A GUIDE TO USING A BAILEY AUTOGRAPH 79-6 MOTORHOME hiremybaileymotorhome.co.uk Helping others to share our passion for travel and new experiences Caroline & Darren Longden hiremybaileymotorhome.co.uk
Using this Guide Using a motorhome is an enjoyable experience but there are a few things you need to know to get the most out of it. This guide gives you the essentials you need to know. For more in-depth information, the Bailey motorhome handbook is included in your welcome pack. Preparation prior to your trip We try to make your stay in the motorhome as enjoyable and as hassle free as possible, but with any trip there are things you will need to bring. The length of your hire will dictate what you need to bring with you. Obviously the longer the stay, the more you may need to bring. In the section What s Included, you will find details of everything the motorhome comes equipped with. We have listed below things that are not included which you will need to bring with you. Bedding You will need a duvet/sleeping bag and pillow for each bed you will be using. We supply sheets for all the beds in the motorhome. Towels You will obviously need towels for each member of your family. You may also need to bring extra towels if you are planning to go swimming. Toiletries You will need to bring your own toiletries, such as shower gel/soap, shampoo/conditioner and toothpaste/toothbrushes. We do of course provide toilet rolls. Food Whilst you may decide to eat out on your trip, the choice is yours, as the motorhome has a good-sized fridge/freezer, a microwave, an oven, a toaster and kettle, so there is plenty of space to bring and cook your own food if you choose to. Pans, plates/bowls/cups/glasses and cutlery are all provided. Clothes As with any trip, consider what type and how much clothing you need. The motorhome has plenty of wardrobe and cupboard space to accommodate your clothes.
Before Setting Off Normally you would need to do the following yourself, so it is important to know this for when you set off from your next destination, but when you collect it, it will all be done for you. Fill Fresh Water Whilst not essential as most sites have water fill points, we always ensure we fill up before departing, and the motorhome will have a full 90 litres of fresh water. Once filled, remember to ensure the water connection flap is down, and the fresh water hose is put away in the storage compartment. Ensure your wastewater tank is empty When you use your fresh water for washing, showering and flushing, it goes into the 90-litre wastewater tank. Ensure this is empty (and do so responsibly - down a wastewater drain), and remember to put the grey waste tap underneath the motorhome in the closed position. Charge the Leisure batteries Remember to charge the leisure batteries before setting off as they power the electrics in the motorhome if you are not staying at a campsite with electric hook ups. Fill Gas Bottles Whilst the motorhome can provide heating and hot water without gas, the oven, and three of the hob burners do use gas. Always check to ensure you have enough gas for your trip. The motorhome comes with two gas bottles, and at least one will be full. Fridge Freezer If you are planning to use the fridge freezer, whilst driving, you need to have it on the battery setting. Prior to driving, and once you have stopped at your campsite and inserted the electric hook up, you need to switch the fridge over to mains power. If you do not have an electric hook up, you can use the gas. For more information on how to use the fridge, see the relevant section in this guide. Toilet Preparation The toilet will of course be clean for when you collect it, however we will also prepare it so you can use it straight away (especially useful on long journeys) so it will be filled with a litre of water, and toilet chemicals. Elsewhere in this guide are full details on how to clean/fill the toilet. Remove Rear Lounge TV from bracket In order to avoid damaging the wall the rear TV is mounted on, remove it from the bracket, and place it into the provided protection cover, and place it securely in the wardrobe. Close Doors/Lock Drawers Remember to close/engage the locks and doors and drawers so they do not open whilst you are driving. 3
Retract TV Aerial The TV aerial is located in the ceiling of the wardrobe. Simply unscrew the collar, and pull the aerial down, and retighten the collar. Disconnect electric hook up Before you set off, ensure the electric hook up cable is removed, and the cable put away in the storage compartment. Remove Windscreen cover In order to better insulate the motorhome and to prevent condensation, we use a windscreen cover. Ensure this is removed from the windscreen and put away in the storage compartment. Open all the blinds for full visibility The motorhome has blinds on all the windows. Ensure these are in the up position when driving. Check the fuel level Ensure you have enough fuel for your journey. The motorhome takes diesel, and will be full when you collect it (simply return it full). Check your tyre pressure For a smooth, safe ride, check that the tyre pressures are correct 69 psi for the front tyres, 80 psi for the rear tyres. Insert the removable section from the in cab Sat Nav In order to be able to use the Sat Nav/Radio/reversing camera etc, you will need to insert the removable section. Please remember to remove it when you stop in order to avoid draining the battery. Important when you load your belonging in the motorhome, you will need to ensure they are stored away safely and securely, using the wardrobe and cupboards. 4
Driving the motorhome The motorhome weighs over 3.5 ton therefore you will need a C1 category license to be able to drive it (check your licence, as people who took their tests before 1997 have this entitlement automatically). For insurance purposes you need to be 25 years or older, and have less than 6 points. For those new to driving a motorhome, it is important to realise that it is a large vehicle, and extra care and attention needs to be taken, particularly when driving in unfamiliar places, on narrow roads, and turning/reversing. Make use of the side mirrors, as well as the rear view camera, which can be set to be on permanently, rather than just on when reversing. The best advice is to take it slow until you are familiar with the size of the vehicle, and allow yourself extra room, particularly when turning. For those of you carrying passengers, make use of them to help you, by looking out of the side window to help you judge distances, and well as with reversing. For more tips and advice for new motorhome drivers, view the following video, courtesy of the Motorhome Magazine Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ktfc1foyls Extra tips Parking Avoid carparks with height barriers and you will not be able to use them. Weight Restriction Avoid bridges/roads with a weight restriction of 3.5 tons. Vehicle Dimensions Make sure you know the size of the motorhome, which is; Length 7.99 metres/26ft 3in. Remember, if you use the bike rack this will add to the length. Height 2.76 metres/9ft 1in (with TV Aerial retracted). Width 2.49 metres/8 ft 2in (excluding wing mirrors). 5
Arriving at your destination For the purposes of this guide, we assume that your destination will be where you intend to stay overnight. Reversing the motorhome When you arrive at your destination, you may need to reverse into your space/pitch. When you put the motorhome into reverse, the reversing camera will engage/show on the display. Please note that sometimes the image can appear reversed. Whilst this is useful, in low light and tight conditions, we would recommend you first get out of the motorhome, and get a sense of the space yourself, and also use another person to guide you. Be careful when parking on grass, especially when wet/soggy as the motorhome is heavy to avoid it becoming stuck. Levelling the motorhome If your pitch is flat, then you can miss this step out. It is important to site your motorhome level as so to ensure the correct operation of the refrigerator, cooker, microwave, as well as make it comfortable to use. The rear storage contacts two ramps. Place them under the tyres that need to be raised to make the motorhome level, and slowly drive up them, until you are level. For more information on how to level a motorhome watch the following YouTube video (courtesy of MMM) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= EcPHLd3Sg 6
Connecting your motorhome to the site electricity In the rear storage compartment of the motorhome is a blue bag containing a lead to connect the motorhome to the site electricity. Take the end of the lead with the hinged cap. Lift the electrical connection point flap on the side of the motorhome. Open the hinged cap and insert this end of the lead into the motorhomes electrical connection point. At the end of the cable is a 3-pin connection. This plugs into the site connection point. Once you have connected to the sites electricity, the Bailey control panel display should show the following symbol - Switch your fridge freezer to electric mode Your fridge freezer will be set to battery mode. However, you need to switch this to electric mode so it does not drain your battery. On the fridge freezer is a selector, as shown below. Simply turn it to the 230V AC setting. If your site does not have an electric hook up, you simply the fridge freezer to Gas mode see the fridge freezer section for full instructions 7
Put the Rear Lounge TV back on the bracket The TV is stored in the wardrobe during driving. Put it back on the bracket, and reconnect the power lead and aerial. Fitting the external thermal window cover In order to avoid condensation on the windscreen, fit the front windscreen cover. This is located in the rear storage area. The cover is for both the windscreen and the two front door windows. Place the cover across the windscreen and then, one door at a time, open the door, place the elastic strap across the top corner of the door, and close the door. Magnets located in the cover help keep it in place. Blinds Each window, including the main windscreen and roof lights has blinds. The blinds can be used as either fly screens or full blinds. If you are leaving the motorhome unattended and not at a campsite, please ensure all blinds are closed. Whilst it is of course personal preference, we would also suggest closing the blinds at night. Opening the roof light/side window blinds Closing the roof light/side window blinds 8
Windscreen blinds Door blinds 9
Using the Motorhome Satellite Navigation The Bailey 79-6 comes equipped with the latest Pioneer system, which features a Motorhome Satellite Navigation system. Included in your welcome pack is the instruction guide to use all the features of the Pioneer AV unit; however, it is a touch screen system, allows you to find addresses using postcode, street name or GPS coordinates, and is easy to use. Entertainment System The Pioneer AV system can also play CD s, or DVD s (which play on the in dash screen), as well as featuring both analogue and digital radio. It also features Bluetooth audio, so you can play your music from your Bluetooth device through the system speakers. Should you connect your phone to one of the two USB ports on the dash, you can also play music directly through the system. It also features Apple CarPlay Handsfree Telephone - The Pioneer AV system allows handsfree dialing by allowing you to connect your mobile phone to it via Bluetooth. Simply following the instruction guide as to how to do this. Cruise Control The motorhome comes equipped with cruise control. The guide in your welcome pack will explain how to use this. Air conditioning The air conditioning (in-cab only) is easy to use, again, the guide in your welcome pack will give you instructions on how to use it. 10
Electrical System When you are driving, you are unable to use the electrical system in the habitation area. Once you have turned the engine off, they can then be used. IMPORTANT do not start the plug in the electric hook up whilst your engine is running your engine must be switched off whilst on electric hook up. When you enter the motorhome through the side door, above the door is the Bailey control panel. Please refer to the below illustration for the following instructions. BAILEY SEATTLE CONTROL PANEL Press the Master button to turn the Control Panel on (or off although you can leave it on permanently). The control panel has many features, some of which you may not need to use. For ease, this guide focuses on the main ones that you are likely to use. However, the Bailey motorhome guide included in your welcome pack provided full details on how to use the Bailey Seattle control panel. Turning the inside lights on and off Press the LIGHTS button to turn the lights on and off. Please note that all the spotlights also turn on and off by touch (use your palm to turn them on and off). The under bed lights, the mood lights, and the main under cupboard kitchen light all use either a separate switch or are touch controlled. Turning the outside awning light on and off - Outside the motorhome, above the habitation area door, is an awning light. Press the AWNING button to turn this light on and off. Pump In order to use the sink or shower, or shower flush, you need to turn the pump on (if you are not on electric hook up, please turn off, and just turn on when you are using the water). You will also need to turn the pump on if you are filling up the fresh water, or draining the wastewater. Simply press the PUMP button to turn it on or off. 11
Water Level By pressing the Up and Down buttons, you can scroll through various menus to see the fresh water and waste water levels. These will show as a percentage as to how full they are. Monitor them so you know when to refill/empty as required. Temperature By pressing the Up and Down buttons, you can scroll through various menus to see the external and internal temperatures. These show in Celsius. The internal temperature is linked to the Alde Heating System (see that section for more information). Heating and Hot Water System The motorhome comes equipped with an Alde heating and hot water system. The system will be preset to provide you with hot water, and come on when the temperature is below 18.5 degrees. If you are on electric hook up, apart from turning it on when you park up, you should not need to adjust the settings. However if you are not on electric hook up, you will need to be mindful that leaving your heating and hot water on permanently will use the Leisure batteries so monitor the battery level to ensure they are not fully discharged. ALDE HEATING SYSTEM To turn the Alde system on or off, simply press the Power button (J). 12
Fridge Freezer The fridge freezer can operate in three different modes; Mains Electric 230V AC (via electrical hook up) 12V DC (via onboard battery) LPG (via gas bottles) Simply turn the dial to the relevant icon What mode? When you are driving, use the 12V DC mode (but if you park up for any length of time change to gas as it will drain the battery). When you arrive at a campsite with an electric hook up, select the 230V DC mode. If you have no electric hook up, select the Gas mode. Gas mode When using the gas mode, you need to follow these steps. 1. Select Gas Mode 2. Using the temperature selector, press and hold. 3. Whilst still holding the temperature selector, press the ignition button (and keep it pressed). 4. Once the flame ignites, the dial moves into the green zone. Release the ignition button (3) but keep hold of the temperature selector button (2) for another 15 seconds, and then release. The dial (4) should stay in the green zone (if it does not, repeat steps 2, 3 and 4). 13
Microwave The Bailey handbook includes full details as to how to use the microwave. However most people will know how to use a microwave. However, you will need to know how to turn it on. Simply press and hold the ECO button. Please note the Microwave only works when the motorhome is connected to electrical power. Televisions (including TV aerial) The motorhome comes equipped with two televisions. Both are Avtex models, and whilst both have their own remote control, any remote works either of the televisions. The televisions are connected to the motorhomes digital aerial, which need you to extend once you are parked up. 14
The TV Aerial is located on the roof, but is raised and lowered by accessing it from the wardrobe near the rear lounge. Simply untighten the mast-locking collar at the base of the aerial pole, which will allow you to raise the aerial. Once raised, simple tighten it again to secure the aerial. You can also use the winder at the base of the aerial to change its direction should you need to, in order to improve the signal strength. Remember to lower the aerial before you drive your motorhome. 15
Setting up the Rear Lounge Bed Simply follow the diagram below. Please note this is the official Bailey guide, however it is slightly incorrect. Ignore steps 6, 7 and 8, and there are no such cushions. The middle rear seat cushion is to be stored under the bed one erected, as is the spare long cushion from one of the long seats. 16
Setting up the Dinette Area Bed 17
Setting up the Overhead pull down bed In order to access the bed, you will need the ladders, which are located on the back of the wardrobe door. 18
Grill, Oven and Hob The hob features three gas rings, and an electric ring. The oven and grill are gas. They will work whether the motorhome is on electric hook up or not. They are simple to use, and has an electronic ignition, but if you need more information, please refer to the Bailey handbook (from page 108). Toilet The toilet is a cassette toilet and can be used as normal. Note, the toilet features a blade handle at the base of the toilet that opens and closes the cassette toilet. The toilet also has an electric flush function (blue button behind toilet). When the toilet is full, a red light will display on the flush button. To empty the toilet, unlock (using the key provided) the toilet compartment on the outside of the van (driver side) and follow the below instructions. The toilet chemical is located in the rear storage compartment. Most campsites will have a designated area for you to empty the cassette toilet. Once emptied, fill the toilet with one litre of water, one capful of toilet chemical, and place it back in the holding compartment, close and lock the door (the Bailey motorhome handbook has further instructions). 19
Refilling the fresh water Whilst we will have filled the fresh water tank for you, depending on how much water you use/how long your hire; you may need to refill the fresh water tank. You can keep a track of the amount of fresh water by using the Up/Down buttons on the Bailey control panel. In the rear storage compartment is a blue bag, which contains two hosepipes. These are food grade hoses, and just used for refilling the fresh water tank. Use the hose that has the plastic/box like Whale connection at the end, and insert this in the fresh water refill point on the drivers side of the motorhome (lift the flap first). The other end should be connected to a drinking water tap (DO NOT FILL USING ANYTHING OTHER THAN WATER SUITABLE FOR DRINKING). Contained in the blue bag is a screw hose connector for use on outdoor taps. The additional hose is an extension hose, so only attach this should you need to in order to reach the water tap. Connect the Whale connection from the hosepipe into the water fill point on the side of the motorhome. Turn the external tap water on. On the Bailey Control Panel, ensure that the PUMP is activated (pressing the PUMP button will activate/deactivate it. As the fresh water tank fills, the Bailey Control panel will show you the percentage of the tank (press the up/down keys to see the fresh water tank level). When you are at 95%, turn the water off at the tap (simply as by the time you get from the motorhome to the tap it will be at 100%). Disconnect the hose from the motorhome and the tap, allow the excess water to drip from the hose, and put it back into the bag, and back in the rear storage compartment. 20
Emptying the grey waste When using the sink or shower, the wastewater is collected in the grey waste tank. When you collect the motorhome this will be empty, however depending on how much water you use/how long your hire, you may need to empty it again. When the tank is almost full, a warning will flash on the Bailey control panel, advising you that you need to empty it. On the drivers side of the motorhome, past the rear wheel, there is a grey tap underneath the motorhome. Most campsites will have a designated area where you can park your motorhome, usually over a grid, and empty the grey tank. You do this by simply turning the tap to release the water. Once released, simply turn the tap to close it. Some campsites may not have an area where you can park to release your grey wastewater. In such cases, use the bucket supplied in the rear storage compartment, to transport the water. Setting up the Awning The motorhome comes equipped with a Fiamma awning. Important - the awning is not waterproof, nor able to be used in strong winds, so do not use the awning if it is raining or windy, and do not leave it open overnight. Whilst not complicated to use, the instructions for opening and closing the awning are detailed. Therefore, please refer to the Bailey motorhome handbook, from page 162. The handle to operate the awning is located in the rear storage compartment, as are the awning pegs to secure the legs to the ground (in the bag). Using the Shower The motorhome comes equipped with a working shower. Whilst you can of course use the shower, most people do not use motorhome showers, and instead use the shower facilities at the campsite they are staying at. This is because a motorhome shower only stores up to 15 litres of hot water at a time, which would be approx. 2 minutes of running water (and then takes approx. 15 minutes to warm up another 15 litres, subject to their being enough water in the fresh tank). Therefore, as most people do, we would recommend you using the showers on the campsite. 21
Using the Hot Water The motorhome was hot running water. However, it is only able to store up to 15 litres of hot water at anyone, time. Therefore, we recommend using it sparingly. Therefore, if you are washing up, put the plug in the sink to collect the water, rather than letting the water run/drain. General advice Choosing what type of Campsite is right for you? There are many campsites to choose from throughout the UK and beyond, but it is important to choose a campsite that is both right for you, and can also accommodate the motorhome. Does the campsite cater for motorhomes? Not all campsites accommodate motorhomes. Some are just for tents or for caravans, so ensure you choose a campsite that can accommodate a motorhome Will it accommodate a large motorhome? Some campsites will accommodate motorhomes, but only up to a certain size. Check that they can accommodate an 8-metre long motorhome. Most sites will state the size of the plots (knows as pitches) so check that it is big enough. Consider what facilities you want/need? Do you want a rural retreat with no facilities, or do you want access to an electric hook up, fresh water and shower facilities? As a guide, the batteries and water should last you at least two days of normal usage. Therefore if staying longer you will definitely need somewhere with an electric hookup and access to fresh water. However, our strong advice is that if you are new to motorhomes; choose a campsite with pitches that have electric hook ups, and toilet/shower facilities. Eating in, or going out? Are you planning on cooking/eating in, or going out for something to eat? If eating in, ensure you bring the food you want to eat, or can purchase on the way or at the campsite. If you are eating out, ensure you are staying somewhere where they are suitable places for you to eat. 22
What do you want from your holiday? Are you looking just to stay in the motorhome and enjoy the piece and quiet, or do you want to go site seeing? Choose a campsite that gives you either the seclusion or access you want. Remember, it is difficult to navigate a large motorhome around a small village, so make sure you are within walking distance of where you want to be, or have access to public transport, or even consider taking bikes. Resources for finding a campsite There are many resources available for finding campsites, so feel free to choose whichever suits you. We use the following, and can recommend them as they are easy to use and we use them often. www.pitchup.com www.ukcampsite.co.uk www.campsites.co.uk If you are a member of the Caravan Club, then you could use their website - www.caravanclub.co.uk 23