UNSATISFACTORY WORK

During the past few months several individual Members have asked me for advice regarding allegedly unsatisfactory work. One was provided with the most extraordinary electrical installation that I have come across in recent years, another involved a fifth wheeler that, when weighed, proved to hugely exceed the expected and allegedly specified maximum weight.

Further, two very well known CMCA Members have recently had bad experiences with unprofessional workmanship. One, a major rebuild to a medium sized motorhome, had literally scores of faults. These included:

• Gas line to the fridge finger tight.
• The legally required airtight gas bottle enclosure was made of thin wood and had several holes that one could poke a finger through.
• One newly installed power point had the active connected to earth. (Compounding the above, the installer advised that "you've already got gas and electricity certificates – I don't need to get new ones"). Nor presumably did he feel it necessary to have the obligatory licences to do the work.
• House battery terminals finger tight.
• Several separate and major water leaks that virtually wrecked the kitchen cabinets and bed foundation through water-caused swelling.
• The owners are now remedying the quite major repairs themselves – the vehicle being unusable and unsaleable meanwhile.

The other member mentioned above, had a new $130,000 plus motorhome from a major builder. Amongst a litany of problems were long metal screws protruding through the wheel arches - potentially shredding tyres – let alone fingers.

A caravan, personally sighted by myself, had the entire body virtually 'floating' on the chassis. Thirty-two of the 40 or so (self-tapping) steel screws that should have held it in place were clear of the chassis members. They were literally poking through the timber into free space: clearly and immediately visible. And self-tapping screws for a job like that?

I'm sure the above is not typical; I've seen too many good rigs to believe that. But it is a fact that two of the instances described involved highly experienced Members. Newcomers would have been in an impossible position.

The above illustrates an increasingly urgent need for RV industry standards. The introduction and enforcement of these is long overdue.

Clearly Specify Your Needs

Meanwhile, and possibly even with standards in place, people seeking work done need to provide, in writing, either a completely detailed list of the outcomes they require or, if they understand the matter sufficiently, to specify exactly what and how things are to be done. The latter is a dangerous course however, because if you blow the specification you will have no redress from the supplier in that respect. Specifying desired outcomes is much safer. It puts the onus directly onto the supplier. Make sure you keep a copy yourself.

Most other problems I became involved in were solar systems that did not perform as had been hoped. One, a $4000 system, had a quite extraordinary imbalance between the solar input (one 64-watt module) and the energy demand (which included a fair-sized electric-only fridge and a huge inverter). Worse, this was in a large campervan intended for long-term bush camping. The only solution I could come up with involved almost literally starting again.

These problems seemed to have two main causes. Firstly, there are suppliers not asking the right questions. Secondly (and probably in equal or greater measure) buyers not adequately setting out their needs.

It is not, for example, sufficient to say something like: 'I want to bush camp away from the electric supply from time to time.' Do that, and you are all but certain to end up with a system that copes with just one night before the battery is totally flattened.

List all the appliances you are sure you will use, note down roughly how long each will be used per day, and for the maximum number of days between recharging or whatever, for which you'd like to do this, and when and where you intend to do it. Sure this is tedious, but if you don't do it, there's no way the supplier can assess your needs, nor any hope of redress if the system does not perform in that respect.

Or, you may wish to follow the method that I so strongly advise in my books: 'as above, but such that the system is self-sufficient'. That is, that enough energy is produced each day so that you do not need to recharge by driving or via a mains battery charger in normal weather conditions and usage.

Always ask if the hoped-for outcomes are technically and economically realistic. ('Motorhome Electrics' discusses this in depth. Both that and 'Solar That Really Works' contain typical worked examples – both books are obtainable from the CMCA).

Here's what can (and allegedly did) happen if you neglect to ask that question.

A first-time female buyer seeking a solar setup is claimed (by the supplier) to have said that she would 'like to use an electric kettle'. She apparently had no other major 240-volt appliances in mind. It would not seem unreasonable for the supplier to have suggested that she use gas for water heating (especially as she already had a gas stove). Instead, he (is claimed to have) specified a 1500-watt inverter-driven system costing around $4000 for the occasional power need of a $35 kettle. Despite this, the system had just 64 watts of solar input - despite there also being a fair-sized 12-volt only fridge.

Specify also, and in these exact words: 'no circuit shall have an end-to-end voltage drop of greater than 3% when carrying its intended maximum load'. You may not be able to check whether this has been followed, but if your fridge does not work well on 12 volts any electrician can readily check the almost invariable cause. Excess voltage drop. It takes just a minute or two to do.

If the supplier does not know what to advise, or how to work out any or all of the above - go elsewhere. He/she will almost certainly lack the further knowledge required to put it together. Further, never accept a statement to the effect that 'our work is done to industry standards'. As I stated earlier there is none.

Never ever employ one company to specify and supply the equipment, and another to install it. If you do, each will blame the other if anything goes wrong. Avoid this by having one as the prime contractor who in effect 'employs' the other.