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We have a thunder box toilet - it folds flat for storage & is very sturdy to sit on. We use biodegradable bags that we cut the bottom out of, dig a hole & place the toilet over the hole with the bag acting as a chute. When we're finished the bag gets folded into the hole & covered up. Obviously this type of loo is only good for free camping out bush lol :)
Dd3 doesn't go much on the long drops either. The others are fine, but dd feels more comfortable on the ground.
A camping question - does anyone have a caravan, camper trailer etc that they need to charge at home (or just maintain the battery on) - is my understanding that home circuits are 10A but the caravans and camper trailers are all 15A - and the only legal way to convert between - e.g. to plug into a home circuit is to use a specific product (Ampfibian) or get a 15A circuit installed? Does that sound right? We have just discovered this after arranging to leave mum and dads camper at a friends for two months and realizing the issue :-( Think will end up getting the product as mum and dad will visit various relatives etc and want to plug in - just wish had understood earlier.
I am hoping to get a power outlet put into our garage so we can store for them/use in future - if body corporate agrees.
DH says for he purposes of parking and charging batteries only, the Ampfibian will work. If you plan on occupying the van for lengthy periods (so if you're parents are staying in the van while at relo's homes) then installing the 15 amp power outlet is better as it's less restrictive and you will have full use of the caravan.
The set up we had here for mum's van was a 15amp weatherproof power outlet that they plugged into because they had a 15amp extension lead. It gave the van full power.
The other option while it is parked at your friend's house is to fully charge the batteries, then disconnect them so they don't get drained and as they aren't connected to anything, they don't need to be constantly charged. Having them on charge all the time will ultimately shorten the lifespan.
Cheers Miss Sept - they don't need for it for occupying while at peoples places just for keeping up the charge - so sounds like Ampfibian will be the way to go.
Interesting what you say about having them on charge shortening the lifespan because it seems opposite to what my Dad has been told - whatever the type of battery it is it needs to be kept above about 50% or it sulphates (??) or something, and the power does trickle out (very slowly but it does) - maybe you can't disconnect the battery? He has been researching for ages about what to do to maintain the battery when not using it - he was hoping the solar panels would be good enough but not enough sun this time of year on our driveway for that.
My parents were told the same thing about their batteries. DH is saying that yes, they will go flat slowly, like a trickle. They will discharge over time if not in use. And like a car battery, if they go completely flat, then they're pretty much stuffed. A lot depends on the type of battery - deep cycle batteries are different.
Personally, I don't know much about all of this! I asked him your question and am writing out his answer. He said if it was our van, he'd put in an isolator switch where he could switch them off and then charge them up once a month or so.
If it was me, I'd go with the manufacturer's advice simply because they will be the one to cover the warranty if the batteries don't last the way they are supposed to ;)
Thanks for the info Miss S - the Ampfibian is now installed but Dad still has me going to check on the van again next week to check the battery.
Do you know if your DH has any experience in putting in a power socket into a garage in a body corp building - the garage has a light but no socket, I want to see if I can get a socket put in but not sure how to approach it with the BodyCorp - I assume that there are no sockets because the BC then only has to pay for the electricity used in the lights in them and not to any devices people might plug in (the garages are all separate to the properties) - not sure if is better to get a quote and then approach BC or vice versa.
We are off camping with mum and dad, and my sister and her partner who are over from England to Litchfield National Park in the NT for a week in July - we will be flying up (the others doing a trek through the centre) and hiring a car when we get there. I think we will only have to take bedding, as can fit in the camper trailer - anyone any experiences of flying with camping stuff? I think our normal luggage will be covered by the hand luggage allowance (4 x 10KG) so then maybe only need another 20KG??? to get the stretchers and sleeping bags up there?
Can I ask if you're flying tiger & if you're flying into alice springs (could be darwin, just guessing)?
Only ask because I know the limits on tiger ;)
They released a statement today on their Facebook page that they're canning flights too & from alice from july 22.
Thought you may need to know, JIC...
No would be Jetstar as flying into Darwin, Tiger don't do direct from Melbourne to Darwin (seems only Brisbane Darwin) - so only option Jetstar or Virgin. Flight times are shocking - arrive Darwin 01:00AM and leave Darwin 02:00AM - but that seems fairly standard for Darwin (must be something to do with flight paths and international flights or something).
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Yep. Very similar to tiger. Just checking, because a lot of people have already booked flights & holidays & they're now being cancelled :/ they're not happy.
Our tiger perth/syd flights are 2am leave & I think 11.50 pm for return.
I did the 10kg limit when I went home alone for a week. You should be ok with that for clothes. I had DD1's school back pack full & a hand bag with 3 drinks & other bits & pieces. Came in just under. That was with shampoo & cond too. Use your scales & try to keep under though. Coz they charge you by the kg if you go over.
He has put in power sockets in body corp situations before, each one is different. If the body corp is paying the bill, then you'd have to run it past them. There's no harm in getting a quote before asking them though because then you can go to them with all of the information. HTH.:
We just had a lazy weekend in Anglesea. Had a bit of a drive along the Great Ocean Road, walks on the beach, sitting around watching the kids and dogs play. The caravan park was great, huge park, lots of permanent sites. There is a part that is just for campers with dogs, it was a bush setting and we loved it. They were quiet so we could pick any site we wanted. We could hear the ocean from inside the van, just loved it and I'm feeling really sad to be home again. I haven't really felt like this after a trip before. We haven't camped with the dogs since Jan last year and it was nice to have them with us again. They had a good run around on the beach. Now that DD2 is a bit older, it was just easy.
Well off this weekend to somewhere just over the SA border. Hoping it will be good, going with the 4wd club and it is private site with facilities and we get to take the dog. Not sure how she will go on a 4 hour drive (poor thing gets anxiety), but she should be good once we get her to the site.
Buying more things for camping, amazing the little things that need to be picked up to make life a bit easier. Trying to reduce the size of what we take. Our current tent is just not suitable for our style of camping now, we may get a new one, but then we are aiming to buy a camper trailer, so not sure if it will be a waste of money to get a new tent for a year.
Have a great trip Astrid.
This thread has reminded me I need to sort what equipment we need for Litchfield which is in about 6 weeks.
We're debating how old (and how far along with TT) we want the boys to be before we go camping.
We like the Grampians.
And Cathedral.
Why peanutter?
We have been taking the boys at every stage. And they each have their advantages and disadvantages.
We went camping while toilet training, we had a potty and then a porta toilet. It was fine as they are away from their normal environment and did really well.
I think TT is perfect time - DS is still TT - and does much better when camping, mainly I think because likes peeing outdoors more than using a potty, and is all part of the novelty thing.