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Topic: Advice needed-new to caravaning

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sarahl1a2

28/7/2016 at 8:50pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Ranger

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Hello Everyone, we have just purchased our first caravan a Bailey Ranger 2008,510,4 berth. We would appreciate any advice on what essential items we need to purchase. The caravan was from a dealer so there aren't any extras with it. We know we need to buy an aqua roll, wastemaster, gas bottle, electric hook up cable etc but I am sure there are lots of other things that we need that we just don't know about. We are unsure of what connections we need to purchase for the various different things. Also does anyone have any advice of the best place to purchase Caravan equipment from? Also is it worth joining any Caravan clubs? sorry the post is so long winded! Any advice that anyone could offer would be great. Thanks in advance

Sarah

billyboggins

28/7/2016 at 9:11pm
Location: norfolk
Outfit: Bailey Pageant Burgundy 6 volvo V70

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do you have the pump unit to go inside your aquaroll to get the water into the caravan ? Really surprised the dealer didn't supply some if not all of those things....the list can be endless. kettle(low wattage),waste pipes to carry grey water to wastemaster,television cable , sleeping bags or sheets and quilt,good quality hook up cable,chemicals for the loo, proper loo paper, ...the list can be huge ,all depends on where you are going and what type of sites you want to go to.I am sure there will be lots of advice on here, hope you enjoy your new van

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billyboggins

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Ray Clayton

28/7/2016 at 9:14pm
Location: Ilkeston. Derbyshire
Outfit: Disco 4 Unicorn Barcelona 4

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Hi Sarah
Welcome to the forum. As for advice, are you a family,or just a couple.
You may need
Awning porch / Full i just replaced our porch with one of Gumtree for £150, and it's like new.
Toilet chemicals. Aldi or Halfords, ebay
Ramps
Wheel clamp / hitch lock

The list goes on.
As for pots etc bedding use them out the house until you can get all that for the van.

There be more to follow of others on here as i will have missed loads lol

But shop around there are some great deals out there to be had.

As for a caravan club, depends what you want, am in the
C&CC and only use the CS sites, main holidays i use Haven as i take the grand kids.you get some great deals like 7 nights in wales Oct for £70.
But again others will come forward with ideas.
Most of all Enjoy

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Cheers
Ray

Discovery 4 & Bailey Barcelona 4

664DaveS

28/7/2016 at 9:18pm
Location: Shropshire
Outfit: Bailey Phoenix GT 75

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A hitchlock and wheel clamp are useful. Some insurers insist on them.

Some levelling ramps or several pieces of wood are useful to get the van level side to side. Cheap spirit level or a free app for mobile phone for checking level.

If you have a spare wheel then a jack is a good idea if not supplied.
Large scissor type or bottle jack type.

You can get these from places such as Towsure or caravan dealers.
A waste container and some flexible waste hose needed too.
The two clubs are good both having a range of sites.

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DS-There's more to life than football!!!

sarahl1a2

28/7/2016 at 9:51pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Ranger

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Hiya

Thanks for all the advice. We are a family of 4 but there will mostly only be 3 of us using the caravan as our older daughter is 18 so is doing her own thing. The dealer gave us a brand new carina air awning, a hitch lock and stabiliser a motor mover and battery. I don't think any of the piping is supplied and this is what we are most unsure of, its a minefield!

Thanks to all who have replied your advice is very much appreciated x

billyboggins

28/7/2016 at 9:59pm
Location: norfolk
Outfit: Bailey Pageant Burgundy 6 volvo V70

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nose weight gauge is useful for first time loading until you get used to where to put everything or use the bathroom scales and a bit if broomhandle...lots of vids out there to show you how to do this ..probably the most important thing to learn before you tow for the first time. are there any caravaners where you live ? i am sure they would offer lots of advice

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billyboggins

sarahl1a2

01/8/2016 at 6:44pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Ranger

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Hi all. Thanks for the advice.

We have actually changed our mind and have now purchased a sprite musketeer TD as the layout suited us much better. As part of the package we got a new Dorema Daytona awning. Any idea how long we can expect this to take to put up? is an awning something that you would just put up on longer breaks and not bother for a 2 or 3 night one?

Have gotten an aquaroll, wastemaster, chemicals, about to purchase a hook up cable, I assume we will need a 25 metre one? also gong to get an aqua roll mains connector. With regard a gas bottle should we go for propane and what size would you advise we were thinking a 6kg.

Sarah

jeff juke

01/8/2016 at 7:12pm
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Plenty of booze..hic

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Animals have feelings..

JEFF................

andyfisher

01/8/2016 at 7:38pm
Location: Yorkshire
Outfit: Adria altea 542 dt Freelander 2

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All what have been suggested. You need a long piece of waste hose too as well as the mains water adapter & water hose for full service pitches. If you have a TV, some of these super pitches have an tv connection point, so you'll need a coax with plugs both ends. A cool box for the awning is useful to keep wine & beer chilled. Also a step to help you get in the van. We use (red) propane and the calor lite bottles. Propane works better in winter. A bbq? We have a Weber smokey Joe that uses traditional charcoal , but lots of people seem to have gas ones especially the cadac ones. We are in cc and c&cc. Used cc sites most and have been of high standard. We only use our bigger awning (a magnum large porch) on trips of a week or more. We have a smaller Isabella Capri snow for use in Autumn and Spring. For weekends we don't bother. Both awnings came if eBay/preloved and were a bargain compared to new!

Hairywol

01/8/2016 at 9:11pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Challenger Sport 524 + Volvo V90 D5

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Hi, we have a Daytona and love it. First time took nearly two hours but that was because it got dark and I thought I'd lost a bit of frame (hadn't).

Two years on and it's 20 mins to slip into rail then put frame up underneath, but the same again adjusting and pegging out.

If you haven't, attach all the plastic awning clips onto the ends of the poles while still home, and slide poles into each othe as far as possible. This will make the first time much easier.

Lots of vids on YouTube showing how to erect, watch lots of them. Finally, fine adjusting do the frame for that perfect look is a dark art that will come with time.

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Camping Gear expands so as to fill the space available for its transportation.

Hairywol

01/8/2016 at 9:18pm
Location: Teesside
Outfit: Challenger Sport 524 + Volvo V90 D5

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6 kg Propane is the way to go. There are lite bottles but sometimes these are hard to find, so for nose weight I'd learn how to balance with the standard bottle. One thing about caravans is that they are warm all year unlike tents. If you plan winter excursions, and you really should, Butane doesn't work close to freezing while Propane works at far colder temps than we will ever experience.

You'll read lots of posts and advice about stowing your caravan over winter; my strong advice is keep using it through the year and you won't need to winterise (plus they're really expensive to buy so why wouldn't you want to use as much as possible all year?).

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Camping Gear expands so as to fill the space available for its transportation.

Outdoorlass

02/8/2016 at 9:59am
Location: UK
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Hi,
We are new to caravan ing too, we have just come back from our maiden voyage:-) One of the first things we bought was a carbon monoxide detector, I think it's so important and ok I know it's another thing to buy, but for me, it's the most important purchase, along with a smoke alarm!

I can't add anything else that hasn't already been covered really, sleeping bags, are far easier to stow away than duvets, so that might be worth considering. Enjoy, it's a bit daunting at first, we found, but have a read of all the manuals before leaving, especially the loo instructions and you'll be ok :-)

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marramc48

02/8/2016 at 2:09pm
Location: Scotland
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I would also go with 6kg propane. As for Calorlite, as has already been said since a bottle recall they are difficult to locate in certain areas of the UK and weight saving will only be a maximum of just less than 9kg. Refills at GoOutdoors are £18-22 and £29-92 for lite. Bottle hire agreements are £39-99 & £44-99 respectively although you would probably be able to obtain non lite bottles in your local free ads at a much reduced cost. The cheapest method would be to fit your unit with a refillable bottle and refill with autogas. The initial bottle outlay would be greater, but the tank/bottle could be transferred if or when you change you caravan.
I also believe that "basic necessities" should be included when purchasing from a reputable dealer.

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mm48j

dinx

03/8/2016 at 1:59pm
Location: north east
Outfit: sprite alpine 4

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hi have a look on you tube have some good tips and videos re what you need for first setting up and setting off will give you a bit of insight and how things work and what to connect where ha ha.

SamandRose

03/8/2016 at 9:08pm
Location: Midlands
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6kg propane gas all the way.

Visit a caravan accessory shop, or a show, and take a credit card. You'll find you want all sorts of things you never knew existed ...

sarahl1a2

04/8/2016 at 6:31pm
Location: None Entered
Outfit: Bailey Ranger

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Thanks for all the advice everyone. Can't wait to pick it up now and get cracking. I am guessing once you have set up three or four times it all starts to become second nature. At least that is what I am hoping! :-)

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