3 tips to enjoy camper trips during winter without any worries
Nice and warm in the camper while the temperatures outside are approaching below zero. Those shiny drops on the grass and the biting cold when you get out of your camper in the morning. Despite or just because of the frost, the autumn and winter months are a fantastic time to travel with your camper. However, some caution is required, as frost is one of the biggest enemies of our camper. Damage to the water circuit due to frost is never covered by the warranty and repair costs can be high. Don't worry, with these tips you can keep your camper frost-free and damage-free and travel without worries all winter long!
3 POINTS TO CONSIDER DURING YOUR WINTER ADVENTURE
1. Always leave the heating on, even when you go for a walk
As soon as you turn off the heating, the temperature in the camper drops rapidly. If the water in your water circuit freezes, it can cause a lot of damage to the camper. Since the water pipes are usually located along the heating circuit, you can easily prevent such problems by always leaving the heating on (possibly setting the thermostat slightly lower during a trip). Thereby, at home you usually also don't turn off the heating completely during winter, no? It's also just more pleasant to come back from your walk in a warm camper.
2. Connect to the power more regularly
In winter, the battery requires much more attention than in summer: while in the summer you may be able to stand free for several days in a row, in the winter you will have to regularly connect to the power. The days are darker and colder, so you spend more time in your camper and therefore use more electricity. Lights will be on regularly, you will need a hot shower more quickly and you will watch TV in the evening. The heating in particular also continuously consumes energy: heat is generated using gas or diesel, but the heat circulation in your camper runs on electricity. So keep a close eye on your battery level! Pleaso do check the quality of the battery well before your departure: you may not have noticed any damage to the battery in the summer, but now it can cause some unforeseen dissapointment and troubles along the way. If problems are identified in a timely manner, you can have them resolved before departure.
3. Turn the water pump off after showering
Only turn on the water pump when you need it and be sure to turn it off when you go out or take a ride. Many campers are now equipped with frost protection, which activates when the temperature drops below 3°C (and that happens faster than you think during a trip). The frost protection ensures that the water drains from the boiler to prevent damage. However, when your water pump is running, it will completely empty your fresh water tank and then the pump will run dry and break down. So make it a habit to put the water pump off immediately after washing the dishes or taking a shower, so you don't take any risks.
IMMEDIATELY EMPTY THE ENTIRE WATER CIRCUIT WHEN YOU COME HOME!
After the trip, it is crucial that you immediately drain your water circuit completely. The temperature in the camper will once again drop very quickly and every drop of water can cause serious damage. Do not count on frost protection, but do everything yourself and manually. Only then will you be 100% sure of your case. Don't take any risks and let all the water out of the camper: from the boiler, the fresh water tank, the waste water tank and the pipes:
1. Turn off the pump
2. Open the taps to a lukewarm temperature
3. Open the lid of the boiler or the Frost Control
4. Open all pipes
5. Empty all tanks via the taps and plugs provided
6. To be completely sure that all the water is out of the circuit and the taps, you can run the water pump again for a few seconds to remove the last remnants of water.
Are you going to store your great travel friend now? Then it is best to follow our step-by-step plan to store your camper in the best conditions and to pay sufficient attention to the batteries. Click here for our step-by-step plan!
Do you have any questions or doubts? Do not hesitate to contact our specialists, they will be happy to help you!
