Cold weather caravanning
I had a caravan several years ago but only used it during the warmer months. Since getting this van we've used it a lot more and plan to keep going away during the winter months. Our first outing was February this year but it was really mild. With our trip to Edinburgh in late December coming up I'm debating getting an insulated Aquaroll bag. I know even the Met Office struggle to tell us what the weather is likely to do but am I likely to need one? What about the waste tank? Any of you experienced winter caravanners got any useful tips?
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We have a bag - but if it gets wet it stays wet! Not good.
Make sure you can get the aquaroll into the bag when its full - remember it weighs 40kgs
If you use an Aquaroll stand make sure you can get into the bag with the pump/feeder pipe at the correct place! But it is a good idea to get the Aquaroll off the ground.
We've seen people use plastic coated lagging as used around water tanks, even old ski jackets with the water pipe passing through a sleeve!
We've never had to insulate the Wastemaster - even down to -5c in Stirling. Maybe it's because of the 'contents'?
Whatever you do - enjoy!!
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We wrap the water container in an old duvet, fill the kettle last thing at night so if it does freeze then you can make a cuppa, if using an awning then steel rock pegs are good to go in the frozen ground and of course a shovel to clear the snow for the awning, A good frosty morning is very nice for a walk or take bikes for a nice fresh cycle ride.
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Its also very pleasant, on a "## Cold And Frosty Morning ##" to watch the Site Warden driving his little truck around the site with a few buckets of hot water to thaw out the stand pipe taps !!
When I saw that at a certain C & MC site in Killin He warned me to be very very careful what I said
Truly he was not a Happy Chappy.0 -
been away once late Novemebr and when we woke up in the morning there was a lovely frost on the ground and car and caravan, but the aqua roll water was not affected.
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The van is a Bailey Pageant Provence Series 6 with a Whale Aquasmart on-board water pump. My thoughts were to sit the Aquaroll on some polystyrene, wrap the rest in a suitably waterproofed insulation blanket and lag the water feed pipe in to the van with foam insulation.
I should have some left over from the 10 x 1M lengths I bought to insulate the pipes inside the van. It won't do any harm in the winter but my prime reason for insulating the internal pipes was to try to stop the cold water running hot, possibly because they're Ty-Wrapped to the hot water pipes along the entirety of their length.
I'm still not sure I need to insulate the Aquaroll based on the wet & (relatively) warm winters we've had lately.
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We caravan all year round so in the winter I stand our aquaroll on a thick block of polystyrene, have a jacket for it and cover that with thick polythene (large bags that have contained dog food) to stop it getting wet, fasten with a bungee strap.I also take the pump and a full water container in of a night and ensure that the kettle is also filled. There have been few nights during the last couple of years that these measures have been necessary, though.
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As well as all the above advice I would add that a bucket for waste water is better in freezing conditions, if your wastemaster freezes its not easy to empty it, where as a bucket can just be turned upside down and knocked out.
We live north of Edinburgh and use our van all year round, be prepared and you will enjoy it. Edinburgh is a great city but it can get very cold.
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I hate to say this but I agree with JVB66 remove the pipe to the Aquaroll, other water carriers are available, but aren't as good! Even if the water in the Barrel freezes it is only the top. Fill your kettle and you should be good.
The last really cold winter we had was 2010ish, we went away first weekend in December and had ice in the Aquaroll at the end of the weekend I put the Aquaroll in the shower so the ice would thaw and drain. We next used the van towards the end of January and there was still ice in the Aquaroll. Also we had cans of coke and beer freeze and burst. So remember in a really cold spell it's not just your water system that needs to be drained down.
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Friends of ours spent a week near Spurn Point when there was an unusual amount of snow. They hunkered down doing the things suggested on here but things did freeze up including the car. So allow a lot more time to get going and if the site taps freeze make sure you have some spare water on board. On facility sites you'll be able to fill up inside the washblocks if the outside taps have frozen, we've had that happen at Minehead a couple of times. Most all year sites attempt to insulate the outside taps but it doesn't always work.
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Only had any problems one very cold year in Southport. Overnight temperatures -14c for a week. It did not rise above freezing but lovely sunny skies.
Aquaroll was covered by an old work jacket zipped up and water pipe through sleeve. When we arrived water system would not work as despite draining there were two drain plugs that I was not aware of and water lying in pipes had frozen. Soon thawed with a fan heater.
However I made the error of having waste pipe down into top reservoir on wastemaster. That froze and water built up in waste system and froze. When I tried to clear it I popped a joint and so could not use kitchen sink. Managed without as we were close to shower block and washing up area. Actually took ten minutes to sort before next trip.
I normally put on fridge for a couple of days (on EHU) before we go away. I found that when temperatures are close to freezing it does not work unless I first heat the caravan.
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If just freezing I use an old padded high vis jacket on the aquaroll and put the feed pipe up the sleeve. However, if very, very cold, agree with others, bring the feed pipe / pump indoors at night. Plus a 10 container.
One mistake I won't make again is:- On a service pitch at Chatsworth our last night was significantly below zero. I did not take enough notice of the weather forecast and left everything coupled up. It took me hours the next day to get things disconnected and my hands were blue.
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as David says, some vans are better equipped to deal with 'real cold' (winter skiing etc) and these will have specific features to keep the cold at bay.
....double floor, heated floor, water tanks between the floors, all drainage valves inboard, double glazed side cab windows, heated garage and floor lockers, no 'cold cab' as cab is all of a piece with the rest of the van, dashboard (acts as a radiator) and cab heating, and fully insulated slide down (or up) thick, pleated front blind (never used an outside one)....
never cold in this van, actually slept in it (on the drive) on Friday night.....lots of guests staying over....heating on for half an hour prior to bed.....lovely.
so, I wonder why we keep going to hot places, lol
however....plastic water containers with coats on....pipes in jacket sleeves, bits and pieces taken inside the van at night?...welcome to 21st century caravanning....
only kidding, Caravanners.....i know you love your vans and all the 'foibles' that go with dealing with 'winter' touring.
....all power to you....
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Agree with above tips. In addition, remember that the pipes from the 'van to the waste outlet are prone to freeze as many have a low point before the outlet. Easily prevented by remembering to pour a strong salt water solution down the sink and basin last thing at night.
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Brue, the specific temperature 'guidance' varies from manufacturer to manufacturer....
my recollection from Thetford (although we now have a Dometic unit
) was of the ambient temperature was 8 dec C or lower...youve just reminded me, i might take mine with me for later this week
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