Are there many of you that go caravanning in the winter. We normally pack the van up for storage around October but we have just booked up for Half term (Oct 22-30) for a week and our now wondering if we should extend the season into November and December.
If we do, can anyone offer some great tips. I was told to change to propane gas for the winter.
Thanks
------------- Caravanners do it with a stabilizer!
depending on if it gets really cold, a blanket for the aquaroll (getting it off the ground if poss is helpful too) and some pipe insulation for the water pipe into the van can be useful too (or bring the pump inside at night)
Never had the aquaroll freeze up yet, but have had the pipe for the pump freeze.
We caravan all year round. We have had the aquaroll freeze once but generally if you make sure its full it should be ok. To get the van heated up use the fire on both gas and electric, always make sure you have some ventilation too. Stock up with some soups etc. Mind the step doesn't become too slippy! Change to propane as already you know. Use both the blinds and curtains if don't already( we only use the blinds in the summer)
That's about it I think. Oh, just take care on the roads if the weather is a little unfriendly. Last year was the first time we had make other plans due to the site being closed because of snow.
Favorite recommended sites suitable for children:
Callow top Asbourne
Thorpe Park, Cleethorpes
Clumber Park, Notts
Rivendale (Ashbourne) P
Perran Sands
St Ives Bay Holiday Park
Kelling Heath, Norfolk
Bedsocks and Ugg Boots in reserve for those really cold and windy times when your ventilators let the bitter wind in .
Arctic grade sleeping bags will keep you comfy . Fleecy pyjama`s and a good thick housecoat for the trip to the showerblock in the a.m. 20 litre water container with tap inside the van or awning to ensure water rather than ice for the kettle on the coldest of mornings .
Butane does not vaporise sufficiently at low temperatures and therefore would not provide enough gas to your appliances. Propane has no such problems. The light bottles from Calor and BP are Propane and are also much lighter than the equivalent butane bottles.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Quote: Originally posted by landy1uk on 08/9/2011
Gonna be a thicko here why do you change gas,
You need to use propane in red bottles for winter so if you go yr round then just just propane all the time. Butane in blue bottles can fail to work in freezing temps & you will have no tea in't morning.
I use propane all the time. It has a slightly lower calorific value so flame heat is said to be lower but I have never noticed and it saves changing requlators and bottles.
If you have an on-board water tank it is worth using then you only need to connect extenal pump when you need to top-up from aqua-roll.
Using a small porch awning will also help keep heat in when going in and out of van and gives you somewhere to remove boots and wet coats.
Another one here who uses propane all year . The extra cost is minimal when you time how much faster a kettle boils with propane on cool mornings and how little we use over the year . I do not buy the tiny canisters though , a complete rip off . £28.00 will see me through a year or more with an 18kg size . 8 weeks or more on the road and I use the cooker and heater .
We pick up our new van next week, and as mentioned above we are thinking seriously about it, also with the van being Grade 3 insulated it should help also :)
Well pegged down awning skirts will help as well, at least it did last winter when we had that very cold spell. Just remember to keep the front and back clear of snow so that there is sufficient airflow for the underfloor vents.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
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Topic: Tips for winter caravanning
