We just know that we are going to get asked on social media the same questions over and over again. That's okay, we expect that. But if you have a question for us that you just can't wait for our response, then check out the following frequently asked questions. Maybe you will find your answer right here, right now!
Here we go...
1. How do you power your Motorhome?
Let us start by saying that all modern Motorhomes have what are called 'Leisure batteries'. Most have just one, but some people add more or upgrade to larger capacity ones. The power is measured in Ah (Amp hours). An average battery would be around 100Ah. These are used for the lighting inside the Motorhome, control panels and the 12v sockets.
There are various types of Leisure batteries, but the main two are lead acid and Lithium.
The lead acid based Leisure batteries can only be drained down to 50% before they need to be charged up again. So for example, if you had a single 100Ah Lead acid battery and you used 1 amp per hour, you would only get 50 hours use out of it until it will need charging up. A 100Ah Lithium battery however allows you to drain down to 20%, which in the same example would then give you 80 hours of use. Plus Lithium batteries are charged back up to full capacity far quicker than Lead acid ones. Lithiums also last a claimed 13 years+, whereas Lead acid may last 2-3 years, some higher grade ones can last a bit longer.
So why don't everyone use Lithium instead of Lead acid?
The cost. Lithiums are currently far more expensive than Lead acid.
Aside from the 12v sockets, there are also 240v 3 pin sockets available inside the Motorhome. Normally they are only powered when either you are hooked up to mains on a camp site or to a portable generator, if you wish to go down that route. However, if you are a bit more 'clued up' like us and one or two others, you can connect a device called an inverter/charger to your system, which will then allow you to be able to use standard 240v 3 pin sockets direct from your own leisure batteries without the need for hook ups!
Obviously whichever batteries you have, they do not last forever and will need charging up on a regular basis. They are charged up by either being plugged into mains power, driving/engine running (if you have a battery to battery charger), or charging from a solar panel.
There are various types of Leisure batteries, but the main two are lead acid and Lithium.
The lead acid based Leisure batteries can only be drained down to 50% before they need to be charged up again. So for example, if you had a single 100Ah Lead acid battery and you used 1 amp per hour, you would only get 50 hours use out of it until it will need charging up. A 100Ah Lithium battery however allows you to drain down to 20%, which in the same example would then give you 80 hours of use. Plus Lithium batteries are charged back up to full capacity far quicker than Lead acid ones. Lithiums also last a claimed 13 years+, whereas Lead acid may last 2-3 years, some higher grade ones can last a bit longer.
So why don't everyone use Lithium instead of Lead acid?
The cost. Lithiums are currently far more expensive than Lead acid.
Aside from the 12v sockets, there are also 240v 3 pin sockets available inside the Motorhome. Normally they are only powered when either you are hooked up to mains on a camp site or to a portable generator, if you wish to go down that route. However, if you are a bit more 'clued up' like us and one or two others, you can connect a device called an inverter/charger to your system, which will then allow you to be able to use standard 240v 3 pin sockets direct from your own leisure batteries without the need for hook ups!
Obviously whichever batteries you have, they do not last forever and will need charging up on a regular basis. They are charged up by either being plugged into mains power, driving/engine running (if you have a battery to battery charger), or charging from a solar panel.
Some owners even use a wind turbine!
LPG gas is also a power source in your Motorhome for your fridge when parked, for heating and of course for cooking. The gas canisters come in a variety of sizes/weights. Our Motorhome can easily carry up to two 5kg ones.
2. What do you do about Mail?
One of the biggest and most awkward of changes to your life when moving into full time living on the road is receiving Mail. It is of course possible. The easiest method is to ask a friend or relative if you could use their address for all your correspondence (and Amazon packages! lol). Or here in the UK you could pay for a P.O. Box. The latter choice has varying degrees of cost. Some providers offer you a service whereby they open your mail, scan it and email on to you. Which is okay if you only receive simple letters and no large packages. And of course, you trust them to not make notes of your bank account numbers etc! (Or are we just being paranoid?). Or you can pay a much larger monthly fee and be able to receive parcels etc that you can pick up from them at your (or their) convenience.
So the cheapest and best option is of course using your friend or relative.
The problem with all these option is that you need to travel back to a particular area to pick up your mail. So there are other options also available to you where you can order an item and pick it up locally from where you are parked.
If you shop on eBay you can filter your search results to only show products that have the 'Click and Collect' delivery option. In most cases you can choose from a decent choice of shops etc that you can have your item(s) delivered to for you to pick them up at your convenience.
Amazon also offers an option of your goods being delivered to either drop-off points, that are usually either Post Offices or corner shops, or Amazon Lockers which are dotted around the country usually in Stores in Retail Parks. A search for these lockers can be found HERE.
Also, we must not forget food deliveries! Yes, when you are parked up at a camp site you might well find that local fast food take aways actually deliver to you on the site. We know!
The problem with all these option is that you need to travel back to a particular area to pick up your mail. So there are other options also available to you where you can order an item and pick it up locally from where you are parked.
If you shop on eBay you can filter your search results to only show products that have the 'Click and Collect' delivery option. In most cases you can choose from a decent choice of shops etc that you can have your item(s) delivered to for you to pick them up at your convenience.
Amazon also offers an option of your goods being delivered to either drop-off points, that are usually either Post Offices or corner shops, or Amazon Lockers which are dotted around the country usually in Stores in Retail Parks. A search for these lockers can be found HERE.
Also, we must not forget food deliveries! Yes, when you are parked up at a camp site you might well find that local fast food take aways actually deliver to you on the site. We know!
3. Can you watch TV in a Motorhome?
Of course you can! Just make sure you don't go buying a large 50" TV for your small Motorhome. You might find it won't quite fit. Usually a 22" is plenty big enough without feeling like you're sitting on top of it. Try to buy a 12v TV though, as this will save power usage on your leisure battery, as using an inverter uses more power.
Here in the UK you can either watch Freeview through a rooftop Ariel, or you can go crazy and buy yourself a satellite dish (or dome!) and watch Freesat or even Sky! Of course you can always watch Now TV, Netflix or Amazon Prime Video too if you are subscribed to these services, and also watch catchup TV services such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub etc.etc. (Remember you will need internet access for these!). All the better if you own a Smart TV with the appropriate service built in. If not, try and get a device that plugs directly into the hdmi and uses the usb port of the TV for it's power, then you won't have to use up a seperate plug socket! NowTV and Amazon Fire Stick are two such devices. Also a lot of TV's for Motorhomes have built in dvd players, so you can play your favourite dvds too!
4. Can you have internet, fast internet?
Yes. You have a few options for internet. The most basic and simplest internet access would be through your mobile phone. Of course you will need to pay your provider for the data access. But if, like us, you want to use your laptops because you want to have a bigger screen with a 'proper' keyboard, then you can either connect WiFi access on a camp site if available (sometimes chargeable). Or, which we preferred, sign up to a 4g broadband provider and connect your laptop to their router. We used to use two services. The 3 Network (rubbish) and EE (excellent!). Now we just use EE. We are on an Unlimited Data service with them at around £25 per month. We also ditched the original router and bought a Netgear Nighthawk router connected to an Antenna on the roof. A fantastic bit of kit. Bit of an outlay but well worth it.
Yes. You have a few options for internet. The most basic and simplest internet access would be through your mobile phone. Of course you will need to pay your provider for the data access. But if, like us, you want to use your laptops because you want to have a bigger screen with a 'proper' keyboard, then you can either connect WiFi access on a camp site if available (sometimes chargeable). Or, which we preferred, sign up to a 4g broadband provider and connect your laptop to their router. We used to use two services. The 3 Network (rubbish) and EE (excellent!). Now we just use EE. We are on an Unlimited Data service with them at around £25 per month. We also ditched the original router and bought a Netgear Nighthawk router connected to an Antenna on the roof. A fantastic bit of kit. Bit of an outlay but well worth it.
There are pros and cons with all the options. For instance you can't always get a signal, and the 4g network in places can be bad or even non-existent! But that's life living on the road. Still worth it, even with these little niggles. We usually move on from a spot if we get no internet access at all. Sad in a way. lol.
5. How do you do your washing?
Some people have opted for small washing appliances that can either be powered or a simple hand crank. But to be honest, We've never seen anything as good as the proper washing machine that you have in an everyday normal household. As we've never actually used these portable appliances up till now, we are not really in a position to judge. But they are there if you wish to opt for one of those. The only thing you need to consider, other than making sure you have enough water available to use it, is do you have the storage space for when you are not using it? We don't. So we use camp sites for our washing. Yes they do charge a few pounds, but it's well worth it. We also use the outdoor washing machines that you find at Garages or Supermarkets. So much for not washing your dirty laundry in public! 😂
Of course, you can still hand wash! 😏
6. Where do you go to the toilet?
Most Motorhomes have their own toilet on board. All the human waste is collected in a large container under the toilet known as a cassette. (In the U.S. most RVs have large black tanks). When the toilet cassette is full, it can be removed from the outside of the Motorhome and emptied in the proper designated places called an Elsan. A lot of camp sites have these facilities available. So if you don't know whether the camp site you are heading to has an Elsan available, then it would probably be best to phone ahead before you start your journey so that you know you can empty it when you get there. Some people empty them in public toilets, which can be a bit messy, smelly and maybe even embarrassing. Some people also dig a hole when parked in some barren land somewhere and bury their waste! This is mostly done in America where they have a large amount of BLM land, which we don't have here in the UK. (Dammit!). And some even poo in bags in buckets, then pull it out, tie up the bag and throw it in a public litter bin! This might sound rather vulgar, but when you think that huge numbers of dog poo bags are thrown into bins constantly (which is encouraged), then what the hell's the difference!? Plus of course, if you mix the waste with sawdust it removes/masks the smells. Yes, we have recently moved to this concept with our composting toilet. Check out our video on that! Highly recommended.
Of course, you can always try using public toilets more often so as to avoid emptying your cassette from your Motorhome so often. And if you have the room, you could also carry a spare cassette to temporarily swap over until you're able to find a suitable place for emptying. I personally wouldn't fancy carrying a full one in a garage or wardrobe though, just in case of leaks! 😬
7. Can you cook everyday 'normal' meals in a Motorhome or do I have to be a vegetarian?
No danger of being vegans here! lol. That's certainly not to say that we appreciate the idea of being a vegan, but I'm afraid we're too used to being meat eaters. Sorry, but we love our burgers and curries!
The make and model of Motorhome is the deciding factor in what you get in the kitchen area. If your Motorhome has a cooking facilities then it will usually offer at least 2 gas rings, most of them have 3. Then you can get some, like ours, that have 3 gas rings and 1 electric. You should also (at least if you live in the UK) have an oven and grill too. Out of interest, our European friends apparently would rather not have an oven and instead opt for extra storage space instead! Which to be honest, might be a good idea as we never actually use ours, only for extra storage! Our very own oven is now classed as our bread bin! lol.
A lot of camping sites allow BBQ's or Spirit Stoves to be used on the plots. Some Motorhomes such as ours have an outside gas BBQ connection too, if you prefer to use the Van's LPG supply.
You might also have a microwave too. But to run that you will either need to be plugged in to a camp site's electric hook up, use a generator, or if you have a powerful enough inverter to run it from your leisure battery for a short time. Some people also plug in an additional induction hob to use. But once again, watch that power usage!