Winter is coming.

[John.s]

This is going to be our first winter with our Cali, is there anything I should be aware of?
I assume it's best to drain all the water tanks so they don't freeze is it best to leave the taps open or closed?

 

[WelshGas]

You don't plan on using it over winter then?


How long will it be laid up for, and where, outside or in a garage?

 

[John.s]

Yes we will be using her through the winter but she will be parked up outside during the week.

 

[GrannyJen]

leave the heater on, ticking over perhaps?

That's what I do when mine is parked up for a few days and sustained frost is predicted.

 

[jeff]

We Leave both drain taps open the van gets used once a week at least and batteries are left on charge once a month. Coat of polish before the winter the van is kept outside. All has been OK for the last eight years .

 

[WelshGas]

Yes we will be using her through the winter but she will be parked up outside during the week.

Ok. Good.
I empty the tanks after each trip and run the tap for a few seconds. When camping then I refill the tank just before leaving.
I, personally run the heater for an hour every 2 or 3 weeks if I've not been using it camping.
I also plug into the mains for at least 12 hrs every 2 weeks or before going away.
Use a Topper to protect the canvas from wet or make sure the canvas is dry if the roof is to be closed for 2 or more weeks.
Also Disposable Dehumidifier cartridges to keep the interior dry. You will be amazed at how much moisture they collect.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-x-Dehu...091327?hash=item2112aa9a7f:g:is0AAOSwsB9WDpbz

 

[John.s]

We Leave both drain taps open the van gets used once a week at least and batteries are left on charge once a month. Coat of polish before the winter the van is kept outside. All has been OK for the last eight years .

Thanks Jeff I've just spent the day washing, de-taring and hard waxing her for the winter. I will leave the drain taps open but I can't plug her in as the cable won't reach!

 

[John.s]

Ok. Good.
I empty the tanks after each trip and run the tap for a few seconds. When camping then I refill the tank just before leaving.
I, personally run the heater for an hour every 2 or 3 weeks if I've not been using it camping.
I also plug into the mains for at least 12 hrs every 2 weeks or before going away.
Use a Topper to protect the canvas from wet or make sure the canvas is dry if the roof is to be closed for 2 or more weeks.
Also Disposable Dehumidifier cartridges to keep the interior dry. You will be amazed at how much moisture they collect.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-x-Dehu...091327?hash=item2112aa9a7f:g:is0AAOSwsB9WDpbz

Dehumidifier sounds good, I was planning to get an internal roof liner but they don't seem to be on sale yet!! Thanks for the other advise ( I'll have problems plunging her in though was planning to give her a good run every weekend at least) will this be ok?

 

[Teejay]

Also Disposable Dehumidifier cartridges to keep the interior dry. You will be amazed at how much moisture they collect.

Has any one tried cat litter, the silica kind? No I don't have cats. It controls moistures and smells. just fill up an old sock.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks Jeff I've just spent the day washing, de-taring and hard waxing her for the winter. I will leave the drain taps open but I can't plug her in as the cable won't reach!

Dehumidifier sounds good, I was planning to get an internal roof liner but they don't seem to be on sale yet!! Thanks for the other advise ( I'll have problems plunging her in though was planning to give her a good run every weekend at least) will this be ok?

Internal roof liner will not stop the canvas from getting wet. Wet canvas, if not dried, will go mouldy if stored for any length of time.
If the only reason you cannot plug into the mains is your lead is too short then purchase a 10 or 15m lead to use as an extension while on the drive.
You would only be using the extended lead to run the Charger so it would perfectly safe.

Using the Engine Alternator to charge can only take the Leisure Batteries to about 80% capacity. NB the Control Panel does not give accurate readings.

 

[John.s]

Internal roof liner will not stop the canvas from getting wet. Wet canvas, if not dried, will go mouldy if stored for any length of time.
If the only reason you cannot plug into the mains is your lead is too short then purchase a 10 or 15m lead to use as an extension while on the drive.
You would only be using the extended lead to run the Charger so it would perfectly safe.

Using the Engine Alternator to charge can only take the Leisure Batteries to about 80% capacity. NB the Control Panel does not give accurate readings.

I will need about 30 to 40 m lead that would have to run over paths and roads. The locals would be running the Christmas lights off it at my expense I'm all for good will to all men but there is a limit

 

[WelshGas]

I will need about 30 to 40 m lead that would have to run over paths and roads. The locals would be running the Christmas lights off it at my expense I'm all for good will to all men but there is a limit

Ok. See your problem. So cannot really dry out a wet canvas either?

Solar panel?

 

[bigmac77]

What @WelshGas is saying about charging is that to maintain the leisure batteries properly and giving them the best chance of performing to the best of their abilities for longer they need to be charged via a mains hook up or a solar panel. Can you charge it at a family members or work place? A solar panel is an option but winter has lower light levels so you'll have to ask solar panel owners how effective they are during the darker months.

 

[Larkrise]

I wonder why the alternator will only take the leisure batteries to about 80%? One might expect that once the starter battery was fully charged it would switch to the leisure batteries until fully charged, but seemingly not so?


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[MattBW]

leave the heater on, ticking over perhaps?

That's what I do when mine is parked up for a few days and sustained frost is predicted.

Do you leave it on all the time? I haven't quite got my head around how much power it uses in these situations?

Do you just set it above freezing rather than warm?

I have the timer ability on mine so I am planning once the frost comes to set it to warm up before I get in in the morning. Hopefully it will help defrost it.

 

[Larkrise]

That timer is brilliantly useful. Sometimes if we are arriving back on a late train and it is going to be frosty we set it to come on for an hour before we arrive.. then just get in and go while others are busy spraying and scraping!


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[GrannyJen]

Do you leave it on all the time? I haven't quite got my head around how much power it uses in these situations?

Do you just set it above freezing rather than warm?

I have the timer ability on mine so I am planning once the frost comes to set it to warm up before I get in in the morning. Hopefully it will help defrost it.

Firstly Matt, I live on the coast so deep frosts, enough to cause tanks and pipes to freeze, are rare. Also it is rare for the vehicle to go a week without being driven sufficiently to warm the whole vehicle through. Add into that if I ever tried to unscrew pipes, hoses or connections then I would need a new van tomorrow

However, when cold weather is forecast then I leave mine ticking over on 1, possibly two, the lowest settings.

Suffice to say in the space of a whole week I might just see the slightest movement in the fuel gauge. In three years I have never had a problem. I don't do anything else except ensure that both water tanks are not full to the brim.

I certainly don't have a frozen windscreen problem.

 

[Andy]

Has any one tried cat litter, the silica kind? No I don't have cats. It controls moistures and smells. just fill up an old sock.

Yes I use it in cali & car. Seems to work. Have to weigh it before use then after to see if it is working.

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[briwy]

I'm not sure about leaving the heater on in cold weather. I would have thought this would lead to condensation inside the van, just what you don't want. If you do want a heater on and you have it hooked up use a small oil radiator, probably cheaper than using the Cali heater although I do agree it needs to be fired up now and then.

 

[Andy]

I wonder why the alternator will only take the leisure batteries to about 80%? One might expect that once the starter battery was fully charged it would switch to the leisure batteries until fully charged, but seemingly not so?


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Different battery technology. Starter battery will take hi current charge for short time. Leisure battery will not they need slower charge. Google will find you a better explanation.

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[MattBW]

Isn't it a sealed unit with the air taken from inside of the van?

 

[John.s]

Ok. See your problem. So cannot really dry out a wet canvas either?

Solar panel?

Drying canvas is not a problem on a nice day I can pop the roof. The internal liner was more to keep me and the wife warmer during the colder weather (we prefer to sleep upstairs as long as it's not too cold).
I'll have to look at a solar panel by the sounds of things!!

 

[WelshGas]

I'm not sure about leaving the heater on in cold weather. I would have thought this would lead to condensation inside the van, just what you don't want. If you do want a heater on and you have it hooked up use a small oil radiator, probably cheaper than using the Cali heater although I do agree it needs to be fired up now and then.

All the Parking Heater does is heat the air within the vehicle via a heat exchanger. It certainly will not add to the amount of water vapour within the vehicle. In fact it functions in a similar manner to any electrical heater within the vehicle. Absolutely no products of combustion make their way inside if the windows are closed.

 

[Roger Boeken]

Different battery technology. Starter battery will take hi current charge for short time. Leisure battery will not they need slower charge. Google will find you a better explanation.

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I must disagree since in my T6 there are 3 identical batteries (same part number from vw and all labels and stickers and numbers identical). The only reason I can think off is there is always a lower voltage on the leisure batteries because off electronics seperating leisure and engine batteries, causing a voltage drop during charge proces..
I agree however it is a good idea to fully charge batteries with hookup before leaving for holiday.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Dehumidifier sounds good, I was planning to get an internal roof liner but they don't seem to be on sale yet!! Thanks for the other advise ( I'll have problems plunging her in though was planning to give her a good run every weekend at least) will this be ok?

This may be a stupid question..... I've a Cali Beach on-order, and as I live in a 7th floor flat, and my Cali will be parked in the underground carpark.... Plugging it in, will be an issue for me (might end up visiting my parents more often!) Does anyone know if plugging a Cali into an e-Car dock/station, will charge the leisure battery?

I am planning solar panel installation which will help I guess, but maybe not over the winter months..... Another reason for the solar panels is that we hope to camp off-grid mostly also.