If you have decided on holidaying in a motorhome from Lowland Motorhome Hire Ltd, it is important you fully understand how to take care of your motorhome, in order to have the best holiday.

Here are some basics for you Hints and Tips on Motorhoming in Scotland. All you need to know and consider, from parking up to plugging in, cleaning tips and essential maintenance.

Electric Hook Up (EHU) – Plug In (240v supply)

Whilst on your holiday, we recommend visiting locations campsites with electric hook-up regularly during your hire period. Plugging your motorhome into the facilities every few days helps to fully recharge your leisure and/or engine battery power. The leisure battery powers your lights, heating, hot water, TV, electric bed (in some motorhomes) and all importantly the toilet flush. The batteries recharge from the solar panels (where appropriate) and whilst driving, but it is ALWAYS good to plug in at a campsite to help the batteries fully recharge.

Always remember, anything that plugs into our usual 240v sockets (3 pin sockets), will ONLY work when you are plugged into an electric hook up (240 supply). While you are ‘free’ camping, you will be running of the 12v leisure battery. So, most hairdryers, straighteners, laptop charging etc are 240v (unless you have special 12v products).

USB points are in all our motorhomes, so you will have a charging point for most mobile phones.

Fill up fresh water

All our motorhomes have onboard fresh water tanks that hold approximately 100 litres of fresh water.  So, you may think this is a lot of water, but please be advised the water will need to be replenished regularly depending how much it is used and the number of passengers using the water. You will be using your water mostly for washing dishes, showering and of course it also provides water for flushing the toilet.

The rule of thumb is a ‘quick’ shower can use 25 litres of water. A typical 8-minute shower at home can apparently use up to 62 litres of water. You can limit your water usage by being practical.

Therefore, we recommend you visit a campsite every second night, to allow you to replenish your onboard water supply and top it up again before you leave.

When on the camping site it means you can use their onsite toilet and showering facilities to enjoy a longer shower, with an endless supply of hot water.

No one likes a cold shower! Your motorhome requires enough clean, fresh, water to heat your boiler for washing, cleaning and showering.

We recommend you fill up at each available opportunity. Water can be replenished at campsites.

Empty your toilet

Avoid unpleasant smells in your motorhome! To keep your motorhome smelling fresh, we recommend that you empty your toilet cassette waste at least every 2 days (depending on how many are using it). Never let the cassette overflow. There is an indicator, showing you when it is filling up. In summer months, when the weather is hot, it may be recommended you empty it more frequently. This MUST be done at a proper toilet waste disposal facility which are available at most campsites.

NEVER empty your toilet cassette at the side of the road, at a beach, into a drain or into our water supply…

Empty your grey ‘waste’ water tank

We recommend emptying your grey water tank regularly. By emptying your tank on a regular basis, you can avoid carrying unnecessary weight which can increase your fuel costs. This can again be done at campsites. This must never be done in a shopping carpark or populated area. It is frowned upon. Although it is only dirty dish and shower water, but may contain grease, food particles and soap residue. Please use proper emptying points.

Gas

Gas is required for all your cooking. It is also required for operating your fridge, your heating and hot water (unless you are on EHU). For safety reasons, gas MUST always be turned off when driving your motorhome. We provide you with a full and partially full bottle for your holidays.

Get rid of rubbish/trash

Never leave your rubbish lying around when you leave a site or free parking place.

Campsites usually offer recycling and general waste bins for you to use. Put your rubbish in the bins provided, recycle where possible and leave the area as you found it. We also support, if there is rubbish left by others, that you lift it and dispose of it in the correct way. Help keep Scotland clean!

Lowland Motorhome Hire strongly supports the ‘leave no trace’ concept.

Parking up at a campsite is an ideal time to get rid of your rubbish.

You are of course welcome to leave any unopened tinned or dried food, canned drinks, condiments (tea, coffee, sugar if bought) and any cleaning materials at our office for future customers.

At Lowland Motorhome Hire Ltd, we want all our customers to experience the amazing advantages motorhoming offers. Please always be respectful.

Scotland is a beautiful country and we need everyone to help keep it clean.