We did a very naughty thing ...

[barry5933]

... ...


... but I think we have got away with it

Whenever we return home after time away in the van we take the first opportunuty to clean it out and prepare it ready for use again.

We empty the fridge and clean it,

We take bedding out and air it then repack,

We re-stock all consumables - tea, coffee etc,

We re-fuel back to a full tank ready for the next journey,

We service the toilet,

We empty the fresh water tank, pumping it through into the waste water, then empty the waste water tank,

We clean all working surfaces, cooker, sink,

etc, etc,

Finally we turn off the electrics.



Except that we didn't











A week or so later, I went out to the van to bring something indoors and was surprised that the front courtesy light did not work, ... key in ignition ... turn ... nothing ... not a glimmer of dash lights.

Switch over to auxillary battery and the water pump starts clicking.








Awful realisation of what we had done. We had left the domestic electrics switched on to the vehicle battery, we had left the pump switched on, which had been trying to pressurise the water system from an empty tank.

Result - one totally flat vehicle battery, and I mean FLAT, absolute pankake.

At this point I had visions of having to pay out for a new battery, and what about the pump? Having flattened the battery by futilely pumping away at a dry water system what would its insides be like?


Hope springs eternal they say.


After two days with the battery on charge, the engine started first try. ;D Two days later the meter shows that it is still holding its charge, so may be we have got away with that.

I then put some water in the tank and turned the sink tap on. After the inevitable spurting of air and bubbles, the water started flowing as normal with no nasty noises from the pump.



Have we been lucky, or are Romahomes built and equipped to cope with forgetful old codgers like us.



Moral



ALWAYS turn off the domestic electrics when leaving the van laid up, no matter how short the period of expected inactivity.






and I am not going to say which of us was inside the van operating the switches and who was outside emptying the tanks. I am too much of a gentleman

[Derek]

barry5933 said:

and I am not going to say which of us was inside the van operating the switches and who was outside emptying the tanks. I am too much of a gentleman

There is a fundamental rule in life, whoever did what when and whatever goes wrong, it is always the mans fault. You might as well come to terms with it and take the blame ;D

Derek

[Pauline]

derek said:

There is a fundamental rule in life, whoever did what when and whatever goes wrong, it is always the mans fault. You might as well come to terms with it and take the blame ;D

Derek

We missed a very important award Derek - The Wise Old Sage of the Forum - it's all yours ;D

[viv]

I am glad I have Terry to sort all this kind of thing out, how do you know which electric to turn off . Is domestic electricity a different colour from other kinds of leccy or does it make a different noise??

[barry5933]

There is a fundamental rule in life, whoever did what when and whatever goes wrong, it is always the mans fault.

Actually, there are two Rules -

1. The female is always right

2. In the event of the female being wrong, refer to Rule 1 above.

[barry5933]

Is domestic electricity a different colour from other kinds of leccy

I dunno, I always leave a plug in t'hole to stop it leaking out all over the carpet.

[geonomad]

barry5933 said:

There is a fundamental rule in life, whoever did what when and whatever goes wrong, it is always the mans fault.

Actually, there are two Rules -

1. The female is always right

2. In the event of the female being wrong, refer to Rule 1 above.

There is a possible exception...

If a man is alone in a forest...

And he says something...

But no woman hears him speak....

Is he still wrong?

[barry5933]

There is a possible exception...

If a man is alone in a forest...

And he says something...

But no woman hears him speak....

Is he still wrong?

Have you never heard of mother earth