What essential accessories have you since ditched overboard?

[WelshGas]

This Old Wives Tail that an external insulated windscreen cover reduces condensation is an affrontary to the Laws of Physics. Without adequate ventilation all the cover does is move the condensation to other areas, Body panels in the kitchen or wardrobe cupboards, behind trim panels or anywhere that is cold.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Storm straps are a must for us, and take seconds to fit (bit longer to remove as pegs normally get stuck in the ground!)

Seen a few awnings over the years wrapped over the tops of vans, where people have popped out for a stroll or left out overnight and the wind has got up (especially by the coast) and it’s an expensive business to replace / repair.

 

[soulstyledevon]

I bought one of those ladders to enable our grand children to get upstairs. The reality is that they are least likely to need it. That's now in the garage!

Mine was for getting surfboards onto the roof.
I now use a foldable step, which stores in with the chairs...

 

[Explorer]

Mine was for getting surfboards onto the roof.
I now use a foldable step, which stores in with the chairs...

Would you mind telling which step you have that fits in with the chairs?

 

[Ting Tong]

Would you mind telling which step you have that fits in with the chairs?

This sort of thing does

Knight Folding Step Stool, Strong Heavy Duty Skid Resistant Stool for Kids and Adults, White Black Grey, H29 x L27 x W22 CM (Grey) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0158VL4CI/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

 

[soulstyledevon]

Would you mind telling which step you have that fits in with the chairs?

Makes for a great third chair/stool too.

Large Black Step Stool | Dunelm

 

[Explorer]

Makes for a great third chair/stool too.

Large Black Step Stool | Dunelm

Amazing!! Thanks

 

[Scoobz1]

External. It reduces condensation on the inside of the windows.

Ah that's good then - looks like I bought the right type !

 

[sidepod]

Where do hair straighteners fit into all of this?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Where do hair straighteners fit into all of this?

Rechargeable Dysons for Mrs Chipbutty!

 

[BeagleMum]

Why are people ditching the thermal screen covers? That was quite high up the list for me but I’ll not bother if they’re not worth it. Got some internal ones with suckers I’ll keep hold of for now.

The toaster rack works fine for me although not using sliced bread. I make “pan tumaca” with it using baguettes. Although my main camping stove is a Coleman unleaded one - not sure I’d fancy toasting bread over a petrol flame…

We love our Rainbow thermal screen covers, use them front and rear.

 

[WelshGas]

Ah that's good then - looks like I bought the right type !

This Old Wives Tail that an external insulated windscreen cover reduces condensation is an affrontary to the Laws of Physics. Without adequate ventilation all the cover does is move the condensation to other areas, Body panels in the kitchen or wardrobe cupboards, behind trim panels or anywhere that is cold.

 

[Amarillo]

This Old Wives Tail that an external insulated windscreen cover reduces condensation is an affrontary to the Laws of Physics. Without adequate ventilation all the cover does is move the condensation to other areas, Body panels in the kitchen or wardrobe cupboards, behind trim panels or anywhere that is cold.

Informative as ever WG, but puzzled why you disagreed with my post that an external screen reduces condensation on the inside of the windows. Perhaps it was an incomplete response, but not wholly inaccurate.

 

[flying banana]

In my opinion those thermal screen covers are a waste of time so agree with Welsh gas there. Best thing they can be used for is keeping snow and ice off the screen in the alps. Other than that it stays in the garage

 

[Barnress]

Bellow bungee

I agree bought one and never used it

 

[Wildcamper]

Informative as ever WG, but puzzled why you disagreed with my post that an external screen reduces condensation on the inside of the windows. Perhaps it was an incomplete response, but not wholly inaccurate.

Welsh Gas is right. Improving insulation prevents heat loss which results in the warmer air in the van can hold more moisture. It does not prevent condensation. As soon as this warm moist air touches anything cold the moisture will condense out as water. Think of the condensation on a cold glass of beer, wine. The only way to prevent condensation is to remove the moisture in the air. One could use a dehumidifier or open the windows to let the moist air out. As WG says, ventilation is the key unless you can install a dehumidifier.

 

[Amarillo]

Welsh Gas is right. Improving insulation prevents heat loss which results in the warmer air in the van can hold more moisture. It does not prevent condensation. As soon as this warm moist air touches anything cold the moisture will condense out as water. Think of the condensation on a cold glass of beer, wine. The only way to prevent condensation is to remove the moisture in the air. One could use a dehumidifier or open the windows to let the moist air out. As WG says, ventilation is the key unless you can install a dehumidifier.

Again, I don’t disagree. But I never made the claim that a window screen reduced condensation, only that it reduced condensation on the windows [which the cover was protecting]. WG appears to agree with this by suggesting it simply moves the condensation to other cooler surfaces - and I agree with his analysis which was informative as ever.

My reply lacked completeness, but was not incorrect either.

 

[bipin]

Wow... being new to this, i think i can scratch off some items from the to buy list :

Levelling block / Maxtraxx - Not happening

ISOLITE -- Not sure if that would be a good idea or not considering the fact we live in Sweden and it gets a bit chilly in the winters.

UB air suspension -- Still contemplating if it would go into this T6.1 or the new T7 whenever that happens.

Water heater -- MEH

Porta Potti - Sadly got a bigger one (565E) that sits in the back of the van now.

We are still amatuers in this Cali life so decided to buy the one that was available in the showroom and then perhaps buy the new one based on our likes and tastes.

 

[dripster]

Again, I don’t disagree. But I never made the claim that a window screen reduced condensation, only that it reduced condensation on the windows [which the cover was protecting]. WG appears to agree with this by suggesting it simply moves the condensation to other cooler surfaces - and I agree with his analysis which was informative as ever.

My reply lacked completeness, but was not incorrect either.

And if condensation occurs when the warm, most air hits a cold surface, then this will due to the sudden temperature drop, so if you graduate this by keeping the glass warmer the reduction in moisture in the air will reduce over a distance rather than collecting on the glass. So whilst it’s true that you “canna break the laws of physics cap’n”, you can reduce the impact on your life.

 

[bob_summers]

Well I won’t bother with the thermal screen but I’ll keep the suckered internal ones to use on hot days.
This thread is saving me 100s lol

Cali topper, well the family is used to tent camping below zero so I’m not sure we’d need one, not at least for warmth.
Ramps - barely use them. Also, people drive off without them all the time, there can’t be a campsite without a stash of the things! The odd time we’ve had to take the last available sloping pitch, the site had spare ramps.

Basically just looking at solar, bike rack and some storage boxes that fit under the bed extension, current ones are too high.

 

[WelshGas]

Informative as ever WG, but puzzled why you disagreed with my post that an external screen reduces condensation on the inside of the windows. Perhaps it was an incomplete response, but not wholly inaccurate.

Because if you have condensation then you have inadequate ventilation. Using an insulated cover to reduce the condensation without addressing ventilation just moves any condensation to the next coldest area, normally body panels behind the body trim or kitchen/wardrobe in a SE/Ocean. It doesn't get rid of it within the vehicle. Only ventilation does that or running a Dehumidifier. It's just Physics.

 

[Ladymuck]

Welsh Gas is right. Improving insulation prevents heat loss which results in the warmer air in the van can hold more moisture. It does not prevent condensation. As soon as this warm moist air touches anything cold the moisture will condense out as water. Think of the condensation on a cold glass of beer, wine. The only way to prevent condensation is to remove the moisture in the air. One could use a dehumidifier or open the windows to let the moist air out. As WG says, ventilation is the key unless you can install a dehumidifier.

I wonder if this is what the ventilation mode on the auxilliary heater is for then ?
I've only camped twice with no thermal covers and had absolutely no condensation, we did have the heater on all night and I was wondering if it was acting as a ventilation too, I wake up with a very dry throat (and it's not just the wine causing it)

 

[WelshGas]

Well I won’t bother with the thermal screen but I’ll keep the suckered internal ones to use on hot days.
This thread is saving me 100s lol

Cali topper, well the family is used to tent camping below zero so I’m not sure we’d need one, not at least for warmth.
Ramps - barely use them. Also, people drive off without them all the time, there can’t be a campsite without a stash of the things! The odd time we’ve had to take the last available sloping pitch, the site had spare ramps.

Basically just looking at solar, bike rack and some storage boxes that fit under the bed extension, current ones are too high.

An external topper is, in my opinion only of use if you are unable to dry out the bellows within a couple of days of returning home as you are unable to park with the roof up.
Ramps do have other uses. Eg; getting spare out/in in certain situations.

 

[Ladymuck]

I wonder if this is what the ventilation mode on the auxilliary heater is for then ?
I've only camped twice with no thermal covers and had absolutely no condensation, we did have the heater on all night and I was wondering if it was acting as a ventilation too, I wake up with a very dry throat (and it's not just the wine causing it)

It was on heat rather than ventilate but I wondered it both settings are removing moisture out of the air

 

[Amarillo]

Well I won’t bother with the thermal screen but I’ll keep the suckered internal ones to use on hot days.
This thread is saving me 100s lol

I still think that it is worth further analysis of what is going on with the external cover vs curtains.

It is true that the Cali needs good ventilation overnight. Zipping open the tent windows even a little helps. Front window vents help, but less with an external cover than with curtains.

But on the windscreen the curtains traps still warm air between the curtain and the cold windscreen with no means to escape. An external cover keeps the windscreen warmer, and air can circulate across the surface of the windscreen. Whether that air simply condenses on another cold surface as WG suggests, or escapes the van will depend on how good the ventilation is in the van.

What I have little doubt about is that an external cover reduces the condensation on the inside of the windscreen over curtains. But take on WG’s point that good ventilation is essential too.