EHU always on? (2 Viewers)

[DavidG58]

I already know that most owners of MH's are of increased age, I am amazed at how many of you have time to rush outside according to daylight / air temperature and modify your MH's, blinds open / closed, roof lights open / closed, heating on / off, chargers on / off, I have probably missed a few key mods

Cupboard doors open / closed, dehumidifier on / off, before we get into alarm settings

I don't think I will bother retiring, I don't have the time

 

[signworks]

My on ehu with dehumidifier plug in to keep damp out works for me

 

[DavidG58]

Condensation forms when warm air comes into contact with a cold surface,people who leave the heating on leave bowls of salt or use a dehumidifier to trap moisture. Strange how without heat I struggle to catch any




Vlad[/QUOTE]


I find we only have condensation when we are in MH, I don't understand it but with heating on, (I do leave EHU on and heating on at 12C) we have no condensation at all, unless we use it as spare room then we do.

Need to stop guests breathing!!

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[Vlad The Impaler]

Condensation forms when warm air comes into contact with a cold surface,people who leave the heating on leave bowls of salt or use a dehumidifier to trap moisture. Strange how without heat I struggle to catch any




Vlad

I find we only have condensation when we are in MH, I don't understand it but with heating on, (I do leave EHU on and heating on at 12C) we have no condensation at all, unless we use it as spare room then we do.

Need to stop guests breathing!![/QUOTE]
Not at all,when were first used our van we got lots of condensation,even in summer, however over time we found out how to solve this,air circulation is the key when there's people in the van! Had I had a dehumidifier ,with all of us in the van I'd have no water worries for any of my trips!
Winter unoccupied vans are a totally different matter, as an experienced Funster has already stated dealers don't heat vans on forecourts ,and many of them sit there for a long time.If vans suffered any ill by not being heated they wouldn't take the risk as they get enough sh!t at the best of times,



Vlad

 

[daisy mae]

Mine is usually on EHU on the drive, have heat on sometimes as I go in there with a coffee and a book, it is drained down, I use it nearly every day, as it is my only vehicle. everything is left in apart from fresh food and personnel clothing, so can go off at a minutes notice.

 

[DavidG58]

as an experienced Funster has already stated dealers don't heat vans on forecourts ,and many of them sit there for a long time.If vans suffered any ill by not being heated they wouldn't take the risk as they get enough sh!t at the best of times,



Vlad[/QUOTE]


We keep hearing about damp in MH's maybe you have identified the cause!!

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[Vlad The Impaler]

My on ehu with dehumidifier plug in to keep damp out works for me

Damp is an effect of water ingress, or in a construction,water coming from the ground up through the structure.Assuming you've still got your tyres on you should be ok!
Is your shed or summerhouse riddled with damp,do you heat those?



Vlad

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

as an experienced Funster has already stated dealers don't heat vans on forecourts ,and many of them sit there for a long time.If vans suffered any ill by not being heated they wouldn't take the risk as they get enough sh!t at the best of times,



Vlad

We keep hearing about damp in MH's maybe you have identified the cause!! [/QUOTE]

Ignorance is bliss ,even though it's costing you a few bob,still if you have money too burn why not use it heating an empty shell,each too their own !



Vlad

 

[TheBig1]

we leave our vans on EHU and through the coldest part of winter run an oil filled radiator on low temperature too. never leave the van heating on long term as the elements burn out as not designed for continuous use over months.

also a dehumidifier causes more problems than it solves in a motorhome or caravan. they tend to suck moisture in from outside via skylights and vents.

what you need to avoid is cold spots in the van as condensation will pool there. open cupboards and lift seat bases to allow airflow

leave blinds retracted or the springs fail, so cover cushions with a sheet or take indoors

has worked for us over a great many years with motorhomes and caravans:thumb:

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[coldstreamer]

coldstreamer

EU on, a 40 watt tubular heater from Screwfix on a 'Timer' plus dehumidifier a couple of times a week, when we are home. All cupboard doors open. All blinds open in daylight hours.
Done this for 25 years on four vans plus one Static. Never a problem.
Best Regards Mac

 

[Ed Excel]

Most seem aware airborne moisture condenses on a cold surface.

What I don't think has been mentioned is that moisture becomes airborne when heat is introduced into the space; warmer air can hold more water. You either add the heat yourself or the sun does it for you.

The moisture content of air depends, to a great extent, where you live and the time of year (If you're looking for damp think Lancashire), or your activities eg cooking, heating water, breathing, etc.

If there's heat in the space you need ventilation to let the airborne moisture out, or collect it yourself with a dehumidifier. Same principle wether the MH is occupied or not.

You can't really avoid moisture entering your MH, if the outside air is humid, there's too much permanent ventilation, for cooking appliances. Without heat and vent it will settle in your soft furnishings; unnoticeable until it's too late.

 

[MitchandJenny]

On EHU constantly.. 80 watt 'tube heater plugged into a thermostatic plug set at 5 deg C...
Reference the point about using a de-humidifier,, we have a mini weather station ( £6.99 from Lidle) and if the humidity rises above 60% just put the de-hum; on for half an hour and
that does it... I don't agree that it "sucks" air in from outside,, it simply draws air through itself and extracts the water and puts it back into the room/van !!!! But its a moot point and not worth an argument.. Works for us,, we don't even remove the upholstery ...
Mitch...

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[daisy mae]

Our caravan is on EHU all the time on drive, never had a heater in the winter, leave all cushions bedding etc in, have done for nearly 30 years had no problems what so ever, no damp, no condensation, we now have a cover on, so do the same with my MH, caravan has Aldi heating so do not touch that, haven`t on board water tanks. on MH drained down water tanks.

 

[Wombles]

In the winter only we plan to use an oil filled radiator set to frost thermostat setting, dehumidifier set to about quarter turn, cupboards undone so slight gap open & make sure cushions not in contact with outside walls. Exterior washed off & Bobby Dazzled under breathable cover. After caravanning (now got a coachbuilt so same principle?) for quite a few years we have found this method means no damp & clean & ready to go. We did try the greenhouse tubular type heater but found a huge increase in our electric bill as although low usage it was on all the time so it all added up - bought a cheap Tesco oil filled rad & much better. We need a cover as saves loads of work as the birds love to use anything on our drive as target practise! Also greatly reduces the aging on the plastic bits. I know lots of you will say don't cover it just get out & use it but we still have work commitments & school holiday restrictions so not that free yet.

 

[Wombles]

Forgot to say on solar for short times when uncovered & EHU when covered.

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[Wildge]

I already know that most owners of MH's are of increased age, I am amazed at how many of you have time to rush outside according to daylight / air temperature and modify your MH's, blinds open / closed, roof lights open / closed, heating on / off, chargers on / off, I have probably missed a few key mods

It's the only way we poor hard up pensioners can keep warm David ...dashing outside to the van

 

[robnchris]

Don`t understand this having a heater on in the motorhome over winter or the using a dehumidifier, if you heat a space then sooner or later it will come into contact with cooler air equals condensation.
A dehumidifier takes moisture out of the atmosphere so it in a large space like a motorhome with vents that are open to the outside it will just keep on sucking in moisture.

We close all the window blinds, we have a silver screen on in the winter, open all cupboards, remove all food and the soft furninishings.
All water systems are drained down with taps left open, solar panel on roof keeps batteries topped up.:thumb:

 

[Baycott]

I have read this tread with great interest.
The arguments to heat/not heat dehumidify or not and to use EHU or not.
The main consensus seems to be to use EHU (to keep batteries topped up) with no heat or dehumid.
So far I have used a tubular heater but as has been previously stated this is expensive on all the time. I might put it on a timer as Coldstreamer suggested.

The best suggestion of all though is USE IT
John :thumb:

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[JaG]

Mainly on Solar Panel. EHU for about 2 days a month

 

[sdc77]

I have read this tread with great interest.
The arguments to heat/not heat dehumidify or not and to use EHU or not.
The main consensus seems to be to use EHU (to keep batteries topped up) with no heat or dehumid.
So far I have used a tubular heater but as has been previously stated this is expensive on all the time. I might put it on a timer as Coldstreamer suggested.

The best suggestion of all though is USE IT
John :thumb:

My thoughts exactly..
The reason we leave it plugged in and with a 'travelling' amount of water in with winter electric only heating set low is that we are ready to go... If only out for one day... Its always ready for us.... Plus I like to Potter about in it every so often
We don't have to worry about freezing pipes or toilet fittings.

 

[eddie]

Plugged in, heating left on low, air con set to de humidify. Freezer full, spare fridge for beer/wine, water heater on main, pretty much ready to go:thumb:

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[Jaws]

Just rely on the panels.. They deliver plenty.. Fitted a B to B module ages ago just to keep the cab battery topped up too.
Water is full, our clobber is in there.. Some food though obviously not a lot..
Basically she is ready to rock and roll at a moments notice ( but then, we do use it as much as possible )

 

[Dereckerick]

The solar keeps the leisure batteries topped up and also the engine battery.

No heating on, but I dehumidify every couple of months just too keep on top of it when not in use.

Usually put the EHU on a couple of days before we go away in the winter and heat everything up with the dehumidifier on depending on if it gets a full mop out and detol of all surfaces due to the 18 month old licking and chewing everything!

All cupboards and doors left open when not in use

 

[ericonabike]

Was nervous last winter with our first van so left it on EHU with a convector heater set to 'frost'. Still drained it down but was concerned there might have been enough water in to freeze somewhere. Upended cushions and soft furnishings, left cupboards etc open. Had no problems. This winter, with new van, have decided to drain down as before, cushions and cupboards as before, but not leave it on hook up [solar panles and a run every few weeks]. Again, no problems so far. So seems both methods work, but one is certainly cheaper.

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[lorger]

Leave ours plugged in normally with no heating, we then turn the heating on night before we are going away to take the chill off it. Also use the fridge for Magners when hiding it from Lorraine.
We have a solar panel also but van is right next to house cable so doesn't get loads of sun light, will remedy. This early next year as I'm taking garage down and moving it back 10m, I also open some windows on nice days to let some fresh air in.

Try to use it as much as possible then don't have to worry about it to much although not been doing so lately due to other commitments.

 

[John & Joan]

We head south with the birds. So most of the time we don't have hook-up but the weather is much warmer. We are in Southern Spain at present and have had only one night were it got down to 0.2c at Campersol.

When on sites we do leave it on hook-up 24/7. The charger will adjust the charge to keep the batteries at optimal. Remember that batteries are rated at 25c, so work best at that temperature. They lose capacity as the temperature drops in any case.

 

[themountaintiger]

Cant put EHU on full time, but will top up every 2-3 weeks for a few hours if not used. Interesting comments re whether to heat inside. I was thinking if there was any benefit to heat motorhome every now and again, but it would seem to cause condensation rather than clear it. So it sounds like its better not to bother.

I too remove cushions from walls, drain down, open cupboard doors fully. I also have salt pots. all over. I have a takeaway sized container with salt in each of the cupboards and also have about 8 of those paint roller trays with salt, 4 on each bed, (overcab and above rear garage) and change the salt once or twice over winter (again depending on use). The salt pots do collect water within them, so they are removing moisture from the air.








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