The vw california - Tips & Tricks page.

With thanks from Tim Sawyer a detailed description of how to install extension sockets in to your California...photo's will follow.

From Tim Sawyer

I have been asked to show some photos of the extension sockets I have added to my California to make the use of the “continental” sockets more convenient. The project is not quite finished as I need to make some clips to hold the plugs when not connected, just for the sake of tidyness.

Taking the main hook-up socket first, as most users have commented, the use of a travel adaptor is not too successful as it is a loose fit, falls out and fairly useless. A very short continental hook-up lead was supplied with the California and is really only useful as an adaptor lead from a standard UK lead (how often are you parked tight up to a hook-up?) and as I already had an even shorter continental hook-up adaptor I thought I would use the continental end to make an extension lead from the internal socket to a UK 13 amp socket. The connection is very positive and will not drop out (just try plugging your own VW supplied lead into the socket to see what I mean).

Choice of 13 amp socket (colour etc.,) is a personal choice and I decided to spray the white plastic mounting box dark grey as my van is “off road grey”. When positioning the box, take care not to drill through the cupboard just where the cutlery drawer runner is and allow room for the plug lead to hang down from the socket when plugged in (obvious, I know, but one of those things you think about after you have drilled a hole in the wrong place!!)

Now, the mystery “Euro socket” in the door pillar is not mentioned in any of the manuals or VW literature other than the October 2007 onwards sales brochure. It’s handy for charging mobile phones, cameras etc., in theory BUT what do you plug into it? I looked everywhere to find an adaptor with no success and eventually bought a lead off Ebay that had a “Euro plug” (lozenge shaped) on one end. It cost about £2.50 and I merely cut off the mystery plug on the other end (probably intended for some small electrical unit like a shaver or radio) and wired it into another UK 13 amp socket matching the one fitted for the hook-up.

WARNING – this socket is not earthed and must only be used for small items like phone chargers etc that are double insulated and no more than 150W. I have discovered that you should not leave this lead plugged in when not using it as inserting the Euro plug switches on the inverter (see green light on the photo) and immediately starts drawing about 0.4 amps from the leisure batteries even without any load plugged into the 13 amp socket. It is only designed for brief use of low wattage 230v items.

Whilst writing, I’ve already mentioned on the forum that the Magcode socket (12v), being the socket next to the main 230v socket on the end of the kitchen unit, will accommodate “DIN” plugs available at all caravan accessory shops. I found that the internal lights are not very good for reading so I bought a brighter 12v clip-on display light from B&Q and wired it into a cigar lighter plug – the type with the detachable red ring on the end (see photo). With the ring removed, I plug it into the “magcode” socket and clip the light to the hook above the sink. With the red ring attached, I can plug the light into the cigar lighter socket in the tray by the sliding door and can hook the light on the hanging strap or, with the door open, hook it on the edge of the door or elsewhere outside to give an outside light in the evening under the awning – glass of wine in hand!

Hope all this is of some use to fellow Californiers!

Did you know that in one of the rails for the sliding rear bench seat, there are two 'stoppers' fitted to restrict the seat from sliding further forward than is necessary to fold the bed down, and further back than the rear shelf. We took ours out and it greatly increases the flexibility of the interior space. Take a look at the photo's;

Rear seat fully back; there is still room to stand the parcel shelf and mattress cover up behind the seats, makes the interior space massive!!

Rear seat fully forward, makes the rear boot space huge, and our little ones love been really close to the front seats (although perhaps not this close)!

We leave the front windscreen 'blind' up all the time, leaving it stowed on top of the mattress in the folding roof. This saves a great deal of 'faffing' around trying to put it up and take it down.

VW bike rack...who needs a washing line??