Cold Air coming in new Autotrail

[MHVirgins]

Just catching up with this "draughty" thread again. We've been away in the van for the past 9 weeks and as mentioned earlier, we couldn't be without the heavy blanket that we drape over from the front cab locker ledge down over the back of the swivel seats onto the floor This seems to be the biggest culprit area ........but we've never needed anything else than the blown air heating up to 1 Kw and then down to 500 watts overnight. We rarely use the gas heater, only when we make a stop for lunch whilst travelling......

We've never needed the electric blown air up at 2Kw during the recent freezing weather and it was freezing. In fact, Margaret used to say...."have you got that heating turned up again?" But I usually sit with just a short-sleeved t-shirt on and I'm ok.

On the way home coming over the A66 I noticed one helluva draught coming in around the door handle (driver's side)........this was the first time I've noticed this, maybe it was just down to the wind direction, but it was an icy blast that was hitting us side-on.

Another bad bit seemed to be from the area behind the small blind on the driver's door........never noticed this before, but there weren't any draughts from the passenger door side........has anyone else noticed this? I'm putting it down to the wind direction.......

Bill

 

[Stewart J]

Andy how many vents on the nearside on your van there are 2 on mine 2013 Euro 5

 

[Techno]

2008 has one each side, mine is left hand drive but it is the drivers side that is blanked off and passenger vented.

 

[Stewart J]

2 on nearside on Euro 5

 

[rupert]

re. blocking up vents under seats. are these vents on fiat only ? i have a cheyenne on a merc sprinter will i have these vents under my cab ?

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[Phill D]

my Ducato Euro 5 has one either side with the nearside already blanked. just need to get a blank now.

 

[knokinonabit]

On my X250 base cab, there are four vents.
As well as the one shown in Techno100s picture, there is one slightly further down and 90 degrees round towards the rear of the motorhome, on the same pillar.
The other side had the same set up, but they were already blanked off. Presumably because the exhaust runs out under there.

 

[knokinonabit]

The vents were discussed on the forum about 2 years ago if memory serves me.
It was on a thread titled Autocruise cold under seats.
This link may or may not work, I'm not very good at computing.
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/autocruise-cold-under-seats.63615/

 

[derek airns]

i Have a 2012 Bailey Approach 745 on a Peugeot very cold in the cab and again on electric hopeless does anyone know if i would have vents?

 

[Techno]

I would suggest you compare your van with the many pictures posted in this thread

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[derek airns]

Thanks Andy, i was going to look under the van but i just snapped my Achilles tendon last week and got it re attached Thursday so stuck in a daft boot for the next 3 months with crutches LOL

 

[Techno]

It is very likely that you have a vent to aid air flow as the cab is primarily used as a panel van with a cab wall. Converters do not make the effort to change this because it costs them money and they can get away with spending nothing.

 

[derek airns]

thanks Andy i assume then i would just get the blanking plates on the photo further up the post hopefully that will help !!

 

[Scattycat]

Apart from these under cab vents there are many other areas that it might be worth paying some attention to to reduce some of the drafts, although having said that it is probably not a good idea to plug all of them.
But if you have an oven in the van then there will probably be quite a draft coming from the oven vent, also in ours as in many vans there are a couple of vents in the step well of the habitation door.
This winter we bought a roll of silver backed insulation the type many DIY stores sell to line the inside of you garage door at home.
I've cut out some shapes to fit in the inside of the windows and roof vents, silverside facing inwards.
This not only helps to reduce some of the drafts from these areas but also reflects heat back into the van. I was surprised how much of a difference it made and if the van gets a bit stuffy then we just open a roof vent slightly, at least I'm more in control of the drafts the before.
Another solution to help overcome some of the drafts from the cab area is, when on hook-up, to use a small electric fan heater just on the edge of the cab area and pointing towards the front of the cab area.
Set on low ours seem to have over come the problem.

 

[Judge Mental]

i Have a 2012 Bailey Approach 745 on a Peugeot very cold in the cab and again on electric hopeless does anyone know if i would have vents?

Yes use gas. ....it's what it's for or at least to get up to temp then switch over

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[rupert]

well i have a autotrail on a merc sprinter base i don't seem to have any of these vents under the cab, but i do have a horrible draft. i think" knocinonabit" has got it bang on with his ref. to roof lights with no seals. i poked foam rubber around my heki roof light as a temporary measure, and draft is gone. i am now trying to source the correct rubber seals to offer a permanent solution. hope this helps others

 

[rupert]

well i have a autotrail on a merc sprinter base i don't seem to have any of these vents under the cab, but i do have a horrible draft. ithink no

Another area to look at is the seal, or lack of it, on the roof lights.
Some technical reason to do with air circulation per so many cubic metres of space in a particular room of the motorhome means that the (British) manufacturers have to omit the seals in the roof lights. Ring up the technical help department at AutoTrail for the official answer, as I did, and you will be told that they can't do it, but what an owner does is up to the owner. Phone number is 01472 571000.
Anyway, I bought seals from Leisure Spares Ltd and fit them myself. Made a huge difference. www.leisurespares.co.uk
Hope this helps

 

[davejmobile]

hi all i have the 2011 autotrail dakota i think maybe there is a busineess opotunity to seal x250 cabs or come up with a kit
also does anyone have a draught coming through electric step swith

 

[MitchandJenny]

Wherever ye be, let your wind blow free !!!!!

 

[MHVirgins]

hi all i have the 2011 autotrail dakota i think maybe there is a busineess opotunity to seal x250 cabs or come up with a kit
also does anyone have a draught coming through electric step swith

You could be right, ours is the 2007 model, but the step area problem to a lesser degree. The cab area is the biggest problem.......thank heavens for a big heavy blanket over ours during Christmas and New Year trip
We've also got a draught coming through the driver's door handle area.....

From conversations with people we've met, cab draughts are not just a problem with Autotrails.

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[zac]

Finally got round to doing this on our van (Delaware 2015 Model), there are 2 vents on the passenger side on ours. I have put some memory foam over the first one and then used some duct tape. On the 2nd one i removed the vent and put a couple pieces of memory foam in the hole to fill it out and then used duct tape to keep in place. I am assuming the memory foam wont do this any damage with damp etc? as may leave it in there if not.

I have just ordered some blanking plates as per previous thread but if this wont hurt i may just leave it as is. Dont look nice but then i cant see it

Just need to take it out on a cold day now which may prove a little hard as getting warmer now, might have to wait till next winter trip if not.

Thanks for all the help on here.