winterised (1 Viewer)

May 10, 2012
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getting ready to go full time but cant decide which m/h, kontiki has double floor but seems cramped, comanche is best lay out(wifes preference) but concerned about floor although it is 45mm thick.Not planning any ski trips (only piste will be with wine) so hoping 45mm floorwill be warm enough. Anyone with any help please!
 

JeanLuc

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Buy a German, or possibly French motorhome - they're better winterised than British vans. Search on here and you'll find plenty of discussion about this. It's about a lot more than the floor. Location of pipe runs, vent valves and what is left unheated is critical to good winterisation.

p.s. Our Hymer has a single floor but all the pipes run inside, the exterior waste tank is insulated and heated by the Truma warm air, as is the waste dump valve. We have been out several times at below zero temperatures (at least -10ºC) without any problems.
 
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f6c

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winterising

As you see I have a 2005 Auto-Trail with insulated fresh water tank fitted thick carpets and the bloody thing has frozen twice whilst we were living in the van!!!
A double floor makes sense.:winky:

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Welsh girl

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I agree,w have a swift voyager and we are looking to change to a foreign van, we have heated tanks underslung but we still froze up over winter 2 years ago mind you it was minus 17.we were ok this winter just gone but we still want a winterized van, Gona cost a lot of money to change so wish we had gone to a winterized van on or last change, but we want a smaller lighter van anyway so console ourselves with that.
 

Heyupluv

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I agree,w have a swift voyager and we are looking to change to a foreign van, we have heated tanks underslung but we still froze up over winter 2 years ago mind you it was minus 17.we were ok this winter just gone but we still want a winterized van, Gona cost a lot of money to change so wish we had gone to a winterized van on or last change, but we want a smaller lighter van anyway so console ourselves with that.

What both Jeanluc and F6C. have said..... the European vans do seem to have the edge on winterising motorhomes....we have 2011 RAPIDO with double plancher (Double floor) the gap between the two floors is about 12 to 14" all tanks inside just the grey water exit open to the elements also in the RAPIDO we have has alde wet central heating...all our central heating pipes run under the floor...the garage is like a oven when you open the door in winter....so this February while we was down on the French Atlantic border Soustons Plage near Biarritz...at temps of minus for about a week -6 -8 -10 and could have been colder....the borne frozen solid for most of the week...we were as warm as toast everything working fine....So yes the double floor does make a big difference ...
Not all new Rapidos have double floor:Eeek:...there are now new models, look a like models that are cheaper in price :Doh:....check before buying...also with all other European vans check first for double floor
 
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Griffs

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getting ready to go full time but cant decide which m/h, kontiki has double floor but seems cramped, comanche is best lay out(wifes preference) but concerned about floor although it is 45mm thick.Not planning any ski trips (only piste will be with wine) so hoping 45mm floorwill be warm enough. Anyone with any help please!

Hi.
We were going to buy a Hymer and ended up buying a Niesman and Bischoff (hymer group) we have had three americans and one european before but the insulation on these German vans are very good plus the double floor ,no exterior tanks and the garage is like an airing cupboard (hot) the finishes are top speck ,we are very pleased with it.:thumb:

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Wildman

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German and some French vans are built for a Northern European Winter, whilst British and Italian vans are built for a Sourthern European Summer. There are exceptions to the rule but not many. I'd be looking for an older (better built) Hymer or a newer Rapido (but as already said check the model for winterised double floor)
 

Popeye

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Well I do believe it has all been said, I'd totally forgotten about the Garage being heated. Ideal for keeping wet gear dry and warm.

PM Haganap first though, he has valid opinion concerning his van and his winter exploits.

If you want a nice Geist Spirit 700 G make me an offer I can't refuse.......Griff
:thumb:
 

Griffs

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Well I do believe it has all been said, I'd totally forgotten about the Garage being heated. Ideal for keeping wet gear dry and warm.

PM Haganap first though, he has valid opinion concerning his van and his winter exploits.

If you want a nice Geist Spirit 700 G make me an offer I can't refuse.......Griff
:thumb:


  1. What are you buying now griff:RollEyes:

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jonandshell

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Haggers found out that his Bessy (Swift Kontiki) double floor wasn't heated in the same way as Continental vans. Everything froze.:Sad:

There is a lot of support on this thread for double-floored vans. The original post ruled out ski trips, so we might be guilty of over-speccing their future purchase!

We have a Chausson Welcome 35. It has a thick 60mm single floor, internal fresh tank, but an external grey tank. We kept our valve open on the grey tank and drained it into a bucket, just like the Germans and the French parked near us. We had no problems with any of our van's systems in the extreme cold at Val Thorens last February. Temperatures were persistently below -10 and as low as -20 at night.
Why waste gas/diesel heating your waste water if you don't need to?

Our van performed so well because every run of water pipe has heater ducts following alongside. The blown air system has a total of 10 outlets positioned everywhere, including the garage,wardrobe and overcab!

All this is standard Chausson design and points to the use the French put their vans to!

So there is hope if you haven't the budget for a double-floored monster a-class!:thumb:
 
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