How Do I Know If My MH Is Winterised, Please?

[Peavy]

Have a look if you find something like this nearby the heater.
It's a lever that alllow you to deviate some of the heat from the heater unit to the waste water tank, to avoid freezing.
That would mean the waste water tank would be isolated and had an inlet to allow this heat to move around it and thus avoid it to get frozen.

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Have a look if you find something like this nearby the heater.
It's a lever that alllow you to deviate some of the heat from the heater unit to the waste water tank, to avoid freezing.
That would mean the waste water tank would be isolated and had an inlet to allow this heat to move around it and thus avoid it to get frozen.
View attachment 950894

Mine does that without the lever

 

[Mleabon]

I think there are different levels of winterisation. The ultimate being double floors with all pipework and tanks in that heated space. But my Hobby Optima is winterised. The water tank is inboard and the grey waste is insulated and heated. I have been fine down to -19c. At that temperature we were fine inside but had issues with the Comformatic gearbox. I have insulated outside pipes myself, use a bucket for the grey waste and put silver bubble wrap in all the skylights. I have an insulated screen cover and a cover for the front to stop drafts coming in through the engine compartment. Occasionally pipes have frozen on one side but have been fine by lunchtime when it's been say-15c overnight.

 

[HKF]

Have a look if you find something like this nearby the heater.
It's a lever that alllow you to deviate some of the heat from the heater unit to the waste water tank, to avoid freezing.
That would mean the waste water tank would be isolated and had an inlet to allow this heat to move around it and thus avoid it to get frozen.
View attachment 950894

I don't think I have anything like that.

 

[HKF]

I'm surprised that wasn't the first question asked, who knows, it might even tell the OP in/on the MH handbook?

Just to say that the handbook is in French and I don't speak French at all. I've been unable to find an English version anywhere online and it's pages and pages long, far too long to scan it in and OCR it.

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[Jon Stewart]

Just to say that the handbook is in French and I don't speak French at all. I've been unable to find an English version anywhere online and it's pages and pages long, far too long to scan it in and OCR it.

If you have an android phone, Google Lens, part of Google photos (perhaps available for iPhone as well?), will translate a page in French from a photo of the page.

If you have an android tablet, or a laptop with Google photos, think you can do the same thing (can't remember the detailed sequence of how to).

Perhaps start with the table of contents at the front to figure general location!

 

[HKF]

If you have an android phone, Google Lens, part of Google photos (perhaps available for iPhone as well?), will translate a page in French from a photo of the page.

If you have an android tablet, or a laptop with Google photos, think you can do the same thing (can't remember the detailed sequence of how to).

Perhaps start with the table of contents at the front to figure general location!

I don't have a smartphone at all. I have a camera and could upload a photo to my laptop, I suppose. It would be a very long-winded process.

 

[Jon Stewart]

I don't have a smartphone at all. I have a camera and could upload a photo to my laptop, I suppose. It would be a very long-winded process.

Having now seen the one at the owners club, I'm beginning to think that the manual may not even tell you.

However, I'd take a photo of the TOC and get it translated for anything related to water or storage or frost.

You get the idea.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[HKF]

Having now seen the one at the owners club, I'm beginning to think that the manual may not even tell you.

However, I'd take a photo of the TOC and get it translated for anything related to water or storage or frost.

You get the idea.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Sorry but.....TOC?

 

[Itsmcb]

Turn up the heating and put a bucket under the open waste pipe and your sorted for a cold weekend. Longer and colder trips require better preparation .

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[Itsmcb]

.

 

[Jon Stewart]

Sorry but.....TOC?

Table of Contents, sorry.

 

[mitzimad]

Our burstner is single flpor waste tank underneath and we survived minus 12 in val des alr

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Dont think winterised is a specific specification just a termonology and all manufacturers have a different take on it.
We have a double floor with all pipes inside but the grey waste in underneath outside so only semi winterised.

 

[L' Hobo]

Dont think winterised is a specific specification just a termonology and all manufacturers have a different take on it.
We have a double floor with all pipes inside but the grey waste in underneath outside so only semi winterised.

I agree, winterised is a term that has to be treated with a degree of scepticism.

I viewed a new PVC last year that was advertised as 'winterised' except the tanks were underslung and bare.
When I queried this with a salesman, he said it was winterised because the freshwater one had a heater.

On some of the Ski trips I've been on, a small heater would do nothing!

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

If this is you in the morning a few months time then it’s not winterised

 

[nev robinson]

I'd say, if winterized, all water, batteries, and likely all the electrics should be between the floors.

Should also be evidence that there is heating supplied to the inter floor areas.

Wrote to fluerette in France and enquired how low temp wise could go with our florium magister,reply was you will be fine down to minus 14. And both our water tanks have trace heating .
But still drain everything down in winter…

 

[PlacidoD]

I am piggy-backing on this thread rather than starting afresh re suggestions for sensible frost precautions for my first winter with my Hobby T500 van.

Last weekend the T500 wet itself! Van was on the drive and I was working on something and so I put both the heating and hot water on while in the van. Hot water did not appear to be working and there was almost zero output from both hot taps and the water was not warm. When I left the van after an hour or so having done my fettling water was coming out of the escape valve on the Truma boiler. Today was my first chance to look at it. Fingers crossed I checked the frost valve and found it had tripped and reset it. I also took the opportunity to vacuum out the boiler compartment and mend a part-separated bit of warm air heater trunking. (Sounds simple but everything in my boiler locker is exceedingly difficult to reach and very poorly lit!)

So to my questions. The van lives on the drive and is permanently on EHU to keep batteries charged . I would not have said there was a frost last weekend I Live in Bolton not the Cairngorms!!). The arse end of my van is very near the concrete of the drive as I have the front end on ramps on the sloping drive so the van is almost level. But I cannot think of anything else that logically would have tripped the valve? So looks like I have a weak frost valve. I am wondering what to do to keep the van available for use?

Fresh water tank is inboard under the dinette seat. Gray water tank is underslung but insulated and has a heater. I plan to use the van a few weekends over the coming months and so want it available and ready for a quick get away when work, weather and other commitments coincide to give me a window.

What is the likely cost of keeping the gray water heater on at the first sign of frost? I am also thinking of keeping the Truma water set on 40C meaning it will cycle on and off just like a home system. The Truma is gas only. My thinking is that 40C should keep all the pipes warm and warm the van a little. I can also have the fridge set on mains for a bit of gentle heat. Finally I can also bang the heating on full blast when working in or on the van. Given that I work mainly from home I can put the heating on very quickly during a cold spell. I have two SafeFill 11kg bottles so my supply of gas is near inexhaustible and the cost of a refill is modest compared to problems with burst or frozen pipes.

I spend at least an hour tinkering with the van most weeks so the heating can be run full blast while I am doing that for good measure!

Does the above sound like a sensible plan? I don't mind a bit of overkill and I would prefer not to drain down the boiler and systems generally.

Hobbys are German (part of the Erwin Hymer group) and so generally are well insulated.

 

[Mleabon]

I am piggy-backing on this thread rather than starting afresh re suggestions for sensible frost precautions for my first winter with my Hobby T500 van.

Last weekend the T500 wet itself! Van was on the drive and I was working on something and so I put both the heating and hot water on while in the van. Hot water did not appear to be working and there was almost zero output from both hot taps and the water was not warm. When I left the van after an hour or so having done my fettling water was coming out of the escape valve on the Truma boiler. Today was my first chance to look at it. Fingers crossed I checked the frost valve and found it had tripped and reset it. I also took the opportunity to vacuum out the boiler compartment and mend a part-separated bit of warm air heater trunking. (Sounds simple but everything in my boiler locker is exceedingly difficult to reach and very poorly lit!)

So to my questions. The van lives on the drive and is permanently on EHU to keep batteries charged . I would not have said there was a frost last weekend I Live in Bolton not the Cairngorms!!). The arse end of my van is very near the concrete of the drive as I have the front end on ramps on the sloping drive so the van is almost level. But I cannot think of anything else that logically would have tripped the valve? So looks like I have a weak frost valve. I am wondering what to do to keep the van available for use?

Fresh water tank is inboard under the dinette seat. Gray water tank is underslung but insulated and has a heater. I plan to use the van a few weekends over the coming months and so want it available and ready for a quick get away when work, weather and other commitments coincide to give me a window.

What is the likely cost of keeping the gray water heater on at the first sign of frost? I am also thinking of keeping the Truma water set on 40C meaning it will cycle on and off just like a home system. The Truma is gas only. My thinking is that 40C should keep all the pipes warm and warm the van a little. I can also have the fridge set on mains for a bit of gentle heat. Finally I can also bang the heating on full blast when working in or on the van. Given that I work mainly from home I can put the heating on very quickly during a cold spell. I have two SafeFill 11kg bottles so my supply of gas is near inexhaustible and the cost of a refill is modest compared to problems with burst or frozen pipes.

I spend at least an hour tinkering with the van most weeks so the heating can be run full blast while I am doing that for good measure!

Does the above sound like a sensible plan? I don't mind a bit of overkill and I would prefer not to drain down the boiler and systems generally.

Hobbys are German (part of the Erwin Hymer group) and so generally are well insulated.

I don't think you need to worry about the grey waste with a bit of frost. You could put some anti freeze in it though. Not car anti freeze but special anti freeze designed for boats and motorhomes. If it gets really cold then (below -5C) most people (in ski resorts) leave the grey waste outlet open and put a bucket underneath. Just having the hot water on will not circulate water around the pipes. I used to leave the heating on 10c all the time when not in the van when it was really cold in Austria to stop the pipes freezing. I also got underneath and insulated any grey waste pipes i could find. I have a similar Hobby Optima that has survived -19C on occasion and -10c regularly. You can insulate skylights with silver bubble wrap. An external insulated screen cover helps a lot.

 

[Squeak]

Thanks everyone. The water tank is under a seat, as is the battery. I do have a floor panel that lifts up but it's in an area that's stepped up, under the table. I've no idea where the pipes go. I'll have a look tomorrow

All my pipes are under the van, exposed but I've put foam pipe insulation around ever one & wrapped the lot with aluminium tape. Had to crawl under the van to sort it, was a bit of a faff but it's held together & everything stayed frost free in minus 8 last yr

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[sarumsteve]

My Benimar has an underslung but insulated grey waste tank with a small heating element in it to stop it freezing. Element is controlled by an internal switch with an led to show when. Switch is located on side of seat base behind drivers seat RHD. Hope this helps.

 

[CAB96]

I am piggy-backing on this thread rather than starting afresh re suggestions for sensible frost precautions for my first winter with my Hobby T500 van.

Last weekend the T500 wet itself! Van was on the drive and I was working on something and so I put both the heating and hot water on while in the van. Hot water did not appear to be working and there was almost zero output from both hot taps and the water was not warm. When I left the van after an hour or so having done my fettling water was coming out of the escape valve on the Truma boiler. Today was my first chance to look at it. Fingers crossed I checked the frost valve and found it had tripped and reset it. I also took the opportunity to vacuum out the boiler compartment and mend a part-separated bit of warm air heater trunking. (Sounds simple but everything in my boiler locker is exceedingly difficult to reach and very poorly lit!)

So to my questions. The van lives on the drive and is permanently on EHU to keep batteries charged . I would not have said there was a frost last weekend I Live in Bolton not the Cairngorms!!). The arse end of my van is very near the concrete of the drive as I have the front end on ramps on the sloping drive so the van is almost level. But I cannot think of anything else that logically would have tripped the valve? So looks like I have a weak frost valve. I am wondering what to do to keep the van available for use?

Fresh water tank is inboard under the dinette seat. Gray water tank is underslung but insulated and has a heater. I plan to use the van a few weekends over the coming months and so want it available and ready for a quick get away when work, weather and other commitments coincide to give me a window.

What is the likely cost of keeping the gray water heater on at the first sign of frost? I am also thinking of keeping the Truma water set on 40C meaning it will cycle on and off just like a home system. The Truma is gas only. My thinking is that 40C should keep all the pipes warm and warm the van a little. I can also have the fridge set on mains for a bit of gentle heat. Finally I can also bang the heating on full blast when working in or on the van. Given that I work mainly from home I can put the heating on very quickly during a cold spell. I have two SafeFill 11kg bottles so my supply of gas is near inexhaustible and the cost of a refill is modest compared to problems with burst or frozen pipes.

I spend at least an hour tinkering with the van most weeks so the heating can be run full blast while I am doing that for good measure!

Does the above sound like a sensible plan? I don't mind a bit of overkill and I would prefer not to drain down the boiler and systems generally.

Hobbys are German (part of the Erwin Hymer group) and so generally are well insulated.

Not sure, but don't the frost protection valves work at 5 or 6 degrees? It was certainly as cold as that in Stockport the other night.

So I don't think it's faulty.