What have you bought for your Cali today :-)

[Chriskend]

Needed something to anchor our Lab when pitched up. The screw in the ground things I have read are a pain to get into gravel pitches and come out easily. You park one of your wheels over the plate. Easy and no dog is shifting that.

View attachment 149863

I got one last week, works really well, i also drilled holes in each corner so i can peg it down away from the van (works a treat), I’ve tried one of those screw spikes and they are quite useless.

 

[CaliforniaSeb]

I got one last week, works really well, i also drilled holes in each corner so i can peg it down away from the van (works a treat), I’ve tried one of those screw spikes and they are quite useless.

Did you file down the edges? They seem quite sharp.

 

[Chriskend]

Did you file down the edges? They seem quite sharp.

Yea, they have been laser cut, the bit where the cut starts on each hole is particularly sharp, 2 mins with a file sorts it out tho

 

[MCEv (Moxie)]

Thats where you (and many others ) are wrong ....Tom just has proven that hooking-up is essential.
Everyone can perfect do without hook-up lead / hooking up at sites IF you drive every day or each two days .
But the batterys need to be charged on 220v for a 24h cyclus once in a while (each month would be ideal)
Driving/alternator does not complete this cyclus even if you drive 1000km a day .
You will do fine without hooking it up but it does bring down the lifetime of the battery.(Tom has proven this even having a solar panel )
If Tom had a hook-up lead when he took of at the start of his trip and he plugged it in each time when he was at a site that provided hook-up in the price (witch many sites do) he had not flattend his batterys , i think two times now .
The price of the lead could saved him the trouble he had when his batterys where dead , and saved him buying a new battery for his Cali after only one year(witch he probally wil need now to be sure ) , and using a 220v kettle a shorter wait for his tea in the morning
Fully flatten a battery is never good and again shortens the lifetime everytime you fully flatten it.
Even with solarpanels the batterys need to be topped-up on hook-up to keep them in the best posible condition.
Everyone uses his Cali he think is best , but some things need serious concideration and charging the batterys on 220v is a essential thing to do.


So back ON topic , what do you all need to buy for your Cali today (if you do not allready have it ) .....a hook-up cable like Tom just did.

Doesn't the Max Charge function fully charge the battery?

 

[Chriskend]

Everyone knows the cali chairs are only comfortable enough for visiting posh people who sip tea with their pinky sticking out, so i got these, very comfy, time will tell if they last.

 

[acer]

Everyone knows the cali chairs are only comfortable enough for visiting posh people who sip tea with their pinky sticking out, so i got these, very comfy, time will tell if they last.

View attachment 149885

Replace the chair sure, but please don't disrespect the manner in which I enjoy a cup of tea.


It saves needing to use UK stickers when in the EU.

 

[Chriskend]

Replace the chair sure, but please don't disrespect the manner in which I enjoy a cup of tea.
View attachment 149888

It saves needing to use UK stickers when in the EU.

With humble apologies i tip my hat to you sir.

 

[acer]

With humble apologies i tip my hat to you sir.

As long as it’s a Top Hat.
(I’d accept a Holmesian doff of your deerstalker if you happen to be at your country estate)

 

[Chriskend]

As long as it’s a Top Hat.
(I’d accept a Holmesian doff of your deerstalker if you happen to be at your country estate)

Sorry to disappoint you kind sir but i am a mere lowly servant to the Lady of the manor

 

[Flower Power]

Needed something to anchor our Lab when pitched up. The screw in the ground things I have read are a pain to get into gravel pitches and come out easily. You park one of your wheels over the plate. Easy and no dog is shifting that.

View attachment 149863

Great idea, I sent this pic to a friend who loves stainless steel metal work and the same afternoon he brought me this... Thanks for your suggestion, it is not as artistic as yours but will do the job.

 

[Benh76]

314ah Fogstar Lithium, 50a Victron Orion and Van Bitz Battery Monitor supplied and installed on my GC600 by Offgrid Power Solutions nr Wantage. They even hid the Victron behind an internal panel so I have not lost any storage space - highly recommended.

 

[Up10]

Great idea, I sent this pic to a friend who loves stainless steel metal work and the same afternoon he brought me this... Thanks for your suggestion, it is not as artistic as yours but will do the job.

View attachment 149915

I thought that was what the tow bar was for! Looping the leash round when in camping mode.

 

[sidepod]

Great idea, I sent this pic to a friend who loves stainless steel metal work and the same afternoon he brought me this... Thanks for your suggestion, it is not as artistic as yours but will do the job.

View attachment 149915

Are you supposed to drive onto this?

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

I don't have a dog but isn't it easier, and one less thing to carry, if you just clip the dog lead onto the rear towing eye?

 

[Flower Power]

I don't have a dog but isn't it easier, and one less thing to carry, if you just clip the dog lead onto the rear towing eye?

It would be but I do not have a towing bar. And I have two dogs. Also there is perhaps another use for it in certain circumstances. When one needs to change the wheel while on a soft ground, this sturdy piece of metal under the jack, could help the lifting by providing a larger surface preventing sinking into the ground. Maybe? Not tested. But, yes this invention when placed under the tire stays in place. OK, do not ask me how would that work with plastic levellers under the wheel,. (Choose another wheel?)

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

It would be but I do not have a towing bar. And I have two dogs. Also there is perhaps another use for it in certain circumstances. When one needs to change the wheel while on a soft ground, this sturdy piece of metal under the jack, could help the lifting by providing a larger surface preventing sinking into the ground. Maybe? Not tested. But, yes this invention when placed under the tire stays in place. OK, do not ask me how would that work with plastic levellers under the wheel,. (Choose another wheel?)

I mean the towing eye not a tow bar or tow hook. The towing eye is a standard fit on all vans. Look under the rear bumper, its a eye shaped bit that a tow rope would attach to.

 

[WelshGas]

Doesn't the Max Charge function fully charge the battery?

The T5/5.1 and 6 that Hotel California was referring to Do Not have a Max Charge Switch. I would read your Handbook for your vehicle and see what VW state regarding the Leisure Batteries.

 

[Chriskend]

I don't have a dog but isn't it easier, and one less thing to carry, if you just clip the dog lead onto the rear towing eye?

It is easier but the max speed is only about 15mls an hour as my dog is getting old otherwise i end up dragging her

 

[sidepod]

Van on one end, mutt on the other.

 

[andyinluton]

The T5/5.1 and 6 that Hotel California was referring to Do Not have a Max Charge Switch. I would read your Handbook for your vehicle and see what VW state regarding the Leisure Batteries.

Yep the handbook says to use hook up once a month if the van isnt driven. Logically that means don't bother with hookup if it is being used regularly.

 

[Polomint]

Van on one end, mutt on the other.

View attachment 149954

We have put a double ended carabiner through the metal ring and we attach extending lead to it when pup is outside and also travel crate when stationary. Didn’t want to impede proper working of seatbelt.

 

[willwander]

Van on one end, mutt on the other.

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Nice knot.
We have one that plugs into the rear seatbelt hole.

 

[swfblade]

Sold my old tent, so went on a bit of a spending spree last night...

• Parts for the extra small under-seat drawer.
• new porta potti, our old one doesn't in the SpaceMate by about 1mm, if that (to be fair, its about 20 years old...)
• "The Briwy shelf" from the club shop
• Cuttlery drawer chopping board
• Couple other boring bits like trivet etc

 

[acer]

new porta potti, our old one doesn't in the SpaceMate by about 1mm, if that (to be fair, its about 20 years old...)

Very easy to spend much and swiftly. Easy to make mistakes aswell.
Good to know which one didn't fit and which one does.

 

[swfblade]

Indeed! The old one was some old Fiamma porta potti, that we inherited years ago. New one is the standard recommended California Thetford 335.