October 2025 – Caravan Ramblings

Caravan 12v Battery Re-Wire

A quick look in our battery box revealed a tangled mess of wires and always a challenge to remove the battery from the compartment. And only two different connections – 12v to the Sargent control unit and 12v to the motor mover. The motor mover cables were too long and haphazardly tied together with insulation tape.

All I really needed to achieve was to add a voltage sensor across the Lithium battery, to accurately measure voltages and thus ensure the Victron MPPT controller can work to its best.

I also wanted the flexibility to future add some extra solar panels (portable) and again these really needed to connect close to the battery. I also wanted to run a 1500w inverter.

My solution was…

Relocate the Motormover controller to sit on top of the Sargent control unit, keeping the cooling grills free of obstruction. This would create extra floor space for the Inverter and 12v distribution board. The board was some unused lightweight caravan cupboard shelving and I attached 4-way 12v Busbars from Amazon. Most of the other components came from 12v Planet.

I would then feed just two 25mm2 cables from the distribution board to the battery. These are ultra flexible and capable of carrying in excess of 170A. I added a 170A Cube fuse to the battery’s positive terminal.

Whilst not strictly without risk, I also shortened the motor mover battery to controller cable.

The inverter then sits next to the Sargent unit and is mounted with thumbscrews and a huge Anderson connector to allow it to be removed. It’s quite heavy so I wanted the option to be able to take it our easily.

The Victron sense connects to the battery terminals and sticks to the top of the battery. It monitors the temperature and voltage at the battery and feeds this over bluetooth to the Victron controller, negating any voltage losses which occur in the conservatively-sized Swift wiring.

Here’s a picture of the battery box:

Swift Sterling Eccles 12v Re-Wire, October 2025

And the 12v Layout under the front bench seat.

Overnighting in Bridport, Dorset

A short stay in Bridport (22 Oct 2025) to meet my friend from Lyme Regis for a few afternoon beers. I booked “Ernie’s plot”, some 30 minute walk from the centre of town along a quiet road with a pavement.

“Ernie’s plot” is a Caravan and Motorhome Club CL site with five pitches and two toilet facilities, each kitted out with a wash-basin, toilet and shower. It was easy to book – Nic was very helpful – and I paid via Bank Transfer.

The weather was nice for the walk in but by early evening the heavens had opened and it was a particularly wet evening and night. Fortunately I caught the last bus from Bridport which stops close to “Ernie’s”.

We visited three hostelries in Bridport. First stop was “The Pursuit of Hoppiness”.

Second on the list was “The Woodman” which is a cosy independent and friendly pub with a focus on quality beers and ciders. In 2024 it won the Regional Pub of the Year – Wessex.

Finally, no visit to Bridport would be complete without a visit to one of the local brewery “Palmers” pubs – The Ropemaker.

Red Shoot, New Forest, October 2025

This trip was from the middle of October. We arrived in the New Forest Wednesday the 9th October and let Sunday morning.

Another spell of quiet weather with warm daytime temperatures spurred us on to join Paul and Andrea for a few days in the New Forest. This time we wouldn’t be staying at our usual haunt (Black Knowl CAMC Site at Brockenhurst) but instead, Red Shoot Campers. This site is North of the A31 and located next door to the Red Shoot Inn.

Being north of the A31, this was the perfect opportunity to explore places a bit more challenging to access from Black Knowl at Brockenhurst.

Whilst the Red Shoot Inn no longer has the on-site micro-brewery, it serves good pub food and had a decent selection of real ales.

After pitching-up at Red Shoot campers, we headed to the Red Shoot Inn for refreshments and dinner, watching the cattle meander by, outside.

With a mixture of cycling and walking, we never tire of spending time in the New Forest, with the free-roaming ponies, donkeys, deer and cattle. Presently pigs have been let loose to eat the acorns which apparently can be poisonous to the ponies.

A few highlights from the visit below.

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Cycle ride to the Cuckoo Inn at Hamptworth. Great value sandwiches available at the Inn for a mere £3.50 each!

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A 4 mile circular walk from Red Shoot Campers to the High Corner Inn. A map and walking guide is available from the campsite reception.

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A 20 mile round-trip cycle ride to Lyndhurst.

Cycle ride to Lyndhurst, New Forest, October 2025

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A day trip to Brockenhurst for afternoon tea and cakes.