How To Add A Caravan Tool Box For Additional Storage

How To Add A Caravan Tool Box For Additional Storage

How To Add A Caravan Tool Box For Additional Storage

A large range of caravan tool box designs include drawbar storage for items like generators, BBQs, fridges, gas bottles, batteries and much more. It doesn’t matter if you have purchased a new or preloved caravan. Most caravans just don’t have enough storage space.

You never have enough storage space for all the things you want to take. And weirdly the larger the caravan you have the more stuff you take. It seems like you are always looking for additional room. A caravan tool box can also provide extra space for your tools, poles, ropes, hoses, mats etc. Accessories such as jerry can holders for fuel or water, underbody battery boxes and internal gas bottle rings.

Drawbar Toolbox Jayco All Terrain

Drawbar Toolbox Jayco All Terrain

Common materials that a caravan tool box can be manufactured from are aluminium checkerplate, aluminium flat sheet, steel checker plate and flat sheet steel. Aluminium would be the most popular choice due to it’s weight saving over steel. Caravan tool boxes are often powder coated to match your van’s external colours.

There is an off the shelf caravan tool box available to suit most caravan brands and models. Bailey Australia Caravans, Billabong Caravans, Crusader Caravans, Gold Stream Caravans, Jayco Caravans, JB Caravans, Majestic Caravans, Millard Caravans, New Age Caravans and many dozens more.

Caravan Tool Box Draw Bar Storage

A popular position to mount your caravan tool box is on your draw bar. There is a massive range of caravan draw bar storage boxes available for this application. A massive selection of configurations to suit caravans, pop-tops, hybrids, and camper trailers is available. They can incorporate top lids, side doors, slides and more. Opt to move your gas bottles to inside the box, or retain on the outside. If you are moving your gas bottles on your caravan make sure to consult with a licenced gas fitter. Moving gas bottles on your caravan will usually require a new gas certificate to be issued depending on which state you are from. A drawbar mounted caravan tool box is great for BBQs, generators, fridges, mats, steps, annexes, levelling blocks, chocks, hoses, water hoses and pipes.

Caravan Tool Box Supreme Getaway Drawbar

Caravan Tool Box Supreme Getaway Drawbar

Caravan Tool Box For Generators

A lot of caravanners want to run a caravan air conditioner while off grid with no access to 240v power. This creates a need need to take a generator. A common addition to many caravans is a bumper mounted caravan generator storage box. These boxes allow you to both store and run your generator from the box. Add in a fully integrated lift up lid and a slide allowing easy mounting and removal of your generator. Include a weatherproof door seal gasket and you will have no need to physically move your generator in and out of your caravan. Just run your normal caravan power cord from the generator to the power inlet and away you go.

Caravan Tool Box Example Custom Rear Storage Setup

If you’ve got to have it exactly your way many manufacturers can build it to suit. Below is an example of what can be included in a custom caravan tool box set up for mounting to your rear bumper.

  • Upgrading of bumper strength – rear bumper gusseted and reinforced.
  • Extended rear bumper framing to support larger boxes.
  • BBQ storage on passenger side.
  • Generator storage on slide out on driver’s side.
  • New combination tail lights on rear.
  • Licence plate and light relocated to rear of box.
  • Rear boxes matched to spare tyre depth to remain within overhang limits.
  • Height raised to retain rear departure angle clearance (so the box doesn’t drag when exiting driveways etc).

What Does An Average Caravan Tool Box Cost?

A basic caravan toolbox price range is from $440 to $550 for simple boxes up to well over $2000 for a large caravan toolbox with slides, multiple doors and custom fabrication work.

Should I Worry About Waterproof & Durability?

You certainly should. Look for tool boxes for caravans that come with a rubber seal and that are fully seam welded to make them weather and dust resistant. Aluminium itself is an excellent material to make toolboxes due to its durability and lightweight property.

Where Can I Buy A Caravan Tool Box

There are many manufacturers and importers of caravan storage boxes in Australia. Below is a list of some I have found.

List Of Australian Caravan Brands

Adventura Caravans, Alpha Fibreglass, Aussie Wide Caravans, Avan Campers, Ballina Campervans, Billabong Custom Caravans, Caravan Manufacturer, Caria Caravan Trailer, Challenge Camper Trailers Caravans, Classic RTM Caravans, Concept Caravans, Coromal Caravans, Creative Caravans, Davsher Caravans, Desert Edge Trailers, Designer Vans Caravans, Discoverer Campers, Dreamhaven Caravans, Dreamland Trailers, Driftaway Caravans, Dryden Trailers Caravans, Eagle Caravans, Elross Caravans, Evernew Caravans, Exodus Campers, Ezytrail Campers, Galaxy Caravans, Goldstream Recreational Vehicles, Golf Caravans, Heaslip Campers, Horizon Motorhomes, I & D Industries, Imperial Caravans, Jayco Caravans, Jurgens Caravans, Kea Campers Australia Caravans, Kingdom Caravans, La Vista Caravans, Lifestyle Leisure RV, Limit Seeker Camper Trailers Caravans, Lotus Caravans, Majestic Caravans, May West Caravans, Millard RV Caravans, Montana Caravans, Nova Caravans, Olympic Caravans, Opalite Caravans, Paradise Caravans, Paradise Motor Homes, Paramount Caravans, Regal Caravans, Regent Caravans, Retreat Caravans, Rivenlee Caravans, Roma Caravans, Royal Flair Caravans, Spaceland Industries Caravans, Suncamper Caravans, Sunland Caravans, Sunliner Recreational Vehicles, Supreme Caravans, Swagman Aust Caravans, Tavlor Motorhomes, Toy Haulers Manufacturer, Track Trailer, Trailblazers RV Caravans, Trailer Manufacturer, Trailstar Caravans, Trakka Caravans, Trakmaster Caravans, Travelhome, Traveller Caravans, Truelux 5th Wheel, Vanguard Caravans, Western Caravans, Windsor Caravans, Winnebago Industries, Wirraway Motorhomes

Caravan Tool Box Types

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer

We turned our narrow caravan tunnel boot in to a caravan tunnel boot slide out drawer by installing a slide and building our own lightweight sides. Our Jayco All Terrain caravan came with a narrow storage tunnel on the passenger side that had a lot of room inside. However it was almost impossible to organise and get to things inside.

Storage space is always a highly desirable item in a caravan and usable space is even better. We ordered a caravan boot slide out from OnTheGoRV. The one I ordered was the DS265 Tunnel Boot Slide. It fits a tunnel boot with an internal opening width of 280mm. They also make slides to suit wider openings. Additionally as we liked the slide out idea we also bought one of their DS570 Tunnel Boot Slides to make a caravan BBQ slide out with a storage box on the other side of the caravan.

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer Storage Box

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer Storage Box

DS265 Caravan Slide Out Specifications

Aussie made using premium quality 3mm mill finish aluminium. Beautifully finished in a modern satin black powder coat. 125kg load rated with LOCKABLE tracks ensure your Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out glides easily.

  • Overall Width: 265mm
  • Closed Length: 1050mm
  • Open Length: 1990mm
  • Height: 80mm
  • Tray Size: 1015mm x 220mm
  • Weight: 10kg
  • Weight Capacity: 125kg
  • Colour: Satin Black
  • Material: 3mm Aluminium
  • Lockable Draw Slide: Yes

Installing The Tunnel Boot Slide

Jayco had mounted the caravan jack inside the door on the left. As we have a 5 ton bottle jack in the ute already we removed the Jayco fitted jack as it wasn’t required. No point carrying around two or three kilograms that you don’t need (that reminds me I need to get back on my diet!) The jack was held in place with four screws.

I found it easier to remove the slides runners to give me access to the mounting holes on the sides. Before removing the deck and runners I measured the distance between the slides and cut some pieces of composite panel offcuts to work as templates/spacers. I drilled pilot holes in the tunnel boot floor and mounted the sides using the provided tec screws. Altogether there are fourteen screws – seven screws each side. Therefore more than enough to secure the weight of the slide and anything you mount to it.

Caravan Boot Slide Out Drawer

OnTheGoRV make storage box sides to turn your caravan tunnel boot slide out in to a drawer but it was a bit expensive so I made my own out of composite panel. The bonus with making my own was that I could make it to the absolute maximum size that would fit the caravan tunnel boot slide. We now have heaps of storage for our bits and pieces

Making The Sides For The Tunnel Boot Slide Out Using Composite Panel

Composite panel. You can get it at Bunnings. Good luck finding where though! we’ve been using it for years and have bought it from three or four different Bunnings and it’s never ever where the phone app says it is.

Composite Panel Sign Board

Composite Panel Sign Board

Cutting the composite panel for the sides. It’s easily cut with a Stanley knife – you just need a nice straightedge to run the knife along.

How To Cut Composite Panel

How To Cut Composite Panel

After half a dozen passes with the knife you just snap it over the edge of a table. Fold it back on itself a few times then cut the remaining plastic along the join. The stuff is gloss white on one side and gloss black on the other. It has a white plastic protective film covering when it.

Snap For A Nice Clean Edge

Snap For A Nice Clean Edge

Corners of the box is held together with powdercoated black angle aluminium and glue. This Soudal stuff sticks and holds really well.

This Soudal Stuff Sticks And Hold Really Well

This Soudal Stuff Sticks And Holds Really Well

The rivets are really just there to hold the angle until the glue goes off.

Powdercoated Aluminium Angle From Bunnings For A Neat Finish

Powdercoated Aluminium Angle From Bunnings For A Neat Finish

I installed pinch weld on the edges to neaten things up and cover any potential sharp edges. I got rid of the sharp edges anyway just using a bit of emery paper wrapped around a sanding block.

Pinch Weld On The Edges To Neaten Things Up And Cover Any Potential Sharp Edges

Are We Happy With The Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer?

We’re very happy with the way it all turned out. Installing the caravan tunnel boot slide drawer has made the small tunnel boot very usable. As it was originally you could only access what was inside the boot at the front. If you wanted anything towards the back you pretty much had to unpack the whole thing to get to it. Now you just open the door and slide it out. Much better.

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer Storage Box

Caravan Tunnel Boot Slide Out Drawer Storage Box

Caravan BBQ Slide Out For Your Tunnel Boot

Caravan BBQ Slide Out For Your Tunnel Boot

Caravan BBQ Slide Out For Your Tunnel Boot

We turned our caravan tunnel boot in to a BBQ cooking bench with storage box by installing a caravan BBQ slide out. Our Jayco All Terrain was ordered with a slide out kitchen and then found we didn’t use the slide out kitchen except as a bench to sit our Ziggy BBQ on. As a result we had to store the BBQ separately in the caravans front tool box and pull it out and set it up every time we wanted to use it. I found it a pain in the arse as we like to do trips where we are moving every day or two.

So we pulled the slide out kitchen out and sold it. I ordered the biggest caravan BBQ slide out that would fit in the tunnel boot on the awning side from OnTheGoRV. The one I ordered was the DS570 Tunnel Boot Slides. It fits a tunnel boot with an internal opening width of 612mm. They also make slides to suit narrower openings. Additionally we liked the slide out idea we also bought one of their DS265 Tunnel Boot Slides to make a pull out drawer on the other side of the caravan.

BBQ And Storage Box - Just Slide It Out And I'm Ready To Cook!

BBQ And Storage Box – Just Slide It Out And I’m Ready To Cook!

DS570 Caravan BBQ Boot Slide Out Specifications

Aussie made using premium quality 3mm mill finish aluminium. Beautifully finished in a modern satin black powder coat. 125kg load rated with LOCKABLE tracks ensure your Caravan BBQ Boot Slide Out glide easily.

  • Overall Width: 570mmClosed Length: 1050mm
  • Open Length: 1990mm
  • Height: 80mm
  • Tray Size: 1015mm x 515mm
  • Weight: 13kg
  • Weight Capacity: 125kg
  • Colour: Satin Black
  • Material: 3mm Aluminium
  • Lockable Draw Slide: Yes

Installing The Tunnel Boot Slide

After removing the factory installed slide out kitchen and removing all of the plumbing and patching the holes to keep everything waterproof it was time to install the slide. I found it easier to remove the runners to give me access to the mounting holes on the sides. Before removing the deck and runners I measured the distance between the slides and cut some pieces of composite panel offcuts to work as templates/spacers. I drilled pilot holes in the tunnel boot floor and mounted the sides using the provided tec screws. Altogether there are fourteen screws – seven screws each side. Therefore more than enough to secure the weight of the slide and anything you mount to it.

A Few Panel Offcuts Cut To The Correct Length As Spacers

A Few Panel Offcuts Cut To The Correct Length As Spacers

Caravan BBQ Boot Slide Out Storage Box

OnTheGoRV make half storage box sides to make a storage box for the caravan BBQ slide out but it was a bit expensive so I made my own out of composite panel. The bonus with making my own was that I could make it to the absolute maximum size that would fit the caravan tunnel boot slide with the BBQ mounted to it. We now have haps of storage for all the BBQ bits and pieces.

Caravan BBQ Slide Out Storage Box

Caravan BBQ Slide Out Storage Box

Mounting The Ziggy BBQ

Amanda came up with this idea for fixing the BBQ down. It needed to be easy to remove the BBQ as the ziggy has a little fat container underneath that you need to empty now and then.

Ziggy BBQ Mounted To BBQ Slide out

Making The BBQ Storage Box Using Composite Panel

Composite panel. You can get it at Bunnings. Good luck finding where though! we’ve been using it for years and have bought it from three or four different Bunnings and it’s never ever where the phone app says it is.

Composite Panel Sign Board

Cutting the composite panel for the sides. It’s easily cut with a Stanley knife – you just need a nice straightedge to run the knife along.

How To Cut Composite Panel

How To Cut Composite Panel

After half a dozen passes with the knife you just snap it over the edge of a table. Fold it back on itself a few times then cut the remaining plastic along the join. The stuff is gloss white on one side and gloss black on the other. It has a white plastic protective film covering when it.

Snap For A Nice Clean Edge

Snap For A Nice Clean Edge

Corners of the boxes are held together with powdercoated black angle aluminium. This Soudal stuff sticks and hold really well.

This Soudal Stuff Sticks And Hold Really Well

This Soudal Stuff Sticks And Hold Really Well

The rivets are really just there to hold the angle until the glue goes off.

Powdercoated Aluminium Angle From Bunnings For A Neat Finish

Powdercoated Aluminium Angle From Bunnings For A Neat Finish

I installed pinch weld on the edges to neaten things up and cover any potential sharp edges. I got rid of the sharp edges anyway just using a bit of emery paper wrapped around a sanding block.

Pinch Weld On The Edges To Neaten Things Up And Cover Any Potential Sharp Edges

Are We Happy With The BBQ Slide Out And Storage box?

We’re very happy with the way it all turned out. Installing the caravan BBQ slide out in place of the outdoor kitchen has been a great thing for us. Now when we pull up all we have to do to use the BBQ is slide it out and plug the hose in to the bottle. As an added bonus the slide out with the box weighs 15kg instead of the slide out kitchens weight of nearly 60kg. That’s a weight saving of almost 45kg.

Ziggy BBQ Fits Neatly In Caravan BBQ Slide Out Tunnel Boot

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

 

Our Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper installation has a reinforced one piece truck mesh trapeze style stone guard. It protects our car and All Terrain caravan from, rocks, bitumen and road debris. It’s designed and manufactured in Australia using Australian made products.

We do a lot off offroad and dirt road travel so we’ve installed an aussie made Stone Stomper® to protect our tow vehicle and Jayco All Terrain offroad caravan. It’s a bit of an investment but in the long run we reckon it’ll be money well spent.

The Stone Stomper® protects the rear of our tow vehicle and canopy as well as the complete drawbar, DO35 hitch, drawbar tap, gas bottles, tool box and the front of the van. The mesh isn’t made from crappy old shade cloth like a lot of el cheapo home made jobs. The mesh on the Stone Stomper® fitted to our Jayco All Terrain is made from one piece truck mesh. Manufactured by professional canvas makers. Stone Stomper® make each order to custom fit your tow vehicle, tow hitch setup and caravan or camper trailer. All provided metal work is laser cut and electroplated for durability.

Stone Stomper On Jayco All Terrain At Beresford Siding On The Oodnadatta Track

Stone Stomper On Jayco All Terrain At Beresford Siding On The Oodnadatta Track

Ordering Our Stone Stomper

I sent them an email and they got back to me quickly with an info pack outlining what measurements they needed to custom manufacture our Stone Stomper as well as questions about our tow vehicle and hitch. I took a photo of the van a frame from both front on and side on and took the measurements, made up a diagram and emailed it through to them. After ordering the Stone Stomper was delivered to us in under a week, this was in August 2020. They reckon it can take longer than this at times depanding upon demand which varies at different times of the year.

Stone Stomper Drawbar Measurements

Stone Stomper Jayco All Terrain Drawbar Measurements

Installing Our Stone Stomper

It took me less than 30 minutes to install The Stone Stomper®. Connecting and disconnecting takes us less than 10 seconds. The kit comes complete with everything you need to install it. I had to do drill a few holes and then use the provided tek screws to mount the mounting points on the van, I used some silicone underneath the bracket to prevent any water ever getting in.

Bracket Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Stone Stomper Bracket Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Because the Jayco All Terrain has an extended drawbar the people at Stone Stomper recommended a second set of mounting points on the front of the toolbox. These were easy to fit. A few more pilot holes, a dab of silicone then three tek screws in each side and it is job done. The extra brackets do make a difference to how the StoneStomper fits on our Jaycl All Terrain and it was a great suggestion from the StoneStomper team.

Stone Stomper Jayco All Terrain Toolbox Support Brackets Fitted

Jayco All Terrain Toolbox Support Brackets Fitted

I then wrapped the provided foam around potential rub points and cable tied it in place. It didn’t say to in the instructions however I then wrapped the foam in insulation tape to make it look nice and neat.

Finally I had to fit the rear bar section to the ute. We use a DO35 hitch so I ordered the correct bar section and flaps to suit. I used the high tensile steel bolts with Nyloc nuts provided in the kit. Stone Stomper really don’t skimp on the quality it’s all top shelf stuff.

Stone Stomper Rear Bar Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300

Rear Bar Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300

Stone Stomper® Gives Your Vehicle And Caravan Or Camper Trailer Maximum Protection

With Stone Stomper® the vehicle is not only protected but the entire A frame, gas bottles, brake cables, coupling and front of the van from damaging stones, rocks and debris. Additionally it prevents tar stains on the van due to bitumen and in the wet it prevents road spray from deflecting onto the van’s front from the towing vehicle.

There Is More To Stone Stomper® Than Planned Off-road Use

Often, you come across road works on bitumen with wet tar and stones only to be diverted to a dirt bypass. During your journey, your plans may change, as one of our recent customers reported after a three-month trip to North Queensland. With his newly purchased on-road Jayco Sterling, he had no intention of venturing off-road. Lawn Hill National Park, 180 kilometers of dirt roads away, was recommended as a ‘must see’ along the way. He was glad he had fitted a Stone Stomper® before leaving, keeping his car and van in pristine condition.

The truck mesh we manufacture is reinforced ONE PIECE, not shade cloth. To ensure maximum protection, each order is tailored to fit individual measurements. There is a 12 month warranty on all metal work that is laser cut and electroplated for durability.

Jayco All Terrain With StoneStomper Fitted

Jayco All Terrain With Stone Stomper Fitted

Stone Stomper® Fits Easily To Most Towball Hitches

The Stone Stomper® fits existing Hayman Reese/Eaz-Lift WDHs, Treg/Triggs, DO35s, AT35s, OzHitchs, Hitch-Ezys, Mitchell Bros., McHitchs, Hylands, as well as standard tow ball hitches. All types of hitches can be equipped with a variety of bar attachment options. The different bar options we offer ensure mesh coverage and protection is maximized by mounting the bar as closely as possible to the vehicle. Stone stomper® attaches to the tow bar and vehicle without drilling or modification. Your existing hitch will fit all bar attachment options.

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – How Much Did It Cost?

All up our Stone Stomper delivered to our door in rural NSW was $735. This included the additional support brackets for the front of the Jayco All Terrain Toolbox. The one we bought previously for our Supreme Getaway offroad caravan was $675 delivered to our door in rural NSW back in 2019. This included additional pads to prevent chafing by the bottom of the jerry can holders.

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – How Long Did It Take After Ordering To Be Delivered?

We were quoted a lead time of 9 weeks for the delivery of our Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper. They were good to their word and delivered it to us in 8 weeks from the time the order was finalised and paid for. As an aside, the one we bought three years ago only took a week to be delivered. I think this is a great testimony to just how popular Stone Stompers have become. It’s awesome to see an aussie manufacturer using aussie materials doing so well!

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – Conclusion

We had one installed on our previous caravan and it really did an awesome job. When we bought the new Jayco All Terrain installing a StoneStomper was a complete no brainer. It was the first thing we did. We’ve already done a few offroad trips (Oodnadatta Track amongst other places)  with the Stone Stomper installed and the front of the caravan doesn’t have a mark on it.

Jayco All Terrain Review

Jayco All Terrain Review

Jayco All Terrain Review

Our Jayco All Terrain Review. We’ve had ours for five months. After nearly 40 nights & 10,000km we are very happy. Read our review so far. It hasn’t been all plain sailing and we’ll let you know about that too.

  • We are very happy with our Jayco All Terrain despite having had a few problems with it so far. The problems have all been fixed to our satisfaction under warranty by our dealer. The van has been a lot better than I was anticipating.
  • It has been great offroad travelling the Oodnadatta Track. It travels very well behind our Navara and has let in no dust at all. The 240ah lithium batteries and solar set up have proved to be more than enough to run the upgraded compressor fridge we specced.
  • Once you get through any warranty issues (they have been handled well by our dealer) and you have sorted out the underbody protection you have yourself a very capable offroad and offgrid caravan.
  • All up – if you are considering buying one then go out and do it!
Pros & ConsJayco All Terrain Review Of ProblemsJayco All Terrain Review Of Our Buying ProcessWhich Vans Did We Consider?List Of Things We Wanted In Our New VanJayco All Terrain Review Model SelectionAdditions At PurchaseAdditions After PurchaseModificationsWhere We’ve Been In Our Jayco All TerrainOverall Summary – Jayco All Terrain Review

Jayco All Terrain 17.55-9.AT-MY22 Camped At Bethungra Dam

Jayco All Terrain Review 17.55-9.AT-MY22 Camped At Bethungra Dam

Pros & Cons

Pros – Jayco All Terrain Review Of What We Like
  • Pricing was great compared to other vans we looked at of the same specification and features
  • Build quality is surprisingly good
  • Offroad performance has been excellent
  • All parts used in the build are from name brand suppliers and replacements are readily available
  • Loads of living room inside for a relatively small caravan
  • Lots of storage space inside and outside with the tunnel boot and huge front toolbox

Jayco All Terrain Single Bed Layout 17.55-9.AT

Jayco All Terrain Single Bed Layout 17.55-9.AT

Cons – Jayco All Terrain Review Of What We Don’t Like
  • Electrical issues
  • Had to sort out protection of underbody wiring and plumbing ourselves
  • Niggly build issues that could have been done right the first time with a bit more care and attention
  • Terrible hand over experience

Jayco All Terrain Review Added Underbody Protection

Jayco All Terrain Review Added Underbody Protection

Jayco All Terrain Review Of Problems

It hasn’t been all plain sailing with our Jayco All Terrain. We have had had some issues. Some have been been niggly little things that were easy to fix however there was one that forced us to pull the pin on the last week of a 4 week adventure and come home.

The Small Issues

Handover Was An Abomination
  • We turned up to pick up our van from the dealer and upon being presented the van the first thing we saw was water leaking everywhere under the van. The slide out kitchen plumbing hadn’t been correctly installed. Problem was resolved during the handover.
  • The bloke who did the walkthrough with us knew very little about the caravan. I doubt that he knew much about caravans at all. Don’t get me wrong he was a lovely bloke but he was pretty clueless. These are hi-tech vans with complex electrical systems and I had a load of questions I wanted to ask but it was a waste of time.
  • Anderson plug hadn’t been installed on drawbar. We requested an Anderson plug be installed on drawbar and for it to go to the DCDC charger and this hadn’t been done. An Anderson plug to the DCDC charger was incorrectly spliced in to the wiring during the handover.
  • Bedside CIG outlets for our sleep apnoea machines hadn’t been installed. One was installed during the handover the other was done a month later during the first service.
  • Light in shower wouldn’t turn off. Problem was resolved during the handover.
  • Table fitted to seating area was way too big. It was so big that not even the world’s skinniest supermodel would have been able to wedge herself in. It was totally not usable. When we got the van home I made a temporary table out of plywood and fitted it. The correct table was installed a month later during the first service.
Sink Tap
  • Whenever we tried to run water inside the van via the water pump the taps would sputter and fart and we’d never get a good solid stream of water.
  • It turns out the problem was a leaky diaphragm inside the sink mixer tap was allowing air in to the system. The tap was replaced during the first service and the problem was fixed.
DCDC Charger Not Charging
  • The Projecta PMDC-30 DCDC charger didn’t work from day one.
  • We asked for this to be fixed at the vans first service. We arrived to pick up the van after the first service and at that point they told us the DCDC charger still wasn’t working. We had left the van with them for a week and phoned the day before to check it was ready and no mention was made of it not being fixed. It’s a five hour round trip to drop the van off to the dealer and another five hours to pick it up. I was not happy.
  • I spoke to Projecta and they told me the reason the DCDC charger wasn’t working was insufficient diameter wiring being used by Jayco between the Anderson plug and the charger. Projecta said it is a very common problem with the Jayco factory installation of the Projecta PMDC-30 DCDC charger.
  • After speaking with our dealers service department they agreed that Jayco would pay for our auto-electrician to run bigger wiring from the Anderson plug to the charger.
  • Our auto electrician ran bigger wiring from the Anderson plug to the charger and hey presto! The Projecta PMDC-30 DCDC charger now works.
Ensuite Sink Mixer Tap Rattled Loose
  • On the Oodnadatta Track our ensuite sink mixer tap rattled loose and fell out.
  • Luckily our friends we were travelling with had a 10mm socket long enough to reach the mounting nut underneath the sink. I used this and some Loctite to refit the tap and it was good from there on. While I was at it I used Loctite to refit the kitchen sink tap just in case.
Under Sink Water Filter Rattled Loose
  • On the Oodnadatta Track our undersink water filter rattled loose and fell off it’s mounting.
  • I used a load of silicone to refit it and used some thicker screws I carry as spare.
J-Mould Coming Away
  • The J mould is coming away in a short section between the checkerplate and van siding in a short section.
  • This has been fixed by the dealer as a warranty item.

The Show Stopping Issue

Projecta PM335J Battery Management System Stopped Working On 12v

Ever since we had first used the Jayco All Terrain we had been experiencing intermittent power outage issues while free camping. The 12v system is crucial to us as we rarely ever stay in a caravan hooked up to power. At random intervals the 12v system was cutting out and not charging or supplying power literally leaving us in the dark.

One evening while we were free camping at Winton in outback QLD the Projecta PM335J battery management system stopped working and would not restart. After running through all of the usual checks such as connections and fuses I could not find anything obvious. So we got the torches out, cooked dinner and had an early night.

Getting Help From Projecta

In the morning I phoned Projecta to ask for advice. They had me run through a whole range of checks. After about an hour on the phone they couldn’t work out why the Projecta PM335J couldn’t see the batteries either and suspected that the unit had failed. After getting off the phone I thought I would remove the cover that goes over the wire inputs just for one last check. And I found the problem. The input to the unit where the positive lead from the batteries goes in to the Projecta PM335J was all brown and melted. Not white and normal like all of the other inputs.

Jayco All Terrain Review PM335J Not Working

Jayco All Terrain Review PM335J Not Working

I called Projecta back and they asked me to see if I could put the wire in and tighten it up and see what happened. It was soon pretty obvious that the wire input receptacle could not be tightened due to it having melted. Projecta asked me to jam the house battery positive wire in to it’s terminal and try to restart the unit. I did this and nothing started up. Projecta told me that the unit was most likely fried and would need a replacement be fitted. Projecta said that it wasn’t the first time they had experienced this issue and they believed the culprit to be the Jayco Factory not tightening the screw on the terminal correctly.

Getting Help From Our Dealer

Next I called our dealer and was put on to the service department. They were very good about the whole thing and said that they would get on to Jayco head office and organise a replacement unit to be fitted. They offered to send one up to Winton and we could arrange an auto electrician to fit it.

After doing some thinking we decided that it wouldn’t be feasible to get it fixed in Winton. The unit would take a day to be despatched from Projecta then a minimum of two days to get to Winton. Then if the moon and stars lined up an auto electrician would be available the next day to install it then we could be on our way. As we had to back home within seven days and we were 1,800km from home we decided to end our holiday early and hightail it back home. We took everything out of the van fridge we could fit in to our Bushman fridge in the ute and gave the rest away. First night on the way home we stayed in a rest area outside of Augathella QLD in heavy rain which was great as were able to run our generator in the evening so we could make dinner. Second night we stayed at a rest stop at Nyngan NSW and had dinner at the RSL. The following day we made it home. It was a hectic two days where we covered 900km a day.

The Projecta PM335J unit has now been replaced under warranty by our dealer. The 12v system is back up and running perfectly. And yes – the first thing I did when I got the Jayco All Terrain back home was check out the input terminals on the Projecta PM335J to make sure they were all nice and tight! Overall looking at what the dealer has done with the installation of the new unit I have to say they have done a much nicer and neater installation than what the Jayco factory managed to do.

Jayco All Terrain Projecta 335J

Jayco All Terrain Projecta 335J

Jayco All Terrain Review Of Our Buying Process

Before I begin with the reasons why we bought a Jayco All Terrain let me say that when we were looking for a new van we had no intentions of buying a Jayco. We had heard the stories of Junko this and rubbish that so a Jayco wasn’t really on our purchasing radar.

We have been travelling offroad with our caravan for quite a few years with our Supreme Getaway so we knew what it was like to have a reliable offroad caravan. Being a 2000 model we also knew what it was like to have an offroad caravan minus a lot of the modern bits available in newer vans.

Why We Wanted A New Caravan

We loved the Supreme Getaway but as we are planning on doing a lot more offroad travel in the years to come it was time to get something with a few more things to keep us in a little bit more comfort. For example the Supreme Getaway had a small cramped internal toilet shower combo. It was so small and cramped that we always set up a shower tent and used the external shower instead of the one inside. To use the toilet was an act more achievable by a circus contortionist than a mid fifties overweight bloke!

We began our hunt for the new van the same way as most people do by researching on the internet. Over the years we have been avid visitors to caravan and camping shows so had a list of vans that we liked and we researched all of these. We’d been thinking about our next van for a while so I had already joined a few Facebook groups for the brands and read through posts looking for common problems with different models so that helped rule a few out.

As an example we had seen the EzyTrail Parkes 15 at a couple of shows and liked it and it ticked most of our boxes but the issues users were reporting were varied and constant and didn’t seem to be addressed with new models. Problems were persistent with no sign of improvement.

Which Vans Did We Consider?

BrandModelLengthPriceWhy We Ruled It Out
BushtrackerVarious17ft$120,000+– Too heavy*
CrusaderVarious18ft$100,000+– Not available as pop top
EzyTrailParkes 15 MkII Twin15ft$59,990– Fold out bed
– Combo ensuite
– Reliability & build quality issues
JBVarious17ft$90,000+– Not available as pop top
LotusFreelander17ft$90,000+– Too heavy
– Not available as pop top
MARS15 Deluxe15ft$59,990– Fold out bed
– Combo ensuite
– Reliability & build quality issues
New AgeDesert Rose18ft$110,000– Too heavy
– Not available as pop top
New AgeRoad Owl + Adventure Pack16ft$70,000– Not convinced it would handle any offroad work
RhinomaxVarious16ft$100,000+– Combo ensuite
– Didn’t like available internal layouts
SupremeTerritory16ft$90,000+– Too heavy
– Didn’t like finish quality on vans we looked at
– Salespeople not helpful

List Of Things We Wanted In Our New Van

We spent a lot of time deciding what we wanted in our next caravan. We kept a list for about a year and added to and subtracted from it many times before we came up with the 30 things we really wanted. we didn’t get everything but we came very close. A few things we didn’t know we needed made the final selection.  A few things we thought we needed it turned out that we didn’t.

1. DO35 Hitch

We had a DO35 on our Supreme Getaway and it was a must have on the new van.

YES. Standard.

2. Pop Top

We wanted a pop top as we like the lower travel height as it’s easier to get in to camp sites at the end of tracks with overhanging branches.

YES. Standard.

3. Maximum Length of 17ft

Storage space at home under the carport is a bit limited.

YES. Standard.

4. Full Ensuite

We wanted a full ensuite as the combo ensuite we had in the Supreme Getaway wasn’t very practical for us.

YES. Standard.

5. Independent Suspension

A lot of our travel is offroad and we go in to a lot of camp sites that are hard to get in to. Common consensus is that independent suspension is more suited.

YES. Standard.

6. Single Axle

I find a single axle caravan to be more manoeuvrable when parking or navigating obstacles on tracks than dual axle. Also where the van is kept at home requires some very tight reversing to get it in.

NO. Comes as a dual axle van. despite wanting a single axle van I have found the dual axle to tow better than our old single axle.

7. Single Beds

We had single beds in the Getaway – never intended getting them until we saw a van with them. The extra space they give between them for getting dressed and for the dog to sleep is the reason we like them.

YES. Standard.

8. No Microwave

As we are rarely camped in a caravan park 240v power is not available. The option to delete the microwave and have a drawer or cupboard fitted in place was desirable to us.

YES. As a no charge option. Factory fitted an additional large pot drawer and gave us a refund of $121.

9. No Oven

All of our cooking is done outside on a BBQ or in a camp oven so an oven is of no use to us. The option to not have one and have a drawer or cupboard for more storage was of more use.

YES. As a no charge option. Factory fitted an additional storage drawer.

10. Cafe Seating

Cafe seating is our preferred option. There is only ever the two of us so a compact seating arrangement suits. We play a lot of board games and cards at night or if it’s raining and miserable outside so cafe seating is better as you sit face to face. Amanda is a terrible cheat when it comes to games and I don’t want her peeking at my cards!

NO. Came with “L” shaped seating cafe seating not an option. We had the dealer install a MAPA movable table at a cost of $600 but still would have preferred cafe seating.

11. Plenty Of USB CIG Outlets Inside

I use a sleep apnoea machine so need a CIG outlet to plug in to alongside the bed. Between us we have four mobile phones (personal and work) plus a couple of iPads and other rechargeable devices such as speakers and bluetooth speakers. Therefore we needed a LOT of charging points inside the van.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $200. We had additional outlets fitted alongside each bed. Van came with more than enough outlets in other places inside.

12. CIG Outlets Outside

Often we will put up extra LED lighting so external CIG outlets are useful to us. If we are camped near a river for a week we’ll heat up water in a boiler and plug a 12v shower pump in an external CIG outlet and use our shower tent to save our tank water.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $100. We wanted the additional outlet on the drivers side as there was already one on the passenger side. They got it wrong and we have ended up with two on the passenger side. Close enough.

13. Slide Out Kitchen

All of our cooking is done outside except for things like boiling a kettle. We wanted a slide out kitchen on the new van. With Supreme Getaway we had to use a cooker we carried in the ute and on a long road trip with a lot of stops you  get tired of pulling it out and packing it away.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $1690. The slide out kitchen has a sink and a cooker and a spot for a BBQ that we had to modify ourselves to fit a tiny Ziggy. The cooker is all but useless so we aren’t happy with the slide out kitchen provided.

Jayco All Terrain Review Slideout Kitchen

Jayco All Terrain Review Slideout Kitchen

14. Generator Storage

We had never owned a generator before but seeing as we wanted a large compressor fridge in this van we thought it a good option to carry one for those times where you get a lot of cloudy days in a row while camped in one place. So we needed a place to store it in the van when not in use.

YES. Standard. In the large front toolbox – it even has a slide.

15. Good Ground Clearance

Getting in to a lot of the places we camp requires good ground clearance. We don’t do any extreme type offroading however most free camps we have been to have humps and hollows and obstacles you need to be able to get over. Good ground clearance is a must have item.

YES. Standard.

16. Big Compressor Fridge

Three way fridges. We don’t like them. The ones we have owned struggled in high heat and basically didn’t do much at all when the van was being towed and they were set to “12v”. We swapped out the 3way fridge in our Supreme Getaway for a Bushman 12v upright and the performance and usability was in a different dimension. The Bushman we installed was a direct replacement size wise and we found it a bit small for remote area travel. A big compressor fridge was a non negotiable item for us – we had to have one.

YES. As a factory fitted option. We had a Dometic RUC6 188 litre compressor fridge fitted an additional cost of $990.

17. Lithium Battery Setup

When we were looking at vans it was 2021 and lithium batteries had come down in price from a few years earlier. Being able to deplete them safely to 20% as opposed to 50% for AGM batteries coupled with the weight saving made them an attractive proposition. Throw in a big compressor fridge and a lithium battery setup became a must have item for us.

YES. Comes standard with 1 x 100ah lithium battery. We had 2 x 12ah lithium batteries as a factory fitted option for an additional cost of $1290.

18. DCDC Charger

Installation of a DCDC charger on our old van transformed the way our batteries were charged and maintained while driving. It made that much of a difference that the new van had to have one factory fitted.

YES. As a factory fitted option. Originally I asked for an Enerdrive 12V 40A DC2DC+ Battery Charger to be fitted by the dealer and was told that yes it was an option for $750 and I said go for it thanks. That’s the one we had in our previous van and it was awesome. When the van was delivered to the dealer it had a Projecta PMDC-30 DC-DC Charger (Intelli-Jay Integration) already fitted – I was charged an additional $600 for the Projecta unit.

19. Decent Amount Of Solar On Roof

A good amount of solar on the roof was important. With the compressor fridge and my sleep apnoea machine running there is a fair bit going out. Factor in cloudy days and a good quantity of solar plus room to install more became an important item.

YES. Standard with 2 x 200watt solar panels mounted on the roof. There’s plenty of room to fit at least another two if required.

20. External Solar Input For Portable Solar Panel

As above we wanted to be able to plug in an external unregulated panel for cloudy days.

YES. Standard.

21. Minimum 200 Litre Water Tanks

Water carrying capability is important to us. We do a lot of travel in areas where potable water can be many days between fills.

YES. As a factory fitted option. As standard originally it came with 2 x 160 litre tanks so we asked for third to be fitted as a factory option at a cost of $600. A few months before the build was to commence we were told that the van now came with 2 x 160 litre tanks and a grey water tank and a third water tank wasn’t an option. I told the dealer to cancel our order and the dealer agreed to remove the grey water tank and install a third 80 litre tank as originally agreed upon.

Jayco All Terrain Added water Tank Plumbing Protection

Jayco All Terrain Added water Tank Plumbing Protection

22. Good Underbody Protection

Dirt road travel is one of our favourite things. The underside of a van cops an absolute hammering from stones on this kind of road so it’s important that a van has plumbing and wiring protected.

NO. The underbody protection isn’t good as delivered. I had to spend a lot of time getting it sorted. We chucked the stoneguard on the front and fitted a StoneStomper and that’s the front of the van and back of our vehicle protected. I then bought a pile of saddle clamps and screws and a few bags of STRONG cable ties and got underneath and secured all wiring and plumbing properly. I had to replace a load of the Jayco cable ties as the ones they use are useless. While under there I looked at the flap they have installed across the front and had a good think. I was looking at what stones travelling front to back can hit. I ended up moving the factory fitted front protection flap across fully to the drivers side as it had stuff exposed on that side. Then I bought some two ply 6mm insertion rubber and replicated the flap underneath to protect what needed protecting. Some corrugated split tubing in a few places is good added protection. Again while I was under the van I looked at the plumbing fittings used and ordered some spares plus some straight through joiners and a few metres of pipe. I always carry a pile of different size wire and some appropriate crimps as spares. We’ve done well over 1500km on dirt including the Oodnadatta Track since we’ve had our AT and the underside tank guards and other bits have copped a hammering but nothing has been broken. We’ve been travelling offroad for years so have a bit of an understanding of what goes on. At first look underneath our AT I was not too impressed but after a bit of time thinking and a bit of time sorting things out it’s not too bad.

23. External Shower

An external shower is good to give yourself a quick hose down if you get covered in mud. It saves dragging dirt in to the van.

YES. Standard.

24. Tap On Drawbar

Amanda has always wanted to have a tap on the drawbar. I was never really sure why. Now that I have one I use it every single day when rinsing out the coffee plunger. I actually love the bloody thing and I didn’t know I needed it!

YES. Standard.

25. Dust Reduction – Scupper Vent

We wanted a way of applying positive air pressure inside the van to reduce dust ingress. Our Supreme Getaway had a scupper vent, the canopy on the ute has a scupper vent and we have found it to be very effective.

YES standard. Comes fitted with a Dometic Dust Reduction System. We have found it to work very well at reducing dust inside the van.

26. External Bayonet Fitting For BBQ

Our BBQ gets used all of the time. One of the best things we added to our last van was an external bayonet point so the new van had to have one. It’s a lot better than carrying an extra bottle.

YES. Standard.

27. Adequate Storage Inside

As a rule we travel light so don’t need a lot of storage space. The new van needed to have enough space for us to have a few weeks worth of clothing each and food for a few weeks. Massive amounts of storage weren’t needed inside.

YES. The van has more than enough inside storage for us. We did ask for the wardrobe hanging space to be replaced with shelves and this was done at no charge by the dealer. I have installed a drawer underneath the sink in what was otherwise a blank space – it looks factory fitted. I also fitted an additional shelve in the cupboard underneath the sink increasing usable storage by a large degree.

28. Dual Spare Tyres

A lot of our travel is in remote areas and an additional spare for the van is advantageous. Once you get one flat tyre you can’t fix with a plug you get a bit nervous when you still have another 500km to go to find a replacement.

NO. The van came with a single spare tyre mounted on the rear bar. Due to weight limitation on the rear bar another one can not be installed there. There might be a possibility to install an underbody spare at the back.

29. Minimum 600kg Payload (Minus Water)

We wanted a decent payload on the van. As I mentioned under the adequate storage requirement we like to travel light however we also like to do it legally. From time to time we’ll strap down some firewood or want a few jerries of water on board and the weight all adds up. We’ve always been mindful of weight and we thought a payload of 600kg would give be more than enough.

YES. Standard.

30. ATM Of Less Than 2850kg

We did the maths before buying our previous van so we know the legal towing capacity of our vehicle very well. It works out to be around 2850kg with a towball weight of 250kg. We like and trust our tow vehicle and have spent a small fortune setting it up to suit ourselves so we have no intention of replacing it.

YES. Standard. With the 600kg payload the ATM is just under 2850kg. The towball weight comes in at 290kg loaded up and ready to roll so that was a bit higher than we were after. However due to the extra storage in this van we have been able to remove some items from the back of the ute and in to the van to balance this out.

 

Jayco All Terrain Review Model Selection

Here’s a quick rundown of the different models in the current (Oct 2022) Jayco All Terrain Range. We purchased the 17.55-9.AT as it best suited our requirements.

ModelTypeLengthTarePayloadBedBunksEnsuiteAxlesWater Tanks (80L)Grey Water
13.43-2.ATPop Top13ft1720kg500kgEast/WestCombo12Y
17.58-3.ATPop Top17ft2213kg600kgEast/West2Combo22 or 3Y
17.55-8.ATPop Top17ft2154kg600kgIslandFull22 or 3Y
17.55-9.ATPop Top17ft2184kg600kgSinglesFull22 or 3Y
19.61-2.ATFull19ft2446kg600kgIslandFull22 or 3Y
19.61-3.ATFull19ft2436kg600kgEast/West2Full22 or 3Y
22.68-1.ATFull22ft2605kg600kgIsland2Full22 or 3Y
19.61-2.GX.ATFull19ft2436kg600kgIslandFull22 or 3Y
19.61-3.GX.ATFull19ft2436kg600kgEast/West2Full22 or 3Y
22.68-1.GX.ATFull22ft2605kg600kgIsland2Full22 or 3Y

Additions At Purchase

We added quite a few items to our Jayco All Terrain17.55-9.AT at time of build.

  • Pull Out Kitchen +$1690
  • Extra 80 Litre Water Tank +$450
  • Compressor Fridge In Place Of 3way Fridge +$990
  • Change 1 x 100ah Lithium Battery to 2 x 120ah Lithium Batteries +$1295
  • MAPA Table +$1000
  • Additional CIG Outlets Beside Both Beds +$250
  • Anderson Plug On Drawbar to DCDC Charger $100
  • PMDC-30 DCDC Charger +$400
  • Water Filter Under Sink +$199
  • Anti Flap Kit +$450
  • Delete Microwave (-$121)
  • Pot Drawer To Replace Microwave +$0
  • Shelves Instead Of Hanging In Wardrobe +$0
  • Maximum Payload Upgrade +$0

Additions After Purchase

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Modifications

  • Added Extra Shelf Under Sink +$20
  • Replaced Blanking Plate Under Sink With A Cutlery Drawer (parts ordered from Jayco) +$100
  • Added A Shelf In Generator Side Of Front Toolbox +$20
  • Added Additional Catches To Front Toolbox +$25

Where We’ve Been In Our Jayco All Terrain

We have done just on 10,000km with our Jayco All Terrain since we picked it up from the dealer.

  • We have done a few local trips close to home. Bethungra Dam is 100% off grid with a long dirt road in and out.
  • 4 week road trip. Marree, Farina, William Creek, Coward Springs, Algebuckina Bridge, The Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Longreach and Winton. About 9,000km all up with a 1,000km on dirt.

Jayco All Terrain Oodnadatta Track

Jayco All Terrain Review – Oodnadatta Track

Overall Summary – Jayco All Terrain Review

  • We are very happy with our Jayco All Terrain despite having had a few problems with it so far. The problems have all been fixed to our satisfaction under warranty by our dealer. The van has been a lot better than I was anticipating.
  • It has been great offroad travelling the Oodnadatta Track. It travels very well behind our Navara and has let in no dust at all. The 240ah lithium batteries and solar set up have proved to be more than enough to run the upgraded compressor fridge we specced.
  • Once you get through any warranty issues (they have been handled well by our dealer) and you have sorted out the underbody protection you have yourself a very capable offroad and offgrid caravan.
  • All up – if you are considering buying one then go out and do it!
Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks [Step By Step]

Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks [Step By Step]

Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks [Step By Step]

Dirty grubby foul tasting water in your caravan water tanks. Yes it’s horrible. How do you clean your caravan water tanks? I will explain how in easy to follow steps.

I have spent some time researching and testing and have come up with the following method to clean my caravan water tanks. It’s simple and it follows on from sound government safety guidelines*. Alrighty then, let’s get started!

  1. Drain tank water lines and taps
  2. Add a small amount of plain household bleach and refill your caravan water tanks
  3. Leave it to sit for a day
  4. Turn all of your caravan taps on and let them go until water runs clear. Drain your tanks
  5. Refill your tanks with clean water.
  6. Turn all of your caravan taps on and let them run for a minute.

Read on below for detailed step by step instructions to clean your caravan or camper trailer tanks as outlined above. It’s easy to do and it’s very cost effective.

Clean Caravan Water

Clean Caravan Water

1. Drain Tank Water Lines And Taps

Before you add in any cleaning products it’s a good idea to empty the water out of your tanks and taps. Two reasons to do this are.

  1. If your caravan tank water is infected with nasties then it makes sense to be cleaning the tank and not the water.
  2. Start with fresh water. Refilling your caravan water tanks gives a better chance of the cleaning chemicals you will be adding being able to mix well.
But I Keep My Caravan Water Tanks empty?

Give your water tanks a rinse out first if you keep your tanks supposedly “empty”. Why do I say supposedly? Ever had a look at where the drain plug is on your tanks and at the baffles in the bottom of your tanks? There’s no way you’ll ever get them completely empty without removing them and standing them on their end or side for a few hours.

Plain Bleach

Plain Bleach

2. Add A Small Amount Of Plain Household Bleach And Refill Your Caravan Water Tanks

What Do I Use As A Sanitiser In My Caravan Water Tanks?

Bleach is what’s recommended by Govt authorities to disinfect water tanks. The VIC Health Dept recommends you use 12.5 millilitres (mL) of liquid bleach (4% available chlorine) for every 100 litres (L) of tank capacity.
Bleach is cheap and effective as a disinfectant. It kills off many common bacteria such as salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus and E. coli. You can buy liquid household bleach at a supermarket or hardware store. Check the product has at least four per cent (4%) available chlorine and has no additives such as fragrances or detergents

How Much Bleach Do I Add To My Caravan Water Tanks?

Use the following table to work out how much bleach to add to your caravan water tanks to clean and sanitise them.

Tank CapacityQty Of BleachTank CapacityQty Of Bleach
50 Litres06.25 ml300 Litres37.50 ml
100 Litres12.50 ml350 Litres43.75 ml
150 Litres18.75 ml400 Litres50.00 ml
200 Litres25.00 ml450 Litres56.25 ml
250 Litres31.25 ml500 Litres62.50 ml
Other Cleaning Products Will Do The Same Job However They Cost A Lot More

If you have 200 litres water tanks here is the cost to use bleach compared to commercially prepared solutions. Remember that bleach will do the same job and bleach is what the government agencies recommend.

  • Milton Antibacterial Solution about $2.75
  • Camec Tank Clean about $15.00
  • Household bleach about $0.10
Refill Your Caravan Water Tanks

Fill the tanks up as much as possible. This will make sure that the cleaning solution is in contact with as much of the tank surface as you can. This will slosh the cleaning product around and make sure it’s fully mixed in.

Bonus Tip
If you find it hard to pour bleach into your caravan’s water filler then pour it in to the end of your filler hose. The water will push it through plus it’ll likely give it a swirl around inside the tank as it goes in. Plus it’ll even give the inside of your hose a clean!

Caravan Water Tanks

Caravan Water Tanks

3. Leave It To Sit For A Day

The times vary depending on what you read. One site says 15 minutes, another says 6 hours. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria you should wait at least 24 hours after treating the water before using it. This allows for microorganisms to be destroyed.

In any case I recommend being cautious. Go with the longer version if different sources say different things. All you’ll lose is a little time. Waiting longer is a better option than the disinfectant not doing its job and you still getting sick.

Bonus Tip
Take your caravan for a drive during this time. Even though the tanks should be completely full there will likely be air pockets. Going for a drive will slosh the cleaning solution around and get to those pockets. It will also give the caravan water tank cleaning solution a chance to mix together again.

4. Turn All Of Your Caravan Taps On And Let Them Go Until Water Runs Clear. Drain Your Tanks

After you have waited for 24 hours it’s time to drain the water and flush your caravan water tanks. Everything I read suggests that the tanks should now be completely disinfected and the water should be safe to drink. Personally I would use this opportunity to drain the tanks and use the drained water to water the plants. Unless you live near a drought affected area where water is scarce. By emptying the tanks, any debris or dead germs will be removed. It will also help get rid of any bleach or chlorine taste that may hang around. Depending on the availability of water you might prefer to flush it another time to totally remove the taste.

B.E-S.T Water Filter

B.E-S.T Water Filter

5. Refill Your Tanks With Clean Water

After cleaning the caravan tanks it’s time to refill them with fresh water. Use the 24 hours you are waiting for the bleach to do it’s job of disinfecting your caravan water tank to get an inline water filter. If you don’t already have one you really should. The one to get is a B.E.S.T Inline Water Filter (cheap on eBay). We find them to be the best inline water filter to use while filling your tanks.

When Filling Your Water Tanks Why Use An Inline Water Filter?

The Problem
As a traveler, you can expect some big changes if you are used to town water or tank water at home. Some places have over-chlorinated water and others have under-chlorinated water, leaving you vulnerable to bacterial contamination. You may have access to town supplies as well as water from other sources. For example the caravan park in Forbes is supplied by chlorinated town water but if you travel a few kilometers out of town to the free camping area it is supplied by untreated channel water. There are many towns in Australia that are forced to shut down their water supply due to contamination. Alternatively you can take water from a rainwater tank or a creek. It might even be as simple as a change in the taste of the water that can upset your stomach.

The Solution
What is the Solution? A high temperature is set in your hot water to kill off bacteria, including legionella. Too often, I have heard RVers say that they “heat the hotwater just enough to take a shower”. Unless you are sure there are no bacteria in your hotwater system, let it run until it shuts off. The same thing happens when you lay your water hose on the ground and it becomes heated by the sun. This is the worst thing that can happen to the “domestic-style” filters. They are not meant to handle hot water. They breed bacteria more quickly, and the cheaper ones break down faster. With the B.E.S.T., this problem will be eradicated. Hot Water Systems NOT the B.E.S.T. !

Bonus Tip
Now is probably a great time to check your caravan plumbing lines, taps and fitting for leaks and repair or replace as necessary.

6. Turn All Of Your Caravan Taps On And Let Them Run For A Minute

Finally you want to flush out any taste of bleach or chlorine from your water lines and taps. Turn your taps on and let them run for a minute to give the lines and taps a good flushing.

Myths As To How To Clean Your Caravan Water Tanks

There are LOTS of crazy ideas on social media for ways to clean your water tanks that are complicated or just don’t work. Some of them are even downright stupid. A few even border on being dangerous.

  • Red Cordial – how is that supposed to work?
  • Vinegar – if it was the best method then government agencies would recommend it. Leave the vinegar for your chips!
  • BiCarbonate Soda – I’m no scientist so it might work, but how are you meant to get a box of dry powder in to your water tanks?

Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks As Part Of Your regular Maintenance Schedule

When it comes to owning a caravan or camper trailer it’s really important to regularly maintain your gear. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule and tracking the completion of tasks is the best way to keep your rig in tip top condition. Things like regularly checking the tyres, water pipes and drains for leaks and checking batteries and safety equipment like smoke detectors.

A regular schedule will help you catch things early and prevent any small issues before they have a chance to become big ones. A big one that needs to happen regularly is cleaning asnd sanitising your caravan or camper trailer water tank.

Benefits of Cleaning Your Tanks

Whether you are on the road full time or take your caravan, RV or camper trailer out occasionally it’s important to clean and sanitize your caravan water tanks. You drink this water and if it becomes contaminated in any way it could have an effect on your health. When we regularly clean the caravan, RV or camper trailer fresh water tank and water lines it helps keeps us healthy and prevents illnesses.

How Often Should You Clean Your Caravan Water Tanks?

  • When it comes to cleaning your caravan water tank you should do it at least every six months.
  • If you are full-time on the road a six-month schedule works fine.
  • If you are an occasional camper when using your RV for camping trips you might want to consider a more regular RV maintenance schedule like every 3 months. What happens in the tank is mould, mildew, and bacteria can build up and water that sits in the tank for long periods becomes stale.
  • As you use the water in the tank the water level lowers and the areas not in the water build up moisture making it a perfect breeding ground. When you empty and fill it up over and over the water quality eventually can become less drinkable or have a bad taste even if you are using a water filter.

How Much Time Does It Take to Clean Your Tanks?

Cleaning your caravan fresh water water tank is a bit of a process. Allow about 24 hours to sanitize everything properly. You have to let the solution sit in the tank long enough to actually kill any bacteria and clean it out. This process can be done in about five to eight hours if you are in a hurry but for best results you need to allocate 24 hours.

Summary

I’ll admit it. I’ve been tricked in to buying and using Milton’s and Tank Clean in the past. It is pretty easy and cheap to clean your caravan’s water tanks. In the end bleach is what water scientists recommend (and it’s the cheapest solution).

* I’m in no way a health professional so I recommend you do your own research before following my step by step instructions to clean your caravan or camper trailer water tanks.

6 Steps To Clean Caravan Water Tanks

6 Steps To Clean Caravan Water Tanks