First trip and a few questions

[Theaggregator]

Hi, a newbie here just back from first trip in our new (14 year old) T4 Westie Event. Did about 750 miles in the Jura and Haute-Savoie regions of France. As avid swimmers we spent most of the time camped by lakes. All very enjoyable and a steep learning curve. A few issues:

1. Starter battery flat after 4 days standing idle but connected to mains. The sliding door light was on for most of that time (until I found how to turn it off!) and we were charging phones, kindle and tablet all the time from front cigar lighter socket (radio not used much). Reading some of the threads I am not clear whether the mains should have kept the starter battery charged as well as the leisure battery;

2. Is there more than one leisure battery and where to be found?

3. Can't find the taps to empty the waste and clean water tanks?

4. We would like to fit a mechanical awning. Seen a photo on the T4 section showing a Westafalia model. Are these still available? If not, any suggestions please.

5. And where can we buy seat covers for T4?

Have searched the site but can't find specific answers to the above so will be grateful for any replies and advice.

Thank you

PS: Our dog not accepted at the Universite des Chiens - he says he knows all there is to know about things that matter like sausages and sleeping!

 

[Simon67]

Welcome and lovely van!

Front cigar socket runs off starter battery so that's where your drain has come from. Rear socket runs off leisure battery and is topped up from mains hook up.

Sink drain is a tap in left hand cupboard under stove

Fresh water drain is a screw cap under chassis by passenger side rear bumper.

You should have one leisure battery and it's behind a panel under the rear wardrobe. Access in boot with seats slid forwards

P.s love the Jura; canoed it several years ago




Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[2into1]

Inka sell seat covers for the cavarelle which fitted my Westy seats perfectly. I've not found anything for the rear seats, so use a picnic blanket in an appropriate colour.

As Simon says (!), your use of the front cigar socket is likely cause of your flat engine battery. Only use stuff behind the seats. Engine battery wasn't charged from hookup until about 2009.

I carry a small modern battery charger that I plug in the back and charge the battery through the front cigar socket. I wouldn't risk that from an empty battery, but a gentle trickle to maintain charge through winter seems OK.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

That's quite a trip for a first time. Literally jumping in feet first. What year is your Westy? It's probably 2001 onwards so if it's got an external freshwater filler on the drivers side then your water drain is a tap, under a plate in the bottom of the wardrobe.

Get an adapter for the 12v socket behind the drivers seat and charge your devices there. However it could be worth getting your starter battery condition checked though as I would of thought it could charge USB devices for more than 4 days without draining it down to non-starting levels.

Whether or not the hook charges the starter battery is a very grey area. No definitive answer that I have found - on any forum. Even the manual doesn't make any reference to it.

You can still buy mechanical awnings. You'll want to take a look at the Fiamma F45 range. Not cheap but very good and fairly easy to fit. Bare in mind there are a few ways it can be attached depending on whether you have a Brandrup gutter rail above your sliding door or not.

Lots of advice to be found here on the forum but check out - http://www.westfaliat4.info/ for loads of stuff about the Westfalia range and it's got a very useful download section too.

Happy campering.

 

[Theaggregator]

Thanks, that's all helpful. Our T4 is 2002. Trying to work out best use of wardrobe and under bench storage. At moment have awning and lots of poles in wardrobe and headrests, half dozen large mineral water bottles and few other items stored under bench.

 

[bxl_lad]

Great van! lovely colour!
To clarify, the leisure battery is under the fridge, panel has to be unscrewed to gain access...
As to how best to use the storage, I think you'll find your way after a few trips...We started out with bags all over the place and gradually we're learning to take less and pack the van so things are at hand when you need them - its a trial and error thing...
Welcome to the clan! Happy travels!

 

[2into1]

Before you buy a Fiamma awning, I think we need to discuss the one shown attached in the first photo! It looks great.
Most users who sleep downstairs and travel as a couple, leave the rear head restraints at home (then forget where they put them when they sell the van......)

 

[Theaggregator]

Before you buy a Fiamma awning, I think we need to discuss the one shown attached in the first photo! It looks great.
Most users who sleep downstairs and travel as a couple, leave the rear head restraints at home (then forget where they put them when they sell the van......)

Yes, the Reimo awning did the job but it did deter us from driving off as often as we would have liked. I imagine all much quicker to dismantle with a roll away away awning, or perhaps I'm just lazy. Headrests will be left at home next trip.

 

[mrcheesbrough]

We had precisely this dilemma when we bought our Westy. It came with a Brandrup Top Sail canvas awning. A lovely well made bit of kit. When it wasn't erected it meant the lines of the camper were much tidier (and aerodynamic?). It was a real faff to erect and when packed away it took up so much valuable storage space so we fitted a Fiamma F45 and have never looked back since. Really handy to quickly wind in and out. If you only need a little shelter from the weather you can wind it out partially. It's sold as a sun shade but we've had it out in all weathers - as long as you're careful and use a tie-down kit in more blustery weather (or simple wind it away for peace of mind) it becomes a much more useful piece of kit than the flappy canvas alternative. You may of gathered I'm bit of a fan of the F45.

 

[Theaggregator]

We had precisely this dilemma when we bought our Westy. It came with a Brandrup Top Sail canvas awning. A lovely well made bit of kit. When it wasn't erected it meant the lines of the camper were much tidier (and aerodynamic?). It was a real faff to erect and when packed away it took up so much valuable storage space so we fitted a Fiamma F45 and have never looked back since. Really handy to quickly wind in and out. If you only need a little shelter from the weather you can wind it out partially. It's sold as a sun shade but we've had it out in all weathers - as long as you're careful and use a tie-down kit in more blustery weather (or simple wind it away for peace of mind) it becomes a much more useful piece of kit than the flappy canvas alternative. You may of gathered I'm bit of a fan of the F45.

Just what I wanted to hear! Did you fit it yourself? Did you use brackets or does it slot into the Brandrup rail?

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Just what I wanted to hear! Did you fit it yourself? Did you use brackets or does it slot into the Brandrup rail?

Yep. Fitted it myself. It's a two person job to lift it up into place but overall not a complicated job if you're even the tiniest bit 'handy' and have a drill available. If you've a Brandrup rail (I suspect you do looking at the photo) Fiamma do brackets that attach directly to that.

 

[bxl_lad]

Can vouch also for the F45 too (ours mounted with the appropriate brackets to the rail)... Though not tried any of the alternatives, its great, seconds to deploy and to stow away almost just as quick. Whether you just roll out a few feet (to just give you a bit of cover to get your wet coat off before climibing aboard) or right out 3m (though then invest in a 'Rafter' to lose any sagging in the middle), you'll be happy you have one and will feel more compelled to use it than having to faff about putting something together...
Even makes a handy place to dry the tea-towel!



Although...have to ask... do others have the problem, depending how far out they wind their F45, that the front passenger door can sometimes catch on the front awning arm? Have caught myself out a few times now and managed to lose a little paint off the top edge of the door!

 

[Theaggregator]

Welcome and lovely van!

Front cigar socket runs off starter battery so that's where your drain has come from. Rear socket runs off leisure battery and is topped up from mains hook up.

Sink drain is a tap in left hand cupboard under stove

Fresh water drain is a screw cap under chassis by passenger side rear bumper.

You should have one leisure battery and it's behind a panel under the rear wardrobe. Access in boot with seats slid forwards

P.s love the Jura; canoed it several years ago




Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

Thanks, both taps located. I had been looking at the tap under the stove and as the ideogram showed a dripping tap or not, I thought it was to do with --- the water supply to the tap. Obviously not an idiot proof ideogram. I know I should have tried the tap but I was too keen to jump into the lake and have another swim. The fresh water drain tap was found under an access panel in the cupboard above the gas cylinder. Having applied some silicon lubricant to the seat runners, I am now off to find the leisure battery.

 

[bxl_lad]

Hi, a newbie here just back from first trip in our new (14 year old) T4 Westie Event. Did about 750 miles in the Jura and Haute-Savoie regions of France. As avid swimmers we spent most of the time camped by lakes. All very enjoyable and a steep learning curve. A few issues:

1. Starter battery flat after 4 days standing idle but connected to mains. The sliding door light was on for most of that time (until I found how to turn it off!) and we were charging phones, kindle and tablet all the time from front cigar lighter socket (radio not used much). Reading some of the threads I am not clear whether the mains should have kept the starter battery charged as well as the leisure battery;

2. Is there more than one leisure battery and where to be found?

3. Can't find the taps to empty the waste and clean water tanks?

4. We would like to fit a mechanical awning. Seen a photo on the T4 section showing a Westafalia model. Are these still available? If not, any suggestions please.

5. And where can we buy seat covers for T4?

Have searched the site but can't find specific answers to the above so will be grateful for any replies and advice.

Thank you

PS: Our dog not accepted at the Universite des Chiens - he says he knows all there is to know about things that matter like sausages and sleeping!

View attachment 16380 View attachment 16381 View attachment 16383

ps. Please share the address of that campsite by the lake - looks great - and among kindred spirits!

 

[Theaggregator]

Camping du Lac, Angon, Lac d'Annecy. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/aL1aBBuCWu72

Perfect second/third week of September but I imagine heaving in July and August. At least six Calis - mainly T5s but also a 32 year old T?

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Although...have to ask... do others have the problem, depending how far out they wind their F45, that the front passenger door can sometimes catch on the front awning arm? Have caught myself out a few times now and managed to lose a little paint off the top edge of the door!

@bxl_lad - not so much to do with how far we've got the awning wound out, more how tall it's legs are. However it looks to me as though you have a longer version of the F45 to us so this may contribute to the position of front awning arm being in the perfect position to catch your door. Our's finishes about 1/3rd of the way along the passenger window rather than protruding just past as yours does.

 

[bxl_lad]

@bxl_lad - not so much to do with how far we've got the awning wound out, more how tall it's legs are. However it looks to me as though you have a longer version of the F45 to us so this may contribute to the position of front awning arm being in the perfect position to catch your door. Our's finishes about 1/3rd of the way along the passenger window rather than protruding just past as yours does.

Think you're right on both points - need to put the legs higher and indeed, its quite a long one (oo-er Mrs!), though as I'm repeatedly told, "size isn't everything", it's what you do with it that counts... So don't you worry about it not being as long as mine

 

[Theaggregator]

Inka sell seat covers for the cavarelle which fitted my Westy seats perfectly. I've not found anything for the rear seats, so use a picnic blanket in an appropriate colour.

As Simon says (!), your use of the front cigar socket is likely cause of your flat engine battery. Only use stuff behind the seats. Engine battery wasn't charged from hookup until about 2009.

I carry a small modern battery charger that I plug in the back and charge the battery through the front cigar socket. I wouldn't risk that from an empty battery, but a gentle trickle to maintain charge through winter seems OK.

Had a look at the Inka site but all seems sold out. I wondered whether the Brandrup T5/Caravelle front seat covers would fit T4. Grateful for your comments

 

[2into1]

I got mine through Inka on ebay but they don't have them at the moment. The T5 look similar but I expect the devil is in the detail. There was another thread recently about seat covers who seemed to have a massive range of vehicles covered and a huge choice of trims.

 

[sidepod]

I think I'm the only one with awning leg brackets fitted on the van side.
Super useful. It means you don't need to peg the thing down. (And the van can me moved by a tiny amount to get the look-n-feel right without winding in the awning - should someone decide it needs moving that is!!)

 

[2into1]

I think I'm the only one with awning leg brackets fitted on the van side

I've not got these but do think they are a good idea? Do you have a photo? Does the foot slide into the bracket (and therefore could be slid out if a gust of wind got under the fabric?)

 

[sidepod]

I've not got these but do think they are a good idea? Do you have a photo? Does the foot slide into the bracket (and therefore could be slid out if a gust of wind got under the fabric?)

Yes and No. feet do slide in but there is a cunning slidy locky bar thingy that, well, locks them in place. Fully wind proof.

Pic to follow.

 

[sidepod]

 

[sidepod]

https://www.fiammastore.com/Fiamma-Accessories-for-Zip-F45-F65/Fiamma-Wall-Fixing-Brackets