Hillside Birchover

[Davenjo]

Certainly no chances of the ambient temperature getting below 5c over the summer we've had

Have you seen this page from the Waeco/Dometic Coolmatic manual that explains the red light sequences - low (or high?) voltage is just one cause?

Each flash lasts for one quarter of a second. After the series of impulses a pause follows. The sequence for the fault is repeated every four seconds.

Number of flashes - Fault - Possible cause

1 - Line Voltage - The supply voltage is outside of the set range.

2 -Excessive fan current -The fan load on the electronics unit is more than 1 A.

3 - The motor doesn't start - The rotor is jammed 0r The pressure difference in the cooling system is too high (> 5 bar).

4 - Speed too low - If the cooling system is overloaded, the minimum speed of the motor of 1,850 rpm cannot be maintained.

5 - Overheating of the electronics unit - If the cooling system is loaded too heavily or the temperature is set too high, the electronics can overheat.

Constantly - NTC errors - NTC is defective.

 

[andys]

Update on the extended warranty story, Andy Williams rang from Sheffield JCT.
Eureka, Andy knows all about extended warranties and it transpires that they had supplied my van to Hillside
so he already had all the van details! He says its a simple process and cant understand why VW and so many
of their dealers were unable to sort it! Hopefully should be sorted by close of play today
Further, I'd been wondering where to go for servicing as previous experience was that VW commercial
seemed to treat a camper like a bricklayers van. Well, I'm told that JCT Sheffield are California dealers and
have a separate process with mechs properly trained on conversions. They also say that as the main
supplier to Hillside Leisure, a lot of Birchovers come to them for servicing. Thats clinched it for me!

Cheers
Phil


Edit: Wahoo! we have an extended warranty! As with most things, it seems that all you need is to find someone who knows

Hi Phil, sounds like you live near me. Did you end up having it serviced at Sheffield? Were you happy with them? Mine has come up with a message to have it serviced in 21 days so need to arrange where to have it done.

 

[Phil_G]

Mines not due for a while yet Andy, I live near Pontefract but we're originally from Sheffield & still have ties there...
My judgement is only based on a phone call, but I'd spoken to so many VW Commercial agents who gave me no confidence at all,
it was a relief to talk to someone who understands that a campervan is different, that its a long term investment, part of the family...
I'm not a great judge of character but the Sheffield JCT bloke seemed genuine, they have a separate process for campers and are big
on VW Californias - and they supply Hillside, so all in all I was convinced thats where mine will be going when its ready

It would be great to hear from anyone who has actually had work done there...
Cheers
Phil

 

[andys]

Mines not due for a while yet Andy, I live near Pontefract but we're originally from Sheffield & still have ties there...
My judgement is only based on a phone call, but I'd spoken to so many VW Commercial agents who gave me no confidence at all,
it was a relief to talk to someone who understands that a campervan is different, that its a long term investment, part of the family...
I'm not a great judge of character but the Sheffield JCT bloke seemed genuine, they have a separate process for campers and are big
on VW Californias - and they supply Hillside, so all in all I was convinced thats where mine will be going when its ready

It would be great to hear from anyone who has actually had work done there...
Cheers
Phil

Ok thanks, looks like I'll be the guinea pig then, I'll report back after I've been

 

[Phil_G]

When you arrive I would take the time to find Andy Williams and let him know that a lot of people are watching and waiting...

 

[andys]

The signs are not good, I’ve been ringing them at various times in gaps at work over the last 2 days and they haven’t yet answered the phone...

 

[Grainfoot]

If you like cooking fridge door Is brilliant. Everything at hand.

 

[Davenjo]

If you like cooking fridge door Is brilliant. Everything at hand.

Love the fridge door but the tracks in our floor are getting deeper as a result of the ever increasing weight of tins and condiments we seem to store in there - ultimately we value the functionality of the door over the cosmetics of the lines in the floor but has anyone got any ideas on how to fix/tidy up a bit?

As an aside, have any of you guys with Hillside vans had any of the delamination problems reported by @jem earlier today? Definitely the result of water ingress but whether its down to poor build/design or user abuse as a hire van open to question.

 

[Grainfoot]

Yes our fridge diid doesn't run as smoothly as it did. Sounds like there is grit in roller

 

[Davenjo]

Yes our fridge diid doesn't run as smoothly as it did. Sounds like there is grit in roller

We were up there last week and I tried a couple of the fridge doors - they did seem to run a bit smoother than ours ever did - they’ve probably found some better wheels??

 

[Grainfoot]

We were up there last week and I tried a couple of the fridge doors - they did seem to run a bit smoother than ours ever did - they’ve probably found some better wheels??

Ours is due for first habitation check next month . May be able to sort something then . What was with the de lamination thing. We have a bit on bottom right hand side of our fridge door

 

[Davenjo]

Ours is due for first habitation check next month . May be able to sort something then . What was with the de lamination thing. We have a bit on bottom right hand side of our fridge door

Delamination thread here:- Bubbled Interior Panel

 

[Tony&Dawn]

I removed our fridge door a few weeks ago as the edge strip adhesive has dried out causing the strip to come away, possibly down to the hot weather we’ve had this summer, so while I had the door off I put a 1mm washer on the hinge pin, now the door glides open and rests on the wheel when fully open.

Plus we do not tend to overload the door too much.

 

[Tony&Dawn]

You do know the habitation check is £200

 

[Davenjo]

I removed our fridge door a few weeks ago as the edge strip adhesive has dried out causing the strip to come away, possibly down to the hot weather we’ve had this summer, so while I had the door off I put a 1mm washer on the hinge pin, now the door glides open and rests on the wheel when fully open.

Plus we do not tend to overload the door too much.

We’ve had similar with edging strip adhesive drying out over the summer, both on the fridge door and the doors into the RIB base (though we think this was more to do with our teenager’s feet than anything else). Also had to re-glue the Velcro on the roof closure vinyl as it melted. All minor stuff though and nothing more than acceptable wear and tear.

 

[Caulkhead]

We’ve had similar with edging strip adhesive drying out over the summer, both on the fridge door and the doors into the RIB base (though we think this was more to do with our teenager’s feet than anything else). Also had to re-glue the Velcro on the roof closure vinyl as it melted. All minor stuff though and nothing more than acceptable wear and tear.

All these things depend on time when you say wear & tear though for more problematical items ....... I accept the wear & tear bit but if something goes wrong within the first year then there is something wrong with the intrinsic design of the conversion..... bearing in mind that before it has been sold to you or me that it (should be a well trusted design )....... anyway just a thought and something that if you have bought a conversion in a van would wind you up ,if not working correctly.

 

[Davenjo]

All these things depend on time when you say wear & tear though for more problematical items ....... I accept the wear & tear bit but if something goes wrong within the first year then there is something wrong with the intrinsic design of the conversion..... bearing in mind that before it has been sold to you or me that it (should be a well trusted design )....... anyway just a thought and something that if you have bought a conversion in a van would wind you up ,if not working correctly.

Nothing winding me up and very happy with the intrinsic design and quality of my van after 2 years - I was talking specifics about glue drying out and/or melting over the exceptionally hot summer??

 

[Tony&Dawn]

All these things depend on time when you say wear & tear though for more problematical items ....... I accept the wear & tear bit but if something goes wrong within the first year then there is something wrong with the intrinsic design of the conversion..... bearing in mind that before it has been sold to you or me that it (should be a well trusted design )....... anyway just a thought and something that if you have bought a conversion in a van would wind you up ,if not working correctly.

Early summer I changed the sliding door inner panel to the Kiravans storage panel, picked up the carpet to match my van from hillside and during the conversation they admitted that they had had issues with glue in the past , i:e advising me which adhesive to use with the carpet.

 

[Grainfoot]

We’ve had similar with edging strip adhesive drying out over the summer, both on the fridge door and the doors into the RIB base (though we think this was more to do with our teenager’s feet than anything else). Also had to re-glue the Velcro on the roof closure vinyl as it melted. All minor stuff though and nothing more than acceptable wear and tear.

I took the bottom doors off and shaved away the edge of the plastic moulding to make it flush with the flat door. This has stopped it being pushed down as feet slide down the door.

 

[Grainfoot]

You do know the habitation check is £200

Ouch I didn't realise it was that much. What do they do?