Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15269
Laying up the caravan for winter.
When I lived in North Yorks my previous caravans were kept in storage.
Did the usual drain down of fluids, removing bedding etc.
However, since I've moved I can now park it up beside my house.
Bought this van in Aug 19 and because of Covid, hadn't clapped eyes on it until the day before lockdown early Nov when I travelled to North Yorks to pick it up and I really don't know anything about it yet!
Anyway for now I have two main questions:
1) If I keep the caravan plugged in to my 240v supply, will this in itself keep the leisure battery on charge (without overcooking it)? Ctek is hooked up and shared with D4 & summer car.
2) I'd like to keep some form of heating in the caravan through the winter, just to stop the internal temperature going down to (& below) freezing. Is it safe enough to plug a heater in that has a sensor that switches on/off when temperatures drop. Or would there be a 'winter' setting on the caravans Alde heating system?
The van is a Sterling Eccles Coral SE
Thanks in advance. ...... always on the road less travelled 🚧
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Last edited by ronp on 24th Nov 2020 8:43 am. Edited 1 time in total
23rd Nov 2020 4:59 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
The caravan charger should be able to keep the caravan battery topped up. In my Elddis the Alde wet heating system can be set to a very low temp, down to 5 degrees I think. However, I’m not sure how this will affect the hot water heater. On mine the hot water and the heating are on the same ‘boiler’. If you have drained down, there will be no water to heat, and that may be a bad thing?
I don’t know, so best rtfm! 🤔
23rd Nov 2020 5:37 pm
GLYNNE
Member Since: 06 Oct 2006
Location: KENT
Posts: 4696
I keep my caravan plugged in all the time and it keeps the battery charged, and my heating is set low and runs if and when it gets cold, so yes to both your questions here
23rd Nov 2020 5:39 pm
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
I don't connect my van to 220v at all until we start getting ready to go in the spring. If you don't have an alarm or anything, then there should be nothing to drain the battery.
I thoroughly drain down all the water, pull all the soft furnishings away from the outside wall, open all the cupboards and drawers a touch, crack open the skylight above the shower and crack open (ie on the first catch) a window at the other end so as to provide some through ventilation and that's it. I've done this for years and not had any problems.
23rd Nov 2020 5:47 pm
stew 46
Member Since: 01 Dec 2011
Location: cornwall
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Many many years I lived in a 2 bed static for 3 years in between selling and finding another house I rented a place for the cold 3 months one winter and I plugged in a small but good quality dehumidifier, It gave of enough heat to keep it just above freezing and kept it bone dry for the 3 months -------------------------------------------------
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23rd Nov 2020 5:51 pm
nigel207
Member Since: 26 Mar 2009
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 1359
With regards to the Alde system, as Gareth says, set it to the lowest setting (5C) or any temperature above that. If you’ve drained the water out of the boiler, it’s perfectly safe to use the heating without the water heater. In the settings, just ensure that the water heater setting is “off”.
23rd Nov 2020 6:06 pm
Russell
Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564
Gareth wrote:
The caravan charger should be able to keep the caravan battery topped up. In my Elddis the Alde wet heating system can be set to a very low temp, down to 5 degrees I think. However, I’m not sure how this will affect the hot water heater. On mine the hot water and the heating are on the same ‘boiler’. If you have drained down, there will be no water to heat, and that may be a bad thing?
I don’t know, so best rtfm! 🤔
Gareth with Alde systems you can run the heating with the hot water drained down, they are designed to do that and I have done it often. MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
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As said above, I keep my Sterling Eccles Solitaire plugged in at home. The hot water system is drained down and the Alde heating set to low for when it gets really cold. Been like that for 3 years now and had no issues.2013 RR Vogue SE SDV8
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24th Nov 2020 7:57 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
Every day is a learning day. 👍
24th Nov 2020 8:09 am
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15269
Some great comments and tips there.
Seems I need to have a play around with the Alde control panel and find that 'heating only' setting. ...... always on the road less travelled 🚧
If you are keeping the caravan heated why drain the water? Running the inbuilt heating system will use up its minimum time before failure allowance. Better to use a seperate 240v heater with a thermostat built in.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
24th Nov 2020 11:02 am
James W
Member Since: 27 Mar 2008
Location: Riyadh, KSA
Posts: 3079
Don't forget to drain the toilet flush tank as well as your hot water tank if you do drain down
My caravan is plugged in permanently, some recommend against it/say it's unnecessary but I have ham radio kit running in there permanently so it needs it.
I have run a dehumidifier in mine before now but as caravans aren't 'sealed' (e.g. the vents in the floor) I have heard that you're simply drawing in air from the outside and basically attempting to dehumidify the atmosphere Sadly it still rains.
At the moment I use my caravan as a second home office/radio shack/etc. so have the heating on quite often which gets some good heat through it and keeps the damp feel down. I don't have wet heating and wouldn't want to leave the blown air on all the time (plus I'd imagine it would be expensive) so not tried that.
I have considered getting one of those low-energy cylindrical greenhouse mains frost heaters and keeping it plugged in over winter.D4 XS, gone, much loved, never forgotten
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24th Nov 2020 11:38 am
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4537
I tried one of those greenhouse heaters, but it was only about 60w and made no difference at all. Now I use a 650w miniature oil filled radiator, set on low. Keeps the inside temp above 5°C all winter. Seems to keep the damp out nicely.
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24th Nov 2020 12:07 pm
nigel207
Member Since: 26 Mar 2009
Location: Nottinghamshire
Posts: 1359
ronp wrote:
Some great comments and tips there.
Seems I need to have a play around with the Alde control panel and find that 'heating only' setting.
Which Alde system do you have, the 3010 with the control panel with physical buttons, or the 3020 with a touch-screen control panel? If you let me know, I can help you through it if you’d like?
I leave the Alde on, set to six degrees, but I blow the water out of the water system with FLO, I don’t take a chance, the diaphragms in the water pumps are fragile, I lost one pump to the winter, only needs a little bit of water in the pump to freeze, oh and toilet flush drained also..
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Sadly it still rains.
