Habitation Matters

How to fit a BCA wireless charger

It's easy to install this neat charging pad, says Nigel Hutson, and then you can say goodbye to all those dangling cables and wires

Habitation Matters

Caravan Genius: Water systems

Caravan water systems bring domestic ease to our lives on site. John Southern explains how they work and how to maintain them

Habitation Matters

Spotlight on… winter lay-up

Preparing your van for storage involves a few key tasks, says Sammy Faircloth

Advice

How to make a portable 12V battery power supply

Need extra electricity to run a pump or emergency lighting? Construct this simple unit, says Sam Coles, and you'll have 12V wherever you go

Habitation Matters

Caravan Salvage & Spares

Old caravans never die - they just get recycled! John Sootheran discovers a thriving indusry that's great for the planet, and your wallet

Advice

How to store stemmed glassware safely

Tony Brown explains how a simple DIY job can upgrade your storage

Habitation Matters

Caravan Genius: the low-down on lighting

Good lighting makes all the difference to an interior, but which type is best for your van? Sammy Faircloth looks at options for upgrading

Habitation Matters

How to revamp your van’s interior

Anna Lyon and family love everything about their Eriba - except for the furnishing fabrics, which they didn't choose. Time for a change!

Buying Guides

Best caravan cleaners – best caravan cleaning products

Our pick of the best caravan cleaning products

Follow our guide to keeping your caravan curtains and blinds in top condition

Habitation Matters

How to care for your curtains and blinds

Curtains and blinds are decorative and stylish, but also essential for privacy and insulation, so good maintenance is important, says Sammy Faircloth.

Follow our guide to fitting a CBI fridge fan kit

Habitation Matters

How to fit a CBE fridge fan kit

Installing a fridge fan can boost your fridge’s cooling power, which is especially useful in hot weather. Nigel Hutson shows you how.

Follow our step-by-step guide to fitting a grab handle

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit a grab handle

Getting in and out of your caravan is much easier with a grab handle, says Tony Brown.

Follow our step-by-step guide to fitting an auxiliary socket in your caravan

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit 3.5mm Aux stereo sockets

Bluetooth has made auxiliary jack sockets less of an essential but they offer an additional option for audio and are very simple to fit,...

Follow this step-by-step guide to making a protection plate for your bumper

Fixtures & Fittings

How to make a bumper protection plate

Hitching and unhitching can cause the odd scratch to your car, but this simple DIY project will protect your bumper, says Tony Brown.

Make your own magnetic door or locker catches

Fixtures & Fittings

How to make a magnetic door catch

If you are tired of poor-quality door and locker catchers that wear out all too quickly, it's simple to make your own, says Sam...

Electrics

How to make a 13-pin extension socket

If you find it difficult to access the towball electrics on your car, this handy extension lead should help, says Tony Brown.

Parts for jacking kit and tools required for the job

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit an Al-Ko side-lift jack

Changing a wheel is much easier if you install a heavy-duty jack, says Nigel Hutson.

Avoid problems of reverse polarity at Continental sites with an adaptor that you can make yourself by following this step-by-step guide

Electrics

How to make a reverse polarity lead

Reverse polarity won't be a problem with this handy adaptor that you can make yourself, says Nigel Hutson.

Keep your Birkholz windows in tip top condition with this handy how-to guide

Habitation Matters

How to repair a Birkholz window

Windows in some older caravans can be difficult to repair or replace, says Sam Coles, but this simple DIY project should extend their operating...

Everything you need to know about hook-up

Electrics

Spotlight on Hook-ups

Everybody uses a range of electrical appliances and devices while on tour. Sammy Faircloth shows you how to power up safely and monitor your...

Everything you need to know about breakaway cables

Fixtures & Fittings

How to make a breakaway cable attachment

Tony Brown offers essential advice on breakaway cables and why they're essential, in our series of everyday fixes for your caravan.

Follow Nigel Hutson's step-by-step guide to installing LED lighting to brighten up your caravan kitchen

Fixtures & Fittings

How to install LED lighting

Brighten up the caravan kitchen with new LED lighting. LED strips are simple to fit and make meal preparation much easier, says Nigel Hutson.

Avoid those awkward access arrangements with this handy guide to creating a storage compartment for your caravan table

Fixtures & Fittings

How to make a table storage compartment

In our series of everyday DIY fixes for your caravan, Tony Brown finds a solution for storing free-standing tables.

Practical advice to upgrade your caravan with an external TV antenna socket

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit an external TV antenna socket

This simple project allows you to watch TV in comfort in cold weather, says Nigel Hutson

Everything you need to know about leisure batteries

Electrics

Spotlight on Leisure Batteries

All the essential information you need to know about buying and maintaining a leisure battery

Nigel Hutson's Alde Smart Control panel (with correct time and date set)

Fixtures & Fittings

Add battery back-up to Alde’s control panel

Fit this simple battery back-up unit and you can forget about resetting the clock on Alde's control panel, says Nigel Hutson

Follow Tony's tips for fitting essential fire safety equipment in your van

Fixtures & Fittings

Fire safety upgrades

Never underestimate the importance of fire safety in your caravan; here are some tips from Tony Brown to help you stay safe in your...

Everything you need to know about TV aerials in your van

Fixtures & Fittings

Spotlight on: Caravan antennas

Watching TV while you are staying in your caravan can be a simple pleasure or a source of stress, but you can minimise any...

Electrics

How to upgrade from 7-pin to 13-pin electrics

Modern cars use 13-pin towing electrics, so why not uprate your caravan's electrics? Follow Nigel Hutson's step-by-step guide and get the job done

LED awning lights are brighter and more energy-efficient than their halogen equivalents – here's how to fit them

Electrics

How to upgrade to LED awning lights

LED awning lights don't just look good, they save energy, too, so if you're looking to upgrade a defunct halogen lamp, here's our step-by-step...

It is easy to replace a Thetford toilet cassette seal – we show you how

Showers & Toilets

How to replace a Thetford toilet cassette seal

Sick of your caravan's toilet cassette disgracing itself on your way to the disposal point? Follow our step-by-step guide and it'll soon seal as...

Nigel Hutson shows us how to replace the TV antenna in an elderly caravan with a curved roof

Electrics

How to upgrade to a digital TV antenna

Get digital TV in your caravan! Follow our step-by-step guide to upgrade your TV's antenna so you can enjoy watching more channels in more...

Want to keep fully charged? Here's how to add a USB port to your caravan

Electrics

How to fit a USB socket in your caravan

Love gadgets but hate running out of battery? Follow our step-by-step guide to fitting a USB socket in your caravan, to keep your devices...

Follow our expert's step-by-step guide and reduce your dependency on electric hook-ups

Fixtures & Fittings

How to fit solar panels to your caravan

Enjoy off-grid touring for longer on your caravan holidays! Nigel Hutson explains how to install a solar panel to your van – it's easier...

Nigel Hutson gives his step-by-step guide to cleaning a Carver Cascade GE caravan water heater

Habitation Matters

How to clean a Carver Cascade GE water heater’s burner

Our resident DIY caravan mechanic Nigel Hutson explains how to keep your caravan water heater going strong for longer – with a little routine...

Practical Caravan's DIY mechanic Nigel Hutson shows you how to fit an Alde load monitor and Alde outside temperature sensor

Electrics

How to fit an Alde load monitor and outside temperature sensor

DIY mechanic Nigel Hutson shows how to fit an Alde load monitor and outside temperature sensor in your caravan to avoid tripping campsite electrics

Nigel Hutson explains how to replace the tap microswitch in your caravan, step by step

Water Systems

How to replace a tap micoswitch in your caravan

Practical Caravan's DIY mechanic Nigel Hutson explains how to replace your caravan tap's microswitch the easy way when it decides to stop working

The Seitz pleated combined blind/flyscreen is also known as a concertina blind

Fixtures & Fittings

How to repair Seitz pleated blinds and flyscreens

This simple repair to Seitz pleated caravan blinds will keep them working smoothly for many years to come, says Practical Caravan's DIY expert Nigel...