Suggestions for a basic toolbox

Gaffer tape-it's a Godsend for a lot of applications  

Agree heartily on Gaffer Tape, the silver heavy duty stuff. Gets you out of all sorts of situations. We also carry some spare fuses, circlips to fit various pipe work, WD40, spare sink plug, some silicon sealant, a few screwdrivers and spanners, solely for keeping in van. Our van is old, we have replumbed it, fitted a new electric box, a new water heater, a new jockey wheel, and dealt with all sorts of awning malfunctions while away. Depends how handy you are at a bit of DIY. There's usually a decent tool,outlet not too far away! 

Gaffer  tape  --  yes

But  TDA's  last two  sentences  rule,  "Depends  how  handy  you  are  at  a  bit  of  D I Y.  There's  usually a  decent  tool  outlet  not  too  far  away"

And  that  says  it  all  !! don't  waste  your  money  on  things  you  don't  know  how  to  use  !!  The  damage  you  can  do  out-weighs  the  inconvenience  you  might suffer.

I always had my Dad for electrics so never had to think about it - but he did teach me how to wire a plug and how to wire a rocker switch as well and for my birthday one year he bought me a big Collins DIY Encyclopedia! I do miss him.

I will only attempt something if I am sure I know what I am doing (except for previous escapade with the jockey wheel!)

I watched a plumbing Youtube video over and over again before I plumbed in my washing machine and it worked!

I have been known to go into a certain DIY superstore and gaze longingly at Bosch Cordless Tools. This caravan electrics stuff is a massive learning curve for me, but I'll persist and read and annoy the hell out of Maplins staff until I get it

Mayday and a good caravan engineer

Modern vans are probably a lot more sophisticated than ours in truth, so possible more to go wrong, but both OH and I are not too bad at simple DIY. Good advice though, don't attempt anything you are not sure about. 

A cheap multimeter

spare fuses

wire strippers / crimping tool 

Junior hacksaw

A couple of bottles of cider ,just drink them while you wait for someone to fix the problem 

What ever you have in your tool kit,there will be something "missing"

A tool kit is only as good as the person useing in