I happened to visit a camp site out of season and was struck by the difference compared with the memories I had of it’s summer glory.
My thoughts prompted this story about young love and caravan site memories.
I hope you like it.
Bye for now
Rob
Excited as I was with my new (13 years old) campervan, I was totally bemused by the Zig cp400 control unit. What did it do? How did it work? Would I disappear in a cloud of smoke or the camper van burst into flames if I pressed the wrong button?
If you are the proud owner of a rather ancient or not so ancient campervan and are wondering what the buttons might be for, these few notes might just be helpful.
My zig cp400 has a rocker switch on the left hand side that has three positions selecting options for putting electric power through to the habitation area of the campervan
1) from the car battery (switch up)
2) no power (switch middle)
3) from the leisure battery (switch bottom)
To the right of this rocker switch, there are two led’s which show the status of the battery selected as either green (ok power) or red (lowpower).
On the right hand side of the Zig cp400, there are three switches that have two positions each. These apply the power from whichever battery you have selected with the aforementioned rocker switch to the individual circuits.
These are:
1) pump
2) lights
3) aux
In my camper van,
1) the pump referred to is the cold water pump from the built in fresh water container under the van which goes to the sink.
2) The lights referred to are the lights in the main living area.
3) The aux was unwired but I’ve now used it to provide 11 volts power to two extra lighter sockets for things like radio.
Although I have an external hook up, it doesn’t seem to be connected to my Zig. Instead, it runs through a circuit breaker to three 13 amp sockets that are scattered around by camper.
I hope this helps.
From what I hear, different camper vans are wired up differently and, if you are in doubt, consult a qualified automotive technician and I accept no liability if you disappear in a puff of smoke after reading this article 
Bye for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott)
Keen to revisit the previous weeks successful music session at the Bayhorse Inn, Totness and to try out my new membership of the Caravan Club, I headed straight for the Steamers Quay Caravan Club Site at Totnes.
The Steamers Quay Caravan Club Site is ideally suited to explore Totnes because it is so close to the centre of Totnes town but it is also a pleasant place to sit and chat. Amazingly, sitting and chatting was what I did a lot of. Regular readers of Hippy Hopcott’s articles will know my predilection for playing a folk tune or two thousand and my long running search for the perfect pub folk music session (see my session record blog).
At my visit to Totnes the previous week, I’d already identified that Totnes was particularly promising as a place to find kindred spirits (in other words anybody silly enough to take art, poetry, music and writing seriously and in great quantities). However, imagine my surprise (and delight) to find that my camper-van was surrounded on one side by a trombone player and on the other by two folk musicians from Bagas Porthia, the traditional Cornish and Celtic music song and dance band.
And chat we did, as you do when you meet kindred spirits - at great length.
Apparently the Bagas Porthia band have a couple of dancers who simply take to the floor and everybody else joins in doing the simple Celtic and Breton dances. This was interesting to hear about because it suggests that they do not have much need for a caller.
The session at the Bayhorse Inn turned out to be less varied than the previous week with only one tune deviating from the standard line of Irish jig / reel type music and early on, I was given the strong impression that my soprano sax wasn’t very welcome.
So it was the company of like minded spirits at the Steamers Quay that made this visit to Totnes memorable rather than the folk music session.
However, at the session, I bumped into an old face who had been a regular at the Pennymoor Live Rehearsal days at the Ring o’ Bells many years ago and she told me of a local session which she thought would be more my cup of tea.
Apparently, the Wednesday mixed folk session at the Royal Oak in Higher Town, Malborough, Kingsbridge is a real blast and would be very welcoming to a traditional English folk musician who knows just a few Irish tunes and plays the soprano sax.
Now, if I can just find a camp site that is convenient …
By for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott - online author and seeker after the perfect camper and caravan site and folk music session)
Welcome to my campers, motorhomes and caravans blog.
Here I will post camper, motorhome and caravan articles and stories.
My camper is absolutely invaluable to me. It takes me to music festivals, pub playing sessions and acts as a mobile office from which I can write web-log articles and stories ‘on the fly’.
By sharing my web log of camper van experiences relating to my work as an online author, I hope to help others who may be considering the same crazy life.
For the millions who have more knowledge about camper, motorhomes and caravans, I very much welcome your comments and suggestions.
I hope you will keep track of updates to this site using the excellent RSS aggregator system.
Every journey begins with the first ….. turn of the key in the ignition
Bye for now
Rob
(Rob Hopcott)
