First Winter (1 Viewer)

[Dizzy Izzy]

We are new to Motorhoming(June)so this is our first winter.
We plan on using the van once a month over the winter months but are a bit unsure as do if we need to drain tanks fully between outings,use fridge vent covers etc etc etc.
What are the essentials we must do to keep the van in good working order?

 

[Bacchus]

A lot of folk on here drain everything down and wrap it in space blankets as soon as the temperature falls below 20c but I think the real answer is "it depends"

My old Hymer has an onboard water tank and good insulation, I haven't drained anything in five winters and have had no problems, it lives on the drive so if there was a prolonged VERY cold spell (< -5c) forecast I might stick a greenhouse heater or similar in it for a few days but I haven't seen a British winter cold enough to bother for fifteen years or more.

I think some newer vehicles have automatic dump valves on the boilers to prevent damage?

 

[EX51SSS]

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[Lenny HB]

You are doing the best thing to keep the van in good order - using it.
Best to drain tanks after each trip don't forget to leave taps open and mixer taps in the central position. When refilling get some heat into the van first otherwise your hot water dump valve won't close.
Below 8 deg use fridge vent covers but best not to use the top one if running on gas.

Even in the summer we empty the tank after each trip (don't drain down completely), wouldn't want to be drinking water that's been in the tank a few weeks.

 

[tonyidle]

I use mine into early Winter & the frost season. I don't drain until I know its going to stand for a long time but I leave an electric greenhouse heater on frost setting inside the van. Sometimes the water heater dumps & sometimes it doesn't - I just check it & close it before I use the van. If your pump is pressure-switched don't forget to turn it off

 

[Dizzy Izzy]

We always empty the tanks after each trip.What do you mean by drain down fully?

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[Lenny HB]

We always empty the tanks after each trip.What do you mean by drain down fully?

As well as draining the tanks including hot water tank opening the drain valves on the pipes and opening taps so all water is removed from the system when there is a danger of freezing.

 

[TheCaller]

What do you mean by drain down fully?

Turn the water pump off.
Open all taps. Put mixer taps in the central position so that both hot & cold are open.
Open the fresh water tank drain valve. Some are two position, to leave some water in the tank for travelling light; make sure it's fully open.
Open the boiler dump valve.
Check the manual for any special instructions for your model.

Those with good lung capacity (non-smoking trumpet players & the like) also blow down the taps to try & shift any residual water in the pipes. You can buy special kits to do this for you. Most don't bother & rarely have problems. A bit of water freezing in a flexible plastic pipe won't cause any issues. It's water inside a tap body, a boiler or a full pipe with nowhere for the expansion to go that causes the problems.

EDIT: Got called away mid-post. Lenny beat me to it!

 

[Dizzy Izzy]

Thanks for the info.

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[Badboo]

As with Dizzy Lizzy this is also our first motor home. While I think I've got the wintering process for when not using the vehicle sorted I'm wondering if there are any precautions etc we should take we are using the motor home and traveling in Northern Europe during the winter. Were originally from Australia so Tis will also be our first winter in Europe.

 

[Haitchjay]

As newbies to motorhoming, there's lots of really good advice for me on her - quite a few things I'd not even considered! Thanks Bacchaus, very helpful thread

 

[Badboo]

Turn the water pump off.
Open the fresh water tank drain valve.

By this do you mean the mechanism to empty the grey water?

Our MH has been closed up for only a few days and I've just noticed that there is a lot of condensation on the inside glass surfaces. Ive slightly opened the roof vents as today is sunny. Can anyone comment on whether it's worth leaving them open slighlty throughout storage to allow airflow?

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[TheCaller]

By this do you mean the mechanism to empty the grey water?

No, fresh water - although it's not a bad idea to leave the grey water drain open as well when you have emptied it.

Your fresh water tank will have a drain tap too. Unlike the grey water drain tap, which you use all the time to empty it, the fresh water tank drain is only used when you want to dump the water out - either to stop it freezing or because you don't want to leave it to go stagnant if you don't use the van for a while. As it's used less often, it's often not as accessible or even obvious as to where it is.

Some have a simple plug in the bottom, on a chain like a bath tap. You have to open the top of the tank to pull it up. Others have a long rod coming up through the tank to a handwheel on the top. These usually open to two different positions - the first point lets all but about 20 litres out & is designed to cut the travel weight down & leave you just enough for the journey. The second position lets all the water out, which is the one you want for frost protection. I guess there will be others that have a tap underneath that you may need to reach under the van to open. See your handbook if you have one, because there are lots of possibilities, but all have the same effect, which is to empty the tank.

 

[TheCaller]

Ive slightly opened the roof vents as today is sunny. Can anyone comment on whether it's worth leaving them open slighlty throughout storage to allow airflow?

Most motorhomes seem to have enough holes in them already not to need any more.

Having said that, if you are getting condensation even with nobody in it, then certainly letting more air circulate on a crisp sunny day is going to help. Personally, I think I'd be inclined to close them again at dusk though.

 

[funflair]

By this do you mean the mechanism to empty the grey water?

Our MH has been closed up for only a few days and I've just noticed that there is a lot of condensation on the inside glass surfaces. Ive slightly opened the roof vents as today is sunny. Can anyone comment on whether it's worth leaving them open slighlty throughout storage to allow airflow?

Assuming that you have no heating on inside I would say "yes" you need a bit of natural ventilation.

Martin

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[Badboo]

Assuming that you have no heating on inside I would say "yes" you need a bit of natural ventilation.

Martin

To have constant heat inside I assume that we'll need to leave the MH connected throughout storage. If this is best for the MH than so be it. I've read in other posts that people use greenhouse heaters. Any thoughts on whether purchasing a greenhouse heater or dehumidifier would be the most effective solution?

 

[funflair]

To have constant heat inside I assume that we'll need to leave the MH connected throughout storage. If this is best for the MH than so be it. I've read in other posts that people use greenhouse heaters. Any thoughts on whether purchasing a greenhouse heater or dehumidifier would be the most effective solution?

If you said yes it is heated I would have said don't, if it isn't heated I would say yes you need ventilation, I would only heat if it was below freezing and I hadn't drained down.

Martin

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Silly question time..sooorrrry... so, fridge vent covers, just use them when the van is not being used or what?

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[Badboo]

Silly question time..sooorrrry... so, fridge vent covers, just use them when the van is not being used or what?

That's what we though but it turns out there are two types of vent covers.
One that you insert behind the vent for when you are using the MH during winter. These inhibit the amount of cold air coming in.
Apparently there is a second type that you put on when the van is in storage that seals off the vents and also stops spiders etc from entering.
I hope that I've got this right. I'm sure that someone will confirm either way.

 

[two]

As far as I know, there's only one cover. Originally intended to improve the operation of the fridge in very cold weather but also useful for keeping spiders or water out (in storage or when cleaning).

 

[Badboo]

As far as I know, there's only one cover.

When we went to purchase the cover there were definitely two options, one for using the MH and one for storage. The storage covers looked a lot larger than the in use options which we basically plastic plates that were fitted underneath the existing vents. That being said we purchased the covers from an store in France so maybe the options are different in different countries.

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[two]

I accept that there are very many different designs of vent and there could well be more than one offering of cover for each!