# Winter use of your MH - your top tips please



## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Hi

We are planning to use our MH for weekends away throughout the winter however just coming back from France this week we did notice on our last morning (stayed the night in Kent) that it was a bit nippy!

Aside from thickening up the duvets (4.5 - 7.5 - 10.5 tog or more) and packing pyjamas and bedsocks, what else could you suggest or have tried which makes winter use more bearable?

Practical MH advice or nick-nacks that ease the pain: all advice appreciated

I need to check that my MH is winterised (Bessacarr e795) and I think I'll need to check the heating system out fully (blown air but the tubes carrying the air seem really poor - I have had to reconnect them in 2 places alredy). I think some kind of portable heating device will be required (any suggestions?) as well.

After that I am all ears

Cheers

Graham


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

Try to make you bedroom as small as possible, we have a bed over the garage and have curtains across the entrance.

Also we have a bi-folding door which we also close at night. Can make a lot of difference. 

We have never used heating at night even when very cold. We were in France with frost on the ground till lunch time and back by 3pm.

Andy


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## HurricaneSmith (Jul 13, 2007)

Remembering to set your van's heater control to 'Internal Circulation' rather than 'Fresh Air' will help make the front end feel warmer.

We don't use the heater at night either, even in snow.

The other thing that helps hugely, is a walk to the pub. :lol:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

External silver screens
If your hoses are coming away from the vents, try using small self tappers to secure them.
A lot of us use oil filled radiators to keep the chill off.
Keep the hot water on to stop the valve opening and dumping all your water.

cabby


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Hot water bottles! Lots of rumpy-pumpy? :wink:


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

We were away from boxing day to New years day last year travelling to various locations in Powys, one of them was a pub stop just outside Brecon and it did get very very cold, there was no hook up so we put the blown air heating on during the evening and switched it off when we went to bed and we were fine until about 6am when I put it back on. We dont use a quilt, we have XL sleeping bags

We used a 6kg gas bottle during that week away but a frosty mid Wales is very cold and £20 to warm the van, cook and heat all our water is a bargain in my opinion


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

tugboat said:


> Hot water bottles! Lots of rumpy-pumpy? :wink:


one track mind :roll: :lol:


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## tugboat (Sep 14, 2013)

Just trying to be helpful 's'all. No need to cast aspersions on a fine fellow like wot I is! :lol:


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## jeffro (Jan 13, 2009)

*keeping warm in kent*

buy a autotrail they have the boiler under the double bed .Handy for the winter .but shiiiite for the summer .sex is good always keeps you warm for two mins


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## jeffro (Jan 13, 2009)

*keeping warm in kent*

buy a autotrail they have the boiler under the double bed .Handy for the winter .but shiiiite for the summer .sex is good always keeps you warm for two mins


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## deefordog (Dec 31, 2013)

A good person to seek advice from is Russell, aka Rapide561, who's wintered for many years in his Kontiki 679 (same as your Bessy 795), with experience of both blown air and Alde. I'm sure he's got a few tips worth passing on.


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## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

We use ours every winter for 2 to 3 months. Going from Spain to UK sometimes via Poland/ Germany etc. 
external silver screens are a must and so is Gaslow. If you have dividing curtains then keep them shut during the night. Draw all window curtains. Keep boiler warm. Drain waste tank late afternoon. Make sure you have de icer spray and a pair of gloves. If you tend to go over the Pyrenees or up mountains take a plastic snow shovel.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

sex keeps you warm for tw minutes 8O 8O 

What are you doing wrong

You should be well a sleep before the cold kicks in

Aldra  

Well if i remember rightly :lol: :lol: 
Aldra :wink: :wink:


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## Kaytutt (Feb 5, 2013)

Two minutes is a tad optimistic or are you just showing off?


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## Jeannette (Aug 7, 2012)

Alde wet central heating.


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

Take knitted hats. If your feet are cold at night put on the hat! Seems odd but it works.

Safariboy


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## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

We put some cheap carpet down in winter and chuck it away in Spain around February.


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

Skiing with your van.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

We use the heating on a low setting, isn't that what its for? :?


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks all - this is a great thread  

Graham


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

During the shorter, darker and colder winter days even one night can put a big dent in your battery power.
If you're planning to be parked up more than one night then consider a hook-up or generator as essential.


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## uncleswede (Apr 16, 2010)

+1 for external silver screens (heat retention and no condensation)
+1 for Gaslow or equivalent (we get through 2Kg gas/day in the Alps)
+1 for putting old carpet down if, like us, you have a wooden floor
+1 for not using butane (won't gas off below 4 deg C)

If there's any risk of the temperature going below 4-6 deg C, keep the heating on low (to prevent the boiler auto-dumping)

Buy a cheap, thin quilt (IKEA £4) and put that under the bottom sheet of your bed. Very snug!

If there's any risk of going below 0 deg C, leave your waste valve open and drain directly into a bucket

Rgds
CD


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

I have an oil filled radiator - small De Longhi Bambino - which is only 800w. I use it when on hook-ups in winter.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

agree with a lot of what has been suggested - silver screens, oil filled rads, extra carpets (we use small Flokati rugs from IKEA) etc.

good slippers are also essential

and if you have a sunroof (we have 2) put a thermal barrier between the blind and the roof. you can buy silverised thermal barriers that you cut to size but if you're a cheapskate, bubble wrap can be used instead.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

More good stuff - cheers folks

Fatbuddha - any more info on this stuff for the skylights? Any experience or links? Presmuably they can be removed if you want some fresh air during the day?

Graham


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

this is the stuff

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMAL-S...HOME-VAN-/331291074735?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

up to you whether you want to remove or not during the day


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Thanks FB

I'll look into it

Graham


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

Use these suckers to secure the insulation to the sunroof...put them on the edges so you can easily remove them if you want daylight/fresh air..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QUALITY-W...ome_HomeDecor_Accessories&hash=item27e9b1c7e8

Terry


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I am thinking of making external 'silver screens' for our large 'A' Class windscreen, probably using the O'Leary material linked above, maybe doubled up.

There are no obvious tie points for the top of the screen, unless I go back to the roof rails, but I am worried that might let the wind get beind the screen and cause a lot of tension on the screen tie points.

Alternatively, has anyone successfully used suction cups, if so which ones? - they would need to be quite large and strong methinks.

A third alternative is a combination of the two methods.

Any thoughts/experience please?

Thanks in advance.

Geoff


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Geoff

Its a good point you make about the wind. I hadnt considered that. 

I have Silver Screen made ones which fasten over the door edge (which is then shut) and are vecro-ed over the side mirrors. The main central one is then just velcro-ed to each side door piece. I think 'best practice' is then to put the wind screen wipers over the top as extra weight and also to enable the screen to fit more snugly.

This arrangement doesnt seem too rigid to my mind if the wind gets up strongly so - at the risk of hi-jacking your question - I too would be interested if anypne has any experience of the tailored Silverscreens being 'wind-worthy'  

If they arnt then I guess some kind of bespoke clamp system could be rigged up quite easily providing the suction cups you refer to are available. 'Geriatricbackpacker's link is to ones which look eminently sensible for inside but Im not sure if they are 'man' enough for outside.

Cheers

Graham


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Graham

I deliberately included in post that it is an 'A' Class, - we have only a habitation door thus the upper attachment problem.

You are not Hi-jacking.

Geoff


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

> *nicholsong wrote :-*There are no obvious tie points for the top of the screen, unless I go back to the roof rails, but I am worried that might let the wind get beind the screen and cause a lot of tension on the screen tie points.
> 
> Alternatively, has anyone successfully used suction cups, if so which ones? - they would need to be quite large and strong methinks.
> 
> ...


Does this help Geoff? I bonded stainless steel towel hooks to the top of mine....










More info here...

>Hymer Silverscreen Project<

Pete


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

It had never crossed my mind that you wouldnt have a drivers and passengers door  

You learn something every day...I havent seen enough of them to notice (I'm fairly new to all this MH malarky :lol: )

I'll get me coat....

Graham


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I always wondered if this forum had a really big hallway to hang all the coats that members then decide to put back on.

cabby


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

If you wanna be a big softy and go on hookup the. Argos do a three setting stand up convector heater for twenty quid. 750w, 1250w and 2000w setting. Silent and very light and portable. We just stand ours in front of the fire and its really effective.

We wilded one Christmas in the lakes a few years ago when it was mega cold. Down to -18 and we just had the fire on all the time. It was warm and toasty but I used a full 22 litre gaslow tank in a week! 11kg and about £15 to fill.

Out water tanks are internal which helps though. I did see a few vans struggling with external tanks that winter.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

nicholsong said:


> I am thinking of making external 'silver screens' for our large 'A' Class windscreen, probably using the O'Leary material linked above, maybe doubled up.
> 
> There are no obvious tie points for the top of the screen, unless I go back to the roof rails, but I am worried that might let the wind get beind the screen and cause a lot of tension on the screen tie points.
> 
> ...


Take a look at bath/shower suction cup safety grab handles.
Not too expensive and can be fixed any where on a smooth surface. 
We use one in our home shower and it is really powerful.


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## ThePrisoner (Jan 13, 2009)

> "barryd"]If you wanna be a big softy and go on hookup the. Argos do a three setting stand up convector heater for twenty quid. 750w, 1250w and 2000w setting. Silent and very light and portable. We just stand ours in front of the fire and its really effective.
> 
> We wilded one Christmas in the lakes a few years ago when it was mega cold. Down to -18 and we just had the fire on all the time. It was warm and toasty but I used a full 22 litre gaslow tank in a week! 11kg and about £15 to fill.
> 
> Out water tanks are internal which helps though. I did see a few vans struggling with external tanks that winter.


Hi Barry

Is it this

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4152181.htm#pdpFullProductInformation


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Pete

Thanks for that and excellent photos.

It gives me a good starting point and I notice you have the same mirror brackets as ours. 

I just have to check that the 1.6 m roll of silver material is wide enough - MH is in UK so maybe need to ask on N+B sub-forum for a measurement.

Geoff


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Spacerunner said:


> Take a look at bath/shower suction cup safety grab handles.
> Not too expensive and can be fixed any where on a smooth surface.
> We use one in our home shower and it is really powerful.


Now THAT is a really good shout...

You can buy all kinds of gizmo's with those suction cups...and I'll bet you can buy 'spare' suction cups on their own

Cheers

Graham


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Best van to start with is one with a double floor. The floor is where a lot of cold comes from. Inside outside blinds Thick curtains across drivers cab. Extra thick carpet on the floor keep all blinds down at night and make extra thick curtains to slide on poles in front of the window blinds. You are then some way to keeping it warmer at night and when traveling. We fulltimed for over 7 years so we did all this and more.

steve & ann, ----------


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

We have been down to -25
so it stopped us walking round starkers
The outside temperature 
the inside temperature
are very different]
However the temperature under the seats where the pump is
varies dramatically
]
It was warm enough in the van
but our pump froze under the seats
i now have a little thermometer (£4.50 from lidl)
designed to measure outside temps. it has a sensor on a lead.
we have that on it sounds off when the temperature under the seats gets really low.

we switch the heating onb and stop the pump freezing]

practise at low temeperatures helps
use a bucket to drain waste into and leave the wast tank open


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## Geriatricbackpacker (Aug 21, 2012)

With regards to suction cups I bought a couple of the cheap sunscreens that have the black sticky suction cup in the middle and just affix to your window. Over time the sucker became detached from the center and not fit for purpose. I now use the center suction cap to hold my habitation door open when it is extremely windy, to act as an anchor point for my silverscreen (it was not designed for my van and doesn't fit snugly). I have driven no end of miles with the sucker stuck to the side of the van having forgotten to detach it. The sunblind is used as a cargo net in one of the cupboards as it just pushes in between the door and the shelves and stops the contents from falling out when the door is open. 

Terry


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

I have an isomatte that wraps round the screen and the sides and hooks top and bottom on a couple of hooks that are there for the purpose, our front side windows are single glazed . I also have a set of internals.

A few ideas from this german company to ponder, they seem to cover a lot of bases

www.kantop- isomatten .de /.../ ProduktKatalog.pdf

Ian


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Sorry link appears to be no good
try this one go to products then motor schall.... then hit german flag

http://www.kantop-isomatten.de/

Ian


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## Kev1 (Apr 4, 2011)

using your camper in winter is brilliant
and something you adapt to
The big must is stopping any pipework freezing
so getting heat into pipe areas is very very important.
Either drain down before the frosts
or keep heating on tick over
and ensure the heat is ducted to areas with pipework or you can leave open indoor hatches to let heat circulate.

We also have a sheet of insulation that goes between the toilet 
waste tank and the outside access hatch.

Carry a shovel and snow chains. Ensure you have enough gas
and gloves


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I sleep with the window open in the bedroom regardless of temp

I need air

The thought of everything being battened down and sealed

Gives me goose flesh :lol: :lol: 

A warm duvet , a cold shiver first thing a small price to pay

If it's raining I open the side bedroom window

And I love to see the stars from the roof light 

Mind you I'm not ski ing , but often at high altitudes with snow

Aldra


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Sleep in the overcab, heat rises. In really cold weather i use the internal screens supplied by Swift on the side windows as well as the outer silverscreens.
I use a 1 tog quilt in summer and a 3.5 in winter, have a couple of thin but very warm fleeces which i also carry. 
We use the electric heating on the van when on hook up, leave it on on lowest setting during the day and boost at night when it really cools down. I f exceptionally cold we can use both electric and gas. Tend to use the fire and not the blown air, find it heats the van up more quickly and is more effective.
Do carry a sleeping bag and if i get desperate (ly cold) I ask john for a cuddle  
we dont put the carpets back in in winter, but use a couple of thick bath mats, warm and can go in the campsite washers and driers. 
Have a great pair of fur lined fleece slipper/boots have been known to wear them in bed.

Reminder to self, take the thicker duvets to the van 

Sue


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## daffodil (Aug 7, 2014)

I am now just getting used to daffodil, and today after reading this post decided to try out the blown air heating system, its absolutely amazing, the inside temp reached 28 c after being made cold with the TRAV L COOL unit, and maintained that when put on low, and then I quickly pulled it right down with my TRAV L COOL unit that is a wonderful bit of kit, the pump runs off the solar panel and all it takes is to add water to the reservoir in the wardrobe so we should be alright whatever the weather throws at us, but some great tips like leaving the valve open and draining into a bucket


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

daffodil said:


> I am now just getting used to daffodil, and today after reading this post decided to try out the blown air heating system, its absolutely amazing, the inside temp reached 28 c after being made cold with the TRAV L COOL unit, and maintained that when put on low, and then I quickly pulled it right down with my TRAV L COOL unit that is a wonderful bit of kit, the pump runs off the solar panel and all it takes is to add water to the reservoir in the wardrobe so we should be alright whatever the weather throws at us, but some great tips like leaving the valve open and draining into a bucket


You see, it's not so difficult, you are learning and you will soon be going where you want - with confidence!

Geoff


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