Ventilation panels in top of bellows

[swinnerton]

Having just had a new bellows fitted I wonder if anyone has come up with a more elegant solution than duct taping over these panels when wind and rain blows in ?

 

[motacyclist]

If you block up those vents with duct tape you are likely to get internal condensation forming in the roof.

You could fit a roof topper, either internal or external, which stops the drafts and keeps the heat in, but still allows ventilation. Have a look at the accessories section:-

http://vwcaliforniaclub.com/forums/vw-california-accessories.83/

 

[GrannyJen]

The last thing that I would want to do is block those vents up.

TBH i've lived through some pretty fierce storms with the roof up and never had a problem with water ingress,

it can get a bit draughty when it's blowing a gale and it's minus 10 outside but I've never used a topper and not felt really inconvenienced.

 

[WelshGas]

I've never had rain blow in via those vents and would never consider covering them over. If it is breezy or cold then fit a Topper, external or Internal. If sleeping downstairs only, with the roof up then just put the upstairs bed down when going to bed but keep the front slide open. This makes it cosier but maintains ventilation.

 

[Captainbeaky]

Same here - we were camping in Folkestone in one heck of a blowy raining night.

We got stuck in the mud, and having the window open for a few minutes to instruct the driver resulted in 1/4 inch of water in the door bins. It was proper wet!

It was our first outing, and we were afraid that the rain would come in through the roof.

When we got to the pitch, and had supper ( with the roof down) the inside of the van was dripping with condensation.

We tentatively put the roof up, watching for water ingress in the howling rain.
No water came in at all, and all the condensation disappeared in a few minutes.

I slept up there in comfort all night ( apart from having the van pointing downhill, so sleeping upside-down).

 

[Verity]

I understand all the stuff about ventilation, but when you're up top and it's blowing a hoolie and raining cats and dogs, blocking the vents seemed like a good idea. I made some furry ear muffs - yes, furry ear muffs for my Cali. They work really well in 'normal' breezes, but up in the highlands they just blew off, due to the duck tape being not as sticky as I remember duck tape (and I did use the pucker stuff, not a cheaper generic one).

My fluffy muffs (please stop sniggering) just take the edge off the draught, don't stop it completely, and they did stop the rain blowing in before they blew off in Scotland. They are a work in progress. I don't want to sew Velcro onto the canvas as I don't want to muck about with it and possibly cause rips, and I think the sticky Velcro would be subject to the same lack of strength as the duck tape. They need to be easily put of and on-able as the vents need to be open for opening/closing the roof.

As others have said on this forum, I wish VW had made covers or zips for the vents like the windows so we had the choice of closing them in horrendous weather.

We're lucky and can sleep downstairs in a storm as there are only 2 of us, but I guess families just have to put up with the breeze, or only camp in benign conditions.

Hey ho.

 

[WelshGas]

I understand all the stuff about ventilation, but when you're up top and it's blowing a hoolie and raining cats and dogs, blocking the vents seemed like a good idea. I made some furry ear muffs - yes, furry ear muffs for my Cali. They work really well in 'normal' breezes, but up in the highlands they just blew off, due to the duck tape being not as sticky as I remember duck tape (and I did use the pucker stuff, not a cheaper generic one).

My fluffy muffs (please stop sniggering) just take the edge off the draught, don't stop it completely, and they did stop the rain blowing in before they blew off in Scotland. They are a work in progress. I don't want to sew Velcro onto the canvas as I don't want to muck about with it and possibly cause rips, and I think the sticky Velcro would be subject to the same lack of strength as the duck tape. They need to be easily put of and on-able as the vents need to be open for opening/closing the roof.

As others have said on this forum, I wish VW had made covers or zips for the vents like the windows so we had the choice of closing them in horrendous weather.

We're lucky and can sleep downstairs in a storm as there are only 2 of us, but I guess families just have to put up with the breeze, or only camp in benign conditions.

Hey ho.View attachment 26606

Or put a Topper on - Internal or External.

Or you could hang them on the outside, like proper Ear Muffs, so they are blown against the vents.

 

[Verity]

Or put a Topper on - Internal or External.

If it were up to me I would, but my husband is refusing to let me order anything else for him to pack in the van ....! The fluffy muffs will have to be perfected!

 

[WelshGas]

If it were up to me I would, but my husband is refusing to let me order anything else for him to pack in the van ....! The fluffy muffs will have to be perfected!

 

[Verity]

View attachment 26608

I LOVE it! VW shop please take note. If you stocked these, I for one would buy a pair!!!

 

[motacyclist]

They work really well in 'normal' breezes, but up in the highlands they just blew off, due to the duck tape being not as sticky as I remember duck tape

Couldn’t you put something on the outside and slide the roof bungee up to keep them on? (Assuming you have a roof bungee!)

 

[Hotel California]

not a good idea to cover those up ....at least not for the night!
Using a topper is a wise solution in heavy rain and wind , no wet canvas and keeps you cosy . Still some ventilation alltough less than without a topper offcoarse.

You could make a flap on the outside attached with some velcro , becose in the end the way you do it on the inside water can still search it's way in.

 

[Verity]

Couldn’t you put something on the outside and slide the roof bungee up to keep them on? (Assuming you have a roof bungee!)

I haven't!

 

[Verity]

not a good idea to cover those up ....at least not for the night!
Using a topper is a wise solution in heavy rain and wind , no wet canvas and keeps you cosy . Still some ventilation alltough less than without a topper offcoarse.

You could make a flap on the outside attached with some velcro , becose in the end the way you do it on the inside water can still search it's way in.

Not an option. My husband is adamant we're not having a topper so ear muffs it is. I guess I'm just going to have to accept that on very windy nights I'm just going to have to sleep downstairs or put up with the breeze. There are worse things.

Talk about first world problems!!!!

 

[Pete Wilkins]

If it is forecasted to be very wet we use a Topper so we do not have to put the roof down wet, but we have not noticed a problem with the old shower of rain and water coming in when we do not use a topper.
The only problem with the mesh we noticed was in Scotland when the midges got through the mesh holes and started to eat the wife. We are going to make a finer mesh to cover the vents when we go back to Scotland.
The topper adds to the warmth in winter and makes camping below freezing not a problem.

 

[GrannyJen]

just why would anyone want to close these vents off?

just camping in a tent, when you would think you have no need of ventilation, can give rise to dangerous levels of condensation. How often does anyone want to experience a chill caused by damp and cold?

A sealed box such as a camper van, it's essential. Let the wind blow. If you can't hack the draught then buy something sealed tight and with air conditioning, like a great white.

Seriously people, that draught is a life saver.

 

[Verity]

just why would anyone want to close these vents off?

just camping in a tent, when you would think you have no need of ventilation, can give rise to dangerous levels of condensation. How often does anyone want to experience a chill caused by damp and cold?

A sealed box such as a camper van, it's essential. Let the wind blow. If you can't hack the draught then buy something sealed tight and with air conditioning, like a great white.

Seriously people, that draught is a life saver.

In the gales we experienced in Scotland last week there was plenty of ventilation making its way through the roof material let alone the vents! I appreciate your point though. I have a fleece with a hood which worked pretty well when my ear muffs blew off

 

[GrannyJen]

In the gales we experienced in Scotland last week there was plenty of ventilation making its way through the roof material let alone the vents! I appreciate your point though. I have a fleece with a hood which worked pretty well when my ear muffs blew off

Lovely photographs though

I believe one of them was the start of the Drumbeg road? I remember it well, Albert on a low loader being recovered from a track a little further up Lots of gales, and hurricane force, up there and you have a point. It can get draughty and fleeces can get mandatory.

 

[Verity]

Do you know, we've got so many amazing pictures (and more in our heads for when cameras just won't do the scenery justice) I've no idea where this was! The rusty colour of the heathers and ferns on the mountains and roadsides were spectacular. I would definitely recommend October to anyone heading up to the north of Scotland - interesting with the gales etc, but beautiful for the colours and moody skies.