Gas safety and new batteries in Swindon area?

[Carrot]

Hello all

Not posted for a while, hope you don’t mind me dropping back in for some advice.

My van needs a gas safety check and I think also some new leisure batteries as mine go from full to flat in 24h with just the fridge on.

Can you advise me on what kind of establishment would be able to offer this service? And, even better, could you recommend anywhere in the Swindon area?

 

[WelshGas]

Hello all

Not posted for a while, hope you don’t mind me dropping back in for some advice.

My van needs a gas safety check and I think also some new leisure batteries as mine go from full to flat in 24h with just the fridge on.

Can you advise me on what kind of establishment would be able to offer this service? And, even better, could you recommend anywhere in the Swindon area?

1. There is no legal requirement for a Gas Safety Check unless you hire the vehicle out.
2. If you want such a check then any Caravan or Motorhome Dealer should be able to do it. VW Dealerships rarely offer this service.
3 Leisure Batteries could be supplied and fitted by a VW Dealer but at a cost.
4 Plenty of threads on the Forum about alternative Makes etc: Not difficult to fit yourself but any Autoelectrician could probably supply and fit .

 

[Carrot]

Thank you - we had a suspicious gassy smell when we used the stove recently so I want someone to check out the pipes before we go camping. I shall investigate caravan/motorhome dealers in the vicinity.

Is an autoelectrician the kind of place that fits car radios? I was reading through the forum about all the different types of batteries and needing to take the seat out etc and I wondered if it was a specialist job. I didn’t want the Kwikfit fitters looking at me like I’m an idiot when I ask if they’ll do it!

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you - we had a suspicious gassy smell when we used the stove recently so I want someone to check out the pipes before we go camping. I shall investigate caravan/motorhome dealers in the vicinity.

Is an autoelectrician the kind of place that fits car radios? I was reading through the forum about all the different types of batteries and needing to take the seat out etc and I wondered if it was a specialist job. I didn’t want the Kwikfit fitters looking at me like I’m an idiot when I ask if they’ll do it!

They might have more experience than your Local VW Dealerships mechanics/technicians.
I think if you explain where the Batteries are located, and that the front seat has to be partially unbolted to gain access and this means the Airbag plug must be disconnected and therefore the Ignition MUST remain OFF until the plug is reconnected then they shoul£ have no problem.
The Caravan/Motorhome Dealer might also be able to change the batteries as well as do the Gas Check.

 

[Carrot]

My local VW van centre doesn’t stock Calis and charges £80ph just to investigate an issue so I’d rather avoid them. I’ll check out the motorhome folks first - thanks for the info.

 

[jeff]

y local VW van centre doesn’t stock Calis and charges £80ph just to investigate an issue so I’d rather avoid them. I’ll check out the motorhome folks first - thanks for the info.

There is a California dealer in Swindon the vw commercial garage, could try them for a quote someone gave them a good review on here sometime last year.

 

[DaveB]

There was a bloke called The Caravan Medic who do that sort of thing a few years back. He dud a good fridge service on my motorhome. Have a Google and see if he is still about.

 

[Carrot]

There is a California dealer in Swindon the vw commercial garage, could try them for a quote someone gave them a good review on here sometime last year.

That’s interesting - they didn’t used to have them so we went to Bristol when we were looking to buy. They were also thoroughly disinterested when we asked if they could quote to fix our faulty water pump (the £80 ph investigation). Maybe worth another look, thanks for the info.

 

[Carrot]

There was a bloke called The Caravan Medic who do that sort of thing a few years back. He dud a good fridge service on my motorhome. Have a Google and see if he is still about.

Looks like he’s still in business! There seems to be quite a few people who service caravans and motorhomes around here now I know what to look for.

 

[Carrot]

Thought I would follow up this post - I found a fab place in Swindon called Big V Campers who do all kinds of tinkering, restorations, conversions etc etc. They were so friendly and helpful and sorted out my dodgy leisure batteries in no time.
https://www.bigvkampers.com/ if you’re local and interested