Welcome Newbies

If you've come here then you now have a campervan or motorhome and are looking for a quick how-to, and we've got you covered :) We'll deal with this in sections so you don't have to read it all, but you should real it all of course.

Go online and download user manuals for everything you have, the conversion company, the stereo, the heating, the water heater, the control panel and of course the base vehicle. If you look in manufacturers you'll find we already provide some conversion manuals, and in our other sections we provide heating, lighting, and control panel manuals, but if we don't have it then search for it. If you find a manual and we don't have it here, then drop us feedback and let us know where you got it and what its for and we'll add it.

Read the manuals, cover to cover, seriously I know no one ever reads the manual, but in this case you'll find yourself asking far fewer stupid questions if you read the manuals, trust me on this.

There are various panels out there, and they aren't all the same especially the function of fuses and how to switch stuff on and off, you really need to find the manual for your specific control panel in order to know what all the buttons do, but all have the same basic functionality;

There will be a button to switch on the power on and off, there will be a button to enable the water pump, and there should be a button to switch power between the vehicle and leisure batteries. These are the main functions.

Generally, you will have water tanks somewhere, usually under the floor, and there will be an electric pump that is used to pump water to the taps. These systems use a pressure switch and an expansion tank. Basically, when you turn on a tap, the pressure drops and the pump starts, when you turn off the tap the pressure rises until the pressure switch turns the pump off. Its not complex, but often misunderstood.

When you first use your water its not going to immediately come out of the tap, there will be a period of bleeding where mostly air will come out, then a mixture of air and water until finally just water comes out, this can take a few minutes. You may also see dirt or gunge coming out of the tap, that's also normal so don't panic. If water isn't forthcoming, but you're sure you have water in the tank then try turning on all the taps (assuming you have more than one) and let it run for a minute or so. If you still don't have water then turn off the pump, give it 10 minutes for everything to settle then try again. If you still fail to have water then you have a problem and will need to investigate - see our water section for more specific information.

So if you have gas, usually propane (orange cylinders) then you'll have appliances that use it, possibly the fridge, cooker and heating (air and water) so the first step is to turn it on. This can be done in the gas locker (the place where the tanks are) by turning a value. You may even have to connect up the tank first if its disconnected.

Once the gas is on, light the cooker. This isn't as simple as normal though because, depending on the make/model you may need to hold the knob in whilst you light it and keep it held for 10 seconds or so before releasing.

Now the cooker works and gas is flowing, you'll need to test each of your appliances, and for that you'll need to read the manual for that appliance (see Manuals) because quite honestly they are all different.

Generally there are two types of fridges installed in motorhomes, absorption and compressor. Absorption fridges can use mains, gas and 12V (when the vehicle engine is running) whereas compressor fridges can only use 12V and optionally mains. You really need to read the manual for your specific fridge to know what all the buttons do, but as a point of interest an absorption fridge will make no noise and take a fair while to get cold, where as a compressor fridge should cool down quite quickly and you'll be able to hear the compressor running.

This is its own section because its often the source of questions, but again find the manual for your specific water heater and read that for specific instructions on how to set it, but as a general point of note; for most water heaters that use GAS there will be a vent or flu somewhere on the outside that may have a cover that will need removing - no remove no work so its important. Some water heaters are mains only and will only work on mains, where as most will be gas or mains and you'll switch between with the control. Some, like the truma water heaters can use gas AND mains at the same time, should you feel the need.

Remember, water heaters are not instant and will take a while to heat up, and then, when you're using it there is a limited amount before it runs cold, so if you're showering then speed is essential ;)

Its a simple fact that nothing stays put in the back no matter how much you wish it would, and with that in mind its important to select your cutlery accordingly. Many people use disposable wood cutlery which has improved in quality over the years, but if you must have metal cutlery then you'll need a way to secure it quietly - you'll know what I mean.

Plates, disposable are a common one, or plastic which don't last that long but can cascade out of an overhead locker without breaking everything. If you must have ceramic plates then consider securing them safely as a priority.

Condiments, produce, and fluids must be secured so they (a) don't break during transit, and (b) aren't a hazard in an accident. Some can be stored in the fridge which will have a locking door, but everything else needs to be in lockers and drawers. Pack things tightly so there's as little movement as possible, and avoid glass as much as possible.

If you're doing a lot of travelling there will always be times when it goes wrong, always keep backup food in the vehicle, be that crisps, bran bars, pot noodle, and pick things that last a long time. Personally, MRE's are a good option, they last for years, need only hot water to cook and are actually ok. Plan on the basis that you could be 'stuck' somewhere for a few days or more, think Autumn/Winter and an unexpected snow storm or floods, its happening more and more so be prepared.