Dr Mark's Tardis

MOT Passed just one issue with a cut in one of the ex-MOD used tyres. Swapped with the spare for now. rather a deep cut over 25mm long rear rack as intended (Tyre on its way to the tip) 2015 things to do went rather well and as usual a few extras cropped up. Here is my list for 2016 Find and fix Wet patch front LHS (maybe new window fixed it) Aluminium Locker done, just needs finishing off Move LBs (done) Crawl through (done, with polythene ) change flexible front mount. (postponed ) Awnings (parts ready for the first one) More warm LED lights (done) refix sun visors (done) Sand and paint the frame. (Imminent ) clean and paint the camper  Add another TARDIS logo (done) reversing camera  Deadlocks on doors (done November) Get air suspension seats working fully., not urgent Wire up Mifi (done, but no external aerial ) Cam belt at Iveco garage. (Done myself) And what I did not anticipate: 17. New large Seitz window 18. Replaced all...

Cheat ...it was not actually at Christmas and ...it was not in the Tardis. Work did not permit a long Christmas break so we decided to do a fly and apartment in Essaouira. We went the week before Christmas so that we could still have a family Christmas in Napton. Why Essaouira? Well it seemed to have the best of Morocco in one compact place: beach Medina, forest, interesting stuff, wildlife. And we were not disappointed. The pictures and comments are all on Facebook

This blogs tells you how a windscreen works!  that may seem obvious - but its not. Trust me, I've found nine relevant drainage holes that all help to keep the rain out. New windscreen and I still got leaks. Squirted in sealant and used black stixall in places. It leaked more than ever. The only thing left to change was the rubber seal. I bought a new windscreen seal from Vexi, part number   93940727 (or 93936149 ). It is the wrong one, my vehicle started life as a high room van and they have a different windscreen seal with a wider rubber at the top. Iveco call the seals "Filler sections". I ordered the right seal part number 93902026 I removed new windscreen myself - scary. treated the small amount of rust, and tried to understand how the rubber seal works: Removing the old seal myself starting at top left. The glass goes into a slot in the rubber seal. If water gets past the glass to rubber seal it can drain out through two slots in rubber. Holes ...

Alternator failed again (lasted 5 years). Did some research and got a lot of help from Grahame on an upgrade to a 90Amp version (from 55Amp). Note that the Sterling B2B is rated at 50Amp so it could be drawing power at the alternator maximum for long periods. That should not be so serious now that I have 280W solar as well. Alternator model: Lucas LRB197 (Bosc 0986035770) Needs longer brackets  - 40mm longer, obtained by buying two new ones (Vexi were selling them for £2.55 to clear stock). Welded beautiful by Lee at work. Two different part numbers for alternator bracket. Mine was 99449305   Longer fan belt 10 x 950mm All in place Issues: It was to awkward to put in a bigger cable from alternator to the starter motor (main battery connection). I may do a separate longer cable back to the battery. The ignition light does not come on until the alternator is energized by the revs going up to 1500. People say this is not a problem. A potential fix is to put...

No pictures, just a list of places and dates: 14-17 September Broad Haven West beach Trefalen Farm campsite full so we went to a Farmer's campsite nearby. 51.60867 - 4.93551 18-20 September West Hook Farm campsite Nr Marloes 51.73428 -5.23819 21-22 September Whitesands campsite Nr Saint David's 51.8978 -5.29291 23-24 September Celtic camping Nr Abereiddy 51.92615 -5.21866 25 September Cwn Berwyn view point and lake wildcamp 52.20012 -3.84869 Llyn Teifi No entry? 52.29809 -3.78157 26 September Tyllwyd campsite B4574 and then a minor road 52.3633 -3.72907 27 Cartref campsite Just outside Shrewsbury 52.70372 - 2.87049 28 31 September Shrewsbury Folk festival 52.71459 -2.7615 Total 575 miles

Pembrokeshire Our first holiday in Pembrokeshire ever . That must be good, but in August with the school Holidays? We aimed to do the three main peninsulas and then drive through the Cambrian mountains to our regular folk festival at Shrewsbury for the bank holiday weekend. 1) Broadhaven We aimed for Trefalen farm campsite on the beach. It was full but a farmer's field campsite was not much father away an gave us a relaxing informal stopping place. We did the beach, walked round the Lily ponds from the old Stackpole Estate, walked to Barafundle bay, and along the coast to the west. It's an amazing coast . A playground for sea kayakers exploring the coves, and climbers taking on the challenges of the vertical cliffs. Weather was great so we stayed four nights.  lilly ponds Hidden bay to the West Barafundle bay 2) West Hook farm near Marloes and close to Skomer Island. lots of places with English and Scandinavian names rather than Welsh. ...

Our Domestic CR80 fridge had a cheap noisy computer fan. And the fan comes on every time the compressor Switched on, regardless of the air temperature. 1) Cut a 120mm hole behind the fridge and fitted a vent cover. 2) Bought a simple thermostat with the intention of running the fan only when the compressor was on and when the air was too hot. Once I had the fridge out, It was not at all clear whereto put it, or even how the radiator worked . 3) Replaced the fan with high quality salvaged fan. Not good. It rattled, sounded like a noisy computer and then packed up. 4) Bought a new quiet fan,  PQ277 Gelid Silent 12 cm , Fitted it behind the fridge, because there was not quite enough space between the fins. -... That seemed to work well. Not quite silent but hardly louder than the compressor itself. 5) then the fridge light failed . I tracked it down to a failed voltage regulator. Salvaged fan and original small fan. Original fan top right. Mains/12/24V corner ten (now ...