Category Archives: T5

The current cutting edge of Volkswagen design. What will they think of next? (T6?)

Cooking – Veggie Shepherd’s Pie

A vegetarian option but equally you can substitute the lentils for lamb

Ingredients – serves 4

500 grams sweet potato
1 white onion
1 carrot
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup of mushrooms
150ml red wine
400ml can of lentils, drained
Cheese (optional)
Butter
Herbes de Provence or other dried mixed herbs
Stock cube

Chop everything into fairly small chunks. Fry the onion in the butter for 5 minutes. Add the carrots, mushrooms, a teaspoon of herbs, the wine and the stock cube. Simmer for 10 minutes then add the lentils and tomatoes, and cook that all for another 10 minutes.

In a separate pan, add the sweet potato and bring to the boil from cold then drain and mash after 20 minutes. During the mashing, add butter and salt to taste.

Once both pans are ready, spoon the lentil mix into a nice serving bowl, top with the potato and then grate cheese over the top if required.

Inspect a Gadget – Magnetic hooks

Tatner’s Tips – No 1. Magnetic Hooks

Michelle Tatner writes:

I don’t know about you, but I am at the age when I need to wear glasses when I read, or anything else when I come to think of it. I love to read for a while in bed especially when I am all snuggled up in our T6 campervan Ginny and this is where the problem starts. It’s easy to pop your book under the pillow and it doesn’t really matter all that much if it slips down the side of the bed, however, where do you put your fragile spectacles to go to sleep? If I had a pound for every time that I have had to get out of the van to retrieve my glasses case and my mobile phone/torch from under the rock and roll bed, I would probably be driving around in a fancy VW California.

In our first van Misty the T25 Holdsworth Villa there was a shelf overhead so you could pop your book, glasses, torch, mobile phone, midnight chocolate supply etc. on it to go to sleep. We do not have this luxury in Ginny and we didn’t want to start drilling holes to fix a shelf and Steve was getting fed up with me waking him up every time I had to lean over him to put my bits and pieces on the work top area. So, what to do? 

After trialling all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas including sticky Velcro (not good when you get your hair caught in it – don’t ask!) and with the help of You Tube, I discovered the joys of Magnetic Hooks.

You can buy them in all sizes and weight bearing capability, and if there is a metal base you can move them around the van to suit your needs. If I use them on the outside of the van, I do put a small piece of thin fabric between the metal and the magnet just to protect the paintwork.

We use the Magnetic hooks for a wide range of things including but not limited to:

  • Hang my glasses and phone bag on at bedtime (yay)
  • Coat and hat hooks (great for hanging up wet clothing)
  • Hooks to keep the dog lead on and other dog related apparel
  • Internal and external fairy light holders (I love a fairy light!)
  • Shopping bag holder to keep shopping goodies off the floor and away from doggy temptation
  • Rubbish bag holder
  • Washing line holder fixed between the barn doors (perfect for rinsing out your smalls)
  • Securing an old shower curtain to the barn doors for privacy when taking an outside hand shower and perfect for holding the towel and toilet bag.

I can go on, but I think you get the idea. I bought ours from Amazon from the Ant Mag Store and they are called Heavy duty magnetic hooks 36KG (80LBS). As at the date of writing, they cost £15.99 plus postage for 6 though there are certainly deals to be had for different sizes and quantities and other providers of course. As with all these things, read the instructions of use carefully, take care to where you put them, I found that popping one in the middle of the top of sliding door wasn’t a wise move and I wouldn’t attach one to any of my electronics or my mobile phone.

Until next time, happy camping everyone, Michelle

Cooking – Easy winter stew

A simple dish made in a single pan using mainly store cupboard items for a wholesome winter treat

Ingredients – serves 2

4 sausages
One large white onion
One can of tomatoes
One can of baked beans
One can of sweetcorn
A clove of garlic (optional)
Spicy sauce (optional)
Olive oil

Slice the sausages into cubes and fry on a moderate heat for ten minutes.  Add the onion and let that cook for another five minutes. Add everything else and simmer for ten minutes with the lid off to reduce it slightly. Serve with crusty bread to dip into the stew!

Wakey wakey!

Yes, it is that time again. Hurray! Finally, after the long winter in our non-mobile houses, we can get out our beloved vehicles.

Checklist

Hopefully you all followed the article Time for bed/ to help put your vehicle to bed for the winter. Now that spring is in the air and we are starting to think about getting out and communing in nature, this is a key time to get things ready.

Doors locks – there’s nothing more annoying than a failed lock. get it fixed now before the season really gets going. Door lock issues can be very straight forward but a simple lubrication can be key. Pun intended. A non residue lubricant is best to move the dirt away as WD40 can leave enough gunk to create issues. We favour silicon spray. A little into each lock.

Windscreen wipers – did they perish in the cold winter freezing them to the windscreen. Inspect and replace now.

Water – check the radiator if you have one. Ensure that the bottles that you emptied in the Autumn / fall have no mice, carefully hidden Christmas presents or mildew. Clean with a weak Milton solution if it is drinking water or food related.

Batteries – check the charge on each battery with a good meter. A flat battery can indicate an earth leak. A failed battery needs careful investigation.

Carburettor – Or equivalent. Check for good operation, no stuck flaps or other deterioration over winter. If you are a professional, this will be straight forward. If you are an amateur, a test drive very close to home will highlight problems! But only after the other checks.

Brakes – your vehicle should roll easily, otherwise this can indicate jammed brakes. Parking in gear for long periods of time can be better for your brake health than a jammed set of brakes. Check the brakes for operation. Check the brake fluid level. If it has been more than 5 years, change the brake fluid as it is hygroscopic and slurps up water incredibly quickly. Water is not a good fluid for applying the brake pads to the disks.

Seals – inspect all door seals for any signs of damage, water ingress or other problems and sort them out now. Glue any loose bits back down with the correct glue.

Windows – ensure that they all open and close fully. Or at least as fully as they did last year if applicable!

Ignition – Once you are feeling confident, get in to your pride and joy and turn on the ignition to number 2. Look at the lights on the dashboard. Check there ARE lights! Are they what you expect / are used to seeing? Have you got fuel (for those with a working fuel gauge)?

Crank it over – don’t expect it to start immediately but things should kick into life within a few seconds.

A little test drive on your driveway will allow you to test the brakes, maybe the steering and other important parts. Softly, softly.

Stay local, take your phone with you and warm clothing. Just in case!

Once you get home, assuming that you have a big smile on your face, make a list of snags, get indoors, put the kettle on and start planning for your summer.

Check out the events page and come and see us at a meeting soon!

Inspect a Gadget – Ridge monkey

Steve Tatner has another gadget called a Ridge Monkey, to go with his Frontier stove from last issue. He writes:

Michelle discovered these a few years back and have taken them with us ever since. They were originally designed for anglers, cooking while fishing by the riverbank.

They have removable magnetic handles which hold the top and bottom of the two pans together. 

They are great for when cooking in the van, for instance when frying burgers, you have no need to try and flip the burger, just turn the pan over, its enclosed which stops oil and fat spitting everywhere inside your bus. The medium sized pan also has compartments which is very useful. They are dead easy to clean.

The Ridge Monkey range includes a toaster, thermos mug and water bottles with cooking pans complete with utensils starting at £20.

Cooking – Cowboy casserole

Club member Julie Barber shared a recipe that some of the members might like to try.

If you have not got a slow cooker, then just cook it in the oven at 180-200C for a few hours or until the potatoes are tender. If you don’t like any of the ingredients, then just swap them out with something that you do like! There is no set way of cooking this recipe, just pop in the main ingredients & get creative if you want to add other bits.

Prep time is about 10-15 minutes and it should serve 5-6 people (depending on how a big a portion you like).

INGREDIENTS

750g minced beef
6 medium red potatoes (or any potato of your choice)
1 medium onion
3 garlic gloves (I use the jars of lazy garlic and put in a tablespoon & a half)
1 can red kidney beans (I use Tesco Mixed Taco Beans in red sauce instead)
1 can of haricot beans (or a tin of baked beans or black-eyed beans if you prefer)
1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilli if you like spicy food)
Some water
1 & half tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Grated cheese (any flavour you like here)

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the mince & drain off the excess fat
2. Cube the potatoes & add to your slow cooker, then season with the salt & pepper
3. Chop the onion & add that with the garlic to the slow cooker
4. Add minced beef, beans & tomatoes & pour over the water
5. Give it a good stir
6. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours
7. Sprinkle grated cheese on the top for the last 15 minutes & continue to cook covered
8. Now you can do the taste bowl test if you are hungry, or…. let the whole thing cool down and pop into containers
9. Take it with you on your next overnight campervan campout & just warm up in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes

Inspect a Gadget – Frontier stove

Steve and Michelle Tatner were at the AGM, BBQ Club Camp (ABC) in Banbury in May 2022 and we spotted their stove being used in the coolness of the evening. We had never seen one – Steve advised us:

We first saw these little frontier stoves when camping a few years back with our son Kyle and his wife Annabelle, when they produced one from their van and proceeded to cook an excellent meal.

They are brilliant for wild camping when there is no electricity to be had and plenty of dry wood and branches around. They pack down really well, with the chimney section being able to fit easily inside the stove after use.

Made for countries with people who have limited access to cooking facilities they have grown popular with the outdoor types in other parts of the world.

They seem to be more acceptable with certain campsites that do not really like BBQs, as they are off the ground and contained, although you may find that the site you are staying at may want you to buy the wood from them.

There are several attachments that you can buy, like the water heater we have on our photo, very useful for tea or washing up water

We are very pleased with ours which gets used on a regular basis.

The frontier stove is around £200 with the water heater an optional extra around £100. Similar products are available at lower prices from major stockists online.

Ask The Mechanic – A Guide to AGM batteries

The Mechanic – A Guide to AGM Batteries

This guide to AGM batteries has been supplied by one of the Club’s generous supporters, Alpha Batteries.

Don’t forget that you can get a 5% discount on an order using code “motorhomer5” on their website www.alpha-batteries.co.uk

What Does AGM Mean?

AGM stands for Absorbent Glass Matt. AGM batteries are still fundamentally lead acid batteries, but the electrolyte (acid) is soaked on absorbent fibreglass mats between the lead plates inside, rather than traditional liquid acid. You will also notice that AGM batteries are rated over three capacity discharge times C10, C20 & C100. This relates to the power available in the battery over 10 hours, 20 hours and 100 hours. Designed for multi-application use, the power available will very much depend on how quickly you discharge the battery. From this common base AGM batteries come in three different forms:

AGM Type 1 – European

These batteries are used in multi-application environments such as modern stop-start vehicles and deep cycle applications. Great for starting engines and off grid use with a typical cycle life of around 300 – 350 cycles. It’s worth pointing out that ‘life cycles’ don’t mean the battery expires and needs replacing, rather it refers to the optimum power of the battery life. AGM 1 batteries are limited in size but are popular for the low height fitment demands in Campervans, Caravans and Motorhomes.

AGM Type 2 – Eastern

AGM 2 batteries are the more cyclic type with a typical max cycle life of between 500 – 700 cycles. They are generally recommended for regular off grid use as they have a higher cyclic ability to discharge and recharge over a long term period. In addition, they are less prone to sulfation and charge much more quickly than traditional batteries – if you charge them correctly, more on that later!

Lead Carbon AGM

By adding carbon graphene to the traditional AGM Type 2 battery you get Lead Carbon AGM. This adds further improvements to charging times and a typical cycle life of 1200 – 2000 cycles depending on the model. Lead Carbon AGM are becoming more and more popular and are often the last step along the AGM range before looking into Lithium based solutions.

Charging AGM Batteries

Despite what you may have been told, all 12v batteries are not the same! Wet Lead Acid, AGM, Carbon AGM and GEL batteries all charge and behave differently. To get the full benefits from an AGM battery it takes a little bit of research and time to check your existing charging method each step of the way.

If you take a look at the datasheets and technical specifications for AGM batteries on our website, you will see that we publish specific charge settings and this ultimately centres around voltage. AGM batteries are designed to require 14.6v – 14.8v when performing a full charge from a state of discharge, whereas standard lead acid batteries need 13.8v – 14.4v, hence this is what most onboard chargers are designed to deliver – not the 14.6v – 14.8v that AGM requires.

Let’s go into a little more detail and break-down the most common charging options on Campervans, Motorhomes, Caravans and Boats and point out what you need to look for:

Mains Chargers

Onboard you will, in most cases, have a mains powered battery charger / power management system. These are designed to be used when you have access to mains power to replenish the state of charge in your batteries or maintain them when not in use. Given that these chargers are generally the main and best method of charging, you need to make sure that you know what it can and can’t do when it comes to charging AGM.

You’ll need to check the make and mode of your onboard charger – if you have the owner’s manual check it as it should tell you in there – you are looking for specific charge programmes for different 12v battery technologies. If it says nothing and the charger has no selectable charge options, then you can assume it is designed for traditional wet lead acid batteries not AGM.

Furthermore, if your manual states ‘may be suitable with AGM check with your battery supplier’ and has a max charge voltage of 14.4v then this isn’t suitable for AGM either. We are aware that most Sargent onboard chargers and PSU’s state this – please take our advice, they are not suitable for AGM in the long term. Good quality modern onboard chargers have selectable charge profiles that support AGM and it’s important to check this first before investing in quality AGM batteries as battery warranties do not cover incorrect charging profiles.

My charger doesn’t support AGM but I want the benefits from AGM technology. What can I do?

All isn’t lost here. You can still use the onboard charger but you will need to supplement the undercharge from the non-AGM charger with a secondary mains charger at least once a month, as your non-AGM charger will only recharge the battery to around 85% and this will cause a memory effect in the battery reducing its life. The cost to replace the onboard power system for an AGM one will be costly, so using a secondary charger is more cost effective and will prolong the life of the AGM battery by getting the battery up to the all important 14.6v – 14.8v it needs.

Secondary chargers are great, you can use them anywhere when you have access to mains power and are a sure fire way to ensure your battery is getting the correct charge it needs. We recommend Victron Energy smart chargers which have dedicated charge profiles for AGM batteries – they are fully automatic and do everything that the battery needs. The size you will require depends on the size of your battery bank but Victron offer a range of solutions such as 7A, 10A, 15A.

Alternator Charging / Split Charging

Similar rules apply to split charging AGM batteries and standard alternator split charging by common durite systems are not optimised for AGM – they simply divide the preset wet lead acid starter battery voltage and apply it to the secondary leisure battery or bank. Again, like mains chargers this will be a typical voltage of around 13.8v – 14.4v and over time this will cause under charge to the AGM battery.

We are big advocates of battery to battery chargers also known as DC/DC chargers when it comes to split charging AGM batteries as they have specific AGM charge profiles and are simple to fit. Once programmed for AGM it takes the standard alternator charge voltage from the starter battery and converts the settings to suit an AGM battery ensuring a true and even charge. Some even come with solar charge controllers built in and can act as a single charging hub for your system – effectively acting as a wild camping mains charger when you have no mains power! Some great examples here are the Ring RSCS30 and Victron Orion.

Similarly as with mains charging, if your system doesn’t support AGM then it’s not the end of the world, you can use your existing set up, just make sure you compensate for the undercharging via an AGM optimised mains charger or solar charger if you have enough watts.

Solar Charging

Solar has become an ever popular method of charging batteries though we would never advise relying on solar alone as your main charge method, though they do offer benefits when used for maintenance or top charging. AGM batteries work well with solar and are widely used on solar systems. Most if not all solar charge controllers support AGM however the terminology varies when it comes to solar controllers and they may refer to AGM as ‘sealed’ – always check your manual and ensure that the AGM or sealed charge profile gets up to that magic 14.6v – 14.8v parameter.

Something to note – we have seen instances were charge controllers on AGM settings utilise whats known as equalisation mode. We would advise removing this setting on solar charge programmes as it can over charge the battery at more than 15v! Not good. Solar charging can be utilised to compensate for undercharging from your other, non-AGM optimised, methods of charging. If your standard split replay or mains charger is designed for wet lead acid up to 14.4v then you can let your solar panel get the AGM battery up to the 14.6v – 14.8v it needs.

Maintaining AGM Batteries

As with all batteries correct maintenance is important – particularly if it’s unlikely to be used for an extended period of time. With that in mind there are a few core points to follow:

Ensure the battery is fully charged before being left. A fully charged AGM battery should read 13.00v or above. Ideally you need to ensure the final charge is done via an AGM optimised charging profile.

  • Never leave a battery on permanent charge (including trickle!) – despite having no free flowing acid inside, long term charging will cause the battery to dry out. Once fully charged and stored just ensure you charge the battery once a month overnight instead.
  • Try to keep your max discharge level to 50% – this is 12.1v on AGM batteries – as our cycle life data is based on a 50% discharge level. You can technically take AGM batteries lower than that, but the cycle life will reduce accordingly. The opposite is also true – discharging above 50% will increase the cycle life.

Note: Remember, the cycle life is a guide on the optimum life span of the battery – it doesn’t mean the battery will pack up and stop working – but you will notice considerably less running time once the cycle life has been achieved. Battery warranty does not cover loss of capacity as this is subjective to the usage, the frequency the battery is under and whether it’s been correctly charged.

If you are looking for true deep cycle batteries designed for regular discharge and recharge then AGM products can offer all the benefits you require. No topping up with water, non-spill, quicker charging and long life. If you can invest some time in getting your charging right, then you will see much better performance over traditional wet lead acid types – something we have first hand experience of over many years – low return rates and minimal warranty issues speak volumes for AGM batteries.

Do you have an interesting fix or technical topic that you think members will find interesting? If so, let us know and we will share it with the club. Please email us at editor@vwt2oc.co.uk