To our knowledge here at Sureterm, no-one has ever appeared on TV’s Mastermind programme and picked Caravanning as their specialist subject. Now, I’m sure we’ve all come across those who think they are the world’s foremost authority on caravan and motorhome ownership (why are they always in shorts?) but the simply fact is – you can never have enough information to hand.

Whether you are a seasoned ‘vanner, or completely new to this great pastime, there’s something here that will strike a chord. This is part one of our A-Z of caravanning, from A to I – covering everything from Accessories to Insurance.

A  IS FOR… AMPS
Amperes (A) – or amps – are the quantity of electrical current flowing along an electrical cable. You’ll suddenly find yourself being governed by this piece of scientific knowledge, simply because it contributes to the amount of energy an electrical appliance uses. And if the combined appliances in your caravan, if they are all one, use more than 16A – the max amps available on a UK caravan site – there’s a danger you’ll trip the mains.
Multiply the amps of each appliance by the mains volts (230V in the UK). Add them all together. Divide by 230 and this gives the number of amps being used by your caravan at any one time. If it exceeds 16A, switch something off!

A is also for Accessories… New caravan ownership is a chance to shop, shop, shop. You will need things like a fresh-water container, waste-water containers,  Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) butane or propane, a 12V leisure battery, folding chairs, tables, a small stepladder, TV aerial extension lead, caravan directional TV aerial, hard ground awning pegs. The list is endless, really!

B  IS FOR…BUTANE.
Better in Summer than Winter. Butane is a liquefied petroleum gas and one of two used in caravanning. Identified in the UK by blue cylinders it will not turn to ‘gas’ below 1°C, whereas propane will do so down to -40°C. Many seasoned caravanners stick to propane all year.

B is also for…Battery. The majority of electrics in a caravan operate on 12 volts, making a 12V leisure battery essential even if you can hook up to a site’s mains supply.  Specialist leisure batteries are better than standard car batteries because they supply power over a longer period and are easier to recharge. And Breakaway Cable…which has to be attached to a caravan by law. They apply the brakes to a caravan if it becomes uncoupled from its towing vehicle in transit.

C  IS FOR… CHINA PLATES
And ‘crash’ – which is the noise they make when they tumble from your cabinets and shatter on the caravan floor! You will definitely need something to eat from – but make it a set of melamine crockery. 

C is also for… Cooking utensils. Equip your caravan permanently with its own set of cooking utensils so you never leave them at home. Saucepans, kettle, cutlery, spatulas and drainers are all useful and cheap. You don’t need to look like Marco Pierre White in the caravan kitchen, so stick to basic essentials.

D  IS FOR… DRYING RACKS.
If your caravanning adventures include a family, there will be plenty of wet towels every morning (unless, like our kids, you view caravanning as an excuse to ‘rough it’ and not shower every day!). A drying rack that hangs from the caravan window is perfect and can be used with or without an awning. We’ve also know people use a small rotary dryer, or string up a washing line, but that can be a bit unsightly (and frowned upon) at some caravan sites.

D is also for…Delamination. Modern caravan floors and walls are made of sandwich construction with bonded layers. If the bond breaks, delamination occurs – spotted by floors becoming spongy and walls bulging. An application of a specially-formulated epoxy resin usually does the trick.

E  IS FOR…ELECTRICITY
As mentioned earlier, it governs your life when caravanning – unless you prefer to live like a caveman with no heat or light! All caravans use 12 volts direct current (DC) and usually 230 volts alternating current (AC) as well. The 12V supply comes from the leisure battery and powers smaller electrical items like lamps and water pump. The mains is used to power the battery charger, mains lights, fridge, water heater etc. It’s good caravan etiquette to use electricity sparingly. If something doesn’t need to be on, don’t leave it on.

F  IS FOR…FILTERS
Caravan water systems use filters to trap dirt. Some clean all the water coming to the caravan, and others only filter the cold supply to the kitchen tap. Always change filters regularly (after every 4000 litres is a good yardstick) or annually if you use the caravan only infrequently.

F is also for Fire extinguisher. Get one, and keep it by the cooker. A small fire blanket is also a good idea, as is a battery operated fire alarm. And Fuses… keep some replacements to hand. They’re the same as car fuses in tubular glass and blade varieties.

G  IS FOR… GAS TAPS
Isolation taps enable the gas supply to a faulty appliance to be cut off, while allowing the others to continued to function safely.  All the taps are usually found together in one of the kitchen cupboards. G is also for… gas bottle spanner.  Get one that fits all standard size bottle valves, and some can also remove certain water cartridges.

G is also for… Gabina waste disposal system. This simple hygienic waste bag holder comes complete with waste sacs and attaches to a wall or door. Saves rooting around for old plastic backs to stick food and other waste in.

H  IS FOR…HEATERS
There’s no escaping it, thanks to climate change, global warming or whatever you want to call it – it can get bone-numbingly cold at any point in the UK now. So having a caravan heater is a must. Knowing about heaters comes into play especially when buying a new caravan as you’ll need to understand which type your chosen ‘van uses. Space heaters have a combustion chamber that is sealed off from the living area, so the carbon monoxide produced during combustion is exhausted outside.
Some heaters have a blown-air option, where warmed air is channeled through ducts around the van by a heater fan. You can, of course, choose to use a warm air blower which runs off a socket too.

H is also for Hitch-Head. Again, for the benefit of ‘newbies’ this is the part of the A-frame which fits over the towball. There are various types available, but they all do the same job: they couple the van and the tow vehicle via the towball. H is also for… Help. Once you join the caravanning fraternity, never be afraid or embarrassed to ask others for help and advice. No-one is born an expert, so rather than struggle with things like parking, or awning assembly on your own, if you need a hand – ask for one.

I  IS FOR… INSURANCE
Having splashed a decent amount of cash on your new caravan, the next vital thing to do is insure it properly – with a policy that gives you absolutely everything you think you need. This is when it pays to seek out a specialist caravan insurance company, like Sureterm Direct, rather than go to the same people who supply your car or household cover.

Specialist insurance companies know the caravanning business inside out, and rather than treat your caravan insurance package as an add-on to an existing policy (which is likely not to give you the best protection) they will craft a bespoke policy built exclusively for caravan owners.

Always speak to an operator, rather than relying purely on online quote forms, as these friendly experts know how to get important information from you (you might think it’s insignificant at the time) that could certainly help whenever you encounter the need to claim.

And if you are a member of a caravan club, then companies like Sureterm Direct give you a further 15% discount on your insurance premium.  Sureterm don’t even charge you for the phone calls. So give their team a call on their Freephone number 0800 999 2030, they’re bound to save you money on your caravan insurance policy.

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