# Adria Twin



## 119920

My husband and I bought an Adria Twin and collected it in September 07. I would like to ask all Adria Twin owners if they experience the same problem we have with ours. 

When using the van in low temperatures and have heating on in the van we have found it causes bad condensation in the cupboard above the cab. We identified this problem a year ago christmas. The van has been back to the dealers, they dried the cupboard out and investigated for a leak. They said it was not a leak but caused by condensation. 

We have had icicles in the cupboard and puddles in the plastic try. We can no longer store anything in the cupboard that will be ruined if it gets wet.
If you put your hand just inside the cupboard you can feel the bare metal of the strengthening bar in the roof.

Has anyone else had any problems with this?  

Onkytonk


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## UncleNorm

Hello onkytonk and a warm welcome to MotorhomeFacts. I have an Adria Coral and do not have any issues with condensation, mainly because we apply several preventative measures.

We keep our MH warm with an oil-filled heater; we make sure it is ventilated when steam is generated. WE make a point of keeping upper lockers closed if steam is around. 

If your front lockers have exposed metal skin, then warm air on cold surface will guarantee condensation. Really, all MHs should have insulation applied to all inner surfaces. Why hasn't yours?

Now then, if you subscribe to MHF for the sake of £10 pa, you will be able to access the search facility near the top of this page. I just did it. I put in "Adria Twin condensation" and it threw up 274 threads with hundreds of posts. It's unlikely you're the only one with this problem so how did others sort it?

It's your choice but subscribing could really help you. Go on! You know you want to! :roll: :wink: :lol: 

Whatever you decide, stay safe and enjoy your MH once it's rid of con....


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## 119920

Thanks unclenorm i most certainly will consider subscribing.

Let me just clarify a couple of points. We have no problem's with all other lockers in the van, Just the one big one above the cab. The problem is worse when the heating is on in the van with the cupboard door closed. this is when there is no cooking going on in the van. If we open the door this reduces the condensation.

This cupboard has some black foam insulation in it but this does not cover the pillars and strengthening frame work. It would appear that Adria have only insulated the flat panels. 

We have looked in other makes of vans and these are all fully lined or boarded out.


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## UncleNorm

Hiya onkytonk! Well done you on subscribing.  If you study the drop down list for subscribers you'll find a list of advantages to subscribing. You'll soon recoup your money on the many discounts that are available to MHF members.

Anyhow, back to the condensation.  How accessible are these wet lockers? Would it be possible to have the problem areas insulated? I'm sure someone must know of a self-adhesive insulation material.

Is your Twin under warranty? If so, I'd want this sorting under warranty. If not, then it is either a DIY job or you approach a motorhome manufacturer/converter. I once saw Timberland making their MHs and they stuck carpet onto the panels using spray adhesive. 

Have you tried the Google search facility? You're a full member now so give it a go! :wink: Good luck!


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## 119920

The van is under warranty and we are trying to get this sorted out under the warranty. Chelston have been really good about it but as it is the way the van has been manufactured, they are limited in what they can do. 
we are now talking to Adria. we are just interested to see if any other Twin owners have the same problem. 

The cupboard runs the full width of the van and is accessable by a long drop down door. We have found if you have the heating on in the van and have the door open this dramatically reduces the condensation. This then causes a hazard when you get up from the drivers or passenger seats when you turned them round to form part of the dining area.

My husband has worked as a vehicle trimmer and could easily sort the problem out but as the van is under warrenty why should he have to? also we are worried that this may invalidate the warranty.

We used to have a 6 berth coach built Dethleffs globetrotter esprit before this van and loved it but found it too big for the two ofus and our two dogs. It was also a pain getting it in and out of the drive. So decided to downsize. We have had the Adria for 16 months and have had 11 issues with it since we bought it. this ranges from the gas regulator jamming to the skylights leaking. 

My husband and I are both in our thirties and are unable to have children. So decided to make the most of life and get a motorhome. That was four years ago. we love it, come home from work on a friday evening and head straight of for the weekend. Great way to unwind after a busy week at work.


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## rowley

Welcome Onkytonk. I have not noticed this problem on our Twin, but I will certainly check properly next time that we are away. The insulation in the Twin is a bit hit and miss in several places.


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## rowley

I seem to remember that someone had a similar problem with a Trigano Tribute.


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## rowley

I am surprised that no other Twin owners have commented. There are several on this Forum so I am sure that you will hear from someone soon.


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## 119920

Thanks rowley.
I only noticed this problem when I went in the cupboard to get my laptop and found a puddle of water on the top. At first we thought it was the roof leaking. We took it back to the dealr and they took photos. these were sent to Adria to see if they would agree to the warrenty work to investigate if the van had a leak. They were a bit slow getting back and I think it was a few months before the work was done. There was no leak but they had to dry everything out. By then we had worked out for ourselves that condensation was the cause. 
When you look in the cupboard put your hand just in front of the black insulation at the front of the cupboard, in our van we have a gap of about an inch to two where you can feel metal. Also if you look through the door to the sides of the van you can see the metal pillars of the van. These are not boxed in or covered with insulation. So of course the warm air in the van comes into contact with this and hey presto you have condensation. 
I have found that if the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature of the van, even if the van is not being used, you get condensation.


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## UncleNorm

Wow onkytonk! I'm not happy for you.  It sounds like a basic fault especially if bare metal can be seen inside the cupboard. 

You said, "hey presto you have condensation." 

I'd say, "hey presto you have RUST!" :roll: 

Does the void within the cupboard extend down the door/windscreen pillars?


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## Ecosse

Hi Onkytonk....firstly as other posters have suggested you must get the bare metal in the cupboard insulated. Condensation will allways occur on the coldest surface available to it.It is important that you provide adequate insulation within the van when cooking etc. If you have a roof fan use it.It is also advisable to maintain an even temperature throughout the van so venting cupboards would also be of benifit.

Keep cosy!

Mike


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## 119920

Hi Mike

I know that we must get the bare metal insulated. That is why we are in contact with adria as this is obviously a design fault as it is the way the vehicle was manufactured. the van is still under warranty so why should we have to correct an issue that has happened because of the way the van was made.

The vehicle does not have a roof fan, so I open the sky light when we are cooking and we keep the cupboard open when heating the vehicle even though this causes a hazard as we can then hit our head on the cupboard door that then hangs down. Also the condensation occurs even when the vehicle is not in use and the cupboard door is left open.

We have heard back from Adria and they said"We have located information advising the correct operation of a van conversion in winter. The information specifically instructs that the cabinet doors, flaps and storage compartments should always be open when heating the vehicle in order to prevent the condensation of water."
If we had known before buying the van that we are supposed to sit in the van with the doors open we would never have bought it. Also this does not explain why we only have the problem in the cupboard above the cab. 
Could it be because this is the only cupboard that has bare metal in it? My husband is a vehicle technician and used to work as a vehicle trimmer. he has said that he can sort it out but why should he have to when the vehicle is under warranty.

We know that you will get a certain amount of condensation in a van especially when cooking. But not to the point that it leaves puddles the size of a satsuma in a cupboard. The van if wonderful in the warmer weather and we had a wonderful holiday in it to Scotland and we were amazed with the fuel economy. This problem is a shame as we love the layout, comfort and usability of the Twin. But it has put us off using the van during cold weather which is depressing as we love going away even if it is for one night.


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## UncleNorm

Hi again Onkytonk!

Seriously, sod the warranty, if you have the skills within the family, you'd be as well off doing it yourself. I would do it if it were my problem!

"If a job needs doing properly, do it thissen!"

"If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing ONCE!"

You know you'll be a lot happier once it's been fixed properly.

Oh, by the way, b*ll*cks to the idea of opening doors to avoid condensation. That will only allow warm air into cool spots where there's no circulation of air, therefore condensation will be formed. Grr! 

Maybe if the cupboards were empty, you'd get some movement of air... Why don't manufacturers and converters try living in their products then they'd be able to talk from experience. Do you know, I'm getting annoyed now!

We live in Our Coral through four seasons and don't have an issue with condensation. When the heating is on, the doors and flaps are closed. We have a label that advises opening a window when cooking and the extractor fan is on. But we don't have condensation on the windows, in the cupboards, no where!!! :evil:


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## 119920

Hi Unclenorm
I told adria the information they sent was not supplied with the van. Let's be honest who in there right mind is going to sit in their van with all the doors, flaps and storage compartments open. 
Adria have now said that the problem is caused by us not using the van as the manufacturer intended but have not elaborated as to how we are not using it correctly. but at the end of the email have said they have passed our comments on to their development team for their consideration... :? If the problem is our fault why forward our comments to their development team?
We are thinking of going back to a coachbuilt and probably a Dethleff as the build quality is amazing.
My husband has already been pricing up the insulation etc to do the job as he doesn't have much faith that Adria will sort it out. We were just trying to highlight a design fault to them.
We have been waiting over a month for a new matress from them as ours got wet when the skylight leaked and the dealer told us that the foam starts to breakdown as soon as it gets wet.
I am afraid we are not impressed with Adria. 

We are thinking of going to the show at the NEC later this month, We are hoping the new Dethleff Globeline will be there. We went to the outdoor lesiure show at the bath & west showground hoping they might have one there but a guy from lowdhams said that there isn't one in the country currently but are hoping to have one at the NEC. have you seen it? its georgeous. It is on the new mercedes base vehicle. Dread to think what the price tag is? £60k plus I would imagine. But we can dream can't we? :wink:


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## UncleNorm

Good morning Onkytonk! Thanks for the reply.

I can sense your frustrations! :roll: I remember our 'dream' car, a Vauxhall Omega 2L Auto, becoming a nightmare as everything, including everything, went wrong with it. Eventually, Auntie Sandra and I traded-in car and caravan, against our first MH, on a Transit base. We had it for 6 years and did 40,000 miles. We learnt to appreciate the flexibility of a MH over a caravan.

We are now on our third MH, Our Coral, by Adria. There have only been one or two minor issues, blown fuse, blown awning bulb, that's about it. But we feel we got a good one as Adria had set this up for the NEC in Oct07. It ticked every box, fixed corner bed, conference suite for 6/7, seat belts for 5, jet washer for a shower... But Adria had also added the cab aircon, cruise, second airbag, oven under hob, extra forward skylight, alloy wheels, silver finish, all finished with Paintseal, which makes washing it so easy. 

At this time we are pleased with our Adria and the fact that the dealer is moving from 6 miles away to 1 mile away. But it only takes one thing to go wrong and not be dealt with properly and our views could easily change, just like they did with the Vauxhall Omega.

Hey, I hope you get sorted soon so that you might continue to enjoy this lifestyle.


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## tramp

*hfdh*

hi onkytonk,
as an ex twin owner we sold because of just the thing you are on about lack of insulation for cold weather camping, have a look in the big cupboards under the kitchen units and you will find a huge vent we blocked this off as it served no purpose. and also under the wardobe there is a gap for the pipes etc again we blocked this off.

On our first van "bessacarr E705 " we had to improve the forgotten insulation in the cab area by fixing the sq tiles from behind a home radiator with foil one side and foam the other to the van by sikoflex never had a problem again.

om the subject of changing van the depreciation on these is huge from new about 20% try your dealer for a price.

ps we love our Dethleffs even at -16 there is no problem.

tramp


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## Steamdrivenandy

Sorry to hear of your problem OKT.

It seems to me that Adria's Warranty Dep't in Suffolk isn't all it could be (see my post on 'Adria Compact' earlier today). 

Not sure if they're overrun with work or just bl**dy minded.

I remember having a Skoda Octavia Estate with 3 years free servicing and 3 years warranty. After two years the front brake discs needed replacing and Skoda's (VW's) warranty people refused to pay for them. They'd already paid for new brake pads on the same service, but they flatly refused to cover the discs. After much argey bargey and with bad grace I paid the dealer who was a personal friend. I vowed I'd never buy another VW Group product ever again. If they'd paid with good grace and met the spirit of the deal I'd probably be an avid supporter of all things VW.

It just shows that efficient, customer friendly warranty departments can make or break a relationship with a customer and lead to repeat business. I can never fathom why, with notable exceptions, they act like little dictators and do their best to ruin what should be a good, happy experience.

Anyway back to your Twin.

I've seen the words they quoted to you somewhere in the Adria owners handbook. If I recall correctly it's actually referring to when a van is laid up over winter, not when it's in use.

Our Compact has the label mentioned by Uncle N and in winter we don't open up when cooking as requested. However the Compact does have an extractor fan built into the lockers above the hob and sink and this probably helps keep the damp at bay.

We were struck by Dethleffs Magic Edition when it was first announced, not because of the van, but because our first beardie, Josh (now at rainbow bridge), had the posh registered name of Magic Edition. In the event the model is too big for our needs, but it would've been good driving around in a tribute to a lovely boy.

SDA


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## 119920

Hi Steamdrivenandy

What Adria owners handbook? Never seen one, one was not supplied with the van and we bought it fom new...

Hi Tramp

We inquired last month how much we would get from the dealer and they said between 26 & 27K we bought the Twin for 34 with extras such as TV aerial and Fiamma awning.


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## Steamdrivenandy

Hi OKT,

We had some things missing from our Compact when we picked it up, like a second ignition key and the bits to allow the factory fitted alarm to work, but we did get a big thick file full of suppliers booklets (like Truma, Thetford, SMEV etc) and a wodge of Sony CD Player handbook that would put a volume of Encyclopaedia Britannica to shame. 

In addition there were two small white ringbound volumes. One was '2008 Adria Motorhome Service Book' and the other (about twice as thick) '2008 Adria Motorhome User's Handbook'. 

Mind, a large proportion of the information in the handbook didn't apply to our Compact as we had no oven, the heater was a brand new different model to those featured, as were the toilet, the energy management system and the fridge. 

Bearing in mind that most manufacturers supply handbooks in multi-languages these days (how many million trees does that waste) and these booklets were in English only, I'm wondering whether they're supplied by Adria Concessionaires when the van gets to the UK? It might be worth a phone call to Suffolk to see if they can supply them.

SDA

PS
I noticed yesterday that Brownhills have a 'used' March '08 registered Adria Compact for sale for £34.5K. It does have the highest spec. Adria pack which costs £4K extra when new. That includes roof rails, part leather seats, and 'flat' hab. windows. Our new one without the top spec. pack was discounted to £36K last September with cabair, radio and F45 awning thrown in. Brownhills used price seems a bit steep on that basis but they're probably open to haggling.


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## 119920

These Adria handbooks we don't have so will phone Adria. the rest of the stuff you described we did have along with the Fiat books.
We have heard from Adria today and have been told to book the van in with the dealer for investigation, this will be the second time they have looked at it.
But hey looks like we are a step closer to getting this sorted.


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## TwinTravellers

Hi, 

We got our Adria Twin the same time as yours, Sept.2007. When I read this post I got worried as I have never checked inside the locker over the cab. I have just been out to check the overhead cab and all is well regarding the problems you are having. There are two bare bits of metal and there is no sign of rust or anything. In all, very dry and clean.

However, there was a problem with something else, which has now worried me a bit (now a lot!). We store chairs, roll up table, the extra cushion for the small bed etc. it holds quite a lot! up there. My problem is, that behind the the control panel there are 2 big loops of red wire just hanging there!!!! If we had caught them on anything when we were pushing things in, the control panal would have been totally useless and left us without any power to use anything. Having spent a month touring Iceland I dread to think what we would have done if these wires had become detached!.

Regarding the heating, we have camped out in very cold conditions and found the heating more than adequate.

Ros.


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## 119920

Hi Twin Traveller

Thank you for your reply and for confirming that you do not have the same problem as us. May be we have been unlucky to have the one van that is problematic. there is always one isn't there. 

I will have to check behind the control panel as I don't recall seeing any wires like you have described. Although our dealer has had the front of the cupboard off and the whole headliner in the cab to remove the cupboard to investigate the problems. But I will check. from what you have said it was lucky you didn't catch the wires. 
How was Iceland?


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