Winter

[Deleted member 73314]

Good Morning,

This is my first winter after buying my first motorhome, As it stands i currently have the motorhome at the side of my house on constant 240v hook up, the water tanks are inside the van (half full) as is the boiler (full) and the battery charger is on constantly via the 240v, the heating is on at round 18 degrees and i was planning on leaving it this way right through the winter, is this a good or bad idea?

i can drain all the tanks and switch everything off if need be but i have everything on 240v as it is so i am unsure what would be best to do?

 

[delicagirl]

i would drain the drinking water. if you let it stand for a long while it can go manky ...

 

[witzend]

Living where you do it's likely to get below freezing I'd be temped to drain it completely not worth taking a chance on frost damage

 

[Deleted member 73314]

Drain everything anytime when it might get below 5 deg
Your boiler should self drain by the auto dump switch when it gets to around 5 deg, but may not drain completely.
We have had two vans which have not fully drained, you can check this by placing a bucket under the boiler drain point to check quantity. Sometimes, we have needed to remove a breather at the top of the boiler to get a full drain.
To drain, you need to turn the power off to the water pump, otherwise you will damage this. Open all taps positioned in centre so it does not air lock in hot and cold pipes. Lift shower head up high to drain. Open any water pipe drain taps (we have one for hot and one for cold.
Open the fresh water tank drain and also the grey drain, and then take the van for a run to shake out any water.
You should have a hand book on all this.
There are many threads on this subject!
On point. If you boiler does self drain and you use it and you are unaware, you could damage it!
Also, after a full drain, close all of the drain points!

thank you for the reply, i will get it all drained down this weekend and switch everything off. does the leisure battery need to be left on constant charge or will i just disconnect the EHU?

 

[Deleted member 73314]

If you have solar, the solar will do the job, if not hook up every week for a day.
Beware that when a van stands, some engine batteries can go flat due the the computer still working!

i do have solar fitted so hopefully that can do the job, i will start and move the van once every few weeks just to make sure everything is ok. thanks again for the help, i really appreciate it

 

[Channa]

All I would add to Grahams good comments is if it is practical an air compressor through the pipes with taps open to shift any residual water, a egg cup full of screen wash down each plug hole stops any traps freezing, remove the shower head and re attach when using the van again , two reasons freezing and no nasty bacterias living in there (legionairres)

remember to leave taps open so any water can expand if it is not practical to blow it out,

Channa

 

[Deleted member 73314]

When I had hookup at home, that is what I did. I'd keep the water tank full, not half full. Mould can develop in damp, but won't under water. I used a thermostatically-controlled electric convector heater. I put it just outside the (open) bathroom door.
Be wary of the battery charger being on 24/7. A smart one will look after your battery. A cheap one will wreck it.
Note that lots of people will tell you this is the wrong approach. I write from several decades of experience, so what do I know?

thank you, i can fill the tanks and have everything running to keep the cold away no problem, i just dont know what would be "the right way" if there is such a thing, the battery charger is the one built in to the Sargent PSU (i am sure its the EC200) and has a switch to have the charger on or off?

 

[Deleted member 73314]

That is not true with a Truma combi. They can be used with or without water. They can be used stationary or driving.

I have the Truma Trumatic Boiler in my van as standard

 

[Channa]

Another useful tip is with your fridge let it defrost and a wipe, then ensure the door is left open a little so it doesn't smell when you next use it. Most fridges have the transit clip but easily broken, in the past I have used an old pillow to wedge it open, rest nothing against the seals they cant distort .

Shut the gas off too, if you have a bottle mounted regulator take it inside the house if possible, moisture can get in the diaphragm and cause issues when you re commission , cover the end of the pigtail with insulation tape to stop moisture and spiders getting in there,

Channa

 

[RoaminRog]

Its not a bad idea to open all the cupboard and locker doors internally, to avoid condensation forming inside. It avoids hot/cold spots.

 

[Channa]

Its not a bad idea to open all the cupboard and locker doors internally, to avoid condensation forming inside. It avoids hot/cold spots.

Good advice Rog ,airflow is a good idea, also the remis/ seitz blinds leave up , keeping them down for long periods can bugger the springs they can be re tensioned but not the point .ensure decorative curtains are not touching surfaces too

Channa

 

[jeffmossy]

Or better still, why park it up ? use it , empty your water as stated in previous post and take bottled water with you , boil the kettle for hot water, we have done this for years without any issues . :drive:

 

[caledonia]

Why park up for winter? It's the best time of the year. Ye canny beat a crisp frosty morning in some remote Glen.

 

[AllanD]

i do have solar fitted so hopefully that can do the job, i will start and move the van once every few weeks just to make sure everything is ok. thanks again for the help, i really appreciate it

A good way of running the van every now and then is use it to drive somewhere on a day out, for example to a National Trust property or country park. It’s great to have a good long day walk on a crisp winter day then head back to the van for a pre made lunch and a fresh brew. Keep the tanks drained/winterised though and just take some water in a container (and dishes can be done when back home).

edit, sorry for similar comments to above 2 posts, both beat me to it

 

[Deleted member 73314]

Why park up for winter? It's the best time of the year. Ye canny beat a crisp frosty morning in some remote Glen.

it is parked up because at the moment i dont have the correct license to drive the van as i am only 30 and the van is above 3.5t i cannot drive it until i have passed my C1 test so it will need to sit and wait until i get that out of the way.

 

[Minisorella]

I drain the tanks and boiler when I get home after every trip, all year round... no idea why. I know it's overkill but it's a routine habit now and everything's always been ticketyboo. Actually, slight fib because I can't easily empty the separate toilet flush tank other than by manic flushing, so that tends to get forgotten and I've sometimes had black bits in that water. I also put Birdie on ehu on the drive. I can then use the house hoover if she needs a good clean, charge up the bits that stay in the van (eg. electric toothbrush... but that's a whole other thread lol!), plus it gives me somewhere to plug in the lawnmower without fighting to get the garage door open :raofl: I always prop open the bathroom, wardrobe and fridge doors for good circulation - again, all year round - and put a splosh of Zoflora down each drain to keep them sweet.

In winter, I put a little electric heater inside and set the thermostat low to protect from frost and help to keep the damp away. My boiler doesn't 'dump' so just as well to be in the habit of emptying everything. I used to use moisture traps with gel crystals to protect the fabrics and furnishings but I tipped one over by accident once in the overhead bed area... if you've ever tried to clear up that invisible sticky oily-feeling mess, then you'll know why I won't touch them now! I do move all the seats and cushions and any clothes/bedding/mattress topper,etc, an inch or two away from the walls though, plus open all the cupboard doors and make sure the external silver screens are on, to cut down condensation from the cab area. I don't take everything into the house as some people do because I keep camping through the winter as often as I can, so that would be a logistical nightmare. As it is, it doesn't take me long to be ready for the next trip. Gotta love winter camping!

Oh and about keeping the engine battery charged. Before having solar fitted with a gizmo that keeps all batteries topped up, the (then new) engine battery used to be flat as a pancake after a not moving the van for a couple of weeks... soon got that solar system and battery master organised! It's all too easy to let a couple of weeks tick by without noticing, even with the best of intentions.

Good luck with your first winter Bigross... stay cosy

 

[Deleted member 73314]

I drain the tanks and boiler when I get home after every trip, all year round... no idea why. I know it's overkill but it's a routine habit now and everything's always been ticketyboo. Actually, slight fib because I can't easily empty the separate toilet flush tank other than by manic flushing, so that tends to get forgotten and I've sometimes had black bits in that water. I also put Birdie on ehu on the drive. I can then use the house hoover if she needs a good clean, charge up the bits that stay in the van (eg. electric toothbrush... but that's a whole other thread lol!), plus it gives me somewhere to plug in the lawnmower without fighting to get the garage door open :raofl: I always prop open the bathroom, wardrobe and fridge doors for good circulation - again, all year round - and put a splosh of Zoflora down each drain to keep them sweet.

In winter, I put a little electric heater inside and set the thermostat low to protect from frost and help to keep the damp away. My boiler doesn't 'dump' so just as well to be in the habit of emptying everything. I used to use moisture traps with gel crystals to protect the fabrics and furnishings but I tipped one over by accident once in the overhead bed area... if you've ever tried to clear up that invisible sticky oily-feeling mess, then you'll know why I won't touch them now! I do move all the seats and cushions and any clothes/bedding/mattress topper,etc, an inch or two away from the walls though, plus open all the cupboard doors and make sure the external silver screens are on, to cut down condensation from the cab area. I don't take everything into the house as some people do because I keep camping through the winter as often as I can, so that would be a logistical nightmare. As it is, it doesn't take me long to be ready for the next trip. Gotta love winter camping!

Oh and about keeping the engine battery charged. Before having solar fitted with a gizmo that keeps all batteries topped up, the (then new) engine battery used to be flat as a pancake after a not moving the van for a couple of weeks... soon got that solar system and battery master organised! It's all too easy to let a couple of weeks tick by without noticing, even with the best of intentions.

Good luck with your first winter Bigross... stay cosy View attachment 59176

thank you very much for your reply, sounds like thats what i will be doing this weekend then!

 

[RoaminRog]

I found that keeping the van constantly charging through the Sargent was frightenly expensive. I have refillable gas fitted and it is much cheaper to keep the heater chugging away using the thermostat to switch it on and off.

 

[silverweed]

They can be used for heating, but if the switch is set by mistake to heat the water it can do serious damage[/QUOTE.

On my heater the only options are water heater only or water heater and heating. I can not have heating alone.

 

[Mick H]

I used to carry out many of the procedures already posted, on this thread, but found that, in practice, several were a waste of time.

I'm mainly referring to having heating on, and dehumidifiers. Ventilation is the key requirement. Some vans are designed, better than others, in this respect.

Charging the batteries, is needed, all year round, when the van is not in use, not just when laid up, in winter. Whilst solar would be ok for much of the year, during most UK winters, it should not be relied on, without making check on battery condition. Whilst keeping it on permanent EHU, could well lead to a shortened battery life.

Regarding the Truma combi's, I'm not sure, without checking, but thought that I'd read that, if the hot water was switched on, with no water in, then it would operate a trip, which would need resetting, of course. Better by far, not to do this anyway.

I too, drain down both hot and cold water, but leave them open, until I've driven the van, in order to completely drain them both.
Getting as much water out of ALL of the system, is very important, because of the possibility of frost damage.