Thats the van winterised!

[Pudsey Bear]

Not too much of an issue winter or some for us wild camping since we first started as we drive a bit during the day so the batteries get a boost.

 

[barryd]

Not too much of an issue winter or some for us wild camping since we first started as we drive a bit during the day so the batteries get a boost.

Thats the difference for us. When we go for three weeks for Christmas we will be parked up in one spot for the entire duration in the central / south Lake District. Im not sure even a ton of Lithium and solar would cope with that. Our van excels itself on hookup. Its utterly fantastic. Well I say that. Ive yet to use it down to sub zero temperatures but in October we had a bit of a battle at times over the thermostat as I was too flaming hot half the time.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Thats the difference for us. When we go for three weeks for Christmas we will be parked up in one spot for the entire duration in the central / south Lake District. Im not sure even a ton of Lithium and solar would cope with that. Our van excels itself on hookup. Its utterly fantastic. Well I say that. Ive yet to use it down to sub zero temperatures but in October we had a bit of a battle at times over the thermostat as I was too flaming hot half the time.

Stop wearing fleece lined knickers then.

 

[alcam]

Stop wear fleece lined knickers then.

You don't wear them for heat

 

[Sharon the Cat]

I tried Boots for earplugs once, but the laces hurt.

Now I've got to wipe a mouthful of tea of my keyboard!

 

[trevskoda]

Barry take a wire from less batts to starter batt, croc clips will do, i would put a fuse at each end behind the crocks, the main charger will float ok charging them all up

 

[barryd]

Barry take a wire from less batts to starter batt, croc clips will do, i would put a fuse at each end behind the crocks, the main charger will float ok charging them all up

The controller is already charging the starter battery Trev. Seems to do a good job of keeping them topped up. Now the vans on the drive it will be interesting to see how it gets on over the next week or so. I did toy with using the Ducato shut down red thing on the ignition but I started reading one thread that put me right off that. I think it will be fine. The Sargent is shut down and hopefully there is enough power going into each battery to keep it going over winter or until we use it in a months time.

 

[trevskoda]

The controller is already charging the starter battery Trev. Seems to do a good job of keeping them topped up. Now the vans on the drive it will be interesting to see how it gets on over the next week or so. I did toy with using the Ducato shut down red thing on the ignition but I started reading one thread that put me right off that. I think it will be fine. The Sargent is shut down and hopefully there is enough power going into each battery to keep it going over winter or until we use it in a months time.

Jan feb march here is the worst of winter, i have even seen snow in april.

 

[Robmac]

Jan feb march here is the worst of winter, i have even seen snow in april.

I've seen snow in June before now Trev.

 

[trevskoda]

I've seen snow in June before now Trev.

Yep norm ok to about 2/3 weeks before xmas, then from 2 week in jan all hell breaks lose over here Rob.

 

[barryd]

I've seen snow in France in August. I think we were south of Annecy somewhere so a good way south. Up about 4500ft and the fire packed up. It was blooming cold and the next morning we headed lower down but there was a layer of snow and quite a lot higher up.

 

[trevskoda]

If it ever snows like 62/3 we are in trouble, i was about 5/6 and stuck indoors for a week, lucky our butcher lived next door and his van was stuffed to the gills, the street soon sorted that out.

 

[Robmac]

If it ever snows like 62/3 we are in trouble, i was about 5/6 and stuck indoors for a week, lucky our butcher lived next door and his van was stuffed to the gills, the street soon sorted that out.

I was 3 Trev but I can remember walking down the street with me mum. They had dug a trench to walk on the pavement and I remember the top of the trench was way above my head.

 

[barryd]

Worst one I can remember I think was 82 or 83. I remember us coming out of the pub shitfaced (I was 16) and I had my Fizzy with me. There was at least a foot of snow! (must have been in the pub a while). Trying to motor it home walking it with my friends was interesting. When we got to the park we tried to ride through it with three of us on it. Obviously it didn't end well.

 

[trevskoda]

I was 3 Trev but I can remember walking down the street with me mum. They had dug a trench to walk on the pavement and I remember the top of the trench was way above my head.

We had to dig a tunnel from the back door to the coal bunker, yep i got the job of fetching it in small bucket loads.

 

[JQB]

Actually it does work. Nothing frosts up on the drive and unless it gets really really sub zero it rarely freezes. I have of course drained the boiler, tanks, disconnected the pump etc. Snow coming tomorrow so thought it best to put it away. I just hope the solar does just enough to keep the cab battery topped up there. We will see.

And u exit the van via the?

 

[barryd]

And u exit the van via the?

Through the roof, up the soil pipe and into the bathroom window.

 

[JQB]

Thats the difference for us. When we go for three weeks for Christmas we will be parked up in one spot for the entire duration in the central / south Lake District. Im not sure even a ton of Lithium and solar would cope with that. Our van excels itself on hookup. Its utterly fantastic. Well I say that. Ive yet to use it down to sub zero temperatures but in October we had a bit of a battle at times over the thermostat as I was too flaming hot half the time.

Reminds me of the good old days in the office, birds with little on wanting stat at 30°c.

 

[barryd]

Reminds me of the good old days in the office, birds with little on wanting stat at 30°c.

Oh yes. The old Office air con wars. Remember them well. And the "birds" with next to nothing on. Happy days.

 

[JQB]

If it ever snows like 62/3 we are in trouble, i was about 5/6 and stuck indoors for a week, lucky our butcher lived next door and his van was stuffed to the gills, the street soon sorted that out.

I was doing door to door bakery delivery, wicker basket in hand. The J2 van was useless so the baker got hold of a ford 10 van with 18" wheels plus chains, but still could'nt drive to all the houses. Lots of tramping thru deep snow ensued. Some roads had very high vertical snow walls on either side, often the salt spreading was done by a couple of blokes with shovels throwing it out of a flatbed truck, trouble was unless the truck had a good speed the salt tended to land in clumps creating giant potholes in the ice.