It’s cold and the weather isn’t that flash, but it was time to give Rafe a fright by getting on a highway or two.
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Nigel no mates 🙂
My first destination was the Kaiaua NZMCA park and being a Wednesday afternoon, it was no real surprise to find there was only one other vehicle there, but we were joined by another Motorhome later in the day. It rained most of the day, but it was nice and warm and there were a few movie endings I wanted to see on Netflix to keep me going 🙂
Later I wandered over to the pub next door for a glass of wine and managed to catch the 2nd half of the NZ womans 7’s team winning a medal… fantastic.
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Quiet in Kaiaua
One of the main streets in Thames
The Paeroa Pub
The main street in Paeroa
In the morning, it was still pretty gloomy, but I went for a bit of a walk around with the camera. It is very different here mid-week with unfavourable weather, that’s for certain. Here’s what it looked like a few months ago.
Free parking in ThamesA place to see in Thames
After packing up and stowing things for travel, I thought I’d head for Thames to check out a spot for next year’s Dethleffs Owners group. Finding accommodation for 40 plus vehicles that also takes Dogs that we haven’t been to, is not all that easy.
Our new venue for the get together next year.
After ringing ahead, I later met Kevin who showed me around out next venue which is perfect and an easy walk or bike to the shops. Its in the diary and we’re all ready steady go for early next year.
Free parking in Paeroa
Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I thought while I was out and about, I’d pop out to Paeroa which is only 20 k’s away and settled into a spot in the council provided freedom camping at the end of the main street. A great spot and for $5 I had power too for the heater… it was cold!
The Paeroa Pub
The next morning after a look around Paeroa, I headed back to Auckland stopping at Ngatea for Diesel and the Dump Station. A nice couple of nights away. A flashback to a recent trip to Paeroa.
Rafe’s tracker map to Thames and Paeroa – Armada GPS
This month, our Dethleffs Motorhome hits the ripe old age of 10 years old. It’s amazing how things creep up and need doing.
Rafe at Sandspit recently
About this time of the year, there is a list of things that we need to do to keep Rafe in good shape…
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At North Shore Diesel for the Service
The annual service done at North Shore Diesel who have looked after it from day 1.
As we’d only done 6000 k’s since the service last year, we elected to skip the fuel filter for a year instead having an additive added in the fuel to nail any Diesel bug that might be lurking.
As they do most years, the Technician, Ben also did a pre-COF check and found a led marker light above the windscreen had died. We managed to get one from Zion Motorhomes, the Dethleffs agents and Ben was able to install it for me.
Installing the new Marker lightThe new German light shining brightly
Interesting reading through the invoice, they also forced a DPF filter burn which is good.
The COF always a stressful time but thanks to the pre Cof check and the light replacement, it sailed through. Interesting though, the VTNZ tech invited me down into the pit to show me the brackets holding the Grey Water tank behind the back axle. It was empty of course and was light enough to lift up above its support about an inch. It has been like this since it was new so I’m not too fussed about it but I will put a couple of Rubber strips to pack the gap with big cable ties to hold the rubber in.
Insurance and Registration one for the Budget 🙂
Big outgoings here!
About a month ago, we decided that our Queen centre bed was getting a bit uncomfortable and started looking at what we needed to do after 10 years. We decided that the feather topper over the mattress had done its dash as some of the feathers were starting to leak out onto the floor. After reading on Facebook, some NZMCA’rs are getting a good run from a Bamboo Memory foam Topper which was on special for just under $200 and its really comfortable. The bed is a little higher but really nice.
The new Headboard and Mattress Topper
The other thing we did in the bedroom is we reupholstered the Headboard which was a bit of cheap brown vinyl stapled to a sheet of ply and pretty hard if you slipped off your pillow.
We bought some good quality foam and some other stuff that covers it and some new good quality light grey vinyl and I re upholstered it and put it back in… much nicer.
Bedroom done!
Sanding the Headlight
Just before the last COF late last year I got a huge stone chip on the right-hand headlight. Amazingly it was a chip! I sanded it up and filled it will some clear Araldite and coated the Headlight with a left-over Headlight repair kit I used a few years ago but in doing so, removed all the nice 2 pot lacquer I had done professionally three years ago. It was chipping in form the edge anyway and was starting to go yellow, so time was pretty much up.
Polishing timeSanding….
I booked it in to a place I found in Albany called Final Touch who specialises in coatings for paint and headlights. They quoted me between $150 and $250 depending on what was involved. It took two of them 2 hours to sand off the three coats of chipped lacquer! But they look amazing and now have a Ceramic Glaze on them which should be good for up to three years and it’s much easier to fix then.
The Reveal.. all done with Ceramic Glaze
The other 10 year upgrades this year have been the Dome / Mi Box Upgrade.
The Lithium Phosphate Battery upgrades was a massive upgrade too. People told me it would “change your life” which it has 🙂 Apart from the Lithium change we also went from 200-amp hours to 300-amp hours.
Looking smart
On the way to get the headlights done, I checked it at their next-door neighbours Carters Tyres to see if my tyres needed rotating, they were due but the experts there thought they were wearing well and were fine where they were so one job less to do.
So, we’re off for the Matariki weekend. I’m not sure where yet but Rafe’s ready and so are we 🙂 Safe travels everyone.
We left Auckland late on the Saturday morning on the way to our son, Alex’s new house in Mangere Bridge and it’s looking great. It’s really nice to see him in his own house and he is really chuffed with it.
After an hour or so, we thought we’d better hit the trail towards Kaiaua to avoid the worst of the motorway Kings Birthday traffic and cut across to Manukau and went out the back way through Clevedon. We celebrated with a coffee stop in a Clevedon Cafe!
The Kaiaua NZMCA park from up the hill.By the creek
An hour or so later we were rolling into the Kaiaua NZMCA park and there was plenty of room left. It’s a seriously nice part of the world here with the water just outside the gate and plenty of places to walk and a trail which runs from here all the way to Matamata via Thames if you’re really keen 🙂
We started off by visiting the pub and having a G&T out in the Garden Bar.
The Garden Bar
It was a fairly drab old day with the clouds hanging over us and the odd peep of sunshine coming through but not enough to seriously do any meaningful charging, so I was expecting to see it how the two new Lithium Phosphate, 150AH batteries went. They do have a Bluetooth arrangement where they connect to an app on the phone and show you what’s happening.
At 4:30pm, the Sail GP was on, so the TV was on through the Mi Box which we’ve recently installed. (better quality picture than the dome) This would bring a bit of a drain but with the sun popping in and out on the panels, we really didn’t use much.
By the time the Racing was over it was dark, and we headed over to the Fish and Chip shop for Fish and Chips. Really nice Fish too.
Back with Rafe, we watched a Netflix movie through the Mi Box again and at the end of the night when I switched everything off, we’d only used 20 Amp hours. Unbelievable. Somehow on the AGM’s we would have used heaps more than this and the voltage would have dropped too. The Batteries were showing 13 volts at the end of the night!!
My birthday was only a few days before this so lunch was a plate of Mussels with a G&T each at the Pub!
After lunch, we walked down to the pink dairy and checked out all the Motorhomes parked in the free parking by the beach. Fiona wandered over and bought Ice creams, so we sat there and soaked in the ambience 🙂 A lovely spot.
The Pink Dairy
We went back to Rafe to watch the Sail GP second day and then it was back to the Pub for a birthday dinner, and it was stunning. I had a Rack of Lamb which was melt in your mouth…!!
The Lamb.. yum
That night we didn’t really use a lot of power, early to bed so only the Router, the TV until about 9pm, the odd flash of the water pump during loo flushes and making cups of tea and a few LED lights but we did get a few peeps of sunshine during the day … about 8 Amp hours.
The next morning, I checked on the batteries and we were 20 AH down for both days!! Amazing.
The Bluetooth App showing the two batteries on the last morning before we left.
For all the people I discussed this with beforehand who all said, “It will change your life” and take the stress out of not being plugged in and the ability to use power without thinking about it. They’re all right. It’s amazing and I wish I’d done it earlier.
Enjoying the coast
By the time we got back to Devonport we were fully charged off the alternator, so the system works! A great weekend too.
After getting the new Lithium Phosphate batteries installed, I was busting to get out and see how they went. Fiona was at work for the next few days, so she suggested I head away and check them out.
Click on any Image to enlargeI was thinking of heading up to the NZMCA park at Dargaville as I haven’t been there for a while but after checking the cold weather forecast and looking at some of the off-peak deals, I thought I’d check out Sandspit. Not too far and I could plug in for the freezing temperatures to come 🙂
First thing in the morning
I was right on the waterfront and with only two other Motorhomes or Caravans there, we had the place to ourselves… but being plugged in, I wasn’t checking the batteries. next time!
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow
Down towards the wharf
Restored schoolhouse
The campground
Looking out to the wharf
Sunset
In one of the old storage sheds 🙂
Ye Olde Laundry, there’s a new one too!
Boat Parking
Baches you can stay in
Couldn’t really get closer
Nice parking
We’ve been here several times before, but it is such a magic spot and being right on the waterfront was amazing. I went for several walks over the couple of days I was there to both the Kawau Yacht club and up to the top of the hill above the campground.
Down towards the wharf
It’s a great place to come if you want to do the Kawau Mail Boat trip. We did that a few years ago and it’s a fun day out.
The View from the topThe big chair on the top of the hill
The top of the hill is great as you can see for miles out beyond the Marina and there is one of those huge chairs up there where you rest and take it all in 🙂 Stunning view but it’s a steep walk!
Nice walking along the waterfront
I also went for a bit of a trek along the beach past the cabins on the waterfront which is nice too.
There used to be a lot of old historic shop fronts and artefacts which due to maintenance have gone but the artifacts remain in glass cases by the Dining room.
One of the old cottages you can stay in
A lovely place and very good value with nice people.
I’ve been umming and ahhhing for some time about this mainly due to Rafe’s 10-year-old charging technology and what it might mean with keeping the new batteries in good shape. The other worry was my old saying from boating, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”, where the agm setup was working fine, just not enough of it.
Jonas at Zion Motorhomes has been telling me on several occasions how good these new French batteries are and how they work happily in a Gel mode that will still stir up the Lithium the way it’s meant to be stirred!
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Great parking
Because we are in Devonport and Zion are in Pokeno, I’d decided to stay at Pukekohe for the night to avoid the traffic on the Monday morning.
Jayco corner 🙂
After lunch on a warm sunny afternoon, I checked into the Pukekohe A&P society’s campground by the railway station. It’s a neat place with all the facilities at a very reasonable price and we’ve stayed here several times over the years.
After plugging in and settling down the Truck, I went for a bit of a wander around the park. The shops are just over the road through a railway tunnel and the main street not that far further on.
A great night there with a couple of trains rumbling past which is fun.
Rafe all ready to go
In the morning, I headed off to Pokeno and my first stop was at the Truck stop for some Diesel and then onto Zion Motorhomes for the Batteries.
Mark taking out the AGMs
They were going to swap my 4-year-old AGM deep cycles for some sparkling new Lithium Phosphate 150 ah batteries that would both fit under the driver seat. I’m always a bit apprehensive when disturbing something like there is usually a surprise extra somewhere or something gets broken in the process 🙂 Yes, I got a surprise, but nothing got broken.
Out they come
Because Rafe’s charging system with the alternator wasn’t that clever, it worked by being directed by the Start battery in terms of what was required for charging. If the house battery needed it too, it got charged at the same time but never got fried if it was already full, it just went without on a trickle basis.
New batteris
It needed a Booster unit that integrated with the German Electro block management system and gave the house battery what it needed and at a consistent voltage. Pretty good really and it should probably have been there all along, so I saw it as a necessary upgrade.
The Electro block under the passenger seat with the Booster behind charging.
I’d promised the AGMs to my son Drew for his boat as his boat house batteries had seen better days and these ones were good so free to a good home and off, they went 🙂
Drew’s ne Batteries and the Driver’s seat
Mark was the Technician on the job assisted by Jack and several others when required.
Jack and Mark sorting out the charging systems.
The driver’s seat came off, the old batteries came out and the new batteries took their place all without any drama. As Mark went, he was testing the various charging systems. Changing the Solar regulator to Gel, the Electro block to Gel and adding the Booster unit to the back of the electro block.
Being a new system on quite an old charging system, there were a few moments where what was showing from the Bluetooth app on the phone wasn’t quite what was expected but it very quickly all came together.
New Lithium’s getting set up.New Batteries in and charging off the Alternator
So, the conclusion … I haven’t been away yet to really try it all out but it’s a massive upgrade for the whole electrical system.
Fiona likes watching her TV and things electrical in Rafe haven’t really had a real outing so we’re looking forward to being able to turn things on now and not be too concerned about power. You might recall my recent blog on the change we made to the TVs with the Mi Box. This will save a lot of power with the TV’s. The stereo and the subwoofer can be turned up and the lights can all be turned on 🙂
The pros: We’ve gone from 200ah Agm to 300ah Lithium Phosphate with a much greater DOD ( depth of discharge) which means instead of being limited to about 90ah of power on the Agm setup, we now have full access to 240ah without damaging the batteries. The batteries charge much faster so the solar panels charging should take roughly the same time for a moderately bigger charge. The batteries are about 1/3rd lighter. They’re guaranteed for 5 years and will last a lot longer than the agms. These smart french batteries will work happily with a gel charging setup so less to change for most of us!
The only con: the cost is more but that is technology for you 🙂
The Bluetooth info from the phone.
A pretty painless exercise and Mark did a fantastic job. Thanks guys.
Rafe’s tracker map to Pukekohe A&P Showgrounds – Armada GPS
After 18 months of open homes and saving madly for the 20% deposit you need these days, my son Alex has just moved into his first house. I can remember when Fiona and I first got ours and what a great sense of achievement it was to be there on the first night. Of all the open homes they looked at with his two sons, that was their favourite too.
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Big parking area next door for the busy periods.
After spending the Saturday unpacking boxes and watching the moving guys, we retired to Rafe outside for a tea which Fiona had made and heated up in Rafe. We then left him to it and set off for the NZMCA park at Ardmore where we spent the night.
Magic spot in the middle
Arriving at 8pm and opening the gate at Ardmore, we quietly drove in and looked for a park.
The parking spaces have all be changed since I was last there and there was little or no light at the time, so we popped into a site in the middle.
Front row views of the airfieldPart of the view from the front row
After a visit to the local Cafe for breakfast, Fiona left in the car and headed back to Alex’s to help unpack and set things up in his house. I left in Rafe and headed to Pukekohe for the night for my Monday morning appointment at Zion in Pokeno for new Batteries.
Rafe’s tracker map to Ardmore NZMCA Park- Armada GPS
Our Motorhome Rafe is just coming up to 10 years old so it’s no surprise that there have been a few things I’ve had to replace or upgrade in the last couple of years.
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The LTE (Internet) aerials when they were installed, with the Dome.
A couple of months ago we were down in Kaiaua in the NZMCA park when our Apollo 400 dome finally popped its clogs. When it was two years old, I had to pop into Apollo to have a belt for the LNB put back on after it fell off, so I was aware that the dome has been superseded 2 or 3 times by various dish receivers and there were no parts available in NZ. Over the years since then, we’ve had nothing but a trouble-free run with only location-based issues.
I’d sort of resigned myself to the fact that it was a doomer and time to bin it as we use the Netspeed Internet system for anything we want to see anyway and cast onto Chromecast on the 10-year-old TV’s 🙂
The 4G + router in Rafe’s cupboard.Aerials on Rafe’s roof
My son Drew has just upgraded the TV on his boat Rorqual (used to be mine) and replaced it with a smart TV and told me about MI Box that he had on the old TV which essentially turns it into a smart TV.
Sounds like me I thought so after he gave it to me, I installed it on one TV and then bought another for the second TV. What a difference. Easy to load anything and you can add apps as well like Three Now and TVNZ. It’s essentially an Android device and done by Google. The new one is badged Google TV. The Dome was now mentally consigned to the bin and unnecessary.
In our latest Dethleffs Get together in Rotorua, I had a problem with my Dometic fridge not wanting to play the game. Same age. As soon as we plugged it in elsewhere it burst into life and ran faultlessly. I’ve had this problem here before. Same campground so thought it was time for a check over anyway.
“There’s a wire lose!”.
Vantage RV in Silverdale originally installed and setup all this stuff when Rafe was brand new 10 years ago so after arriving early one fine day, they got ready to take the dome off and bin it and check over the fridge along with cleaning the back and the flue.
Once the lid was taken off the Dome, the Technician wobbled a couple of the signal wires when one looked a bit lose. Being a Dome it was like new inside. After taking a few connections off and cleaning them and reconnecting, I was told to go and turn it on… off it went 🙂
The Vantage Technician putting the cover back on.
Amazing so he climbed down to get some different sprays and protectants and gave it a quick going over. On with the cover and a couple more tests… perfect! So, it got to stay on the roof 🙂 Can’t believe it! So, we made the decision to keep it!
The Dome with an aerial. One on the other side too.
The fridge got the big tick as well after testing it and cleaning it.
So now we have an easy backup system for TV. One of the downsides of the Dome though is that unlike its more modern counterparts, it doesn’t completely turn off after connecting to a satellite, powering a solenoid to keen the signal feeding into the TV’s. This draws roughly .75 of an amps per hour so with the TV, it makes freedom camping with TV not to be background noise!
The Mi Box on the back of the TVThe Screen. It’s just like a real one.
The upside with the Mi box is minimal power use, hi definition TV (better than the Standard from the Dome) and easy selection of programs including Netflix! They are a little more than $125 depending on where you buy them from.
Out of the box, it was simply a case of plugging it into the USB port for power and an empty HDMI port for the signal. Turn the TV on, set it to the port and there it was. I had to set it up for an internet connect and a google account (so I could download apps like three now and TVNZ on Demand) and we were all done.
A wee break from a motorhomes but this was a special event 🙂
We’re due to go away again soon 🙂
The sun was shining and there was an Art Show on at Fort Cautley which is the old Army base above Narrow Neck beach.
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Great tree
It was a sculpture exhibition and is its first time back after a 5 year break due to Covid with the proceeds were going to Womens Refuge.
This got some attention.
I was quite looking forward to this as it was the first time the historic fort buildings and gun emplacements were being used as part of the exhibition.
Part of the Historic Fortifications
There were some nice pieces. The Lady lifting the rock got plenty of interest.
Click on the Gallery below to see the show
Liam with his Dog
A Kaleidescope of plants
Part of the Historic Fortifications
In the Fort cd’s
Secondary school art
3 little pigs
Neat Dolls house
The Giant Whale Tail with the view
Rotating Blocks
There was a giant whale’s tail, and it was nice the way the old gun emplacement was decorated with coloured petals. Grandson Liam took a shine to the bronze dog just inside the entrance.
The coloured petals by the Gun
There was some really interesting stuff here and it was well worth the walk in the sun. The view next door couldn’t be beaten either 🙂
Anywhere you look on the Internet these days, you’ll find lots of stories about judder in reverse in the Fiat Motorhomes. Some of it is true, some of it not.
Over the last two years or so, I’ve noticed that Rafe has started to do this more and more so early this week, I rang the good guys at Italian Autos in Otahuhu to see if someone could have a look at it. I was stressing that it might be the clutch or the flywheel about to let go!
I turned up early in the morning and Barry had a minute free to have a quick look at the problem. He turned it around and reversed up and down in their driveway and very quickly said, “Nothing wrong with the clutch or flywheel but it would probably improve things with a new Gearbox mount.”
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Fiat Heaven
Yippee I thought, they’re a bit less serious. So, I booked it in and after getting up early to get through the traffic, I arrived a few days later just as they were opening up for the day.
Rafe was picked up from the carpark and driven onto the hoist and after only lifting it a few feet from the floor, Engineer Eugene got underneath on a trolley and 40 minutes or so later, it was all done! Amazing.
Eugene under Rafe with the new Mount on the floor behind him.
The difference is remarkable!! It’s a beast of a part when you’re looking at it but very important in the scheme of things.
Apparently, the 3 litre Iveco (and Fiat) motor swings on two mounts at the top on either end. This Gearbox mount deals with the torque at the bottom and they are prone to wearing out, as every time you accelerate or decelerate, they’re under immense loads.
The rear mount
All done and all good. I can’t speak highly enough of the friendliness and efficiency of the guys there. Thank you and thanks for making it stress free 🙂
It has been a while since I was last out here in Pukekohe, a few years perhaps but boy it has grown. There are new houses everywhere you look, and the town has grown too.
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I checked in with Sarah at the Pukekohe A&P grounds where they’ve provided Motorhome parking for some years now. She very kindly showed me where everything was and after parking the van, I went for a walk over the road to the Z Zone.
I stopped in at the local Hollywood Bakery for a coffee and then popped into a few local shops. before heading back to the park.
When I first started coming here about 8 years or so ago, it was all grass with lots of mud when it was wet and a couple of power poles.
Ian was the man in charge, and I understand he is still involved. He has done a magnificent job over the years of developing this into a really nice area to stay.
Now there are Toilets, showers and a coin operated Laundry in the new(ish) amenities block. There is a circular gravel road which runs past many of the sites and on past the dump station. So no more muddy exits 🙂 .. Ans all at a reasonable price too.
The Amenities block, now with a LaundryAnd a Dump Station!
There are a lot more power points all set out with plenty of space on big sites. It’s a fantastic setup.
Click on the Gallery below for an Enlarged Slideshow
The Amenities block, now with a Laundry
Just across the road is one of Pukekohe’s big shopping areas with the Warehouse and several other big stores. Pukekohe’s main street is just a few steps further on.
Having not been here for a while and seeing the changes, Ian, Sarah and the crew have done a fantastic job providing some Motorhome and Caravan accommodation in an area where there wasn’t any.
Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.
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