Frequently asked questions and useful tips

• Easy to park
• Driving through narrow streets
• Discrete
• Huge carrying capacity
• Flexible
• Perfect for daily use, can be used as a second car
• If you open the sliding door it gives you a lovely outdoor feeling, even when you're cooking at the inside of the campervan
• Compact, but with a fixed bed, a fixed toilet and a shower, a tied kitchen and seating area
• Drives like a normal car, with a clear and high overview
• Powerful engine (= no worries in the mountains)
• Plenty of storage space
• By folding up or removing the bed you create a lot of space to carry all sorts of things
• Despite all the luxury you have a lovely camping feeling

The insurance of a minicamper doesn't have to be expensive. Keep in mind that you're driving with not just an average car, but with quite expensive car with a value between 50 000 en 80 000 euro. The first years of life a motor home remains a lot of value, but the risk of damage for a unskilled camper driver is bigger than a experienced driver. Choosing for a comprehensive insurance policy may be the perfect option for an unskilled driver.

In fact you need to take two factors in mind to determine the payment rate:

1. The value of the motor home
2. The power of the engine (the kilowatt (Kw))

• You will have already a civil liability insurance of 200 euro
• if you want to have a comprehensive insurance it will kost about 640 euro

Your personal broker suits perfect to compose a campervan insurance, but there are also a number of brokers which are specialists in the insuring of a camper: Ruwelka

First minivan? Choose wisely

Buying your first minivan takes time. Your travel needs evolve once you gain experience.

Try renting first to understand what really matters.
Starting with a used model can be a smart and affordable option.

The right choice leads to years of freedom.

With the customs form “705” correctly completed, the insurance broker can register the motorhome online immediately.

99 % of all the campervans is built on the base of a delivery van with a gross vehicle weight of 3.3T or 3.5T. You only need a driving licence category B for this type of vehicle.

The mass in running order is the weight of your camper including all factory options and tanks (fresh water + diesel + gas) filled for 90 %. Besides, the weight of a conductor is taking in count (always 75kg). You can find the information about this weight on your Certificate of Conformity (=COC).

The Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) is the maximum legal weight you can carry with your chassis. If you cross the MAM of 3.500kg you need to be in the possession of a driving licence category C or C1.

The difference between the mass in running order and the MAM is called the load capacity. This carrying capacity isn't only used for the luggage but also for extra passengers, additional options (e.g. satellite, shed, ...) In fact you're free to choose the usage of the carrying capacity. If you have a carrying capacity of 400kg but you always travel with four people there won't be a lot storage space left to store additional luggage or accessories. If you travel with two, you have the possibility to store more luggage or additional accessories. In fact there is only one general rule, don't exceed your legal MAM of your camper.

The maximum number of passengers: the designer determine the maximum number of passenger taking in account the load capacity and the amount of legal seats with a seatbelt.

For example:

If you have a camper with a load capacity of 400kg and you're travelling with four people of 80kg, you have already used 320 kg of your load capacity. When your additional options weight another 50kg there is only left 30kg of extra luggage. If you travel with only two people you will get an extra load capacity of 160kg!

Tips and tricks:

To have more load capacity you can travel with half-fulled tanks. This give the opportunity to carry an extra 80-100 kg of load capacity. If you pass a road inspection the authorities will just verify your MAM and the amount of people which are legally allowed.

When driving, you must take your place in the designated seats and you must wear a seatbelt. You are not allowed to make a quick cup of coffee, go to the toilet or rest on the bed.

In Belgium, you only pay an annual traffic tax, but not an "Inverkeerstelling Tax" (BIV) for minicampers.

The rates in Flanders are fixed as follows:

• MTM: 1501kg to 3500kg = €132/year
• MTM: 3501kg to 7999kg = €145.2/year

Source: https://www.vlaanderen.be/te-betalen-verkeersbelas...

The rates are the same in Wallonia, but you can get a traffic tax exemption if you use your motorhome less than 30 days a year.

More information: https://www.wallonie.be/fr/demarches/demander-lexo...

You may stand in any place where a car may park or stop. Except when a traffic sign indicates that it is forbidden for campers to park in the designated area. There are also places specially designated for campers. These places are completely free or you have to pay a small amount. So-called camper places vary from a simple pitch to places where a fairly extensive service is provided, such as: drinking water, waste water discharge, sanitary facilities, etc. There are maps and guides on how to find these places easily.

The recent devices will indicate themselves when an update is needed. It does no harm to check this annually.

With a gas heating, this is not allowed because of safety concerns. If your motorhome is equipped with a special gas regulator or crash sensor, then it is possible. If you have a diesel heating, you can turn the heating on while driving.

Each motorhome's registration certificate states how many valid seats a minicamper has. This means that the registration certificate will tell you the maximum number of (technically possible) seats for adults for use while driving. These seats in the motorhome must have approved seat belts.

Always switch off the water pump while driving. This can prevent a great deal of damage, such as a small leak causing the water pump to continue pumping and possibly run dry.

The roof hatches and the windows of the living area can not be open while driving, as this may cause damage.

The correct tyre pressure for a mini camper varies between 3.8 and 4.0 bar. The correct pressure can often be found inside the door or on the tyre itself.

For the correct maintenance of your mini camper, it is best to follow the advice of an authorised brand garage for the chassis of your mini camper. Nevertheless, we recommend that you have your mini camper serviced every year.

Your mini camper will indicate this in good time on the dashboard. After the notification, you will often still have an AdBlue driving range of 500-2000 km. It is advisable to refuel as soon as possible and always carry some spare in the boot.

Truma combi gas (conventional/analogue control) does not work

• Is the gas bottle open? Is there enough gas in the bottle?
• Is the living area battery sufficiently charged? Try to charge the battery with 220V or by running the engine.
• Is the heating fuse still OK? Fuse is located in the 12V fuse box, marked with a flame or radiator.

Truma combi gas (digital control) does not work

• Is the gas bottle open? Is there enough gas in the bottle?
• Is the living area battery sufficiently charged? Try to charge the battery with 220V or by running the engine.
• Is the heating fuse still OK? Fuse is located in the 12V fuse box, indicated by a flame or radiator.
• Error code questions that appear on the screen can be found in the manual with the solution.

Truma combi diesel (digital control) does not work

• Is there enough diesel left in the tank? If not, you will have to fill up first.
• Is the living area battery sufficiently charged? Try to recharge it with 220V or by running the engine.
• Is the heating fuse still OK? Fuse can be found in the fuse box 12V, indicated with a flame or radiator.
• Error code questions that appear on the screen can be found in the manual with the solution.

Eberspächer or Webasto does not work

• Is there enough diesel left in the tank? If not, you will have to fill up first.
• Is the living area battery sufficiently charged? Try to recharge it with 220V or by running the engine.
• Is the heating fuse still OK?

Is the heating still not working? Then contact our experts!

If your mini camper is equipped with a boiler, it may take up to 20 minutes for it to heat up, depending on the programme selected.

This depends very much on the circumstances (number of people, temperatures, consumption...). A very rough estimation: in summer you can camp for 2 to 3 days with 1 residential battery and 4 to 6 days with 2 residential batteries. But it is best to find out for yourself. It also depends on whether or not the refrigerator runs on 12V. For compression refrigerators, it is therefore always advisable to add an extra residential battery.

Make sure that the boiler, fresh water tank, waste water tank and water pipes are empty, clean and ventilated. The taps (kitchen, shower, etc.) may be left open and the pump turned off. The refrigerator can be left ajar after it has been thoroughly cleaned. Make sure the batteries are fully charged and that you regularly connect them to electricity during the storage period. These are the most important tips, but to give your campervan all the care it needs, we suggest you read this article on motorhome storage.

Yes. Usually there is a charge controller installed in your motorhome that ensures that the solar panel will automatically charge the residential batteries. If this is not the case, there is probably something wrong with the charge controller and you should contact a specialist.

In AGM batteries (Absorption Glass Matt) the electrolyte (battery acid) is contained in a porous glass fibre mat. AGM batteries can withstand high and prolonged discharge currents. The AGM battery is therefore much more resistant to deep discharge and can be discharged many times more, which gives them a longer life.

If there is a strong wind, the awning should be closed immediately, even when it is wet. However, it is strongly recommended to open it again within 24 hours to allow it to dry sufficiently. It is also necessary to make sure that there are no branches or leaves left on top of the awning fabric when the awning is closed, as this could cause small tears.

The refrigerator in a mini camper is almost always a compressor refrigerator. These refrigerators often achieve their promised cooling capacity even in warm ambient temperatures. If your refrigerator is still not cooling optimally, please contact our experts.

Most toilets in a mini camper are equipped with a sensor that indicates when the toilet cassette is full. However, for hygienic reasons, it is advisable not to wait until it is completely full (as this makes it very heavy to move). We recommend emptying it every 2 to 3 days. This will also prevent unpleasant odours.

Tout d'abord, vous devez vous assurer que vous êtes connecté au réseau électrique (1) ou que vous pouvez utiliser du 220 V grâce à un convertisseur (2). Dans la plupart des campings, le courant disponible est limité. Dans de nombreux cas, vous pouvez consommer 6 ou 10 ampères. Cela correspond à une consommation électrique d'environ 1 400 W à 2 300 W. (2) N'oubliez pas qu'il existe des convertisseurs légers et des convertisseurs plus lourds. Avec un convertisseur léger (par exemple 375 W), vous ne pouvez pas vous attendre à ce qu'un appareil de 1 500 W reçoive suffisamment de courant.

In most cases, no. But there are some exceptions of brands where the residential battery cannot be charged without switching on the 12V on the control panel. This will be clearly indicated when the motorhome is delivered.

Make sure that the boiler, fresh water tank, waste water tank and water pipes are empty. The taps (kitchen, shower, etc.) may be left open. The refrigerator can be left ajar after it has been thoroughly cleaned. These are the most important tips, read this article for even more tips on travelling in winter conditions.

The Frost Control is probably the cause. The Frost Control ensures that the water heater will drain in colder temperatures (4 -6°C) to prevent the water from freezing and causing irreparable damage. In this case, it is advisable to turn on the heating so that the campervan warms up. Then you can close the Frost Control and refill the water heater.

It is always advisable to start up the refrigerator the evening before departure. Connect the minicamper to electricity to prevent an overload on the batteries when cooling the fridge.

No, there is a safety device that switches off the diesel heater when only 20% diesel remains in the diesel tank.

Allow the battery to charge for at least 24 hours before using it again. If the battery remains below this critical level for several days, it begins to sulphate, which causes irreparable damage to the battery. Try recharging it with a trickle charger. If that fails, you'll have to replace the battery. Tip: to prevent this from happening, it is best to charge the battery regularly (24 hours every 2 weeks), this will improve the life of the battery.

• Is the water pump turned on? You can turn it on at the control panel of the minicamper.
• Check the fuse for the water pump. You will find it in the 12V fuse box, indicated by a small tap.
• Is the Truma frost protection open? Frost protection is located in several places on every motorhome.

If all this is in order and you still do not get any water, please contact our experts.

The motorhome must be connected to mains electricity before the 220V sockets in the motorhome can be used. If that is the case, please check the charging station; on older campsites it can sometimes happen that it does not work optimally anymore. You will soon notice this when you hook up your mobile phone charger to the station. Are you 100% sure that you are properly connected to electricity, and does it still not work? Then please contact our experts.

It is advisable to set the heating to 30 degrees for a good half hour every month. This allows the system to clean itself, leaving little to no dirt behind in the filter.

This depends very much on the circumstances (number of people, temperatures, consumption...). A rough estimation: in winter with a gas heater, you can go 4 days with one gas cylinder, whereas in summer you can survive a month on one gas cylinder as you use the heater little or not at all. If you have a diesel heater, you can go longer in winter with one gas bottle as only the cooker and fridge use gas.

Please do NOT empty your waste water and toilet cassette into the sewers. Most campgrounds and RV parks are equipped with special disposal stations and chemical toilets. You park your motorhome above the discharge point and then empty the tank. You manually remove the toilet cassette from the motorhome and empty it into the chemical toilets provided.

It is advised to position the minicamper as level as possible. This improves the operation of appliances, such as the refrigerator. It also makes it easier to sit and lie down and prevents things from falling over. With a small level you can see immediately whether you are standing straight or not, and with levellers you can quickly make corrections where necessary. There are also very handy automatic levelling systems, contact our workshop for this.

Le réfrigérateur d'un mini-camping-car est souvent un réfrigérateur à compresseur fonctionnant sur 12 V. S'il ne fonctionne pas, vous pouvez vérifier les points suivants.

• Is the car engine running?
• Did the relay switch? You can hear a "click" after starting the car.
• Some motorhomes have a separate fuse for this, usually found in the "Boite relais de sécurité" (5 Amp fuse). Or also fuse on general fuse box 12V (3 or 5 amperes), indicated by 2 connected batteries.
• Is the fridge fuse still OK? Fuse is located in the 12V fuse box, indicated by a snowflake.

Is the fridge still not working? Then contact our experts!

• Is the gas bottle open? Is there enough gas left in the bottle?
• Is the battery sufficiently charged? First try recharging the battery with 220V or by running the engine.
• Is the fuse in the boiler still OK? The fuse can be found in the 12V fuse box.
• Is the water pump running?

Is the boiler still not working? Then contact our experts!