What did you learn from your van's manual?

MarkJ

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What did you learn from your van's manual?

At a loose end while waiting for the van to go in for its recall repair for an EGR fault, I thought I'd actually read the manual. We've had the van more than a year and I must confess I've only dipped into the paperwork when I thought I needed to know something.

I learned two interesting things that weren't explained on the handover when I picked it up:

1 We have an auto switchover thingy that will cut over from one gas cylinder to the other without manual intervention when the first one is empty
2 There is a battery isolation switch on the charger unit that completely cuts off 12V to the habitation space (it seems the switch on the control panel leaves various things energised).You have to be a contortionist to get to it, but it does exist.

Number 1 is as much a hazard as a feature: I can see us running out altogether one day because we didn't notice the switchover to the reserve.
Number 2 is useful though: it explains why the leisure battery didn't seem to hold its charge too well when I had the van parked up between trips.

What handy things that surprised you did you learn from your manual? Or have you never read it....?
 
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I had to sit and read mine to find out how and where the taps are to empty the tanks when the van w as stood f or a couple of weeks and then ended up reading most of the manual so I learned an awful lot, how much of it is retained time will tell but I have the manual to refer to lol.
 
I've often found mine useful. Usually something needs to be wrong before I consult it though.
 
Phillybarbour;n20319 said:
Don’t like to admit but I be learned loads from reading the manual.
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Yep, feels like giving in, doesn’t it? You buy a toothbrush and it comes with 20 pages of safety instructions so you get in the habit of assuming all manuals are a waste of time!
 
I found that my brain is full, so I refer to the manuals often and then after a short while repeat the same exercise! Fiat, Hymer, dometic, thetford, there seems to be an endless pile of them.

Davy
 
Our Niesmann+Bischoff manual covers nearly everything, is in English and well writen.

I am used to reading aircraft technical manuals, which have to be good, and our N+B one compares favourably.

I am also fortunate that although I am the fourth owner all other appliance manuals(bar one) were still with the vehicle when I bought it - makes life much easier.

Geoff
 
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i once read my BOSCH fridge freezer manual written in the 1970's which informed me that "the diligent and efficient housewife, will, of course, never consider storing her nitroglycerine in her refridgerator. shucks.... why not i thought ???


My campervan solar panel regulator 4 page manual contains utterly a collection of meaningless, useless, illogical, grammar-free, mis-spelt tripe - fit for firelighting i guess ...
 
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Yes, we only us the manuals when things go. Wrong .
When we bought our first van , the handover took 2 hours, the diligent dealer went through all the manuals.. He said that they don't tell you what not to do, and gave us a list of 20 things we should never do.
19 years later, we're still ticking items off that list... Many for the umpteenth time.!
 
Mine gave me loads of information about the various models but not mine . The mecedes one gives loads of info but not the things I need like the actual amount of oil it needs in real measurement and not the auto measurer and it does not tell the service intervals, leaves that to the computor to tell me.
 
Tried to get my head round the radio, Bluetooth this ,USB that, connecting a phone, mp3 etc etc etc .was just a radio until I read the Manuel.
 
When I bought my van, I read the manual right through because this is the first Iveco I had owned. My van is also my own self-build so I made up a manual to include all relevant fitting and using of equipment, so I am a right clever clogs......:Nerd_with_Glasses_E
 
Pauljenny;n20403 said:
Yes, we only us the manuals when things go. Wrong .
When we bought our first van , the handover took 2 hours, the diligent dealer went through all the manuals.. He said that they don't tell you what not to do, and gave us a list of 20 things we should never do.
19 years later, we're still ticking items off that list... Many for the umpteenth time.!
Click to expand...

Well I will look forward to you listing the 20 no nos
 
I was surprised at how easy the Rapido manual is to follow it’s all pictures with explanations brilliantly simple
 
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