How To Make Winter Motorhoming More Enjoyable

The general said:
Agree 100% what’s a bit of chill ????? Adds to the experience , ok now got fitted out mh , in old days I slept inside transit in comfy sleeping bag WITH ice on the inside of van ! Nice and fresh in morning , ok I am comfortable now low heating on all night no problem .
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I had a house like that...................... :giggler:
 
If you're from Yorkshire just throw an extra coat on the bed, -7 at Mailleraye
 

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We have used our Rienza all year including the mini beast from the east, storm Dennis, the latest storm I can’t remember it’s name and howling wind recently in Norfolk.
We put the fridge vent covers on and keep the thicker sleeping bag ready to put on top of the heavier duvet.
We had a silver screen for the Duetto but havnt bothered with one for the Rienza so far. The worst draft is from some were around the top of the fridge. Hanging the pot cloth over the edge of the work top cures that.
We find people we have met on our travels in the winter are more social than some of the summer only users. They have time to talk and tell us of there travels. I do hope this doesn’t change with the present rules.
 
bigwood said:
We have used our Rienza all year including the mini beast from the east, storm Dennis, the latest storm I can’t remember it’s name and howling wind recently in Norfolk.
We put the fridge vent covers on and keep the thicker sleeping bag ready to put on top of the heavier duvet.
We had a silver screen for the Duetto but havnt bothered with one for the Rienza so far. The worst draft is from some were around the top of the fridge. Hanging the pot cloth over the edge of the work top cures that.
We find people we have met on our travels in the winter are more social than some of the summer only users. They have time to talk and tell us of there travels. I do hope this doesn’t change with the present rules.
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What does putting fridge vent covers achieve. Only asking as we have 2 which came with the MH when we brought it. They've been in the garage at home ever since.
Thanks Derry

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Derry Wilson said:
What does putting fridge vent covers achieve. Only asking as we have 2 which came with the MH when we brought it. They've been in the garage at home ever since.
Thanks Derry
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They allow the 3-way fridge to work more efficiently when ambient temperature is too low, by helping to insulate the fins.
 
Our simple answer to Winter motorhoming is to make use of full-facility sites. They have easy access, hard standing, fully serviced pitches if required, and a decent EHU supply and other than around Christmas are charging low season rates. Any grass pitch almost anywhere is either going to be soft or muddy or both and in our case with dogs clean entry / exit is a primary requirement.
 
Start off without any weather expectations, carry an extra blanket or two, probably worth sites with EHU. Wellies for those wet grassy pitches, and don’t park at the bottom of sites where it gets boggy especially with front wheel drive. Try and park facing downwards a bit for easier drive off.
Phil
 
Just reading through all that lot has made me think about getting some more logs in ready to use in our 2 wood burners. Were lucky being 4 miles from the coast and 100 yards from the north Yorkshire Moors national park. I think I'll stick near the woodburners unless theres something we really want to visit.
 
Use our Globescout year round. After much researching I bought rear door thermal curtain ‘mats’ off eBay! Not cheap ((£200 ish) but the best extra money I have spent on the van! Not sure if they are still available but they are great & stay in place all year so I don’t have to snuggle up to a cold metal door when the OH is taking up the rest of the bed!
 
Wombles said:
Have to confess that up until now we have been mostly Spring & Summer motorhomers with winter sun in apartments of hotels abroad but now year round motorhoming looks like the only viable option for most of us so please post your tips for how to enjoy this more. We like to pick up extra ideas & it might help some new to this.
To start if off here's a few that spring to mind:
Electric hook up - not sure enough solar to keep our compressor fridge etc. running otherwise
Exterior silver screens - normally use internal Remis blinds & exterior mesh screen covers but the thick silver ones really help
Slippers - fluffy lined "Crocs" picked up in Aldi Germany for €5 :love:
Hot water bottles - his & hers
Fleece throws to stay cosy
Electric heater - small Kampa Diddy or Eco Chico oil free heater for serious warmth
Flask - boiling a full kettle & putting the remainder in a flask so quick hot drinks always available (saves gas too if not on EHU!)
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Boil the full kettle at home and put the residue in a flask for drinks during the day is part of my normal energy saving routine. I have a largish all metal flask which means that after breakfast at 8.30 or so I can be drinking an acceptably hot coffee at 8pm. If on EHU we always use the electric kettle, saving gas due to the charge not being metered. If metered (some sites we have encountered do that in France. particularly) then we use the gas.
On our weekend jaunt (a commercial site with an indoor swimming pool) we used the electric fan heater we carry in place of the gas heating system. The cab in our van has a vent from the blown air system so can heat up that part very quickly. Did not use the window cab blinds only the thin curtain. Have not noticed on my 2009 Ducato the cab door vents. I have indulged in using an oldish sweater when in the sleeping bag plus socks as I am less tolerant of the cold than my wife.
 
Rapido925M said:
Consider getting a dual control electric blanket (his & hers, assuming a double bed; otherwise one each!).

IF EHU is included in the price, use an electric kettle!
IF it isn't, use gas as it will be cheaper.
TRY to boil the minimum amount of water, as even in an efficient flask the extra will cool down.
BUT rinse the kettle out with a small amount of drinking water and store that in a flask: it cools the kettle and preheats your next hot drink.
DO THIS TWICE in close succession: the first water drops the temperature of the flask quite a lot but the second one takes it almost to room temperature. Stand the kettle on the "hot" part of the hob to extract heat from that spot as well!
TIGHT? No, just careful and agreeing with Sir David Attenborough's advice this morning: "don't waste anything".

Gordon

Don't forget woolly socks and a "lounger suit" which you can pull on over the top of other clothing. ;)
(Easier to keep you warm than a blanket when you get up to make that hot drink.)
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or even a one-zee. with ear-ers, and may-be a tail,to tell, keep warm,and friendly. happy days, ok.pj.
 
The general said:
Yes thermal curtains certainly helps
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Me too thermal curtain linings on A class side windows. Have internal shutter on windscreen though. The space is small enough to heat up quickly with a fan heater I got from a Freecycle 😀
 
Ian Bosman said:
Boil the full kettle at home and put the residue in a flask for drinks during the day is part of my normal energy saving routine. I have a largish all metal flask which means that after breakfast at 8.30 or so I can be drinking an acceptably hot coffee at 8pm. If on EHU we always use the electric kettle, saving gas due to the charge not being metered. If metered (some sites we have encountered do that in France. particularly) then we use the gas.
On our weekend jaunt (a commercial site with an indoor swimming pool) we used the electric fan heater we carry in place of the gas heating system. The cab in our van has a vent from the blown air system so can heat up that part very quickly. Did not use the window cab blinds only the thin curtain. Have not noticed on my 2009 Ducato the cab door vents. I have indulged in using an oldish sweater when in the sleeping bag plus socks as I am less tolerant of the cold than my wife.
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not on your own,? me to or 3 or 4, on top. no point in be-ing cold, keep cool and happy .ok.pj.

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When on an electric hook-up we have a small electric fan heater that we direct into the cab area. It's quiet and is used on a low setting, it sorts out the cold area at the front of the van.
 
TerryL said:
Take motorhome to somewhere warmer!
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And where, pray will "somewhere warmer" be in Britian in January...suggetstions please|?

Whilst on the subject, many centuries ago I was in my pop-top campervan out in the peak district in February.
Woke up one morning to lift the roof and found it wouldn't budge! Reason? There was a heavy snowfall during the night and about 3" snow laid on the roof - surprisingly heavy!...How we laughed.
 
Buy a small ‘Tower’ (or similar) slow cooker and do a superb winter warmer casserole. Get a set of clip together rubber mats to place outside for muddy shoes etc. Convert your TV to a smart TV with a Chromecast, get a mi-fi and data sim and binge on a box set series.
 
Landy Andy said:
OMG. Just go and do it. It’s never that cold inside a motorhome especially in the UK. Last night was 2degrees we had heating off, 4.5 tog summer duvet, no clothes on, bathroom roof open to first setting and bedroom roof open a good 3-4”. Nice layer of ice this morning outside but fine inside. Wake up, heating, hot water on, and fill the kettle.
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Haha that's funny but I do agree
My brother lives in Colorado where they go to -40, that's when you have to plan! When we visited it was -30 and we spent quite a lot of time outside (he's a mad photographer). You simply wear the right clothes outside and use common sense.

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I go winter skiing in europe....My must haves are jogging trousers/ jumper and socks for sleeping in, a flannel sheet (cosy), electric heater if on hook up and best purchase.....an electric blanket...toasty!
 
We also carry flasks so anything left in the kettle can be kept warm. In the house we have a giant flask and a stove top kettle. It sits on top of the wood burner and as it boils it gets transferred and refilled. Washing up and late night drinks are sorted.

We waste nowt int Yorkshire.
 
Charlie9038 said:
But don’t use the covers if using gas ⛽ as they will melt where the fridge burner Is.
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That depends on the make of fridge.
On our electrolux the exhaust outlet isn't covered by the winter cover but on a Thetford fridge the covers are just plastic plates fitted behind the vent against the fly screen. The exhaust is nearer the centre and is close to the cutout section on the top edge of the plate.
 
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Wikky said:
Yes our Autotrail had a thick curtain to separate the cab from the habitation area which hlped.
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I'd like to do that and am trying to figure out if the ceiling behind the cab seats can hold the weight of curtain rail. There's an aluminium strip runs across the ceiling and immediately next to that is a few little plastic brackets screwed to the ceiling for bed safety net, but whether fitting a rail there instead is wise, does anyone know? I cant' determine if the screws are into rawl plug type things or a sold piece of timber. It's a Burstner with drop down bed.

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