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We hope everyone is able to enjoy the New Year out and about travelling with their vans. Travel safely and make wonderful memories.

I have done some checking and apparently this is not so any longer. I have found the following advice: Several folks have told me not to let batteries sit on concrete. Why is that? Is it because the cold concrete would cool the battery too much? Steen Hvidd - Dolan Springs, Arizona Your question is a frequent one. Many people have the impression that when batteries sit on concrete, energy "leaks out" or they are ruined. The short answer is that letting modern batteries sit on concrete does not harm or discharge them in any way. However, this legend is historically based in fact. The first lead-acid batteries consisted of glass cells that were enclosed in tar-lined wooden boxes. A damp concrete floor could cause the wood to swell, breaking the glass inside. The Edison cell (i.e. the nickel-iron battery) that preceded the rubber-cased battery was encased in steel. Those that weren't isolated in crates would discharge into concrete quite easily. Later battery cases used primitive hardened rubber, which was somewhat porous and could contain lots of carbon. A moist concrete floor combined with the carbon in the battery cases could create electrical current between the cells, discharging them. None of this is a problem with modern batteries — safe in their hard plastic shells. In fact, concrete is generally an excellent surface on which to place a battery bank. The electrolyte in a battery sitting on an extremely cold floor with very hot air around it could stratify, causing damage from sulfation; whereas concrete provides good thermal mass to buffer any temporarily extreme temperatures in the battery compartment.

Hi John, Thanks for the post,I'm certainly up to speed now re battery storage. Happy new year??????

Further to Chris and Val's post; http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/battery.asp

Great detective work Chris and Val, A day you don't learn something new is a day wasted......so they say! Happy new year to all....stay safe???????

Hi - we are Graeme & Anne & we picked up our 20' XC3 at the end of October 2016. We gave it a good shake-down trip & learnt lots. We travelled to Noosa, Rainbow Beach, west to Toompine before coming back along the NSW/QLD border & back into QLD via the Lions Road, returning to Brisbane for some issues to be fixed. Our first flat tyre was at Eulo (unrepairable) in 37 deg weather. Lucky it was on the side where the awning was! From Brisbane we travelled south for 1 night, back to Kedron, then south again via Evans Head, Mullumbimby & Gloucester. We did a mix of caravan parks & free camps. We reluctantly put our new friend into a storage yard (that we are not comfortable with) & she will come out again to go to Tamworth in mid-January. We visit her often :-)

Looks all good now - I have been able to access where I wasn't able to before. Thank you LeaA.

To all members and friends of the Kedron Owners Group, Annie & I would like to wish you all, a very safe, happy and joyful Christmas. May the new year bring you new roads to travel and new sites to see and enjoy!?

May you all have a great, safe and healthy Christmas and New Year. Travel smoothly with no hassles. Enjoy good friendships and family.

Merry Christmas to you and Annie also, Tony.......and to all the other Kedron owners. Please stay safe on the roads if you are travelling over the Christmas period.

Hi Graeme & Ann, Welcome to KOG! Lots of info here on this site with friendly co members always willing to share their Kedron experiences. Just a suggestion, you may want to update your ownership status & fill in a few of the missing details/blanks on your profile? Enjoy the Tamworth Country Music Festival ?? Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas CU down the road

Hi Graeme and Anne. Welcome to the Kedron family. You have many happy adventures ahead of you in your new baby, and already you have had a taste of what is out there! Keep posting your trip reports; we love seeing where people are travelling. Chris