Moving into a mobile home

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Updated – November 1, 2023

Anyone who intends to plan a move into a mobile home is first faced with the question: what do you need to live in a mobile home - what do you really need?

The space is tight, the payload is tighter and you quickly ask yourself what to do with all the supposedly indispensable stuff? And anyway: where do you start and where do you end? Questions about questions.

Below I will try to report from my own experience and help channel the mental chaos into constructive channels.

Not everyone will be happy and agree with everything. Just as every person is unique and has different priorities depending on their needs, the result of all considerations is ultimately individual. They are merely intended to be suggestions, thoughts that may uncover aspects that may not have been considered and that may be important in this or that case.

This makes no claim to completeness. And that's exactly why: If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share them so that they can expand the spectrum here and be of use to many readers!

All links direct you to further articles that deal more specifically with the respective topic. The same applies here: please ask questions about this contact form place!

Choice of vehicle

Anyone looking to purchase a motorhome based on the above premise may initially have respect for the length of a motorhome equipped with sufficient space.

However, the length takes less getting used to than the width. American motorhomes in the shortest version are rarely found under 8 m, rather 10 m or more. German manufacturers also offer corresponding chassis lengths in higher price ranges, but with a smaller width.
US vehicles with a width of up to almost 2.5 m are a challenge to concentrate on narrow, two-lane roads with oncoming truck traffic. The German versions, which are “only” 2.32 wide, are much more relaxed.

The longer, the more important it is to make curves generously. Cutting them is fatal - and not everyone wants to drive around with a “mobile” traffic light or various traffic signs on the mirror.

The jump from 120 square meters of living space to possibly just 16 square meters, including furniture, is quite a feat and needs to be well planned.

Viewing used motorhomes

It doesn't always have to be a new vehicle. Sometimes older models are more desirable. They have less electronics and the mechanics, motor and gearbox can still be controlled by the “village blacksmith” in remote areas.

Electronics cannot be demonized, but if they have a fundamental influence on a vehicle's ability to drive, it is - in our intended case - more of an obstacle and therefore better to avoid.
Self-installed and controlled electronics, on the other hand, are rarely fundamental to the journey itself, but they regulate many things without any explicit intervention and are therefore a pleasant helper.

What should you pay attention to?

In addition to the general technical condition (TÜV), the mobile should be dry, have no water damage, water and gas pipes should be tight, the heating, hot water preparation, air conditioning in heating and cooling mode, and the ventilation should work.

Air suspension

One Air suspension The rear axle is not only a comfort aspect, but also a safety aspect: the cornering behavior is definitely more stable (when loaded correctly - heavy parts as far down as possible) and driving is more pleasant.

Additional heating

Also one Additional heating is not a luxury in cold regions, but rather elementary. In extremely sub-zero temperatures, standard heaters are no longer sufficient to ensure a comfortable living environment inside. Likewise, the possibility of engine heating is more than just advisable in Nordic regions to guarantee starting in the morning and prevent freezing.

Solar system

A solar system is essential for a certain degree of self-sufficiency, as is good equipment in terms of battery storage, MPPT controllers and solar modules.
The modules are very often glued to the roof with low spoilers. This method of attachment is disadvantageous because there is insufficient ventilation and the modules reduce their performance for self-protection. It is better to install it over the entire roof surface, even over the roof hatches (when open).

Roof inspection

A look at the roof: Connections and cable bushings for satellite, air conditioning, ventilation or antennas should not have any cracks in the seals.

Shower

The shower trays are a point of criticism for all manufacturers because the plasticizers disappear within, on average, four years and lead to hairline cracks around the drain rosettes and rounded edges. Since they cost up to 500 euros, an alternative is to exchange them for one Stainless steel tub, which is usually cheaper.

humidity

There should be no traces of moisture in the wall cupboards or anywhere else. When inspecting, illuminate the wall cabinets, especially in the corners, with a bright flashlight. Also look for traces of water in floor hatches.
In the case of alcove vehicles, as well as partially or fully integrated vehicles, check the butt joints between the body and living area, as well as the windshield and body area, for leaks.

Floor

The ground should be solid everywhere during construction. A pointy yielding, the feeling of walking on a “soft” surface, usually indicates at least “wear” on the floor panels, and possibly also previous water damage in the floor area. If swelling can be seen in some places, this should be specifically inquired about and reassessed.

landing gear

You can determine whether wheel bearings are worn out by shaking the upper edge of the tire: nothing should move here!

subfloor

The underbody should also be free of damage and the engine block should not have any oil leaks or other leaks. The exhaust suspensions should not have any cracks on the rubber parts, and the brake hoses and lines should be free of damage, rust, etc.

Trial living and discovery phase

Once you've decided on a motorhome, used or new, it's time to try it out on your own doorstep.

So you move into your motorhome. Everything you think you need is packed inside. However, it should be borne in mind that the space is very (!) limited and fills up more quickly than you would like. So some things go straight back out - what's left is what fits in the space.

First night, first day

Once the first night has been spent, wash or shower and then it's time to prepare breakfast. The refrigerator is the first addressee. If you miss something, it will be taken out of the apartment. If it no longer fits in the fridge, something else has to go. Stockpiling takes on a new dimension. Offers or not, there are no more freezers.

The table is set. It’s also smaller than at home. And anyway: how much cutlery, plates, cups, etc. should you take with you? As many as there are people on board. For two people, max. 4 place settings and cutlery. For four or six people, max. six. Because every encounter with pleasant contemporaries on the go will often take place while dining together and everyone has their own cutlery and place settings with them. Parties are celebrated outside.

Washing up, laundry and water

Washing up. The water tank is empty faster than you can see. That's why in the future it's important to pre-wipe it roughly with a Zewa and only carry out the fine cleaning with - moderate - water and (biological - if no disposal station can be reached) detergent.

Washing laundry will become an issue sooner or later. You can do it like in a hotel, put the laundry in the sink, put warm water on it, wash it, wring it out, and you're done. You can use washing machines in laundry centers or on campsites. But you can also have your own, small one washing machine Take it with you and save yourself the wringing thanks to the built-in slingshot. However, you need 230 V for this. So you need a sufficiently large battery, solar controller and modules, including a sine wave inverter.

As a rough consumption estimate, two people can use 300 liters of water, including showering every two days, for about a month (not including laundry).

In isolated areas, obtaining drinking water can be adventurous and time-consuming. Here is the installation of Water filtering and or Osmosis system velvet UV-C clarifier to consider in order to possibly make Nile water drinkable.

potential for improvement

In daily processes, you quickly notice where there are still problems, where there is room for improvement, where something needs to be corrected, where something useful needs to be added or installed, where something is defective and can be replaced or added in a more stable version.

Water-carrying inlets and outlets, taps, shut-off valves, drain/water tank closures, water pump connections and hot water boilers/heaters deserve special attention.

While hot water pipes can definitely use pipe insulation, all hot air/hot water heating pipes should be left uninsulated. The radiated “loss” heat is used to heat intermediate floors, storage spaces and external walls in order to prevent condensation from forming.

Electrical system

Today I'm still looking in vain for a fuse for the interior lighting... - In the more than 600-page manual from the motorhome manufacturer Niesmann & Bischoff, there are numerous references to appendix xyz, which is supposed to provide information about many installations, but according to the same statement, there is there are none of the cited attachments.

None of the documented fuses are defective and all of the fuses installed in the cabinets or somewhere else and found by chance are intact. From this I concluded for myself(!): I'll pull out all the cables that can't be assigned and secure each consumption separately with fuse holders with LED indicators (lights up if the fuse is defective).
In my opinion, standing outside in the rain and snow to look for a broken fuse in the side flap with a flashlight between your teeth can't be the point.

So one cable joined the other and we became resourceful in pulling cables: a rigid 1.5 mm is helpful²-Cable 10 m long. You can easily thread this through cracks and slots, attach the actual cable to it with insulating tape and pull it to where it needs to go.

When laying power supply cables, attention must always be paid to the current to be transported and the resulting necessary cable cross-section in order to prevent voltage losses on longer cables on the one hand and heating of the cables due to the cross-section being too small on the other hand. It is not uncommon for cable fires to occur due to under-sizing.

The necessary cross-section of copper cables for DC applications can be calculated here, as can the voltage drop. The yellow fields are editable:

If network cables need to be laid, sufficiently large extensions should be made in narrow places beforehand. It's better to dimension something too large: you'll always find a reason to pull out an extra cable.
In this context: a 4-way switch is always enough! Really? (Pssst: I have now installed two 8-port Cisco switches and still have three ports available…). So it's better to oversize than to reach undesirable limits too early.

Tool

All of this also shows which tools you need. Next to multimeter (this is a multimeter with automatic selection of the correct measuring ranges and therefore also helpful for laypeople), soldering iron, solder, two sets of open-end and ring spanners (for counter-holding), drill, milling cutter, screwdriver, cordless screwdriver, including inserts, extensions, Ratchet box, etc. there are cables, connectors, and more.
Anyone who has craftsmanship and isn't afraid to add or replace a few things themselves will be able to get one Multifunctional tool can't help it. At first I thought it was “a nice toy”, but today I know that without this part I definitely wouldn't have been able to complete many tasks.

Charger

Chargers for the above-mentioned devices, but also cell phones, etc. are another aspect for space and cable laying, including 230 V (caution - specialist personnel required!).
By the way, it's not a good idea to use an x-fold USB hub on USB sockets: they can usually only provide a charging current of 1.. 2 A and are hopeless with one hub and possibly four or more connected devices overwhelmed. Then plan and install several USB built-in sockets. Make sure the cable cross-sections are sufficient!

Medical equipment

Anyone who suffers from sleep apnea or receives medication via a perfusor or needs other electronic assistance to maintain vital functions should ensure that their necessary devices have a stable power supply.
Most devices are powered by batteries or accumulators, but you won't always be able to find the right ones everywhere. Replacement chargers/batteries should therefore be carried here and these should also be connected to the on-board power supply using specially fused – and exclusively used – cables.

Other measuring devices

Depending on the destination, it may be useful to consider environmental parameters, such as radioactive radiation, radon etc. to be able to determine.
In the former Yugoslavia, as well as in Sardinia, weapons with depleted uranium were used or tested (thorium-232). Since these substances have half-lives of up to 14.5 billion (!) years, people don't want to spend time in these areas.
Radon is a noble gas that occurs in the earth and mainly accumulates in basements and unventilated areas near the ground. It increases the risk of lung cancer by approximately 16% per 100 Bq/m³ and is suspected of being responsible for other respiratory diseases. That is why country-specific limit values have been set, which may also have consequences that require renovation.

quality before quantity

Once you've spent four weeks in your new home, most of the eye-catching issues should have been dealt with. And yes, the best quality materials and devices are just good enough. And no, Amazon, hardware stores and the like may not be conveniently available just around the corner.
Therefore: Quality is essential here if you really want to be able to operate safely in the middle of nowhere.

With regard to the other measuring devices mentioned above, the linked devices should be sufficient. However, if you want to record laboratory data in a calibrated manner, you will find suitable devices in the higher price ranges (in the four-digit range).

The permissible total weight

... sends greetings and should be checked before departure if you want to avoid unpleasant fines or other evils. It is not uncommon for you to be surprised to find that you, including the driver and everyone, have gas bottles, water, fuel, etc. on top of it. Then you have to think carefully again and discard various things - much to the chagrin of many mobile home owners.

The 1.5 ton has proven itself as a scale Vehicle scale by Reich, in a modified version, proved useful. The individual wheels are weighed and the weights are added. The added values for each axle result in the axle weight, all axles are added to the total weight. All weights should correspond to the permissible information according to the vehicle registration document and should not exceed them under any circumstances.

Conclusion

The four weeks of trial living mentioned above may well need to be extended. The actual departure and disconnection from the secured home port should only take place after you have spent a few weeks relaxing in the motorhome without coming across anything that you consider to be worth changing. If you are sure that you have everything you actually need for your daily life, that the total weight is right and that the journey is the goal, then you can start!