What do you do with the van when not using it (1 Viewer)

[Phil89a]

Just wondering what people recommend….

You have solar on your van, you park it outside your house in a fairly sunny spot next to a EHU. Do you leave it to keep the batteries topped up using the solar or do you leave it connected to the EHU whilst it is not being used?

And if in winter, do you (assuming you have electric option on your heating), set the heating to come on low overnight?

 

[gus-lopez]

200w of solar keeps the hab battery topped up along with split charger for the cab batter. Ehu is plugged in permanently as the fridge is always on. Battery charger is switched & is always off when here.

 

[Gaston aires]

When you’re away. you could rent this out as a staycation home ?
Phil

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[the1andonly]

Kept Outside.
On a slight slope so water drains off. But leaves black streaks
left in gear handbrake off, wheels chocked and tyres covered.
fridge door open, blinds drawn. Open blinds every blue moon
cushions away from walls,
No heaters
alarm on, security devices fitted and locked
scuttle checked and cleaned keep leaves and debris from blocking drain holes
Drain water unless going away next week
Clean tanks once a year, drAin unblocker , puraclean(clean water tank)
When we had Pb batteries solar left to charge Votronics mppt controllers. LB & SB trickle charge.
Now lithium so have an issolator on negative terminal and leave one controller 220w to trickle charge SB.
Only use ehu to run fridge over Christmas ( extra storage)
Edit
Every 3 months check on board food clothes to be ready to leave in 10 minutes

 

[nicholsong]

Arrive home, drain all water/cassette -we have facilities in our yard for that.

Park it under our 'motorhome-port' where we have EHU, so solar not working there.

Even in Poland we have sufficient insulation in the MH walls not to need heating or humidifier etc. so leave all cushions/duvet/clothes in situ all winter.

We have used it as a bedroom for us when giving our house bedroom to guests.

If the weather is nice we sit on the first-floor terrace and admire it - it likes being admired.

Geoff

 

[Rocking Rivet]

Dream of using it again

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[Phil89a]

Don’t make the day trips too ‘little’ (short), or you may clog the DPF……

My little day trips will be around 1.5 hours each way or more; so should be ok for the DPF

 

[davida71uk]

Sloped driveway, also put the small blocks under the front to create even better rain run-off, plug it into the garage and leave a dehumidifier running. Everything drained, taps open. Blinds closed and security posts up. Looking for undercover storage for winter so better buy a battery charger next. Will leave heater on low in winter if it gets very cold as dehumidifier shuts off.

 

[Tombola]

Left on drive with 2 solar panels taking care of leisure and engine battery’s

this, and sometimes a link the van up to my robot mower to power that wire round my garden

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[jp11]

i keep EHU connected heating on low alde heating I do have solar panels but they wouldn’t do the heating . Done this for 20 years still good as new with original leisure batterys hope this helps.

20 years on original leisure batteries! Good on you. Tell that to those lithium nuts....

 

[bexleyjohn]

I have my MH on the drive next to the house. Use all year round. I plug in to mains if battery starts to get low and in the winter I put an oil-filled radiator in which keeps it cosy warm all the time. Batteries are AGM, 5 years old and still going well.

 

[Namron]

Don't forget a couple of corks under the wiper arms

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[AndyPK]

Don't forget a couple of corks under the wiper arms

??

 

[dalspa]

Ours is in this now when not in use.View attachment 530809View attachment 530830

Ours is in this now when not in use.View attachment 530809View attachment 530830

Lovely structure but surprised not to see some diagonal bracing in the sides and end. Is the side bracing just out of view on the photo? I seem to remember you posting pictures during construction and the location is very exposed.

 

[CazPaul]

Lovely structure but surprised not to see some diagonal bracing in the sides and end. Is the side bracing just out of view on the photo? I seem to remember you posting pictures during construction and the location is very exposed.

Very well spotted I have not finished securing it down yet just got a few initial straps down.
The firm that made and erected it dont secure it down.

I was going to put some chemical fixings through the wood into the blocks, or angle iron up against the timber.

What is the diagonal bracing idea?

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[dalspa]

Very well spotted I have not finished securing it down yet just got a few initial straps down.
The firm that made and erected it dont secure it down.

I did think about asking about how was it fixed down but decided not to as probably hidden straps down to slab.

David. Retired Structural Engineer - hence the observation/comments!

 

[bigalw35]

??

that's to stop them freezing to the glass

 

[John R. Edwards]

Or use some water pipe insulation

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[The Lord Squid]

In normal times I leave it on the drive, not hooked up, and take it for a drive if I've not been away in it for 3 weeks or so. I have two leisure batteries but no solar. I'll plug it in for a day if it's not been on EHU for a month. In these abnormal times it's on hook up all the time as I now work from home, in the van, and need to charge my laptop and phone. Everything's left in the van all year round (no fixed bed - two "settees" in rear). I never heat the van unless I'm in it.

 

[Hymerboy]

In the winter if I'm not away in it I have a de-humidifier which I stand on the sink unit I let drain into sink and leave the drain tap open, this keeps it both dry as well as warm. I have it connected to a plug timer so it comes on for a couple of hours 3 times a day.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

In winter we have the van on the self levelling to take the bulk of the weight off the tyres with the handbrake off.
If we get a frosty spell we will have the EHU on and a small oil filled radiator switched on at low overnight.
We had a Battery Master fitted at Vanbitz after the starter battery went flat as the solar was charging the leisure battery but not the starter battery. Once we're certain that we won't be using the van in the depths of winter we SORN the van.

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[the1andonly]

PS
As well as previous list
If left for any time i like to fill gaslow ready for action and fill diesel tank to keep bugs at bay.

 

[Hymerboy]

I have self levelling jacks, never thought of jacking it up whilst not in use, is that wise? just asking.

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

I have self levelling jacks, never thought of jacking it up whilst not in use, is that wise? just asking.

I tend to just take some of the weight off the tyres, not completely off the ground

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[Peter Goadby]

Storage facility with electric hookup to trickle charge the batteries

 

[hja]

Solar does for much of the year. In winter, keep an eye on batteries and put on EHU for a day or two every couple of weeks.
If not using for a few weeks, fresh water drained from tank, but not boiler. Everything drained, right down, as soon as gets to winter.
Clean tanks in Spring.
We have a compressor fridge, so just turn it on the day before we leave. Dont connect on EHU.

 

[DT]

With a restrictive covenant on my home I use a storage site which is a ten minute drive away. Like others I visit at least once a week to do a quick inspection, have a relax, polish a panel, think about trips and most of all enjoy the peace.

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[Ridgeway]

Bring home, drain grey, empty cassette, fill fresh, vac and clean the inside. Drive 100yrds to the barn, connect up on EHU and switch the Pine Martin alarm on...

 

[the1andonly]

Been reading this thread hoping to find words of wisdom and see what im missing. One mentioned the old scuttle cleaning i used to do regularly with the bongo then 2 months ago found i needed to do it in my x290, but this latest tip well do i need one: switch on PIINE MARTIN ALARM? Do i need a bear or wolf proximity meter no unfortunately living in Northampton a scroate meter would be more appropriate

 

[Chris]

I haven’t got one so I don’t do anything with it when I am not using it. Which is never.

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[AndyPK]

I haven’t got one so I don’t do anything with it when I am not using it. Which is never.

Surely, ‘which is always….’?