Hurst Family - 2014 Expanda 20.63-1 OB

[Flossymk1]

Thanks everyone! So glad we finally have it at home

I will spend the rest of this week filling it up with all our stuff, then next weekend we are off to Rollingstone for our shakedown trip!

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Well done @Flossymk1 let the fun begin ...

 

[achjimmy]

Jayco Townsville usually give you Crownies along with a couple of stubby coolers and caps!

I would have thought they'd give you "Great Northerns" not a very patriotic FNQ company!

Great van @Flossymk1

 

[Flossymk1]

Lol @achjimmy ! But I won't say no to beer, no matter what it is - well except for VB maybe..

Finally got a chance this arvo to get in the van and start lining the shelves with non slip matting and making the beds - I have tomorrow off so will get into the fun part of putting all the kitchen stuff etc in there!

We are having our first camp out in it tomorrow night at home - kids are very excited!

 

[Flossymk1]

One thing I did notice when I was in the van this arvo, is that the aircon seems to be quite loud compared to the truma we had in the 17... Does anyone else find the Coleman Mach 8 loud?

 

[mfexpanda]

One thing I did notice when I was in the van this arvo, is that the aircon seems to be quite loud compared to the truma we had in the 17... Does anyone else find the Coleman Mach 8 loud?

Yes Ours is too but I haven't tried the lower fan speeds yet

 

[Smirke]

One thing I did notice when I was in the van this arvo, is that the aircon seems to be quite loud compared to the truma we had in the 17... Does anyone else find the Coleman Mach 8 loud?

Our dealer changed ours from the Coleman as he said they were loud. Hopefully not too loud that it keeps you awake at night

 

[Flossymk1]

I had it on low speed and it was very loud.... Guess we will just have to get used to it!

@Smirke what air-conditioner are you getting instead?

 

[Marv_mart]

What type of food stuff would you be happy with leaving in the van?
Just dry stuff or would you include tinned food? Not sure if it would keep or spoil if left in the van.
Eg tinned fruit, soup, salmon?
We do leave tea, pasta and other dried foods in the van when in storage.
Would like to know what others do.

 

[Smirke]

@Flossymk1 I think he's swapped it to an ibis. There's a new one ( the mk3) that's out, but jayco said no to it. Probably because they still have heaps of the others. As long as it keeps the van chilly I'm happy. ( we go for warm weather holidays where no heaters or jumpers are required)

 

[Ren77]

What type of food stuff would you be happy with leaving in the van?
Just dry stuff or would you include tinned food? Not sure if it would keep or spoil if left in the van.
Eg tinned fruit, soup, salmon?
We do leave tea, pasta and other dried foods in the van when in storage.
Would like to know what others do.

We pretty much keep everything in ours. I got these excellent containers from Trade Secret that have like a suction seal lid which I store anything opened in, sugar etc. have had the van since May and have found no problems with anything spoiling as yet.

 

[Marv_mart]

We pretty much keep everything in ours. I got these excellent containers from Trade Secret that have like a suction seal lid which I store anything opened in, sugar etc. have had the van since May and have found no problems with anything spoiling as yet.

Including tins? Anything that does not need refridgeration?

 

[Ren77]

Including tins? Anything that does not need refridgeration?

Yep!

 

[chartrock]

Us too. Tinned stuff sits in a drawer under seat, flour, sugar, coffee etc in airtight containers in pantry and dry food usually in unopened packets wherever.

 

[dagree]

Us too. Tinned stuff sits in a drawer under seat, flour, sugar, coffee etc in airtight containers in pantry and dry food usually in unopened packets wherever.

We just check the use by dates before using!

 

[Crusty181]

The 16.49.1 was stored in the backyard. We started off leaving some basic stuff in there, coffee, sugar, some cans, sauce, salt and pepper, oils etc but we would inevitably tax it when we ran out of stuff in the house. We we were gearing up to go away, we would have to do an inventory first so we now leave virtually nothing in there. We have a couple of plastic tubs we load up and transfer that into the van. That way we know we have exactly what we have, and what we need to get.

 

[Smergen]

The 16.49.1 was stored in the backyard. We started off leaving some basic stuff in there, coffee, sugar, some cans, sauce, salt and pepper, oils etc but we would inevitably tax it when we ran out of stuff in the house. We we were gearing up to go away, we would have to do an inventory first so we now leave virtually nothing in there. We have a couple of plastic tubs we load up and transfer that into the van. That way we know we have exactly what we have, and what we need to get.

We're pretty much the same. I thought about leaving more consumerables in the van, but I reckon I'd forget they were there and then bring in more when we next use it. We now run the "Tub Policy" where each person gets a tub, fills it with clothes and it goes in there spot. The kitchen also gets a couple of tubs to transfer food and milks into the van easily.

Might be a little OTT at times, but it means that we don't take anything that we don't really need.

 

[Crusty181]

The new van is too big for the backyard at home, so will have to be store the new van in my factory. Ive already cut down the tea room (or Cafe/Restaurant as I liked to refer to it) with a chainsaw to make swing room for the van. I think storing it at the factory may be a trap.

I usually sit on a work bench to eat lunch, listening to Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison on the radio .....

When the van arrives, at lunch time Ill be able to have a quick shower, pop on the slippers and my one'sy, click over the aircon, cook up a gourmet lunch and watch the History channel on Foxtel .... then I probably have a mid afternoon nap before I spend the rest of the day modifying the van.

NOTE TO SELF : I suppose I better leave some "tonic" in the fridge too; in case I get thirsty

 

[Smirke]

We leave all tins and non perishables in the van ( or use to as we have no van at the moment) and with clothes I have a "2 of everything" rule. No more, no less. As well as, if it's a shirt/boardies they want just for holidays then it can stay in there once washed. and when we get back I always refill or replace anything that is low or run out. Saves time and money ready for the next trip.

 

[Flossymk1]

Ok first little mods done to the van - installed the Companion fridge thermometer and also the obligatory fridge light

I haven't sat down and read through the manual for the Drifter Panel yet, so that will be the next thing - I have no idea how it works at the moment! lol