Blow Heating

Well had a little trouble on our last outing, although the blow heating was working after a while it would cut out, when the fan started again it was blowing cold!  As we wanted the heating to work during the night to keep the chill off this wasn't good, as in order to get heat again you had to take out the drawer above the fire to reach the reset switch!

Gary from Arc Systems was contactable through UK Campsite Forum Repairs and was able to advise that a build up of dust on the fan blades can often be the culprit.  Not enough air passes through to regulate the thermostat and the safety feature is that it cuts out as it gets too hot and has to be reset.  Just by cleaning the blades of even a little surface dust it can make a difference.

The tricky thing is reaching the MK1 fan on the back of the fire......

Two drawers above it are the only access to the back of the fire without removing it!!  Well we took both drawers out and using a mirror and a torch we were able to identify where the screws were and started to remove it.

Getting it out was tricky due the electrical unit on the back and the fan motor which we had to half remove to tilt it through the opening.  We removed the fan and I carefully cleaned it with cotton bud and mini brush - boy it was more than a thin covering.

Once cleaned, fan was reattached, fed back behind the fire and electrical unit back on and reattached.

Plugged electric cable in and hey presto warm air with no tripping for a few hours.  So now we will be toasty on a night.  All good.

Sorry no pics - should have done really just so you could see the dirt build up but was that keen to get it back in and working - didn't get any taken.

A couple of jobs done on the Elddis!

Well - the Elddis had a little delamination so this time I bought the two part mix and boy was that stuff good! Not too messy and rock solid.  Unlike the 'one shot' which expanded, this found it's level and just bonded.  Really impressed.  

When we bought the van it was missing the curtain around the dinette for the bunks and it didn't have arm rest cushions at the very front of the van.....so I have had the sewing machine out again....

Decided to go for a champagne colour which blends quite nicely with the seats because trying to match the green was a nightmare.  Besides wanted something that would still keep the van light when they were drawn!

The shorter curtain is for over the table cupboard.

So with the curtains done - I tried my hand at some roll cushions, not for the faint hearted.

They have velcro openings so they can be washed if need be.

Happy overall - a nice warm rich colour added to the van.  Have just replaced the mixer tap for the kitchen sink.  That was a lot easier than I expected, they just unscrew off.  Next is to replace the hob wind guard, hubby caught the original one and snapped the bracket.  We've managed to source another bracket so that has to be put on.  Then really just to clean all the pipes and we are all set for our year of caravanning.

I have also put up a tv bracket ready for the TV and am going to buy one of those quick release brackets.

Just have to sort out the electric blow heating which doesn't seem to be blowing warm/hot only cold!  Gary from ARC systems may be able to help.

REBUILD COMPLETE

It has been a while so thought (after requests) I had better update you all on the progress.  The interior was complete so we moved onto reattaching the awning rail and inserts.  We also resealed all of the skylights.

Fablon was used to cover the scratched end panel and looks ok

Decided on maroon awning insert to match the decals

The centre roof strip was removed and resealed for good measure too

Well after all our hard work we finally got away in our little beauty.  We did a few trips locally and then moved on to trying further afield and headed to Great Yarmouth, Wild Ducks at Haven.

We had a wonderful time

We thoroughly enjoyed our week away, and Mark (above) loved towing!  Made easier because she towed really well.  So after our week away, guess what - we're hooked.  But that also comes at a price, because after all our work she is now up for sale and we've purchased a 4 berth Elddis Typhoon so we can have a little more room for all of us!

This one hasn't come without a few jobs, floor delamination now fixed, sink cover sourced and fitted and new barrel hinges for front table bought and fitted.  Little jobs in the grand scheme of things.  Damp free and all in all a little bit of luxury for us.  We did go out and buy a used pyramid awning (just like the one with the Challenger) and are picking up our new Inaca porch awning this weekend (ready for autumn trips).

So if anyone knows anyone looking for a starter Swift caravan with awning, that's had plenty of work done - message me!

Caravan Rebuild - Part 12

It has been a long two weeks getting these curtains made.  There were four pairs of curtains and the door curtain a swell as the pelmets to cover.


I got one door curtain sewed and thought, wow this is going to take forever!!  So I moved onto something a little easier.  With the help of my brother Lee we got all the seats back into the van and secured, this meant I had something to sit on and could set up the caravan table and my sewing machine, and I cracked on with doing the pelmets.


Once done I got these screwed into position and was a little shocked at the colour as it seemed more vivid in the photos than it does in the van.

Still have to clean the paint of the window rubbers....but that's an easy task.

As you can see, I shop at Harrods of the North for my haberdashery items 'BOYES'

The floor does look busy next to the seating, but I plan on putting a runner in the living area so this will be a block colour, the tiles are to give some extra insulation.

My lonely door curtain done, I put that up (not an easy task).

Due to the length of time these curtains were going to take (not the two hour job I initially thought) I carried all my equipment back into the house and over the space of an evening and a morning cracked on with sewing all eight curtains....my daughter (aged two) tried to sabotage my sewing machine, but once I figured out how to put it back together, I was back on the case.


In the meantime, I had bought a runner, which unfortunately was not quite wide enough for between the two seats so we decided on carpet tiles from Homebase.  I fitted these so they went under the seats, so a half hour job unscrewing the seats again to do this.


All curtains made, pressed and cushions made as well, they were bagged up ready to go into the van and hang.  Before hanging the curtains I put the corner edging (bath trim) into place, this is self adhesive.

This is in the shower room and really tidies up the edge.  There are still the ceiling plastic strips to put on.

The edging has come away slightly but is easily pressed back into place as it's self adhesive.

All of the curtains in place.

Here you can see the 'sand' carpet tiles in place, they certainly add a bit of warmth.

Unfortunately on the photo's you still can't see the orange fleck in the seat covers, but it is there and the curtains do go.

Caravan Rebuild - Part 11

On the evenings of this week I will be attempting to make the new curtains for the caravan.  I started by using the original curtains as a template, as they fit and they fit well.


I have decided to use black out lining, mainly because I had a large pair of blackout curtains in the airing cupboard from my son's childhood.  I spend Sunday evening measuring the curtains and cutting the black out lining exactly the same size.


I then gathered all my tools together with my fabric to start work.

I then laid out my material and put wrong side fabric to wrong side lining.

I then marked a 2.5cm hem allowance around the lining using tailors chalk.  As so...

After I had cut out the first curtain I did check that the allowance worked well with the lining to ensure they were the correct width.  I put right side to right side and pinned a 2.5cm seam allowance down each side, I then folded it inside out so the curtain fabric was the right way and everything measured up nicely.  I may have left the hem allowance a little tight on the side curtains but I can adjust the allowance at the top of the curtains to give me a better hem - so shouldn't be an issue.

Here you can the lovely terracotta fabric which has an honeycomb effect.

This is the curtain fabric next to the upholstery fabric on the seat cushions, I was hoping the curtains would bring out the terracotta stripe in the seat fabric....not sure if it does.

It took me about an hour and a half to cut all the curtains out.  Here they are ready for pinning and sewing.

Now it was onto covering the buttons on the pelmet, this is a fiddly job but one you can do sitting on the couch watching television, which is what I intend to do.