear view camera so I can see what is behind
    me!

    Some very good idea's there, I must admit, I like the WiFi rear camera idea, I take my hat off to that!

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #25

    Excellent Snowy, very handy

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited August 2016 #26

    New forum? Won't hold my breath,  I will have retired from caravanning by then......

  • mw75
    mw75 Forum Participant Posts: 17
    edited August 2016 #27

    The van now has a WiFi rear view camera so I can see what is behind me!

    Simon, could you please tell us the make of WiFi rear view camera that you've used?

    Thanks,

    Mark

  • markflip
    markflip Forum Participant Posts: 177
    edited August 2016 #28

    A very simple mod is to change the 240V socket faceplates to those with inbuilt USB ports, they're a lot tidier than having chargers plugged in and the sockets themselves remain available in addition to charging 2 x devices.  

  • Simon100
    Simon100 Club Member Posts: 666
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    edited August 2016 #29

    Mark. 

    I used this wireless bridge

    http://shop.reversingcamerasuk.com/epages/es106294.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/es106294_shop/Products/ACC434

    Coupled with a camera and screen. Make sure you use a digital system and cables that are waterproof. Non digital systems are much cheaper but may be subject to interference. I used 'Reversing Cameras UK' and they were very helpful.

    These systems are very similar

    http://www.parkingcameras.com/store/home.php?cat=76&gclid=Cj0KEQjw_qW9BRCcv-Xc5Jn-26gBEiQAM-iJhf2ZnX2SjQCPndfRBYPRI6aVd7kOfPyKQVyrOmDjXk4aAj628P8HAQ

    Simon

     

  • SILVERFLAG
    SILVERFLAG Forum Participant Posts: 4
    edited September 2016 #30

    My best improvement was to change all internal bulbs for LED's : no more singed fingers.