Winterisation

[niktam]

What do you get for £350 or so when they winterise your UK built MH with a single floor. Do they just lag the waste and water tanks and outside pipes and put a cover over the water heater. Or do they lag the pipes inside the vehicle? The water feed for the toilet goes through the cassette toilet area so that may be risky?

[Derek Uzzell]

This review

 

https://www.practicalmotorhome.com/reviews/motorhome/41333-elddis-autoquest-196

 

of a 2017 Elddis Autoquest 196 said

 

Equipment

 

This motorhome is pleasantly warmed throughout with 4kW Whale heating, although both the 100-litre fresh water tank and 70-litre waste water tank are underslung and open to the elements.

 

At this price bracket you aren’t going to get full winterisation, although a winter pack (fresh- and waste-water tank heaters plus fridge vent covers) is available for £305.

 

and the ‘Winter Pack’ is also discussed in some detail here

 

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/winter-packs.188606/

 

No mention is made of lagging water tanks or interior/external pipework, nor of any ‘cover’ being fitted to the water heater - so, as such things are not mentioned by Elddis when referring to the Winter Pack, presumably those things are not done. An Elddis dealer might know if that’s correct - otherwise Elddis should be able to say if you contact them direct.

 

(Did you resolve how to remove the plastic trim at the rear of the cab?)

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Autoquest-196-2017/54223/

 

 

 

 

 

[Keithl]

But do bear in mind that the tank heaters are more than likely only mains powered so will only work when you are on EHU.

 

This would basically rule out any 'Off-grid' camping even with the winterisation pack.

 

If they where 12 volt then you would need serious battery capacity to keep them powered when not on EHU.

 

Keith.

[ColinM50]

I'd just add that on a 196 the external tanks are lagged with a sort of self adhesive foil covered bubble wrap during build. Watched them doing it when I visited last Oct on their open day, v straightforward.

 

A bit like this stuff

 

Link to insulation

 

I reckon if you were going to DIY it's a doddle to drop the tanks, just two brackets on each tank then insulate with something similar but better? When the weather gets a bit better I'm planning to drop my freshwater tank and cut a hole through the floor and fit and inspection hatch so I can inspect and clean the tanks

 

One of these;

 

https://www.jupiterblue.co.uk/access-panels-and-access-hatches-c1/waterproof-c16/pcap-waterproof-airtight-plastic-access-panels-p31

 

I asked Eldiss why they didn't fit one duing build and of course it's due to cost constraints

[niktam]

Many thanks for the replies.

 

I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of an EHU available at the storage pound so it is looking like this is a no go or I'II just use a 5L water can and let it drain out every night? Looking at at trip to N Norway one summer so should be OK as the average lowest is 8 ish.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Keithl - 2020-01-16 6:31 PM

 

But do bear in mind that the tank heaters are more than likely only mains powered so will only work when you are on EHU.

 

This would basically rule out any 'Off-grid' camping even with the winterisation pack.

 

If they where 12 volt then you would need serious battery capacity to keep them powered when not on EHU.

 

Keith.

 

The tank heaters installed by Elddis will be 12V-powered, and there have been on-line discussions about the manner in which Elddis installs the heaters having the potential to drain the motorhome’s battery.

 

Plenty of related reading matter here

 

https://tinyurl.com/yx3zteuf

 

A typical 30W/2.5A 12V tank heater will ( as you’ve pointed out) soon drain a battery unless that battery is receiving sufficient replenishment charge.

 

My 2005 Hobby motorhome’s external waste-water tank was not insulated but was fitted with a 12V heater (in fact, I think there were two heater elements) and tank-heating was manually turned on by a dedicated button on the motorhome’s main control-panel.

 

However, tank-heating was only possible when the Hobby’s engine was running or the motorhome was connected to a 230V hook-up. If tank-heating had been selected when the engine was running, when the engine was stopped tank-heating was automatically switched off and would not recommence until the engine was restarted and the relevant control-panel button pressed. Similarly for tank-heating when connected to a 230V EHU. (The Hobby’s fresh-water tank was internal and heating it was unnecessary.)

 

[StuartO]

It'simportant to remember that no matter how well underslung tanks are insulated, they will freeze up in deep winter temperatures unless the tanks are also heated - which is impractical unless you are on a mains hook-up.

 

MHs which are properly winter-capable have the tanks inside double floors which are heated by the MH's habitation heating system. Entry level MHs like Elldis are not really suitable for cold winter use (eg going skiing) and you would need to keep both fresh water and grey waste tanks drained and resort to bottled water supplies and a bucket under the waste outlet. You would perhaps be better off buying an older used MH which is designed and constructed for winter use.

[peterjl]

Hi

We often visit Alps in winter ( off to Alps Sunday) and have experience extended period of a week or more <10C. Our fresh water tanks have been inboard but waste tanks underslung.

 

The trick for the waste tank( we do not have heater in waste tank) is to keep it open with an open bowl under the outlet. An open bowl let’s you empty the giant ice cube. Plus no problems with frozen waste tank.

 

Peter