doonhamer Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Can anyone help with suggestions to unfreeze my van, I was due to set off from SW France for Portugal on Tuesday but on Monday found that the water pipes were frozen, I've had a heater going in the van (Hymer 584) since at 15C but with max/min temperatures of 0/-10 even the pump has frozen and the forecast is below freezing for till next Tuesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Have you thought of using a hair dryer to direct heat to the right places ? (But have some cloths ready in case any of the pipes have split). Don't know where you are but I think forecast is for a rise in temp in a few days time. Good luck. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Have you considered heading South anyway as it is bound to be a bit warmer - in theory - as you near the Med coast and the heat from the engine could help thaw any frozen outside bits as it passes back under the van on the move. As long as you have bottled water you should be ok for a day or three roughing it without running water but check that operating a frozen pump and the loo flush pump has not blown their fuses as it often - but not always - does, and a few spare fuses might be handy. Open all the cupboards and lockers in the van that contain any water pipes to allow the warmth to get to them as it is amazing how cold these remain when closed. If the pump has frozen with water in it it might be damaged and certainly the clear filter bowl - if it has one - is at great risk so you might need to strip it and rebuild it or worst case scenario replace it or some parts so if you know of any caravan dealers bear them in mind. The pipes and taps are pretty durable usually and as long as you don't force them when frozen the taps should probably thaw OK. Pipes thaw easily usually but lumps of ice can remain in them and impede flow and assuming that hot and cold pipes run side by side getting the hot water hot and running the taps might help as might part filling the cold tank with warm water. Hot water bottles placed on pumps or frozen bits can help too as can judicious use of a hair dryer (not a heat gun!). Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 doonhamer - 2009-01-08 8:20 PM Can anyone help with suggestions to unfreeze my van, I was due to set off from SW France for Portugal on Tuesday but on Monday found that the water pipes were frozen, I've had a heater going in the van (Hymer 584) since at 15C but with max/min temperatures of 0/-10 even the pump has frozen and the forecast is below freezing for till next Tuesday. You don't say where you are, apart from SW France. However, if you're at the Atlantic end of the Pyrenees, or around Bordeaux, according to Meteo France, that is quite a bit colder than at than the Med end. The Med end is still cold, but above 0C at night. If your van has external runs of water pipe, the best bet will probably be to head somewhere near Perpignan, or a little further East, where the warmth should thaw out the pipes, and then head for Portugal along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, where the temperatures should be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Our "old technology" van has an external under slung water tank. We camped over the New year in the New Forest with friends and it was "taters" as they say. Permafrost it seemed! But we did have hookup (apart from the daily power cuts) so the water heater was ON all the time. Several times I took a couple of kettle fulls of hotish water from the hot tap and poured it into the external filler for the water tank. We survived! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 News is not good with regard to temperatures here in Spain at the moment I'm afraid. We're just inland from the coast, near to Benidorm and only about 200 metres above sea level.....but even here it's only about 3 degrees tonight. I guess if you were to be not a lot further inland, and/or not a lot higher, it'll be at or below freezing at night even here in the coastal regions of Spain. In mid-Spain, it's certainly well below freezing even during the day at the moment. And well below zero through the night. So if you do decide to set off with a frozen van, I guess your best bet would be to get to the Med coast asap, and then stay alongside it for a few days to allow it to thaw, and then not re-freeze, until the cold snap lifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbow-Chasers Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 I just e-mailed you a trade tip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 C'mon Rainbow ... spill the beans to us all!!!! :-D Pretty please!!!! :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbow-Chasers Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Ok! If you insist! lol! Firstly - this works on MOST motorhomes, you will have to use a little ingenuity to adapt it to yours in some cases. 1. Turn on the gas. Plug in hook up. 2. Go to the seat where the heater tank is (usually the first beside the wardrobe/heater) 3. Lift seat and set aside. 4. peering into the void, you will see the heater tank nearest the wall, with some pipes coming out. 5. On the other side (of the seat box) you will see a vent that you blown air heating comes through, and out the side of the seat box into the living area. 6. Take the flexi pipe off the vent, and undo the two or so clips holding it to the floor. 7. Move it to the rough direction of the heater tank/pipe area and tie in place with suitable string/wire or whatever to hold it in place - but not too close! 8 Replace the seat 9 Fire up the heater and set to blown air/convection combo. 10. Using a household convector heater, plug in and place on the side near the taps area. This will defrost the taps and heat the interior of the van quicker. 11. Check on regularly for safety. Defrosting can take 2-5 hrs of heating. The void beneath the seat heats up to quite a warm temperature, and gradually defrosts the pipe and tank without damaging them. (defrost to quickly can cause damage) 12. As soon as this is done, drain the heater tank/winterise. Carry on to warmer climes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Ah I see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianR Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 the best bet will probably be to head somewhere near Perpignan, or a little further East, where the warmth should thaw out the pipes, and then head for Portugal along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, where the temperatures should be better. I have just travelled from England to near Perpignan and can confirm that here the temperature is a maximum of 12C and a minimum of 5C overnight. I had to travel without runnung water as we were all frozen up - it was -12C in the Loire valley. It was endurable for 4 nights, but a bit too like real camping for comfort, according to my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianR Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 the best bet will probably be to head somewhere near Perpignan, or a little further East, where the warmth should thaw out the pipes, and then head for Portugal along the Spanish Mediterranean coast, where the temperatures should be better. I have just travelled from England to near Perpignan and can confirm that here the temperature is a maximum of 12C and a minimum of 5C overnight. I had to travel without runnung water as we were all frozen up - it was -12C in the Loire valley. It was endurable for 4 nights, but a bit too like real camping for comfort, according to my wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 The 584 has all of its water system between the dual floors and has two drain taps in the rear nearside locker. Was the system drained down before the freeze? If so it may be just residual water in the pump or pipe work being blocked by just small pieces of ice. The C6000 series heater fitted to the 584 can be run without water to bring up the temperature to allow the auto drain to stay closed. By running the heater and blown warm air you will provide some heat to the area between the double floor where the water pipes are situated. Suggest you part fill the fresh water tank with warm water which will then allow the submersible pump to run. Then try pumping the warm water through the cold taps. If this works do the same with the hot water taps after closing the auto drain for the heater. I have assumed that your 584 is a 2004 or later model. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doonhamer Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 Thanks for all the advise. The van is defrosting slowly and the local forecast is for milder weather from tomorrow so I've decided to wait for another couple of days before setting off to make sure that the pump is still working and that there are no leaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 doonhamer - 2009-01-11 6:13 PM Thanks for all the advise. The van is defrosting slowly and the local forecast is for milder weather from tomorrow so I've decided to wait for another couple of days before setting off to make sure that the pump is still working and that there are no leaks. Whereabouts are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlandflo Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Hi all, just got back from a 'chilly' new year in Austria after spending christmas with the in-laws in the Tarn region of France. After a mild christmas day, the temps dropped and snow fell overnight delaying our departure until 27th. The temps didnt recover and we suffered frozen water for most of our journey to Salzburg, where we finally thawed out on arrival at the site. This situation remained for only one day when the temps went through the floor, snow fell and we froze again. through all this, we managed to stay warm, when parked off site, with the use of the built in gas heater however when on site we used our 2kw oil filled rad to keep the van warm. unfortunately the built in electric element of the van heater failed the first day of the trip!!! we made do with water in bottles to brew and wash on the road and the excellent facilities of the site in salzburg. the van didnt thaw out until we were 5 miles from the med coast near Genova in italy (it was worrying seeing large chunks of ice flying off the roof and landing on the autostrada behind us!!!). the fun of motorhoming in the winter!!!!!!!!!! do it again??? YOU BET.......but with a little more prep this summer to insulate EVERYTHING!!! (we only collected the van 3 days prior to the trip so no time to do anything then........) stay warm.... carl and flo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 With plastic parts used for conducting water one may assume they will expand and be flexible under frozen conditions. BE AWARE plastic hardens with reduced temperatures, it can become brittle and crack. Threaded joints can be torn apart and fractured, therefore after being frozen ALL JOINTs should be checked for leaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doonhamer Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Well we're not on the move yet, but things are looking hopeful. The tank and pump are now unfrozen and I was relieved that the pump worked after changing the fuse, but the pipes are still frozen. The forecast for Confolens is above zero from tonight so fingers crossed that we'll be totally unfrozen with no leaks for departure on Wednesday. The forecast for the route down to Portugal via Ebro, Salamanca, Valladolid and Guarda also looks good so hopefully will be able to run with water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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