Avoiding a frozen Aquaroll

BikingBob
BikingBob Forum Participant Posts: 14
edited November 2020 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

I'm planning to use my caravan this winter for the first time. How can I best insulate my Aquaroll without spending a fortune.

(I seem to recall reading some while back that hot water tank jackets could be used /adapted for this purpose)

Any ideas welcomed please.

Many thanks

Biking Bob

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,138 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #2

    I've heard of people using an old anorak and utilising a sleeve to run the hose through. I doubt you'll get cheaper than that. It just needs a bit of imagination.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #3

    Several layers of bubble wrap, quite cheap to buy a roll. Water freezes from the top down, take the pump out at night if you can. Keep some spare water in the van too.

  • Pathfinder
    Pathfinder Forum Participant Posts: 4,446
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    edited November 2020 #4

    Agreed with above, also we always use/keep 5ltr of water in a container inside the van for drinks 

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #5

    Old down filled jacket or water tank cover - lift the aquaroll off the floor onto bricks or blocks of wood - take the pump in at night - keep a 5 litre container full of fresh water inside the van.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,426 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #6

    Good idea about having some water in the caravan, on a few occasions the tap at the water point has frozen up. Difficult to fill an aquaroll from the wash prep areasmile

    Also if on a service pitch the blue pipe may need insulation too.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited November 2020 #7

    It'd need to be extremely cold for an Aquaroll to freeze. On one occasion our pitch's tap partly froze but the the Aquaroll was far from freezing and that was Beast from the East II

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #8

    We did that on really cold nights. An old high viz padded jacket on which the zip had failed. Held on with bungee, thick collar round tube rather than using sleeve, less messy.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,302 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2020 #9

    During beast from the east II at Chapel Lane, the only fresh water tap working on the site until late afternoon, was the one in the pot wash. Aqua roll was working though.😀

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited November 2020 #10

    We normally use our LVs all year , and have only once many years ago on a Rally at MK Bowl (my it was cold) have we in England had the aqua roll freeze  ,if below freezing temps are forecast ,we bring the pump in, 

    We always have a container of water in the LV

    if site taps are frozen when water needed a kettle of hot water has always worked on themwink

  • EalingBob
    EalingBob Forum Participant Posts: 32
    edited November 2020 #11

    You can buy a fish tank heater for about £8. I use that and a 50cm piece of pipe insulation.  Works well and takes the chill off the cold supply. It's not much use on a site without mains power though!

     

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited November 2020 #12

    Drive south until the butter goes soft. Then you won't have any problems with the aquaroll.

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited November 2020 #13

     Some good solutions above. Best advice is bring in the pump overnight.

    I worked at Broadway site the winter of 2010. We had to close due to the snow but the following week it dropped to minus 17. Even the service point taps with heat trace cables were solid! We managed to keep everyone supplied by clamping a hose to a hot tap in the pot wash room. The funny thing was the waterfall running down the steps of the old goods shed when all the burst pipes thawed out!!

    JK

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,636 ✭
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    edited November 2020 #14

    Don't forget that the grey waste water may freeze too, so empty that contained and drain dirty water into a bucket. A measure is salt down the plug holds last thing at night should help to stop the waste pipes from freezing up. And don't forget to do the same in the shower if using your own facilities. It's not the easiest thing in the world having to bail out the shower tray when the water refuses to disappear because of a frozen up pipe. I've insulated all of the outside pipework under the van to try and limit that happening.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2020 #15

    Bob , the people who take caravans for ski-ing and winter sports don't take aquarolls.

  • BikingBob
    BikingBob Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited December 2020 #16

    Many thanks for all your ideas

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