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Travel smart with our camper tips

Whether you’re traveling with a campervan for the first time or have been on the road for years, our practical campervan tips will help you be well-prepared. From packing to winterizing: discover how to get the most out of your campervan. View the tips

Tips from Taekema Campers

Battery

Most campers have two batteries (sometimes more). One battery is for starting, located under the hood in older campers and between the front seats in newer campers. The other battery is the service battery, which is intended to keep the camper unit running. Sometimes this battery is located under the front seat and sometimes in the back of the camper. When the service battery is completely discharged, it cannot be charged via the battery charger in the camper. An external charger is required to recharge it. The battery charges while driving or when connected to the 220V mains. A solar panel also charges this battery. In winter, disconnect a battery or connect it to a charger; a battery without power will freeze and be destroyed.

Water

A campervan has two water tanks, one clean and one dirty. The clean water tank is inside the campervan, and the dirty water tank is underneath. Flush the clean water tank at the start of the season or use a special cleaner. Note: Use only liquid cleaner! To prepare the camper for winter, it is necessary to drain both tanks.

Boiler

If water leaks from under the camper, check the frost protection. This button is located near the combi boiler (heating boiler). On older campers, it’s a red button that you can pull up. On newer campers, there are two blue buttons. The large blue oval button must be turned perpendicular to the frost protection, and the small blue button must be pressed. This is to prevent the boiler from freezing. If the buttons don’t stay in the correct position due to the cold, you should turn on the heater first.

Current

Virtually everything inside the camper runs on 12 volts, via the batteries. If you want to use 220 volts, you’ll need to connect the camper to the 220 volt power supply. As a rule of thumb, you can use the batteries for an average of three days without recharging. You can increase the battery capacity using solar panels; this isn’t a main charge, but rather a secondary charge.

Gas

The gas in the campervan is used for cooking, heating, and cooling (refrigerator). Most campervans have gas bottles. In winter, you’ll use about one bottle per week, but in summer, without the need for a heater, you can use a single bottle for weeks. The refrigerator can also run on gas; this is intended for when you’re in a location without electricity (wild camping). Sometimes the combi boiler doesn’t start immediately, possibly due to air in the line. Try it a few times; if it doesn’t work, check that the battery has more than 12 volts and that the gas pressure is sufficient.

Engine

Before your trip, check your fluids, such as oil level and coolant, etc. Too much oil can damage your engine, and too little can damage it. Also, check where your camper’s fuses are located. Most campers no longer come with a spare tire.

Leakage

Een camper wordt waterdicht gemaakt met kit, kit heeft helaas niet het eeuwige leven. Vroeg of laat zul je te maken krijgen met lekkage van bijvoorbeeld dakluiken of ramen. Indien je lekkage ontdekt aan bijvoorbeeld het dakluik, kit deze niet alleen af maar demonteer het dakluik, ontvet deze en plaats het dakluik daarna terug met professionele kit. Beter is het dit door een deskundig iemand te laten doen.

Luifel

Draai een luifel nooit helemaal uit zonder ondersteuning, als je de luifel uitdraait zet de poten uit en draai dan verder. Zet de luifel goed vast aan de grond, zodat deze niet kapot waait met de wind. Het beste is om ook nog de luifel met een stormband vast te zetten.

Fietsendrager

Kijk altijd naar het maximum gewicht van de fietsendrager, meestal is dit 50 kg, weeg de fietsen indien je het niet zeker

Op de meeste campers zitten 2 accu’s (soms meer). Eén accu om te starten deze bevindt zich bij oudere campers onder de motorkap en bij de jongere campers meestal tussen de voorstoelen. De andere accu is de service accu, deze accu is bedoeld om het kampeergedeelte te laten functioneren. Soms zit deze accu onder de voorstoel en soms achter in de camper. Wanneer de service accu helemaal leeg is kan hij niet via de acculader in de camper worden opgeladen. Men moet dan om de accu weer op te laden een externe lader gebruiken. De accu wordt opgeladen tijdens het rijden of wanneer u aan de 220V staat. Ook wanneer je een zonnepaneel hebt wordt deze accu bijgeladen. Koppel in de winter een accu af of zet hem aan de lader, een accu zonder spanning zal bevriezen en is dan kapot. In een camper zitten 2 watertanks, schoon en vuil. De schoon watertank zit in de camper, de vuil watertank zit onder de camper. Spoel de schoon watertank door aan het begin van het seizoen of gebruik een speciale reiniger. Let op gebruik alleen vloeibare reiniger! Voor het winterklaar maken van de camper, is het nodig om beide tanks leeg te laten lopen. If water leaks from under the camper, check the frost protection. This button is located near the combi boiler (heating boiler). On older campers, it’s a red button that can be pulled upward. On newer campers, there are two blue buttons: the large blue oval button must be turned perpendicular to the frost protection, and the small blue button must be pressed. This prevents the boiler from freezing. If the buttons don’t stay in the correct position due to the cold, you must first turn on the heater. Virtually everything inside the camper runs on 12 volts, via the batteries. If you want to use 220 volts, you must connect the camper to the 220 volt mains. As a rule of thumb, you can use the batteries for an average of three days without recharging. You can increase the battery capacity using solar panels; this is not a main charge, but a secondary charge. The gas in the camper is used for cooking, heating, and cooling (refrigerator). Most campers have gas bottles. In winter, you use about one bottle per week, but in summer, without using a heater, you can use one bottle for weeks. Your refrigerator can also run on gas; this is ideal for when you’re in a location without electricity (wild camping). Sometimes the combi boiler doesn’t start immediately, possibly due to air in the line. Try it a few times; if it doesn’t work, check that the battery has more than 12 volts and that the gas pressure is sufficient. Before your trip, check your fluids, such as oil level and coolant, etc. Too much oil can damage your engine, and too little can damage it. Also, check where your camper’s fuses are located. Most campers no longer come with a spare tire. A campervan is made waterproof with sealant, but unfortunately, sealant doesn’t last forever. Sooner or later, you’ll encounter leaks in areas like roof hatches or windows. If you discover a leak in the roof hatch, don’t just seal it with sealant; remove the hatch, degrease it, and then reinstall it with professional sealant. It’s best to have this done by a qualified professional. Never fully extend an awning without support. When extending the awning, extend the legs and then continue to extend it. Secure the awning securely to the ground to prevent it from being damaged by the wind. It’s also best to secure the awning with a storm strap. Always check the maximum weight of the bicycle carrier, which is usually 50 kg. If you are unsure, weigh the bicycles.