Getting ready for winter. -- --

[Dellmassive]

I can add a bit to this, being it’s what I do for a living.

• Test running the heating early is a good idea so that you know it’s going to work when it’s properly required. Motorised valves have a tendency to stick & the lack of use over the summer can make this a common cause. Likewise for the Diverter Valve inside the boiler if you own a Combi. Run the heating up here & there & you’ll be in good stead when it gets cold enough to call upon it.

• If you’re on a pressurised system & notice you’re low on pressure (& know how to top it up), then do so (to 1bar or just over). But if having to do so becomes a regular occurrence, then have someone check out the cause. A small leak or an expansion vessel needing a recharge will be the likely culprit.

• Change the batteries on your Room Stat.

• Having the boiler serviced before the winter months is best practice. You’ll hopefully be able to pick up on anything brewing, before it manifests itself as a full blown problem, which will almost certainly occur on Christmas Eve or the first sub zero evening.

• A service & a breakdown are two separate things. If the boiler breaks down it might need a service as well as the repair, but don’t assume the service will cure the problem. You wouldn’t pull over on the side of the Dual Carriageway with smoke pouring from the bonnet & proceed to immediately book the car in for a service. Same applies.

• Last one R.E servicing: If your boiler is within it’s manufacturer guarantee period, that guarantee is only good if you’ve got a FSH. They won’t entertain it if you’ve not had it annually maintained.

• If you’re lucky enough to be able to escape England for some Winter Sun, turn off your Stopcock & open the taps before you go. I’ve seen some absolutely devastating property damage caused by frozen pipework in empty houses over the years.

• Isolate your outside tap when not in use. Don’t forget to open it to drain any residual water sat inside it.

I’m sure there’s loads more I haven’t thought about. As said before, my PM’s are always open if anyone has any Plumbing/Heating related issues or questions they’d like an opinion on. Least I can do considering the free information I’ve sponged from everyone else over the last year & a bit.

What's your opinion on the 12mnth gas safe check?

Does the domestic gas combi need regular checks and maintenance?

 

[Salty Spuds]

At 5°C, it probably isn't actually heating very often, but I'm wary of the base load required to have the rad on 24/7.

Do you plug in at home, or just rely on solar to keep the LBs topped-up?

We’re lucky enough so that we can park the van in the garden behind locked gates. I put a mains outdoor socket near the parking space & always leave the van plugged in when it’s parked up at home. She’s always ready for off, just fill the fridge & put the bedding in & we’re away.

 

[T6Plumber]

What's your opinion on the 12mnth gas safe check?

Does the domestic gas combi need regular checks and maintenance?

Certainly does mate. Look at it as the same principle & worthiness of maintaining as your car/van.

It provides you with heating & hot water. Which will be sorely missed when not available. More so on a combi, as you don’t have a hot water cylinder with immersion as back up if something were to go wrong with it.

An annual service will pick up on anything going on behind the case. Make sure the boiler is running safely via combustion checks with a Flue Gas Analyser. Test for gas leaks etc If you have a Magnetic filter on the heating side, that should be cleaned.

Some boilers require a replacement of certain seals after a set period as per M/I’s. A full strip down service is also required every now & again but not every year.

Boilers (& the replacement of them) aren’t cheap so it makes sense to look after it & hopefully keep the one you have on the wall for as long as you can.

 

[CAB]

winterizing the caravan.

The inlaws run caravans... So at the last camp out of summer it's always the final winstersetup.

Drain down the water system.

Drain out the heating.

Remove the gas bottles.

Remove any food.

Set some ventilation.

Clamp the wheels and padlock etc.

Remove the batterys.

There used to be a full caravan cover fitted, but now they added solar..... The van stays uncovered as it has solar on the roof.... And the batterys stay fitted.

That way the solar keeps the batteries from drain flat over winter, which means they don't have to remove them.



Happy days.


.

Liquids that you might not consider.

Cans of beer and soft drinks.

Cleaning fluids and Sprays.

We always have Gaviscon in the van. It goes horrible if it freezes!

 

[Bav]

We’re lucky enough so that we can park the van in the garden behind locked gates. I put a mains outdoor socket near the parking space & always leave the van plugged in when it’s parked up at home. She’s always ready for off, just fill the fridge & put the bedding in & we’re away.

Just tried my 500W Bambino on the * (anti-frost) setting and it's pulling 36A.

The load remains constant regardless of setting, so I'm presuming the load will decrease significantly once up to temp (...though not sure why it's coming on at all given the LB temp is currently showing as 7.4°C ).

Perhaps I need to consider plugging the van into the mains if I need it on 24/7.

 

[JumpShip]

We don't stress too much about winterizing the van , just get it packed and ready for its 90 days in spain .

 

[Bav]

Just tried my 500W Bambino on the * (anti-frost) setting and it's pulling 36A.

The load remains constant regardless of setting, so I'm presuming the load will decrease significantly once up to temp (...though not sure why it's coming on at all given the LB temp is currently showing as 7.4°C ).

Perhaps I need to consider plugging the van into the mains if I need it on 24/7.

Just checked and there's now only a 1.1A net draw on the LB (with virtually no solar) and battery temp has risen to 8.1°C. I shall monitor closely over the next few days.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Just tried my 500W Bambino on the * (anti-frost) setting and it's pulling 36A.

The load remains constant regardless of setting, so I'm presuming the load will decrease significantly once up to temp (...though not sure why it's coming on at all given the LB temp is currently showing as 7.4°C ).

Perhaps I need to consider plugging the van into the mains if I need it on 24/7.

I’m assuming your Bambino is 12V in which case the current is about right (41A in theory) I’m not au fait with that particular appliance. Ours is 240V so only pulling 3A.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Liquids that you might not consider.

Cans of beer and soft drinks.

Cleaning fluids and Sprays.

We always have Gaviscon in the van. It goes horrible if it freezes!

Re. Gaviscon. I used to be a Gaviscon junkie & then got introduced to Lansoprazole, it was a game changer. Ask your GP for a scrip. Now I’m of a “certain age” Lansoprazole & Ibuprofen are my recreational drugs of choice

 

[Bav]

I’m assuming your Bambino is 12V in which case the current is about right (41A in theory) I’m not au fait with that particular appliance. Ours is 240V so only pulling 3A.

It's a 240V appliance, but I presume the load is measured upstream of the inverter, as that figure is the nett draw of all loads (12V and 240V) and all inputs.

 

[CAB]

Re. Gaviscon. I used to be a Gaviscon junkie & then got introduced to Lansoprazole, it was a game changer. Ask your GP for a scrip. Now I’m of a “certain age” Lansoprazole & Ibuprofen are my recreational drugs of choice

Both mate!

15mg of Lansoprazole is enough *most* of the time, the Gaviscon is for when it's not enough, usually after late food.

 

[Sasquatch]

Omeprazole here. I have to take calcium too as long term use can lead to osteoporosis. Nice.

 

[JumpShip]

Was on Lansoprazole longterm but studies have shown it has links to increased risk of dementia the same as omeprazole .

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah, what a choice we face - go without and an increased risk of G.I. cancers, or take them and risk dementia. Fortunately the risk of the latter is statistically minor. Wiibble.

 

[JOG]

Leave summer duvet with dry cleaner while collecting the winter one…..it’s bit of a standing joke for us that the cleaning cost includes the storage fee!

 

[Salty Spuds]

It's a 240V appliance, but I presume the load is measured upstream of the inverter, as that figure is the nett draw of all loads (12V and 240V) and all inputs.

Ahh! I’d missed that you’re running it off an inverter, makes sense now.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Was on Lansoprazole longterm but studies have shown it has links to increased risk of dementia the same as omeprazole .

I only take them as and when. I can get by with 2 a week & being careful what I eat & drink. If I’m having a blowout/party/night out, I’ll take one pre-emptively. Anyway, enough of our old man maladies, back to winter prep…..where are my long johns?

 

[Vanderlust]

To stop my van freezing up in winter I have a couple of space/greenhouse heaters which I have mounted on wooden bases, 1 is 2 ft & 200w the other 1 ft 100w. I have a hookup cable on the driveway and when it gets a bit chilly switch on the small one. Frosty nights the larger one and seriously cold both of them. With both on only using 300 watts but it’s enough to keep the van above 0 c. I switch on the solar periodically to keep the batteries charged. Looking at the forecast for 19th 20th might need to get them setup and the winter wheels on.

 

[RobertO2023]

Winters on today - now looking forward to more snow! Next small job I will be reapplying all the glass with Rainex.

 

[roadtripper]

Just done the seals on both vehicles, ordered snow socks for both (old ones worn out)

The cold snap also made me deploy the couple of tube heaters I have in the Railway Shed (steam engine mechanics always have a risk of water in and with the micro engineering it's just not worth the risk) and while it drops to freezing overnight I bump the garage dehumidifier up to 600w instead of the 300w setting to use as a frost heater too (a lot of event gear in the garage)

New this season I've started using Home Assistant to automate a few things so I have temperature and humidity logged for the outbuildings and rooms and alerts to the phone when freezing is a risk.

One thing I forgot... the water tank in the rear kitchen pod but just done that and no harm done