Book into site reception and don't arrive before their appointed time, usually 12noon. Reverse on to the pitch - Don't do what one newbie I saw do once at Hawes - straight on forward and then tried to get his car out!!!! Get the van parrallel to the edges so that passers by see that it has been parked straight. Even if you B***** up the reversing, straighten the van by hand or o nthe mover. All that folk will see is that you parked pretty not how you parked!!! If its light enough, maybe you can just unhitch and push it on to the pitch. If you reverse on with your car, once in place the last move should be forward. If you don't do this, then, when you unhitch the draw bar will move forward and push into your bumper. Level the van side to side. You can this with the van attached to the car or with a motor mover if you have one. See below. I use the mover as my Winterhoff does not release too well if the van is on a slope or the brake is on. Its a winterhoff thing. Un hitch. You may need the brake on depending upon the slope of the pitch. I never put it on but remain ready to lift the lever if needs be as I unhitch. Before you do anything drop the jockey wheel. However, if the back of the pitch slopes down you will need to get the front down low. In that case unwind the jockey wheel a tad before dropping it. That way the front will drop down much lower when you wind the wheel to level. If the back of the pitch slopes up then don't unwind the Jockety wheel first. If the slope upwards at the back is steep you may need to drop the jockey wheel onto wooden blocks to assist in raising the front to get the van level. Tighten up the Jockey wheel. Undo the electrics and brake cable fro mthe car. Lift up hitch lock lever and unwind jockey wheel to release van from car. Now you need to level the van side to side. Use a spirit level in the middle of the van floor. See which side needs lifting and place a leveller under the wheel at that side. Move van up leveller until the bubble in the spirit level is in the middle. We do this with a mover but you can do it with the car still attached. Once you are OK side to side you then level front to back. Use the spirit level turned round front to back and raise or lower the Jockey Wheel to suit. We put the spirit level on the fridge as it is that piece of equipment that needs to be level more than any other piece. Once level drop the corner steadies. Once they are on the ground a couple of more turns (no more) to firm them down. Do not overtighten. Just grab hold of the steady and if you can't move it with your hand it will be ok. Then the electrics. Turn off the control panel to make sure that no power can get into the van. Attach EHU cable to van and then to the Hook up. Never the other way round as you will be carrying a live cable in your hand to the van! If its a CC site you need to turn the cable to the right at the Bollard to make the connection. Then turn the control panel switch back on together with the 12V switch - its usually on a panel just inside the door. Turn fridge from battery (if you have driven with it on) to mains. That way you know that the electrics are working. Water - Fill your barrel. Make sure that the pump switch is off and then connect pump to the van. Drop pump into the water before attaching to van. Make sure that all taps are off and then switch water pump on. You should hear it running as it fills your on board hot water tank. Test the taps to release the air. Do the tap furthest from the pump first - usually the shower. Then the next furthest and so on till you end up at the kitchen sink. Open the taps at the midway point so that it draws both hot and cold water. Once the taps run free turn them off and let the on board tank fill. Then put the water heater on. If you are heating with Gas take the vent cover off first. It is usually on the outside near the pump connection point. Always turn the pump switch off when you go to fill the barrel. Toilet. Generally Pink fluid in the top and blue in the bottom as per instructions on the bottle. We use Blu Bio which is the same stuiff for both top and bottom. Take a watering can with you as that assists in filling the top cistern with water. After putting your chemical in the holding tank you need to add about four cupfulls of water. NEVER empty or fill the toilet without letting the folks inside know what you are doing. You don't want them using it whilst the holding tank is out!!!! Gas - turn it on at the switch on top of the cylinder and at the regulator. Probably best to this first so that by the time you have done all of the above a cup of tea, or a pint should be ready. Awning - follow the instructions - they are usually meaningless and the neighbours are entitled to some entertainment!!!! Enjoy Phil
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If you're not on a fell your wasting your feet and for 2014 it's.......Feb Castleton Mar North Yors Moors; Apr Sutton on Sea; May Thirsk; Jun Clapham/Riverside (Lakes); July Wharfedale; August Crakehall; Sept Knaresborough; Oct Wirral Park/Clitheroe
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Topic: Caravan set up checklist please
