Panel van conversions for winter - models? (1 Viewer)

[Jac Sprat]

Yes -- if you can keep your heating on, what's the problem?
I suppose the main question is: how low do you want to go? We've been in our UK PVC conversion down to about -20 degrees C without too much bother. We've done arctic travels down to about minus 40 but not in the van -- you start to get all sorts of other issues at those extremes like plastics becoming brittle and batteries losing charge, etc. so I don't think I'd want to try that in the van.

The next question is: will you be on electric hook-up? Things get much easier then, as you can use tank heaters to keep the fresh and waste water from freezing and you don't need to worry about running out of gas for your heating. If you are wilding, then it's not quite so easy, but still do-able.

Yes i plan to be on campsites when skiing in case have an accident then i can heal right there as i am.the only driver

 

[Jac Sprat]

if i was planning on long stays in cold countries i would consider an eberspacher heater a full tank of deisel will last much longer than even two gas bottles

Maybd i could add this ?

 

[CazPaul]

Maybd i could add this ?

They do the twin with diesel heating as an option so maybe second hand ones for sale.

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[gerry mcg]

I think you may need to get the diesel heating systems modified to work above 1500/1600m and they use a lot more battery power to run iirc

 

[Jac Sprat]

Thanks.

 

[gerry mcg]

Truma do diesel version of the Combi boilers known as the Combi D - https://www.truma.com/int/en/products/truma-heater/truma-combi-d6.html
it seems to have a requirement for a diffirent fuel pump for prolonged use above 1500m (not sure what constitutes "prolonged") perhaps a bigger issue in areas of the states or S America ? - but it seems dear - at e700!

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[42208]

My webasto has 'Automatic Altitude Control' written alongside the control panel
Website claims optimum performance maintained until just over 8000 feet

 

[Stonemags76]

Yes i plan to be on campsites when skiing in case have an accident then i can heal right there as i am.the only driver

If you’re going to be on campsites when skiing, then you don’t need to worry - you can run the heater on electricity. Just a case of some silver screens for the front, and maybe a thicker duvet I would think!

 

[Minxy]

Love this couple. They have certainly sold the van to me with their winterisation solutions - thermal inserts inside the blinds and their fresh and waste water inside - in a bottle and a basin!

I've used thermal inserts between the windows and the blinds for a few years now, as well as insulated ones for the roof vents too and these especially make quite a difference as the roof vents often have some air-flow gaps in them which is great for summer but not so good for winter/cold weather! One thing to remember though is to remove the roof vent ones in the morning each day to allow the air to circulate and remove any condensation and moisture that has built up overnight as you sleep. You need to get an internal fresh water tank though as having to mess about filling up a water container every day would be a real chore even if the weather was okay, but if it was snowing you wouldn't want to be doing it.

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[MaidinDevon]

@Minxy Girl . Do you have any links for the thermal inserts. I have noticed massive draughts from the roof vents when the wind is in the wrong direction. I will be back in the van on Monday, and apparently the weather is getting worse again!!

Karen

 

[Northernraider]

Interesting but after all that how good is the vehicle insulation.Seems a bit of a pain to do that every night?

Not to mention storing all that extra insulation in an already compact van.

 

[Infinity31]

@Minxy Girl . Do you have any links for the thermal inserts. I have noticed massive draughts from the roof vents when the wind is in the wrong direction. I will be back in the van on Monday, and apparently the weather is getting worse again!!

Karen

The cheapest way is to use any closed cell foam like camping/yoga mats, they are rigid enough when cut slightly over size to fit snugly in the roof lights without support.
Same thing can be used in the side windows.

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[42208]

Apologies if you have already seen these sites, useful information regarding combining skiing and motorhomes (positive information)

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http://www.motorhomeski.com/

 

[Minxy]

@Minxy Girl . Do you have any links for the thermal inserts. I have noticed massive draughts from the roof vents when the wind is in the wrong direction. I will be back in the van on Monday, and apparently the weather is getting worse again!!

Karen

I think you can buy them ready made but I did my own using an old internal cab padded windscreen cover, I simply unpicked the piping from the edge, then cut the padding to just over the aperture size, then sewed the piping back on, they fit really nicely as their being slightly larger makes them stay put and during the day if I roll them up they can actually be stored in the gap between the roof blind and window itself at one end with the blind pulled out slightly to keep them there, so no need to find storage places for them. For the side windows I used some car windscreen insulated sun blinds which are cheap (a bit like bubble wrap with silver on both sides) which I cut to size and then gaffer taped the edges, being a bit thinner these fold easily and take up very little room in the overcab locker/shelf.

If you can get hold of some of the camping/yoga mats mentioned above these would be easy to cut to size and work well for insulation and draughts but not so well to keep the heat out as mine with the reflective backing on do.

 

[Wombles]

Thank you all for the suggestions of camping mats - think we will try either these silver backed ones https://www.decathlon.co.uk/m100-foam-camping-sleeping-mat-id_5591048.html or thicker ones here depending on gap available
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