# Over winter tips.



## fridgeman (Jul 11, 2007)

after some please, normaly i tuck my campers away in the industrial unit but dont have the space at present,so what do you all do so stop damp inside the vans ! heating every now and again of course but any other tips. ! :?:


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I use my van during the winter it is my only vehicle. I try and keep it as dry as possible but a trip to the supermarket in the pouring rain will deposit a lot of moisture inside. (Wet bags wet coats wet shoes rain getting in as the doors are opened).

I use plastic dehumidifiers containing calcium carbonate crystals one in the body of the van one in the overhead locker.

If it is going to be excessively cold I plug it into the mains.

If I'm not going to camp in it for a while say during Jan/Feb I remove bedding from the overhead locker and if I'm not using it as a 'car' for a week or so I will open other cupboards to encourage a flow of air. Sods law is that as soon as I do that I need to go somewhere!

I always leave the top vent open v slightly, short of a hurricane no wet gets in that way


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I don't do anything really. Ensure the water system is drained and taps left open. Handbrake off. We ensure that we have a weekend away each month.


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## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi Fridgeman, Please check your mail I have sent you a question re a previous post.

On my caravan I laid it up all winter outside. Damp and freezing up are the problem. I took all the soft furnishings inside the house, removed the gas, ensure no water was in the pipes and as Franks does opened up the cupboard doors to allow air to circulate.

I kept one caravan 12 years following this procedure so some of it must have been right as the van was perfect when I did sell it! :  

With the Tribute it is a different matter as we are using it for day trips every week so I do not want to lug kit in and out of the house. I have recorded a low of -3.2 deg c so far inside the van so I am toying with the idea of putting a oil filled radiator on a frost stat in the van or just keep it on low (using economy 7) on a night. I have a concourse MGB and a Harley Davidson stored in an insulated garage which has low level heating. This does keep everything perfectly dry. I the past I have covered them but found I got condensation.

Has Anyone tried heating the van in between periods of use, do you get condensation ?


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## 105062 (Jun 10, 2007)

Have been checking the humidity in the van this week as it is 6 days since it has been used and it is averaging 92% which sounds high to me so will try a heater and see if it comes down. 8O 

PS The DIY insulation is working, today it was 10.7 deg c outside and 4 Deg C inside so I opened the doors to warm it up :roll:


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## fridgeman (Jul 11, 2007)

thats the problem humidity, in my garage i run a dehumidifier on a timer [12hrs a day] to keep the old escort from dropping to bits, may i suggest this is a far better option than low level heating as it may be cold but its bone dry,you still can get humidity with heating.

think i,ll get a another one and stick it in the 650,thanks for the tips guys


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