Not all that long ago I purchased a new camper and thought I’ll get all the good stuff, based on the premise that two thirds of a long trip should be done in a bit of comfort.
After ordering the trailer I wondered if I’d gone too far, and started to think if half these gadgets would work if powered by a 2KVA Honda generator in the bush. So one at a time we tried the following:
· 1.5 HP reverse cycle air conditioning unit*.
· Jug
· Toaster
· Small electrical fan forced heater
· Small hot
water system
We soon learnt that you can only have these things on ‘one at a time’ without tripping the switch or giving the Honda a bit of a workout in the bush. But they all worked
well, during the winter.
*The camper has a ducted air conditioning system, and I wasn’t too convinced as to how effective this would be inside a camper that was half canvas. On a 25 degree day it nearly froze the nuts off us! Only time will tell how it performs in the tropics.
The hot
water system is a bit slow, and needs to be complemented with a jug of hot
water to wash dishes. However it’s a low cost item, so the expectations shouldn’t be too high.
The other thing I want to make mention of, is the upgraded Fliama awning. Some time back the design was quite flimsy. But the new models are far more robust. However, they still don’t supply any holes or attachment points to tie the awning down. It’s now a very good product, but lacks this essential feature.
We took the trailer off into the bush quite a few times, and I forgot to put a bit of tape over the key holes. So we spent a bit of time one morning cleaning them out, putting a bit of lubricant in, then applying tape to keep the dust and mud out.
After a few Bull Dust sections, I’ll have to turn my attention to sealing off most of the grills during travel.
I’m going to tag the
water tanks. The 50 L
tank in the car is fresh
water, complemented by another 20L on the draw bar.
There are two 60l tanks under the camper, one of which will be tagged ‘
bore water’. When a man is two parts cut during the night, it’s hard to figure out which is which. LOL.
Drop down supports – I wouldn’t order a camper, or van without these things. I was also very surprised to discover the camper came with a campamatic jack.
The Hiland hitch is the second I've had, and I would'd consider anything else in the future. I've tried other articulating hitches in the past, and found them to be a bloody pain to line up, particularly on a solo trip in soft sand.
Half way through the last trip it then occured to me to check the wheel brase. Luckly the the Toyota tool also fitted the studs on the camper trailer.
Finally, can you imagine two blokes trying to figure out how to get the oven to light after a few drinks. So we gave up, and relagated the problem to another day.
Regards
Kim