Winter time soon :-(

clionaricho

I know there used to be a thread or a sticky with people's advice on what to do to lock down the van for the winter if you dont use it.

I know about putting bowls of salt around van to absorb moisture. Also no water to be left in the pipes.
Was just wondering would it be a good idea to keep the silver blinds down or would that make them mouldy ?

Any tips greatly appreciated

DVD2009

on the same subject ...are covers for the winter necessary ?

Aidan_M_M

Blinds down is good , as long as you roll them up and down the od time. I don't like covers myself , the 'van usually tends to "sweat" inside them I have found .

dfbemt

clionaricho wrote: »

I know there used to be a thread or a sticky with people's advice on what to do to lock down the van for the winter if you dont use it.

I know about putting bowls of salt around van to absorb moisture. Also no water to be left in the pipes.
Was just wondering would it be a good idea to keep the silver blinds down or would that make them mouldy ?

Any tips greatly appreciated

That's a great thread. This will be my first winter with our van and I'm apprehensive to say the least. Van will be indoors from November probably until Easter?

Blinds - check
Empty water - check
Salt ?? Is that in bowls in the camper or in presses?

Do mattresses get damp? Should I leave the bedding on or take it all indoors?

A good tip of the week for Aidan? Maybe an end of season checklist?

stapeler

Here's my list from a previous post.

Give the exterior a good wash/polish.
A good clean inside removing any food residue, spills etc.
Clean out the fridge and leave partially open.
Drain down all water including the boiler.
Remove and wash the toilet cassette
If possible store the cushions indoors for the winter.
Remove any batteries from radios/clocks/tv remotes etc.
Fill the tank with diesel, apparently prevents any possibility of corrosion within the tank.
If possible leave the handbrake off to prevent sticking.
Top up engine coolant antifreeze.
Store the motorhome under cover if at all possible.
Start the engine one a week to keep the battery topped up.

Aidan_M_M

Can anyone remember where the thread on suggestions for winter is?

peasant

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Can anyone remember where the thread on suggestions for winter is?

Did we ever have one ?

Aidan_M_M

maybe I dreamt it! lol
I think it came up in a thread possibly me or someone going a bit off-topic.

stapeler

A winter search reveals these two of interest. Time for a sticky?
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055665741&highlight=winter
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055410784&highlight=winter

KoNiT

don't let batteries get too cold... they don't like frost..

Discharge & charge them up again..

Aidan_M_M

The best thing to do is as per usual , the most trouble ..ie keep using it! Even if you don't camp in it , at least every 2 weeks try and drive it for 10 mins , and turn on the fridge , heater and boiler on gas .

Campers don't mind a whole lot of use... but they don't like being idle.

T650

stapeler wrote: »

Here's my list from a previous post.

Give the exterior a good wash/polish.
A good clean inside removing any food residue, spills etc.
Clean out the fridge and leave partially open.
Drain down all water including the boiler.
Remove and wash the toilet cassette
If possible store the cushions indoors for the winter.
Remove any batteries from radios/clocks/tv remotes etc.
Fill the tank with diesel, apparently prevents any possibility of corrosion within the tank.
If possible leave the handbrake off to prevent sticking.
Top up engine coolant antifreeze.
Store the motorhome under cover if at all possible.
Start the engine one a week to keep the battery topped up.

In relation to water I did all this last winter and there was water left in one other place.

Preceding the water pump there is a small filter to collect any grit and stop it getting into the pump. The filter is contained inside a screw on glass ( yes glass ) cover about the size of a small eggcup. The bit of water left in here expanded in the winter cold we suffered and cracked the glass cover and on next water tank fill in the spring, great fun ensued. Caught it very early thankfully.

Aidan_M_M

It's more usually a hard plastic .

T650

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

It's more usually a hard plastic .

And the replacement from the local caravan dealership has a glass cover too - that will be removed this time around

Will look for plastic the next time.

Aidan_M_M

If you send me a pic , I can see if we have one to match it? What make pump , Whale or Fiamma?

T650

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

If you send me a pic , I can see if we have one to match it? What make pump , Whale or Fiamma?

I think we are getting our wires crossed I am referring to a filter that screws to the side of the pump. See attached pic.

bogman

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

The best thing to do is as per usual , the most trouble ..ie keep using it!

On the ball, been away last two weekends and heading to Valentia isl this weekend in mine


Might as well until the weather turns nasty

corkbuoy

Hi Bogman

Not been to Valentia in the van, where can you park up there ?

corkbuoy

bogman

No idea corkbuoy but ill let you know after the weekend, probably be a case of wildcamping

clionaricho

Yes that was one of the reasons that I started this thread, because we had the same problem as T650, the glass, yes definetly glass broke on ours too. When we filled up with water in the spring we had a very wet time indeed.

Re bowls of salt put as many of them around the van as you can.

Aidan_M_M

T650 wrote: »

I think we are getting our wires crossed I am referring to a filter that screws to the side of the pump. See attached pic.

clionaricho wrote: »

Yes that was one of the reasons that I started this thread, because we had the same problem as T650, the glass, yes definetly glass broke on ours too. When we filled up with water in the spring we had a very wet time indeed.

Re bowls of salt put as many of them around the van as you can.

Sorry to disagree , but I just cut through a broken one with a HackSaw! so it's definitely Plastic ..... Pedantic PAt , over and out!:p


BTW , if you're stuck , that filter unit unscrews from the pump , the pipe unscrews from the filter , and can be screwed directly onto the pump then . If you were stuck .

T650

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Sorry to disagree , but I just cut through a broken one with a HackSaw! so it's definitely Plastic ..... Pedantic PAt , over and out!:p


BTW , if you're stuck , that filter unit unscrews from the pump , the pipe unscrews from the filter , and can be screwed directly onto the pump then . If you were stuck .

Look at the pic I attached above. The glass cover is what cracked when the residual water expanded inside . I would have loved to have just replaced that screw on glass piece but I had to buy the full piece - plastic, screw on glass cover and all

Oh and while taking about the filter and pump can I ask you a question Aidan please ? What is story with changing an original pump out and replacing it with something with a bit more pressure ? Thanks.

Aidan_M_M

T650 wrote: »

Look at the pic I attached above. The glass cover is what cracked when the residual water expanded inside . I would have loved to have just replaced that screw on glass piece but I had to buy the full piece - plastic, screw on glass cover and all

Oh and while taking about the filter and pump can I ask you a question Aidan please ? What is story with changing an original pump out and replacing it with something with a bit more pressure ? Thanks.

Yeah they don't supply the "glass" on it's own . But the full piece is still cheap . Yep pumps can be swapped , but it's very unusual for one of those pumps not to have enough pressure . If you open this as a new thread maybe there'll be other suggestion??

T650

Aidan_M_M wrote: »

Yeah they don't supply the "glass" on it's own . But the full piece is still cheap . Yep pumps can be swapped , but it's very unusual for one of those pumps not to have enough pressure . If you open this as a new thread maybe there'll be other suggestion??

Was just curious re: the pump. Our current one is fine but wouldn't be very powerful

Macspower

I never lock mine up...

The Pike season has just started and I'm after a monster this year so will get more use then ever I think.