Winter caravaning

[Ian_374317932]

Has anyone used their caravan in the winter if so what methods have you used to.

a) stop your fresh water freezing

b)stop your waste water freezing in the waste pipes and waste tank.

C) stop the toilet flush water freezing.

I have searched the internet and not realy found the answers.

 

[Damian]

Ian, some people use an old winter jacket, like an anorak, wrap it around the aquaroll with the tube going up one arm to the van.

Water in waste pipes,shouldnt be any , or not much anyway as there are no U bends to worry about.

Waste water container, unless very cold, just bein gunder the van protects it from frost, but an old blanket will give more protection for penetrating cold.

Toilet flush,should not be a problem as it is inside the van and is above freezing temperature, but you can add anti freeze to it if you wish.

 

[illy]

Ian, it really depends on when/where your going as to how cold it will get. You can get aquaroll jackets (or use a household cyclinder jacket from a plumbers merchants) but need to also ensure the whole pump is covered (try bubblewrap) or you will need to wait until the sun comes round to de-frost it. If, like us, you use a fully serviced pitch, it may be worth investing in a direct, flow control, food quality, tap-to-caravan hose rather than an aquaroll. That way, you remove it at night before you go to bed and re-hook up in the morning (a lot more expensive though than a cylinder jacket!).

Good luck and enjoy the wonders of winter caravanning, it's so marvellous - AND PEACEFUL!!

 

[jules1962]

We use a sleeping bag on our aqua roll & if we have a pitch with a tap we use some of the grey polystrene tubbing to lag that just so it does not freeze.

Also i saw a good tip the other day of buying a wooden bath mat to stand the aqua roll on so its not directly on the floor.

 

[milliesdad]

Would just like to disagree with Damian regrads waste pipes not freezing.

manufacturers try to get all waste outlets to the same place on a van and to do this have pipe runs going some distance. On Our last van the wastefrom the washroom had an up hill bit to achieve this and as a result I was under the van with the wifes hairdryer and new years day morning trying to thaw it out!

These pipe runs are also the reason why the water drains slowly from the sinks.

What i have done is to disconnect the corrugated pipe from the straight pipe under the van, at the kitchen and washroom, and put this directly into the waste container. I know i now have to have 2 containers but there is no water left in the pipes as it flows straight out. I even get the little whirlpool effect as it goes down the plug hole.

I used to get food scrap smells from the kitchen sink as well but not any more.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your winters - the scenery is very different but no less beautiful.

 

[Del_374232870]

Hi we use the van 12 months a year and agree with what has been said. One thing we have learned (the hard way) even with inboard pipes and an in board tank you can on the realy cold nights find the water pipes freezing. This happened to us last winter , although the pipes are internal where they crossed over the wheel arch ( which is plastic) they froze. To avoid this in the furure I got some pipe laging and lagged the pupes where ever I could. Also at night I left the cupboard doors slightly open to allow warm air to circulate.

Another thing that I have done in the past is to carpet the floor under the seats and below the bed , this avoids condensation.

Also get a set of fridge vent covers.

 

[Surfer]

You can also put anti freeze in your waste master to stop it freezing but not too much obviously. Although we lag the pipes leading away from the waste outlets we have never had to lag the pipes in the caravan or under it as in theory they should not freeeze. The water barrels etc are common sense.

 

[craigmurray]

ian, we went away this febuary in the snow for a week upto bridgenorth. the only thing i bought extra was a jacket for the cold water and one for the gas, i have a 15kg bottle that stands outside the van, also i took some brincks from home just to raise both from the ground. Winter vanning is ace, there was 6 inches of snow when we arrived at the pub/campsite and had another 8 inches over night, the views , the peace the snow fantastic, apart from trying to put the porch awning up in the snow. try it it is well woth it

 

[ThePlotter]

Craig its me again not stalking really,sorry to poster for butting in but you mention a pub site by Bridgnorth I have been trying to find something like that which one did you use and is it any good.

 

[MickC1]

We use a sleeping bag on our aqua roll & if we have a pitch with a tap we use some of the grey polystrene tubbing to lag that just so it does not freeze.

Also i saw a good tip the other day of buying a wooden bath mat to stand the aqua roll on so its not directly on the floor.

Hi Julie, I would have thought that standing it on a wooden grid would have had the opposite effect, as it now allows freezing air to circulate under the Aquaroll. When it's on the ground it's protected from the wind and the consequent chill factor.

 

[craigmurray]

Craig its me again not stalking really,sorry to poster for butting in but you mention a pub site by Bridgnorth I have been trying to find something like that which one did you use and is it any good.

hi i cant remember the name of the pub but even if i could i wouldnt recommend it to any one im afraid. It turned out very dear, the toilets and shower were in one of his letting rooms and if they were full we would have been stuffed. When we got there he asked us for another

 

[ThePlotter]

hi i cant remember the name of the pub but even if i could i wouldnt recommend it to any one im afraid. It turned out very dear, the toilets and shower were in one of his letting rooms and if they were full we would have been stuffed. When we got there he asked us for another

 

[ThePlotter]

Craig,that'l be a no no then,thanks anyway.

 

[craigmurray]

that'l be a no no then thanks anyway.

no problem, if you go to www.ukcampsites.co.uk the site lets you type in exactly what you require and also when places open and shut, its a great site and i believe there would probably be others to but this one lets you read reviews people have put regarding the sites

craig

 

[craigmurray]

no problem, if you go to www.ukcampsites.co.uk the site lets you type in exactly what you require and also when places open and shut, its a great site and i believe there would probably be others to but this one lets you read reviews people have put regarding the sites

craig

make that www.ukcampsite.co.uk sorry put an xtra 's' in the first post.

 

[Jazman]

Insulate any under floor exposed water pipes with foam and use inboard water tank, my dads tip when blown air heating came in was to put a small hole in the tube where it ran through the under bed locker with tank in it and where it passed throuh any other lockers.

 

[craigmurray]

caravanning in the snow............

 

[nffcdave_374234697]

ive previously used trace heating cable wrapped around the aquaroll but last year we used a fish tank heater and grey lagging on the pipe to where it plugs into the van.no problems last year at -8 thankfully.

dave

 

[Aitch1]

ive previously used trace heating cable wrapped around the aquaroll but last year we used a fish tank heater and grey lagging on the pipe to where it plugs into the van.no problems last year at -8 thankfully.

dave

Hi Dave

Just wondering what type, length and size etc. of heat tracing cable you used on your aquaroll.

Cheers

Aitch.