Taking the van skiing

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

Yes. Even though it is .eu is actually a UK based site

quickly browsing that liked site, I could find any info as to what modification were made to the Eddis van...

while we see many 'tests' showing how a powerful heating system (in a small space) can raise the temperature of a caravan or MH, but this I'd definitely NOT testing a vans's winterisation properties.

how on earth folk think a small (minute current) heating 'pad' is supposed to keep the external water system running smoothly, I don't know.

on one forum, a member was taking his UK PVC (exposed underslung tanks and pipework to Sweden in January.

uk '3 season' vans are not built take the sort of treatment a Scananavian winter would throw at it....

yes, we can all 'get around the problem' by making do with seperate bottles of water all over the place, and no running water inside the van, but while this might be ok for a day or so to get over a 'cold snap' in Yorkshire, it's probably not the way to spend a few weeks touring Scandanavia in wintertime.

to have any chance of using a van how it was designed (with running water....) the fresh supply has to be kept out of the prolonged freezing cold....this can really only be acheived if the tank (and key plumbing) is inside the van.

agreed, waste can be dealt with as above..

inwas interested to see what measures were taken by Elddis to provide basic winterisation....or, if not, how the users coped...

Another thing to remember is when on the move the temperature is likely to be even lower due to the wind/speed factor making an already cold day even colder so maybe empty tanks prior to moving about and filling when you arrive?

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

BB, the small micro heaters do work on water tanks however it is the pipe work that is vulnerable on vans and at some point most pipes are exposed.

There can also be extreme drops in temperatures in the UK during the winter months, you'll see people with vans in the Cairngorms etc on ski-ing trips etc. There are ways to cope with very cold weather which some will know about on here and various conversations have cropped up in the past. Where are Chasncath when you need them?! 

I found this, a motorhome/ski web site. Some useful advice LINK

Interesting read about diesel, I remember some friends getting stuck in France when their diesel solidified! A rare event for most.

Brue, have these heat pads been proven in a Scandanavian or Alpine winter?

youre right in that the most vulnerable area will be the feed pipe from the exposed underslung tank back into the van's fresh water system.

i have serious doubts about whether even insulating this pipe will protect it as its always full of water....if the tank is being used the system will be primed. I've had this very issue in my old Bolero with the feed pipe freezing and this was definitely not Sweden or the Alps.

i have also had an insulated tap in my garage become frozen in prolonged cold periods....although again, this is far from being Arctic weather here in Somerset.

yes, we can all make a few compromises to manage a few days in a UK cold snap, but touring for a few weeks in a much harsher environment will be far more 'interesting'.

there is a good reason why Continental vans have their fresh tank inboard.

from your linked website.....

"Some vans will be offered as winterized but "Winterization" varies in efficiency!

It should be noted that (even) lagged outside tanks will freeze in persistent temperatures of below 0 deg C.

The best winterization provides a double skinned floor which contains both the fresh and grey water and is heated and the outlet grey water valve is within this compartment i.e. mainly German manufacturers such as Hymer.

Good winterization also means thicker insulation on the walls – check your handbook."

No plans to use our van in the winter in Europe 😉 but that's a very interesting read brue, thanks. Some good tips generally.

In the past we've taken our motorhome to the French Alps, not for skiing but to visit our daughter and her family. (Grandsons started to ski at age 3!). This photo, if it appears, was taken in early March 2013 at Bourg St Maurice. At 9 am the outside air temperature had crept up to -20C. Minus 10 is more common by day, but nights are colder. Beware that some sites will limit you to 10 amps to discourage electric heating. We had a 1 Kw fan heater that we kept running in the background, using gas to bring up the heat!

Down on the valley floor, chains are not required, but if you wish to camp at one of the aires up the mountains you need snow tyres or chains beyond designated points on the access roads.

We have an on-board fresh water tank , but used the heated blocs sanitaire. An open bucket for waste water not a wastemaster as you'll not get the ice out of it until Spring! At Bourg the blocs have facilities for stowing and servicing skis, and drying rooms for wet clothing.

If you need to buy a french gas bottle, you'll have to give an address but no one at the garage/supermarket will take any notice of what you put down!

For Alpine sites, the ski season is high season so don't expect any discounts!

p.s All the local service stations switch over to 'winter diesel' around now, so don't fill up until you're getting near to  the region.