Auto-Sleepers Gloucester2010, Handbook

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To deal with your queries efficiently, always
quote your vehicle’s production number
which can be found in the glove compartment
(eg N123).
Please read and complete the warranty
registration card supplied with your vehicle;
and return to the address below, without
delay.
Auto-Sleepers Limited,
Orchard Works,
Willersey,
Nr Broadway,
Worcestershire
WR12 7QF
Tele: 01386 853338
Fax: 01386 858343
E-mail: sales@auto-sleepers.co.uk
INTRODUCTION
This introduction is aimed at those who are
new to motor caravanning and indeed
caravanning in general. It is very much an
overview intended to match the expectations
of new owners with the facilities available in
their vehicle. Detailed technical advice is
available from many sources; dealers,
manufacturers and clubs such as the
Caravan Club.
Owners of motor caravans use their vehicles
differently. Some just as support for daytime
activities, some for occasional overnight stay
and others for longer stays sometimes on a
site with electricity and other facilities
available and sometimes at places with no
support facilities at all. There are many
variations in the design of motor caravans.
Some things like size and layout are obvious,
others such as optimising heating and
lighting for use with an external mains
service connection are not.
It is hoped that a new owner has considered
these matters and has procured a vehicle
that is suitable for the type of use they
intend, there will, however, still be a major
adapting process to be gone through. The
reason is that whilst the modern motor
caravan usually contains very similar
facilities to your home it is not usually
connected to main services. You will be
limited in your use of the facilities by the
capacity of the energy, fuel and water you
can carry and by the fact that there is a
limited capacity to carry waste fluids.
There follows a list of some of the facilities
and guidance on their use and on contraints
that apply:
Leisure battery
This battery (there may be more than one) is
provided in addition to the standard vehicle
battery to power facilities in the caravan
(habitation) area of the motor caravan. These
facilities can include lights, water pump, toilet
flush, heating blower and ignition for gas
appliances. The battery is charged by the
vehicle engine when it is running or by a built
in battery charger when the motor caravan is
connected to a mains electricity supply.
With a mains supply connected and the
charger switched on you can make unlimited
use of the battery supplied appliances and
the leisure battery will remain fully charged.
When not connected to the mains you could
switch all of the appliances on at once and
discharge the battery in a couple of hours. By
only switching on what you need when you
need it the battery can support you for three
or four days in the winter. A solar panel can
be installed as an extra that will give a small
charge to the battery and help it support you
for longer.
The output of the leisure battery and the
circuits it supplies are all protected by fuses.
You should find out where those fuses are
located and keep some spares to hand.
Unlike the vehicle battery the leisure battery
is not usually maintenance free. The
electrolyte in the battery will on occasion
need to be topped up with distilled water and
should be checked every month.
Gas
It is usual to have some devices (such as the
cooker) in the motor home fuelled by liquid
petroleum gas (LPG) and most vehicles are
designed to accept replaceable gas
cylinders.
LPG comes as either propane (red cylinder),
butane (blue cylinder) or occasionally as a