PLANNING A SHAKE DOWN TRIP?
If you’re planning for the arrival of your new caravan, it’s worth adding a shake down trip to your list! A shake down trip is a short trip close to home, with the purpose of testing out your new caravan systems.
Keep it local – spend a night or two close to home or to us when you perform your shake down trip. This way, we’ll be close by should you need a hand. It’s worthwhile heading to a caravan park so you can test out both a 240 volt set up and being off grid.
Our favourite local spots are:
- Karrinyup Waters Resort
- Cee and See, Rockingham
- Taunton Farm, Cowaramup
- Coogee Beach Holiday & Caravan Park
Get familiar – ensure you test out everything you learned during handover. Open all of your cupboards and doors, use your appliances, practice setting up and down, and test your electrical items including batteries and solar (if you have an inverter fitted).
Inverter and solar set up – Once you’re at the caravan park, unplug and ensure everything works off grid. Ensure you test out your 240 volt appliances using solar and batteries.
Remember that inverters will draw power during use and when on standby, so turn them off when not in use. It’s also worth gauging how much power is used and how quickly it is replenished via 240V recharging, solar or DC charging via the Anderson plug. Due to the weaker charge rate, 12v recharging will take longer than 240v power.
Accessories required – consider what accessories you may want to have for longer trips including extra shade or external floor mat. Would you rather have a removable step or are you happy with the pull out one? Let us know what you are after – we have a tonne of spare parts of accessories in stock.
Storage storage storage! Before you head out, consider your storage needs and what will go where. Most caravans include cupboard storage in the kitchen and bedroom, under the seats, and may also have a tool box / tunnel boot. Consider how items may move in transit, and use sturdy storage boxes to reduce the risk of your things going everywhere on a bumpy ride!
At RV Solutions, we’re avid travellers ourselves so we understand the ins and outs of setting up your caravan for remote outback travel. Feel free to pay us a visit at our caravan sales Perth showroom, or give us a call – we’re here for you both before and after the sale, for servicing and any burning questions!
Check out our socials to find out more on recent builds and to keep up to date with us.
