If you have recently bought a motorhome you might be wondering what accessories and spare parts you need for your leisure vehicle. Perhaps you have been baffled by browsing the shelves or online stores of your local motorhome parts supplier, or are stressing about how you’ll fit everything you need into your limited space. Fear not, for there is some guidance below on some of the most popular accessories and spare parts for motorhomes that you might need to pack ahead of your next road trip.
1.Awning and awning spares
The best thing about having an awning is it increases your living space when travelling with your motorhome and also enables you to enjoy the outside without having to cope with the elements. Before you head off on your next adventure, ensure your awning is intact with no rips or tears and that you have all the necessary equipment to erect it, including mallet, pegs, fixings, pole clips and suckers.
2.Fire safety equipment
With gas for cooking and heating and electrical equipment on board it is vital you have fire safety equipment in your motorhome. At the bare minimum you’ll need a smoke alarm to alert you in case of fire and a fire extinguisher to put out small fires. Search for the small fire extinguishers specifically made for caravans and motorhomes as they are more compact for easy storage.
3.Water and waste carriers
To keep your motorhome fully operational and sanitary during each trip you’ll need to ensure you have a water carrier (AquaRoll) and a waste water carrier (Wastemaster). If you’re lucky enough to have an outside tap where you’re going you might like to invest in a mains water adaptor kit so you never have to worry about taking your aquaroll to the nearest tap again. It’s also a good idea to get a bag for your AquaRoll and Wastemaster for when they are not in use.
4.Spare bulbs and fuses
If you’ve ever been out in the middle of nowhere and had a burst fuse or a blown light bulb then you’ll appreciate how annoying, dark and difficult it can be! For this reason, it’s always advisable to be prepared and keep a spare bulb and fuse in your motorhome for such emergencies.
5.Plastic step
If you’ve never had a motorhome before, you might not think about the distance between the doors and the floor when you exit the vehicle via the side doors rather than the driver or passenger side doors, but it is often deeper than you think. A plastic step is a vital motorhome accessory and can be easily tucked away somewhere inside when not in use.
6.Mains hook up lead
If you’re planning on staying at campsites during your travels you will most likely want electric hook up, so you’ll need a mains hook up lead to enable you to power everything in your motorhome. Choose a cable as long as you can (provided you have space to store it), as you never know how far the power box will be from where you need to park.
7.Leisure battery
A leisure battery is normally provided as standard in new motorhomes and is needed to power all the 12V equipment such as your television and kitchen appliances. If you buy second hand and a leisure battery is not included it’s one of the first things you’ll need to invest in and if you have the space, a second leisure battery or battery charger will enable you to keep powering things for longer.
8.Solar panel
One clever way to keep your leisure battery charged for your entire trip is to install solar panels on the roof of your motorhome. Harnessing the energy from the sun you can keep your 12V battery topped up with ease.
9.Motorhome cleaning products
Though you’ll probably have had a good clean of everything before you go, it’s always a good idea to keep some motorhome cleaning products on board, in case you need to clean off dirt, grime and streaks. Remember to only use products that are designed for leisure vehicles on the exterior of your motorhome so as not to damage the bodywork or windows.
10.Toilet products
It’s the one item in your motorhome you know you will be using regularly, so you’ll want to be well stocked up on the following products:
- Blue antibacterial fluid for the waste holding tank
- Pink fluid for the flush tank
- Specially formulated toilet roll for use in chemical toilets
Once you’ve packed all of the above it’s time to think about your kitchen equipment, crockery, television, mobile phone chargers and clothing. Don’t forget a tyre repair kit and of course your motorhome insurance.
Caravan Crazy are a motorhome parts supplier offering a wide range of parts for motorhomes and caravans from their online store.