# Newbie



## neilessex

Hi all 
I have just bought my first motor home a hobby 750 and been away twice already absolutely love it but there are many things i have no clue about so really sorry in asking stupid questions. First of all thanks to david on his videos as i have already fixed and repaired 2 blinds.
Questions 1
where can i get the little white caps that cover the screws around the window as 2 of mine don't have covers small but annoying.

Question 2
the basin Tap in the bathroom keeps popping off the little cap where the water comes out and sprays everywhere can this be changed or is it a new tap?

Question 3
Only found this one today even thou we checked over everything before we bought it just found out that somebody must have rammed something into the garage area and broke the bottom of the shower waste which has cracked around the waste hole. I don't won't to rip the shower tray out if i can help it is there a possible repair(silicon sealant) will this work?

Question 4
I will have more over the next few years i am sure thanks in advance.

Regards

Neil


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## dghr272

Welcome to MHF.

Q1/ Google 'Screw head snap caps' for options, getting colour match will be hard, might have to change them all.


Terry


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## Pudsey_Bear

Hi Neil, and welcome to MHF.

1, screw caps are at your local caravan dealers accessory shop, take an old one with you for matching 

2, not sure what you mean a pic would help as I don't have a hobby van, others do so hang around on that.

3, need a pic of that too.

May as well subscribe if you're planning on staying around


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## barryd

Cant help as I am technically challenged when it comes to fixing stuff in the motorhome but this lot will sort you out. Just want to say welcome to the forum.


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## JanHank

Welcome from me as well. I´m also crap at giving advice, I´m related to Barry you see. :grin2: well to Hank that is.


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## suedew

Welcome to the forum,


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## shingi

Hi Neil,

On a camp site in France at the moment, and my iBoost is having trouble with trees around here, but I'll have a go on one of your questions!

So, your question 3 : We have an ELC which makes acces to the underside of the shower tray much more difficult, and I had to take our tray out completely to work on two cracks, one across the centre of the tray and the second was around the drain hole. I concluded that any mastic, adhesive or fibreglass was never going to make for a lasting repair, so I VERY carefully enlarged the hole around the crack line and substituted the original stainless steel waste outlet with a wider waste outlet type which you find in B & Q for example, intended for a household bath. (Not the heavy chrome jobby you understand, the lightweight s/steel type, identical but larger.)

Using Sikaflex, I then inserted the replacement waste into the tray from the top, an alternative plumbing rubber washer underneath and then utilising the original trap and stainless steel fixing screw to tighten it all down. This for me has worked 100% and having checked after much usage this method has proved very successful.

Not too sure with your question 2 but the sections that come apart on the taps normally have rubber "O" rings fitted, and maybe yours has dropped out or other wise disappeared?

FInally, Hobby's are a bit thin on the ground as you might say, don't know why as they're brilliant, but there's a few of us on here, so welcome to MHFs, and any further queries feel free to ask.

Regards, Mick


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## Geriatricbackpacker

Did the same as shingi with a plughole in the basin of our first Hymer. It was only a five minute job that looked perfect (I used a French version of the B&Q part shingi mentions, I think it was less than a fiver), mind you I did have access to the bottom of the sink which made things easy. Be careful when you remove the old plug as the edges of the shower can be brittle, I used a rounded file to gently enlarge one small area to accommodate my new plughole. Don't over tighten the retaining nut under the sink, better to tighten, test and tighten again that to crack the sink through over enthusiasm. As shingi recommended good dollop of Sikaflex to seal (I now always carry an unopened tube in my emergency bits and bobs box). 

Just a thought...a small smear of sikaflex on the sides of your tap end will hold it in place if you can't resolve the issue any other way than to replace the tap. Just don't get it on the nozzle!

Good luck

Terry


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## Pudsey_Bear

I had to repair a sink in the Laika, the plastic was almost see through, I mixed up some resin and glass fibre reinforced the bowl underneath, then glassed in a large repair washer with the hole made the same size as the new drain part with a dremel, made it very stiff and strong, never had a problem after that, I also used a bit of old car inner tube under to even out any unevenness in the GRP.


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## javea

You can get samples from here to find the colour match: http://www.screwcapsuk.com/?gclid=C...5GUR_DCgp53Hi64Kog0wNd50esS7AXNMfQaAlH-8P8HAQ


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## neilessex

thanks for all your help i attach a picture of the shower another job to add to the list of things to do, in between going away most weekends.
sorry to ask does anybody now what the element is for i got a box of spares when i bought the MH


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## shingi

Part No. EL 190 is the water level gauge fitted to the top of the grey and the fresh water tanks, accessed by lifting the square wooden covers set into the floor. They then register the levels as shown on your panel over the side door. Very useful thing to have as spares, although they're pretty reliable unless the different length prongs get a bit "grunged up".

As regards your shower drain plug, I can see it is exactly the same as how mind went. The larger drain which I suggested earlier really will do the job, but being larger will necessitate you "nibbling" some parts of the edges of it with a small file to clear the raised anti-slip parts of the tray, so that when final assembly is done, the new drain lays bedded down onto a good flat surface.


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## GMJ

Did you buy your MH from a dealer? If so I would get them to sort these things out under their warranty, personally.

If not than I bow to the technical expertise of others on here (who are massively valuable people to know).

Go on...spend the 12 quid or so to join MHF and that way you can get oodles of great advice/banter for ever :wink2:

Graham :smile2:


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## StephandJohn

Can' help with anything technical but welcome anyway and keep on asking questions - nothings too daft to ask on here so don't be shy.


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## neilessex

money well spent to get help thanks


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## GMJ

Nice one Neil









As with all forums (for a?) aske away; take a quorum of views and form your own opinion...

....and...

...ignore the dickheads :wink2:

Welcome !!!

Graham :grin2:


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## neilessex

*Do i Dont i*

i have just found this like secret door next to sink, i understand what the taps are for but should i be turning these off everytime i park up or not.
Or should i just turn them off for winter?


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## philoaks

Hi Neil, welcome to MHF.

I personally have never used the gas isolator taps in any of the motorhomes I have owned over the years. I think the only time they may be useful is if you had a fault on one of the appliances and wanted to remove/repair it whilst maintaining the gas supply to the other appliances.

I only ever turn the gas on/off at the main valve on the gas bottles. 

Phil

P.S. Vans like being used all year so don't think that winter means tucking it away for a few months. You can't beat being away in the van with snow on the ground and the heating cranked up so you're warm and cozy. :wink2:


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## GMJ

Good sentiments from Philoaks above









We go away every other weekend right throughout winter and its is great. I would recommend it and then you will have less winter/lying up issues although depending on where you keep your P&J , you will still need to learn about draining water off perhaps....

These look like isolator valves which, judging by the picky , give some indication of what they isolate. I bet somebody on here has them and will advise exactly what each are for...

Failing that get hold of the user booklet for your MH. If you haven't got one then either Google it or contact the manufacturer or put a plea out on here.

I also shut my gas off only at the bottle tbh unless there happened to be an issue.

Graham :smile2:


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## HurricaneSmith

philoaks said:


> Hi Neil, welcome to MHF.
> 
> I personally have never used the gas isolator taps in any of the motorhomes I have owned over the years. I think the only time they may be useful is if you had a fault on one of the appliances and wanted to remove/repair it whilst maintaining the gas supply to the other appliances.
> 
> I only ever turn the gas on/off at the main valve on the gas bottles.
> 
> Phil
> 
> P.S. Vans like being used all year so don't think that winter means tucking it away for a few months. You can't beat being away in the van with snow on the ground and the heating cranked up so you're warm and cozy. :wink2:


We've been driving out current AutoTrail for about 10 years and have never needed to use these isolator taps.

Like Phil, pending replacement of a major component we probably never will, as we also only ever immobilise the gas at the bottle.

.


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## Pudsey_Bear

We will all have the same type of thing, as said they are isolation valves, best left on unless one of the appliances controlled by one of the individual valves has a leak, not working isn't a problem, only leaks, so leave alone basically, really nice of them to hide away a safety device though :roll: :roll:


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## shingi

OK Neil,

One's the isolation valve to the fridge, one for the oven, one for the hob, and last one for the Trumatic water/warm air heating, and handy if you're servicing just one of them. The gas cylinder turns them all off, so no bother as has been said.

Mick


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