How do you keep silver screens attached?

[Vixter]

It seems that within 5 minutes of putting them up the suckers start to give up - by morning one or two of the screens are demonstrating an elegant but floppy curve from the top corner, despite a last minute check before the light goes out.

 

We have recently cleaned the glass with Autoglym Glass Cleaner, seems to make no difference. The screens are quite new and look clean.

 

We didn't need them in the previous M/H so are newcomers to attaining this skill, there must be a special knack!

[tonyishuk]

Cheat ! and use velcro (not on the glass !)

[Keith T]

If you're talking of the internal ones, then alittle moistening (being polite!!) on the sikers will asist.We've used them for years an no problem in staying attached. Only thing is that it does tend to leave an 'imprint' (ie dirty mark) on the window...but then you can clean that offagain with your Autoglym!!!

[Brian Kirby]

You use the external type, which work better, and stay on!  :-D

[Andy_C]

I understand that cleaning the suckers with meths improves the grip, personally I just rub a wet finger over them before sticking them to the glass :-)

 

Andy

[malc d]

Brian Kirby - 2010-11-03 7:09 PM

 

You use the external type, which work better, and stay on!  :-D

 

 

But get wet when it rains.

 

;-)

[747]

Drop your sun visors, they help to support the top of the screen.

 

 

[Mel B]

The suckers supplied with some internal screens are absolute rubbish and don't stick properly, so if that's the problem you'll need to source some new suckers.

 

Failing that the Velcro idea isn't that daft - just get some sticky Velcro and stick horizontal pieces of the fluffy bit a few inches long on either end of the internal screen and either side of the centre too (the side which faces the windscreen of course *-) ) . Then with the hook bit laid on the 2 outer corner fluffy bits, put them up against the windscreen and push the internal screen in the corners so the hook bit sticks nicely holding the internal screens tightly in place. Then you can leave one end 'attached' and pull back the other and repeat with the centre pieces (the existing attached bit will help to keep the internal screens in alignment while you do this. I'd suggest you only do this with a helper though and make sure your windscreen is clean and grease free before you start.

 

As for the side windows - you could so a similar thing but make sure you stick the velcro on the frame (you might have to trim it) rather than the glass itself otherwise you won't be able to put your windows up and down!

:$

 

The reason for putting the fluffy bit on the internal screens themselves and the hook bit on the windscreen is so that when you take off the internal screens to pack them away, you won't end up 'hooking' onto everything, including yourself!!!

[David Dwight]

The only problem with Velcro stuck to the Windscreen is that when the Sun shines the velco falls off as the glue softens.

Had this happen to me using velcro for another job on the Windscreen

[Guest pelmetman]

We have the type that fit out side.

 

But for our trip to France and Spain for Xmas and new year we will be staying on aires so comon sense say's not to use the silver screens!

 

So we will use the cab curtains (which are lined) and another curtain which will isolate the cab and help keep the heat in hopefully :D

 

Just had them dry cleaned £14 8-)

[rupert123]

pelmetman - 2010-11-03 9:53 PM

 

We have the type that fit out side.

 

But for our trip to France and Spain for Xmas and new year we will be staying on aires so comon sense say's not to use the silver screens!

 

So we will use the cab curtains (which are lined) and another curtain which will isolate the cab and help keep the heat in hopefully :D

 

Just had them dry cleaned £14 8-)

 

Sorry but why is it common sense not to use them on aires. Is this because on aires you always need to be prepared for a quick get a way. If this is so then another good reason to avoid aires. I am on holiday when away and worrying about this sort of thing is not my idea of a holiday.

[Arthur Brown]

Brian has the right idea, we had internal sucker fixing screens, and still have, but, we got external screens for a number of reasons, a) they cover the screen, wipers and space at the top of the bonnet. b) The internal ones kept falling off even after we licked them. Now, no marks on the inside and complete privacy on site. If you have to be prepared for a quick get-a-way on an Aire then don't use it.

Arthur Brown

[Guest pelmetman]

rupert123 - 2010-11-03 10:21 PM

 

pelmetman - 2010-11-03 9:53 PM

 

We have the type that fit out side.

 

But for our trip to France and Spain for Xmas and new year we will be staying on aires so comon sense say's not to use the silver screens!

 

So we will use the cab curtains (which are lined) and another curtain which will isolate the cab and help keep the heat in hopefully :D

 

Just had them dry cleaned £14 8-)

 

Sorry but why is it common sense not to use them on aires. Is this because on aires you always need to be prepared for a quick get a way. If this is so then another good reason to avoid aires. I am on holiday when away and worrying about this sort of thing is not my idea of a holiday.

 

I did not intend to scare you from using aires or wild camping but common sense is the best way to approach most things in life :D

 

[Derek Uzzell]

pelmetman - 2010-11-03 9:53 PM

 

We have the type that fit out side.

 

But for our trip to France and Spain for Xmas and new year we will be staying on aires so comon sense say's not to use the silver screens!

 

So we will use the cab curtains (which are lined) and another curtain which will isolate the cab and help keep the heat in hopefully :D

 

Just had them dry cleaned £14 8-)

 

I think you are going to find that, unless you get your curtains up very quickly on stopping, and your isolating curtain actually isolates cab from living-area very effectively, then, by morning, you'll have a good deal of condensation on the inside of the cab glass.

 

We stay on French 'aires' a good deal, but only for a maximum of a couple of nights, and I prefer to use internal rather than external insulating screens. This is primarily because internal screens (though clearly less effective at preventing cab-glass condensation than external screens, and providing inferior insulation) are 'weather proof'.

 

I have no wish to arrive at an aire in the dark and in heavy, driving rain and then face the unenviable task of fitting an external screen. Nor, on leaving an aire in bad weather, do I want to go outside to remove the screen, bring the sopping wet, bulky thing inside the motorhome and have to stick it in the shower-compartment in the hope it will dry out.

 

If one is going to motorcaravan around France in December/January, few campsites will be open. I can't say I'm particularly apprehensive of staying on aires (otherwise I'd have to be a masochist to be doing it!), but there's not the same security as being on a campsite and you'd be daft not to appreciate that fact. If aires are to be used - either by choice or necessity - and the need to be able to make a "quick getaway" is considered to be a sensible idea (and who can argue with that view?), then it's surely common sense to maximise the opportunity to do this. If that means not using external screens, then so be it.

 

As far as I'm concerned it's simply horses for courses - external-screens will better suit the way some motorcaravanners use their vehicles than internal screens, and vice versa.

[Mike B.]

Brian Kirby - 2010-11-03 7:09 PM

 

You use the external type, which work better, and stay on!  :-D

 

 

Totally agree- and you can leave them on and just roll the front down if you're staying a while. Keeps it cool in the sun much better too. If they get wet just shake them before packing away-rain falls off

 

Mike

[Guest pelmetman]

A bit off topic but further to the security issue of staying on aires.

 

Some years ago we stayed on a campsite on the France Belgium border after a trip to Brugge, settled down fot the night when we started to hear gunfire 8-) .........................there was a full on shoot out between the local police and some criminals on the camp site 8-)

 

So far we have never been disturbed on a aire :-D.............. but as an ex boy scout I like to be prepared :D

[granddad]

hi when i use internal screen i pull down the sun visors and use curtain poles the small plastic ones that push together

 

[Derek Uzzell]

Vixter

 

As Mel B advised earlier, it's vital to have good 'suckers'. I've never had much trouble with my internal screens - in fact it's usually difficult to detach the suckers from the glass.

 

Suggest you pop along to an accessory outlet like Narbonne Accessoires and see if they will let you 'test' what they stock. My 2010 Narbonne Accessoires catalogue advertises "Ventouses super agrippantes MIDLAND" (10 for €6.50) or "Super ventouses avec anneaux" (6 for €7.90 or 20 for €15.90).

[AnnPaul]

USE EXTERNAL ONES THEY ARE 100% BETTER.

 

Paul and Ann

[David B]

I bought some extra suckers and used an eyelet kit to make holes in the silver screen to fit the extra suckers. This gives more "suction" and helps to keep the silver screen flatter and closer to the windscreen.

[Vixter]

Many thanks to everyone for your replies. I think we will

 

a) Clean the suckers

b) Fold down the sun visors

c) Fit some additional suckers (yes, we will try Narbonne). Like the idea of using the eyelet kit for making the holes.

 

We may consider some external screens later on.

 

All good stuff.

 

It's nice to be back on the forum and to see that old friends are still dishing out pearls of wisdom. Good to see so many new members as well.

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

But Vicki, why did you leave?

[flicka]

Q) If you have to store wet External Screens in the Motorhome, are you not creating a higher humity that will result in more Condensation.

 

If not, how do you overcome this. (?)

[Brian Kirby]

Put them in the washroom, where they can drain into the shower tray.  Then off you drive, which is presumably why you took them off, and as you drive the air changes in the van will be sufficient to remove any additional humidity.  At your next destination, remove from washroom and re-attach before trying to use washroom. 

1 If raining when you arrive, and blinds still wet, no change. 

2 If raining when you arrive and blinds dry, they get wet again. 

3 If not raining when you arrive and blinds wet, they may be dry by morning, when they won't be a problem next day. 

4 If not raining when you arrive and blinds dry, no change, and they'll still be dry next day unless it rains in the night, in which case, go to 1 above.  Simples!  :-D

[Vixter]

Hi Brian

 

Well, I didn't exactly leave - I just sort of faded into the background for a while. We bought our house in Brittany and were just too busy to use the big M/H, also had problems trying to get it French registered so we sold it.

 

We found we didn't much like being 'sans camping-car' so we bought another one (not so big this time!) and we have started tootling around again. Not as often as we would like - still lots to do on the house renovation - but, well, we're pleased to be back asking silly questions on the forum and getting sensible answers!