"The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin

Beth54 · Guru

RE: Hints, Tips and Great Ideas

rodpal · Newbie

Mc Kenzie's Tartric acid 75 grams, from the cooking section at Coles etc. One container in my Thetford cassette then fill with water and leave it for a few days agitating occasionally and it cleared 10 years of accumulation.

rodpal · Newbie

Slow flowing waste water can be easily fixed without a 'smelly' bucket. The reason for the slow flow, as I had with my Jayco Westport sink and bathroom with the additional problem of sink water backflowing into the shower, is that there is insufficient air being drawn into the waste pipe that causes a backpressure and slows flow. I made a unit to join the two outlets then drilled a hole into the unit and fitted an irrigation hose nipple, to this I attached a length of palstic pipe of the same diameter as the irrigation system and I just wedge the end of the thin pipe into the fridge vent above the level of the sink. This allows air to be drawn into the sullage hose and the waste water to flow at full capacity of the sullage hose.

NeilandRaine · Guru

Just saw this and thaught it a good idea when on the road.

Put it in the bag divide it then just take out how much you need, It just breaks off

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Beth54 wrote:
A tip from my truckie brother...
When you see a kangaroo at the side of the road, for instance, and there are other vehicles behind you or oncoming, put your hazard lights on. It really grabs their attention and they realise there's 'something' to beware of.

Beth - used the "hazards" the other day on road from Winton to Longreach, cattle truck lost his last trailer - cows everywhere, cops etc - real mess - hazards on until someone else stopped behind us - felt pretty safe I must say - great tip.

Beth54 · Guru

jules47 wrote:
Beth54 wrote:
A tip from my truckie brother...
When you see a kangaroo at the side of the road, for instance, and there are other vehicles behind you or oncoming, put your hazard lights on. It really grabs their attention and they realise there's 'something' to beware of.
Beth - used the "hazards" the other day on road from Winton to Longreach, cattle truck lost his last trailer - cows everywhere, cops etc - real mess - hazards on until someone else stopped behind us - felt pretty safe I must say - great tip.

Well done Jules.

Esmeralda · Guru

NeilandRaine wrote:
Just saw this and thaught it a good idea when on the road.
Put it in the bag divide it then just take out how much you need, It just breaks off

What a great idea guys - thanks.

turbopete · Senior Member

Must have a funny sense of humour but was wondering what was in the bag

travelling · Member

vERY GOOD LIKE THAT IDEA AS i HAVE A FAULTY ARM AND CANNOT SECURE IT TIGHTLY

Beth54 · Guru

I did something like that on my latest trip. I wasn't so precise though. I just bunched the mince into small handfuls and popped them in the ziplock bag, flattened them a little, and froze like that. Easy to take out one lot and thaw ready to cook. I made one lot into spag bol, and one into a rissole with herbs.

John M · Newbie

On returning home after a long trip defrosted the fridge/freezer found the back of the freezer contained a fair amount of old foodstuffs that had escaped bags etc. and stuff that was frozen into a lump at the back, purchased four plastic trays from Bunnings cut a series of 40mm holes in the bottom, these fit neatly in the freezer compartment leaving enough room at the front for a loaf of bread etc, can take each one out to load or get food out, get a lot more in the freezer with easier access.

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Smart idea John M - always miss what is at the back of the freezer - or everything falls out when you try to get one thing out. Very frustrating.

beiffe · Guru

I have baskets for all areas of the fridge / freezer. This allows you to store like items together in each basket and also use the fridge bars ( available in most RV stores) to keep the baskets in and no spilling of stuff when parked on a slope etc when stopped in towns etc for short stay.

To find the right sauce or marinate etc just pull out the appropriate drawer and they are all their not scatted every where in the fridge.

I also cryavac all the stuff for the freezer and then freeze in its spot so it shapes to the existing food and therefore packs down a lot tighter.

Regards
Brian

jules47 · The Happy Helper

We saw a guy recently who had an electric step like on the Starship - they tend to bounce when you step on them, just had our fixed, the brace underneath snapped),
anyway - this bloke had used two pieces of about 100mm round poly pipe(that had sort of steps in it) with a smaller dia pipe inside, to make it adjustable - he puts this under the step to support it.

We have now done it - and makes a huge difference when you tread on the stop - should take a lot of the impact off the bracing underneath.

vk6tnc · Guru

Never Iron Again....

I just read yeoeleven blog. He was embarrassed to wear a wrinkled tshirt out for dinner.

Here is the answer....One teaspoon of cheap lavender oil mixed to 1 litre of water. Put in spray bottle, then spray your clothes when you put them on. Works a treat.

Google " Lavender Oil ironing": for more info

Cheers

Chris

Sue - Steve Gazel · Veteran Member

We carry a small bottle of alcohol hand gel in the car for after you have been shopping and return the trolley we clean our hands, you just don't know what's touch what and left it on the trolley handle, same for the change (money)you get too, also long drops / pit toilets when there's no water close to wash with.

Beth54 · Guru

Agree. Disinfectant wipes and waterless washing gels are a must when travelling. Doesn't help with the flies in loos though. doh bleh

Very clever Firefly.

-- Edited by Beth54 on Friday 14th of December 2012 07:39:34 PM

Firefly · Guru

We developed a habit, when pit toilets were all we could find, of taking our only toilet seat with us.

Just a cheapie picked up at Big W and kept in a large Aldi plastic bag, along with disfectant wipes and a roll of loo paper.

Some public conveniences are unpleasant and there have been times we could have sold our seat for $50 I rekon. smile smile

Firefly · Guru

Whats that saying Beth, necissity is the Mother of invention?

Beth54 · Guru

Firefly wrote:
Whats that saying Beth, necissity is the Mother of invention?

Very true Firefly. biggrin

Oma · Guru

If you find that a "windy Loo" is smelly, spray with some NILODOR- works long enough for the time you are in there. This year at Coen they were very "high" . Others asked why I was carrying Nil Odor around?

wildbill · Veteran Member

i need to get a sign made up for my uhf on my rv, what should it say please and my handle is wildbill

Beth54 · Guru

wildbill wrote:
i need to get a sign made up for my uhf on my rv, what should it say please and my handle is wildbill

I had mine made up from this company on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261140845002&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:AU:3160

wildbill · Veteran Member

thanks but just wanted the channels so ppl can get in touch with me as channel 40 for trucks etc

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I got black letters and numbers from Bunnings but I'm sure other chains will have them as well.

DOUG
18/40

Beth54 · Guru

wildbill wrote:
thanks but just wanted the channels so ppl can get in touch with me as channel 40 for trucks etc
ie

Still check out ebay, there were several companies doing other stickers/decals. You choose what you want 'written' on them.

Beth54 · Guru

Dougwe wrote:
I got black letters and numbers from Bunnings but I'm sure other chains will have them as well.

DOUG
18/40

I was going to do that Doug, but found it hard to get the right letters and numbers, and these work out cheaper anyway.

wildbill · Veteran Member

ok thanks no bunnings near me so have to check other shops out then

The dog lady · Guru

I can attest that you dont need a traditional fitted out campervan to enjoy life on the road.
My circumstances dont allow for rego & insur on 2 vehicles, so my HiAce doubles as campervan when travelling and normal car when home. To facilitate this, my son and a builder friend custom made a double bed in the back (do like my comfort) as high as possible without restricting head room for sitting up, and all storage underneath. Some of the storage is accessible only from the back, and some from both front and back. With tubs that fit I find I have more than enough room for everything including a porta-loo which can be pulled out from under the bed when caught short :). Between the bed and the front seats is enough room for my 70L eski (taking up only about half the floor space), with a folding table set up over the top (high enough to still open the esky), and still enough room to sit on the end of the bed with feet under the table. (and shes only a standard length van!). With a Fiamma awning its all the comforts of home albeit far more compact.
When required I can remove the table and eski and bolt back one of the middle row of seats for my granddaughter, or if Im home on the property for a longer spell I can have my son lift the whole bed base out in 2 (fairly easy) pieces.
One thing I found that made life easier on the road for only a few dollars was a non-slip mat to cover the surface of the folding table. With that I can leave the butane stove set up on the table while driving and it stays put, but can still easily move the whole thing out under the awning.
Another thing is that as I dont have a fixed water tank (and have come to the conclusion I dont want one) I use cleaned 3L juice bottles to carry water. They can be stored in leftover spaces, and handled easily by someone who just cant lift a 10L container anymore. I usually carry 10 of them and theyre simple to refill wherever potable water is available.

Happywanderer · The Master

I know exactly what you are saying The Dog Lady. My intention is to start saving for a new van and I worked out to get a reliable late model one I would go for a straight HiAce and do exactly what you have done. I was thinking of a HiAce with the Midi high roof, like the taxis have.
Thanks for your story, I now know it can be done. Might catch up when I get back up there, I live in Biggenden, when I'm there.