Being the owner of a small caravan site I get quite a lot of feedback from guests about their caravans. What they like, what they don’t and also whats stopped working. Over recent years I have had a number of guests talk to me about caravan fridge problems. Some would state that their fridge would work fine on gas. However, they were having problems with their fridge working via mains electricity and 12V.

There are various reasons why you can get problems with a caravan fridge not working properly. For instance, it’s very important to properly level your caravan to make sure the fridge works efficiently.

Occasionally, I’ve also had guests describe problems with the fridge not working properly while towing. However, I was recently made aware by one guest that caravan fridge problems may be down to the purchase of a new car! I was rather perplexed by this, so I started to look into it a bit more. I then came across the video below which explains why new cars with Euro 6 engines may be to blame for some caravan fridge problems.

Caravan Fridge Problems and Euro 6 Engines

Engines used in cars are not that clean emissions wise as we know (Diesel Gate cough cough). However, there new sets of standards which come around roughly every 5 years. The current highest standard for car engines is Euro 6, which was introduced in 2015. You can read more about what Euro 6 engines are and how they work in this AutoExpress article. Essentially the key objective is the reduce the nitrous oxide (NOx) and particulate (black dust) emissions which both petrol and diesel engines produce.

Regenerative Braking on Euro 6 Engines

So the key issue with caravan fridge problems and Euro 6 engines is around the feature of regenerative breaking. Typically the alternator on a normal car is putting power back into the battery by placing that load on the engine. Well, to improve fuel efficiency, Euro 6 engines take that alternator load away from the engine and captures it from the car’s brakes, under braking conditions.

For regenerative breaking to work there has to be somewhere for that energy to go. Therefore the computer (ECU) on a Euro 6 engine keeps the car’s battery at a lower state of charge/voltage ready to absorb that energy. Hence here lies the problem. As the battery on the Euro 6 engine is now only held at 12.4V, where older cars would be at 14V.

DC Power and Long Cables

Direct current (DC) as used in vehicles loses voltage the longer cables get. Now, a car is fairly short, just a couple of meters long. Therefore voltage loss within the car is not a problem. However, to go from a cars battery to a caravan fridge, there can be 8m of cable, potentially even more. Therefore voltage loss suddenly can become an issue.

As I’m sure you know, your caravan fridge when running from the leisure battery requires 12V to work. As stated above a Euro 6 car will have a battery potentially as low as 12.4V. Therefore after that power has travelled through 8m+ of cables, it could actually be below 12V. Hence the caravan fridge can develop problems and stop working.

However, as stated in the video above, the voltage coming from the car while towing may actually be as high as 15V. Well, in that case, the problem might be that the caravan fridge trips out because the voltage is too high!

Potential Damage to the Caravan Fridge?

So there is potentially a situation, say going up and down hills where the car’s battery is fluctuating between 12-15V over a relatively short period of time. Causing the caravan fridge to turn on and then trip out quite frequently. Besides obviously not being great for your food stored in the fridge, it also makes you think is that damaging the fridge? I personally have no idea, but I can’t imagine its good for it. It makes me wonder if some of the guests I’ve spoken to with mains electrical issues and their fridges could be linked to this problem.

Associated issues with Leisure Batteries and Caravan Movers

So the issues of a low voltage being sent to a caravan from Euro 6 car potentially creates other problems. First, your leisure battery will not have been maintained at a reasonable state of charge.

The leisure battery is probably depleted from trying to run the caravan fridge because the car is not providing enough power to do so. Therefore, many people probably think this is an issue with their leisure battery being old or faulty and not an issue with their new car. Moreover, this can lead to an issue with your caravan motormover.

You arrive on site, and you want to set up your caravan. After turning the remote control on for your motormover …. nothing happens. I know from personal experience, if you are not well over 12V on the battery meter you don’t have a chance at getting your motor mover to work. Therefore this voltage issue with Euro 6 engine cars is potentially causing more problems than just your fridge not working.

Solutions to the Problem

Essentially your not going to fix this problem within your car, you need to focus on your caravan. If only 9-12V is reaching the caravan, then before that goes into the fridge or leisure battery it needs to be boosted in voltage. The video above is produced by Sterling Power Ltd. They offer a battery-to-battery charger. At this time of checking the price is just under £230.

There are potentially other products on the market that can perform the same task of providing a more consistent and suitable voltage to the caravans electrical system. So make sure to look around, compare prices and warranties etc.

How do you check if a car has a Regenerative Braking Alternator?

The easiest way to check is to get a friend and portable DC voltage meter with a cigarette lighter adapter. Your friend can then sit in the passenger seat with the DC voltage meter plugged in. As you drive around and go through various braking situations you will know the answer. If your friend sees the voltage spike up to 15V when you brake, then that’s a sign you have a regenerative braking alternator.

Conclusions on Caravan Fridge Problems due to New Cars

Now, this issue with caravan fridges and new Euro 6 cars does not appear to be prevalent in all cases. There are various forum posts from individuals stating they have never experienced such an issue with their new cars.

The fact is there are lots of variables at play. Certain manufacturers of caravan fridge may be more sensitive to voltage changes than others. Some caravan manufactures may be aware of this issue and have fitted additional electrical equipment to regulate the voltage. However, if it sounds like an issue which may be the reasons for problems you’re experiencing with your caravan fridge, it may be worth looking into.

I hope you found this post useful and informative and I hope you consider visiting us at Horton Common and our fully serviced pitches in the future. 🙂

The subject of caravan tyres and how long they last may not be the most interesting topic I could think to write about, however, it is one of the most important. When discussing how long caravan tyres last, what we are really talking about is at what point are the tyres not safe to tow on? With regards to safety, there are differences between new and old tyres in terms of braking performance. However, the key concern is blowouts. If your not sure what a tyre blowout is, just watch the video below to see:

As you can see, with a tyre blowout there is really nothing you can do to retain control of the trailer. Travelling at speed is the most likely scenario for a blowout to occur, and obviously, that also carries the most significant chance of serious repercussions.

What can cause a Caravan Tyre Blowout?

There are various reasons why caravan tyre may blowout. For instance, over or under inflation of the tyres over time can lead to damage which results in a blowout. However, there also some other factors which can negatively impact on tyre safety.

Caravans Sitting Idle

So as you would expect, most people don’t use their caravans over winter. Therefore the caravan is sat idle for several months of the year. The weight of the caravan bearing down on one specific point of the tyre. This can distort the tyre and create a weak point. However, that week point doesn’t become apparent until you get the caravan on the road. Once up to speed and the temperature of the tyres rise that’s when the damage can become apparent.

Therefore it’s best practice to rotate the tyres each month that the caravan is sat idle. You can also consider the use of tyre savers. These are a curved pad, typically made of plastic. The idea of the tyre saver is to support the weight of the caravan over a greater surface area of the tyre, avoiding flat spots.

If you do want to go down the tyre save route make sure they are well supported and made of a good quality UV stable plastic. We have purchased tyre savers in the past that became brittle over just one year and the edges snapped off. Alternatively, the wheels could be removed and the caravan left on axle stands.

UV Tyre Damage

Another factor which can lead to more rapid deterioration of caravan tyres is UV damage. Now, in the UK how much of an additional effect UV radiation plays in ageing the tyres, I’m not sure. Tyres will age and become less flexible over time no matter what. But, covering the tyres to protect them from UV radiation while the caravan is stored/idle is not difficult. Alternatively, there are some tyre black products which have UV protection built into them.

Insurance Claims

According to CaravanGuard apparently, 90% of their tyre related claims are to do with blowouts, with the average repair cost at £2,500! As you would expect, those claims raise considerably in the summer months. There are various choices you can make to help reduce your insurance by fitting a tyre pressure monitoring system or tyre bands, more details on those below.

How often should you Replace Caravan Tyres?

When it comes to how long do caravan tyres last, it will very rarely be when the tread is worn out. Most people simply don’t do the number of miles to wear down the tread that quickly. The main reason you should change your caravan tyres is down to their age. So to answer this question I thought I would include quotes from various organisations on their perspective on how often you should replace your caravan tyres:

“We recommend that you replace your caravan tyres when they reach five years old and should never be used when more than seven years old.” – Caravan and Motorhome Club

“Irrespective of the tread left on them, it’s advisable to change tyres before they reach 5 years old.” – Caravan Guard

“The generally accepted rule within the caravan industry is that tyres should be changed when five years old, even if they appear in perfect condition. Indeed, in The Netherlands, a caravan will not pass its MOT if a tyre is six years old or more.” – Outandaboutlive.co.uk

“Most expert commentators recommend that tyres are changed when they are five years old and that they should never be used after they are seven years old.” – Caravanwise.co.uk

So, as you can see, there is a pretty clear consensus that at 5 years and at most 7 years you need to change your caravan tyres. However, if you can see damage to the tyre sidewall you should seriously consider changing the tyres before this point.

Tyre Wall Cracks and Bulges

The video below from Blackcirles tyres provides a good quick overview of the various issues a tyre can suffer from and how to spot them. Tyre wall cracking and bulges are a particular concern for caravan tyres.

How can you tell the Age of Caravan Tyres?

In most (but not all cases) you can find out the age of your caravan tyres by looking for the DOT code. If the tyres don’t appear to have a DOT code, look around the tyre sidewall for a 4-digit code. It’s this 4-digit code either on its own or at the end of the DOT code which will tell you how old the tyres are.

The first two numbers indicate the week, and the second two numbers indicate the year. So in the example above those tyres were made on the 14th week of 2015.

Are Caravan Tyres different from Car Tyres?

There is no such thing as tyres ‘specially’ designed for caravans. There are tyres branded a ‘trailer tyres’, however, the sizes of these tyres are not really suitable for most caravans. The most important thing about the tyres that you purchase for your caravan is their load rating or load index. Once you know the Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM) of your caravan, you can work out the load rating of the tyres you require.

So in the case of the MTPLM rating of 1415kg as shown in the image above, each tyre needs to support just over 700kg. The general rule is to add another 20%, so you’re looking for the tyres to support just under 850kg each. If you check the tyre load index charts online that means a load rating of 102. You can compare this number to the load rating of the existing tyres on your caravan using the diagram below:

What should the Pressure be on Caravan Tyres?

Your caravan handbook should state what pressure you need to inflate the tyres too. However, if you have lost your handbook there is a useful tool provided by Tyresafe.org. You need to know your caravan’s MTPLM and tyre size. You then enter that information into the tool along with the number of wheels, depending on if its a single or double axle caravan.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring Systems

You can fit a tyre pressure monitor system which will give constant feedback on your caravan tyres. Not only can this provide you with the reassurance that the tyres are properly inflated, but it can also lower your insurance. It’s worth checking with your insurer which tyre pressure monitoring systems they will provide a discount on. Autoexpress has recently done a review of tyre pressure monitoring systems which is worth checking out:

Tyre Safety Bands

Another option to consider for your caravan is tyre safety bands. Tyre safety bands help to keep the tyre on the rim in a blowout situation. It is worth noting, however, with a tyre safety band fitted it is more difficult to have the tyres changed. Therefore some fitters will charge more because of this.

A common brand of safety bands for caravans are Tyron. They are a product that some people love, and some people think they create too many issues when changing tyres. The video below provides a good overview of Tyron bands:

Do Caravan Tyres need Balancing?

It’s better to get the tyres balanced if you can. At relatively low speeds (below 50mph) you probably wouldn’t notice an unbalanced tyre. However, above 50mph on the motorway, that is where you may notice some vibration coming from the caravan. So if you do a lot of motorway miles in your caravan I would definitely consider getting the tyres balanced.

Quick Note on Caravan Movers and Tyre Damage

It is worth noting that a caravan mover which has not been properly fitted or adjusted can potentially cause damage to the tyres. The mover needs to engage against the tyre with sufficient force to move the wheel while not slipping. However, if it engages with too much force they can potentially distort the caravan tyres. This is less of an issue with motor movers which automatically engage.

Conclusions on How long do Caravan Tyres Last

So, in summary, really whatever your caravan tyres look like, you need to be changing them between 5-7 years. If you can see a significant amount of cracks or a bulge in the side wall of your tyres, don’t wait, get them changed.

You shouldn’t be judging how long your caravan tyres last based on tread depth. It’s highly likely after 5 years you will still have plenty of tread left on the tyres. The main problem is from the moment their made all tyres age and denature. They progressively become stiffer and less flexible, developing cracks and weak points.

I hope you found this post useful and feel the urge to go and check the condition of your caravan tyres as a result. I also hope at some point you consider coming to visit us and our fully serviced hardstanding caravan pitches here at Horton Common. 🙂

While our caravan site Horton Common is in a beautiful rural location, unfortunately, that does come with slow rural broadband speeds. Therefore offering WiFi to our guests is simply not feasible. So I often get asked what other solutions are there for getting an Internet connection in caravans and motorhomes? The answer is to take advantage of the 4G mobile network. While we may have poor landline broadband, due to our elevated location we get an excellent reception from the most if not all of the 4G mobile networks.

Using mobile networks for an Internet connection is something I have quite a lot of personal experience of due to our low-quality landline broadband. Therefore I thought I would write a post to share some of this knowledge, and the little tips I’ve learnt over the years. The information below really applies for an Internet connection in a caravan or motorhome in any location. In most cases, you will often get a better speed than onsite Wifi can provide. Before we go into more detail on the various options, let’s cover the ‘highlights’.

So first we’ll talk about using Wifi when available for an Internet connection on the caravan sites you visit and how to make the best use of it. Then we’ll discuss using the mobile data networks and the various options and tips to get the best results and value for money.

How to make the best use of Wifi when available

So if the caravan site your visiting has available Wifi it’s often provided by a username and login. Therefore, if you want to use multiple devices at the same time there’s an issue. The solution is to use a device to create a Wifi Hotspot. You log this one device into the Wifi network and then you connect your devices to the Wifi Hotspot. Therefore all your devices are able to share that one username login. An example of such a device is the HooToo TripMate Titan, yes its a bizarre name. The video below does a good job of explaining the features of this device. It explains how you would use it to share a single Wifi connection with multiple devices in your caravan.

Boosting Wifi Signals

If you want to get the best signal from on-site Wifi then you could look into solutions such as the Solwise Outdoor Antenna. This can be positioned on the outside of your caravan permanently, or just placed in position when you arrive on site. It has a USB connection and you can connect it directly to a laptop on its own. However, if you wish to share the Wifi with multiple devices then paring the antenna with their Wifi Repeater (Hotspot) will do the trick.

There are other devices on the market that can do a similar job, such as the iBoost Directional Antenna. The Solwise antenna is omnidirectional whereas the iBoost is directional. The difference being the Solwise will pick up a Wifi signal from any direction. With the iBoost, you have to physically direct it to the Wifi source. Now, that may seem like more of a faff, so why would you go for a directional antenna? While it may be more of a faff to locate the Wifi direction and move the antenna, you will (in theory) get a better signal than an omnidirectional antenna.

What are the downsides to on-site Wifi?

One of the biggest problems is until you arrive on site and set up your caravan you will not know how good their Wifi is until you try it. Also, the speed of the Wifi on site will depend on how good their landline connection is. If there are lots of caravans and motorhomes on site all trying to access the Wifi to watch YouTube or Netflix you can guess the results.

When it comes to video streaming you may also be limited by data. You need to carefully check what the site’s policy is, do they charge per day, per hour or on data usage? If they charge via data and you only want to browse websites/social media this could be quite reasonable. However, if they charge for data use and you want to use a video streaming service, your eyes maybe streaming when you add up the cost.

Using the Mobile Network for Internet in your Caravan or Motorhome

If Wifi is not an option or you are concerned about the slow speed /high data costs you can look into using the 4G mobile broadband network. There are lots of options to consider, however, with a bit of research, this can be an excellent solution. You may even be already paying for a solution to the Internet in your Caravan and don’t even know it!

Which Mobile Network Provides the Best Signal?

So, in the UK the main mobile networks are O2, EE, Vodaphone and Three. For later reference, let’s call these companies the Big 4. There are other mobile service providers such as Tesco Mobile and GiffGaff, however, they actually piggyback off the 02 networks. Therefore if you use a mobile service provider who is not one of the Big 4, do a quick Google search to check which network service of the Big 4 they are using.

To find out who provides the best service at a specific location, hence the caravan site you are visiting, there are multiple ways to do this. You can go to each of the main network operators websites and use their service checkers. However, there is a simpler and quicker option. Ofcom has produced a one-stop shop for checking the coverage of the mobile network with a simple postcode checker. They have also produced an app of the coverage checker you can download to your phone or tablet.

Check the Indoor and Outdoor Signal

Now, on the Ofcom mobile network signal checker, there is an important option to play with. That’s the Indoor and Outdoor signal reception slider. When you select the Indoor signal the results will often change, producing an amber triangle instead of a green tick. The amber triangle means you may experience ‘some problems’.

You need to take the Indoor readings with a pinch of salt as the performance will depend on a lot of variables. For instance how thick are the walls of the property and what materials are used. With a caravan and motorhome, you are inside a metal box, therefore this can have an impact on the signal you receive. However, there are means to mitigate this issue which I will talk about later in the post.

Conclusions on Network Signal Strength

Personally, I always focus on the outdoor signal results for the networks. It doesn’t make presumptions in the same way the indoor results do. The outdoor signal results are produced just on the distance to the nearest tower and the elevation of the location. Fewer buildings and trees to get through means a better and cleaner signal is possible.

Using your Phone as a WifiHotspot through Tethering

As you may have noticed above I made the statement:

“You may even be already paying for a solution to the Internet in your Caravan and don’t even know it!“

Well, the reason I said this is because due to our slow land line speeds I’ve been using the 4G mobile network for many years as my main internet connection. I’ve done extensive research over the years in the various options available, including separate data SIM cards in dongles and MiFi devices. However, the best (and cheapest) solution is to actually use my phone.

Within settings of all Android and Apple phones is the option to turn on your phones Wifi Hotspot. This will share the 4G data connection of your phone with multiple devices, this is called tethering. The number of devices supported depends on the individual phone. However, it’s important to note that not all providers allow tethering. Therefore, you need to check your network provider if they allow tethering. I’ve been using Three for the last 5 years as for just over £20 a month I get unlimited data and unlimited tethering.

Quick Tip:

If you are looking to change your mobile plan for one with lots of data/tethering, check out Quidco. You can often get quite a lof cashback on a new phone contract.

Do you have enough Data?

So, as previously discussed, the amount of data you will need will depend on what you want to use the Internet for. If you simply want to browse websites and social media just a few GB of data would be sufficient for a couple of weeks in the caravan. However, let’s say the weather hasn’t been kind to you and your in the caravan bored. You want to watch BBC iPlayer/Netflix etc, is this possible? Its definitely possible if you’re in a good strength signal area and you have enough data, but what’s enough? Well, to stream roughly 1 hour of video will use between 1-2GB of data.

Using a MiFi Device for an Internet Connection

If your current phone or contract doesn’t support tethering or provide enough data, then you can look into a MiFi device. There are lots of Mifi devices available with various different data plans, it can take some time to work out which device is best for you.

You want to consider technical features such as battery life, and the number of devices you can connect to the MiFi device at one time. However, I’ve never seen any MiFi device provide for less than 10 devices, therefore in a caravan, any of the products on offer should meet your needs.

What you really need to focus on is the contract length and the data allowance. A MiFi device is not your phone, and you probably don’t use your caravan or motorhome all year round. Therefore going into a 24-month contract is probably not going to work for most people. Therefore for a MiFi device in your caravan, a Pay-As-You-Go or 1-month rolling contract is likely to be your best option.

Tip: Buying a MiFi Device

Personally, I would also choose a MiFi device which is not locked to a particular network and you can change the data SIM card. Therefore, before your visit to a caravan site, you use the Ofcom service coverage tool mentioned above and order a data SIM from the network that provides the best service in that area.

Positioning your Phone or Mifi Device for the Best Signal

It’s important to remember when you are in your caravan or motorhome your inside a metal box. Therefore its possible some of the signal is deflected and does reach your device. So where your device is positioned can affect the signal strength and the speed of the service.

Try and position your phone or MiFi device next to the window of your caravan, ideally where the source the 4G internet is coming from. I use Opensignal, it’s a great App that loads a map and shows which tower you are connected to and its direction. Therefore using that app you can work out which window in the caravan is the best place to put your phone or MiFi device.

Tip: How to resolve slow 4G Internet speeds

Just like Wifi, if too many users are sharing the same access point the speed of the connection will drop. Congestion is evident on all forms of Internet connection, however, with 4G it can be particularly evident at certain times of the day. Now depending on your location, there may be multiple signal towers within range. If your speed drops turning the 4G data connection off and on will reconnect your device to the least congested tower.

Conclusions on Getting an Internet Connection in your Caravan or Motorhome

There’s a lot of information above to digest for you to explore your options. Both Wifi and the 4G network have their pros and cons. Over the next couple of years, the 5G network will be rolling out over the UK. That claims faster speeds and better network coverage, but we’ll have to see how that plays out in reality. However, on 4G with the right device and data plan, it is possible to use video streaming services in your caravan on those wet rainy days. I hope you found the above useful, and if you would like to visit us at Horton Common to enjoy our fully serviced pitches please check out the booking form. 🙂