Time to dewinter the van --- already?

[starquake]

So, it's March, it's getting warmer and usually by April we dewinterise the van (ie, start leaving some of the water in the van), and leave our soft furnishings in etc.

The question is at what point will you be doing same?
I'm tempted (weather permitting) to go away next weekend for a run, and setup ready for the summer, given we have every bank holiday already booked for trips away except Easter at moment, and we need to be ready for the first in Easter.

 

[Verteuil Man]

We dewinterize our van by taking it to Spain.

 

[starquake]

We dewinterize our van by taking it to Spain.

Well we're taking the doggo to France this summer, but we only got back from Spain last week (we went Canaries and Maderia on a cruise).

I can see us goign to Spain in future years on the Ferry, but the long prebooking required for a dog cabin put that out from being an option this winter.

 

[Outdoors Dad]

We have usually been a away for few weekends by now but I feel it's been colder this year. We got van ready a couple of weeks ago. We are hoping for some sun this weekend. It's roof cleaning I hate the most, you never really see the benefits of your effort. I still take it out now again for school runs to keep her ticking over.

 

[Nirvanauk]

Picking it up today, taking it to the valeter tomorrow, then into the garage Wednesday for annual service and mot then getting ready for its first trip of the year to Whitby the first week in April.

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[Burge]

Service this Fri & MOT on the 18th ,then down to Portsmouth for a trip over to Isle of Wight CMHC site Southlands on Opening Day 21st March.Was up in the Lakes in Feb.

 

[Bill-H]

I don't 'winter' mine as I use it year round.
If not for time away, I use it on a weekly basis for traveling to see friends, supermarket shopping etc.
I prefer driving a larger vehicle and why would I not use it all year, it's taxed, insured and I wouldn't want a vehicle which had spent months each year not being run or turning a wheel.
I've an oil-filled rad in the hab area all over the colder months - takes a moment to pop it back in the house each time I go out, so all the soft funishings etc stay in there.
Get some clement weather - such as this week has been and I'm off out and away - just returned from a week trip which took in Ironbridge then out to the Norfolk coast. Probobly wouldn't have bothered if I had to re-commission my vehicle and load it back up, but it was a matter off five minutes from seeing the sun to popping some food in the fridge and driving down the raod.

 

[bigtwin]

So, it's March, it's getting warmer and usually by April we dewinterise the van

There’s scope here to add a new word to the MH dictionary:

Summerise - to prepare a MH for post winter use​

​

It would sit quite nicely along ‘winterise’.

Ian

 

[Orion]

There’s scope here to add a new word to the MH dictionary:

Summerise - to prepare a MH for post winter use​

​

It would sit quite nicely along ‘winterise’.

And very succinctly stated.

 

[PlacidoD]

MOT and a small service booked for Thursday. That will give me an MOT for 13 months and a whole 6 weeks before my ferry booking Newhaven-Dieppe late April so plenty of time if anything nasty comes to light at MOT.

Not given much thought to using the van before then or even during that late April trip but have already booked Hull-Rotterdam outbound on 1st September.

The other "small matter" I have to look forward to is insurance renewal due mid-May. I shall have to sort that before my late April trip if I am to get the best deal. So that is likely to be how I spend my Easter!!

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[hja]

We are away for a few days next week, first, shake down visit after the winter. I cleaned the fresh water tank over the weekend and have started to put things in. Bedding is in. Start filling food containers etc to day. However, we have low temps eg 3C next week forecast so have drained the boiler and left tank empty.

 

[nicholsong]

Our only de-winterising is to fill the water system - all else stays in situ in winter with no problem.

 

[Sparkie44]

Our only de-winterising is to fill the water system - all else stays in situ in winter with no problem.

Us too including bedding, towels etc, van is dry, stuff gets cold but not damp.

 

[Orion]

Us too including bedding, towels etc, van is dry, stuff gets cold but not damp.

Same here as we do use it for shorter impromptu trips at any time of year. Other than perishable foodstuffs and personal effects it’s sitting outside and ready to go. I have the van plugged in and the heating set for 6-8 degrees as a precaution against overnight frost. All the valves and pipework are internal and the level of insulation very good.

 

[nicholsong]

Our only de-winterising is to fill the water system - all else stays in situ in winter with no problem.

Us too including bedding, towels etc, van is dry, stuff gets cold but not damp.

Same here as we do use it for shorter impromptu trips at any time of year. Other than perishable foodstuffs and personal effects it’s sitting outside and ready to go. I have the van plugged in and the heating set for 6-8 degrees as a precaution against overnight frost. All the valves and pipework are internal and the level of insulation very good.

If we three above find leaving everything in the MHs is OK, I wonder whether those removing such items do it out of perceived problems, or from experience of problems?

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[starquake]

If we three above find leaving everything in the MHs is OK, I wonder whether those removing such items do it out of perceived problems, or from experience of problems?

We do it because of the mice around the storage site. Don't want to encourage them when we do tupcially go 2 months without van use this time of year. Our last trip out we got back on 5th Jan, next trip out is about 18th March.

We do visit regularly -> but leaving soft funishings in when us and dog are 2-3 weeks between visits is just asking from trouble from our experience at least. Once we dewinter in next week we won't need to remove items until October/Novmber this year.

Last year (first year we had it) we failed to remove items from one locker under the bed and had some visitors, which in part was likely down to us not emptying that area, making it a nice mice bed. Also was nasty to clean. No such issues this year.

 

[Fatmrsgeorge]

Our old transit van had no heating and we used to sorn it from Sep to April. Everything out. Solar trickle charger for the battery. Was always good to go for Easter. Our new van has been used every weekend since we got it in January. Ah the luxury of heating. Still empty it after every trip out of sheer force of habit but working towards having leave in supplies. Enjoy the getting ready to go process as part of the fun. Always a domestic to be had over who forgot the salt/ frying pan/ pillows etc.

 

[Mohawk Mo]

Ours was washed and polished, roof an all last weekend and is ready to go but as it is kept in storage, we empty it as hopefully the mice prefer someone else's van with soft furnishings! We'll load it this weekend ready for Norfolk next week, the start of our travels this year, can't wait

 

[TDub49]

So, it's March, it's getting warmer and usually by April we dewinterise the van (ie, start leaving some of the water in the van), and leave our soft furnishings in etc.

The question is at what point will you be doing same?
I'm tempted (weather permitting) to go away next weekend for a run, and setup ready for the summer, given we have every bank holiday already booked for trips away except Easter at moment, and we need to be ready for the first in Easter.

We just drain the van down to avoid the risk of frost damage and otherwise leave everything else aboard. De-winterising is then only a matter of flushing the water system through with purifier and putting 1/4 to 1/2 tank of water in.

 

[Roby2008]

So, it's March, it's getting warmer and usually by April we dewinterise the van (ie, start leaving some of the water in the van), and leave our soft furnishings in etc.

The question is at what point will you be doing same?
I'm tempted (weather permitting) to go away next weekend for a run, and setup ready for the summer, given we have every bank holiday already booked for trips away except Easter at moment, and we need to be ready for the first in Easter.

As soon as the average nighttime temp stays above +4c, then we are good to go, which is from now (ish). I had planned to be away this week for 3 days (Lasize), but MIL made an appointment mid-week that messed up that idea. I will wait until we return from Cyprus in early April now.

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[bigtwin]

De-winterising is then only a matter of flushing the water system through with purifier and putting 1/4 to 1/2 tank of water in.

Summerising, if you don’t mind.

Ian