Dinkydot Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Hi all, I'm compiling an advice article for MMM about the checks needed in Spring whether you've laid your motorhome up for the winter or carried on using it. What's your regular checks and your season jobs when it comes to the motorhome. You can either comment below or PM me. Thanks Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevec176 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I get my van serviced, hab checked and MOT'd and the van gets a good clean in side and out. I check all my essentials putting back only what's needed and what's not been used in the last year comes out. Job done, ready to role. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 We use ours for trips through the winter thus keeping batteries nicely topped up. but before the big run to the Costa Blanca it takes me a week to ready the van. mechanically check everything tyres for and screws etc. pressures oil, water, break fluid and rad levels. I clean the van top to bottom using Autoglym products and even black the tyres. inside all the carpets come out to spring clean and the water system is flushed out several times, never using chemicals. i lubricate the blades in the loo and deep clean the seat and surrounding areas. I clean out the plug holes and use a little zoflora and rinse well ( never leave in the sink it will stain ) I also put a little on the inside of the toilet roll tube and every time you use the loo paper it leaves a nice scent. fridge is deep cleaned using bicarbonate of soda. my wife checks all the cuboards for cloths and essentials I find starting to prepare a week early saves me forgetting anything and when leaving it a couple of days prior to travel found it raining and not so pleasant to prepare. Dennis 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) Apart from all the usual common sense stuff we used to flush the fresh water tank at least twice with good old Mk1 tapolene, leaving it full overnight before emptying it into the waste tank before draining the waste tank when full. If you can drive the van around a bit sloshing the water about in the half filled tanks so much the better, drain them out asap before the disturbed gunge has a chance to settle - NOT on the open road please. Having heard that bleach can damage stainless steel we stopped using bleach in the sink other than for a quick rinse around followed by an extensive fresh water rinse and flush out. Remove spare wheel from underfloor housing and check it's pressue and condition thus ensuring both mechanism and wheel will work if you need it. Check all battery terminals and fuses, and cables where visible, for abrasion, damage, corrosion and tightness and check there is no heat build up anywhere when being charged. Ensure all the functions of the hab control panel work correctly with no suspicious displays. Check for damp or water ingress in all lockers - especially hard to reach corners. Ensure all door and window catches and locks operate smoothly. Ensure your toolkit (and multi meter if you have one) is complete and functioning It's been a year or two since we last had a van so there are probably more things to check! Edited January 25 by Tracker missed a bit 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hja Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Make sure inside & out are clean, washed etc. Use puriclean in freshwater system as per instructions. It needs leaving overnight so then drain at least some of it through taps and drains into waste tank, and drain waste tank. Make sure you flush system out after using puriclean. Put waste tank cleaner into drains before first outing with some water. Just leave it to drain when on site. Put the shower back together, because you did hang the pipe down and take off the head, didnt you?! Put things back in the van that were taken out over winter eg bedding. We have a check list that includes absolutely everything, down to box of matches. If stuff has been left in double check that it is still needed. Where do you store breakdown cards, CAMC card, CCC card? Our live in the front of the van so those need to go back in. Doing the water tank cleaning allows you to assess there are no leaks that have developed over the winter (fingers crossed) Also check all sockets working. Turn the gas on and check oven and heater working (I prefer to check heater when I have water in boiler). Turn the gas off again. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 4 hours ago, Tracker said: Having heard that bleach can damage stainless steel I've heard that too,but my own experience has been its done no harm at all. I guess not all stainless steels are the same. Because I have had a stainless steel tea mug for many years (great for the van because its unbreakable and being thin doesn't absorb a lot of heat from the water which could chill the water and spoil the brew). The mug soon gets stained brown by the tea which is hard to remove except with strong thick bleach that quickly dissolves the hardest dried on tea stains. After being soaked in strong bleach hundreds of times my tea mug shows no deterioration in the stainless steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 My understanding is that it is prolonged contact with bleach that can corrode stainless steel (and some plastics) which is why having cleaned with bleach I feel it important to thoroughly rinse, as we do at home, all traces of bleach away from any stainless steel or plastic surfaces and not allow the bleach to dry in situ. Getting neat bleach on your hands is not usually a problem as long as it is rinsed off quickly and not left to corrode your skin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Well obviously I rinse the stainless steel mug well before I put the tea in. But I have often left it soaking overnight full of strong bleach and stainless steel cutlery - brings it up brilliantly with no sign of corrosion. I suspect if its good stainless steel it will be fine - If it isn't something else will probably corrode it anyway? I got my stainless steel mug from Lidl - their 'Ernesto' brand marketed as a milk jug. Been bleaching it for years with no sign of corrosion. But I did get a cheap unbranded one from the Todo shop in Javea that has corroded a bit. Did it damage your sink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I must admit to doing nothing. i fill the water tank and check the taps work to fill water heater. Switch on water and space heater, yep they work as well. Load up and off I go I have never, in 25 years cleaned my water system ( I do drain down after every trip). I might tip some bleach does the sink for the waste tank. I always leave toilet with fresh blue in it so it’s ready to go. I might wash the van but they usually wash it after service so one wash a year is fine unless it gets very dirty ( I had to wash after driving the dirt roads of Iceland and the deserts of Morocco ). I admit to dusting occasionally and sweeping the floor. Just check everything works and you will be fine. peter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Just looking at another cheap stainless steel mug showing signs of corrosion - I don't think any bleach has been used on it, but it has been kept in a damp greenhouse with oddments kept in it. It must be such poor stainless steel it has corroded just through damp. But I understand bleach, when its done its job, dries and leaves a salt residue. As we know salt accelerates rusting. But the stainless steel has to be poor quality to rust in the first place. And if you didn't bleach it, would probably corrode anyway. So I'll keep bleaching my stainless steel stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 It is actually the Chlorine in the bleach that corrodes the Stainless Steel... Corrosion resistance of stainless steels Chlorine in contact with water and as a dissolved gas, sometimes found in water treatment applications, is potentially aggressive to stainless steels. Chlorine as a sterilising or sanitising agent When using chlorine as a steriliser or sanitiser in contact with 316 type stainless steel items, a maximum of 15-20 ppm, (mg/lt), ‘free’ chlorine is suggested, for maximum times of 24 hours, followed by a thorough chlorine free water flush. Residual chlorine levels in waters of 2ppm maximum for 304 and 5ppm for 316 types should not normally be considered a crevice corrosion hazard. https://bssa.org.uk/bssa_articles/selection-of-stainless-steels-for-handling-chlorine-cl2-and-chlorine-dioxide-clo2/ And the old fashioned 'Milton' sterilising solution is apparently one of the worse forms as it must contain a higher concentration of Chlorine. And this is the technical bit of the reaction... How does chloride corrode stainless steel? Chlorides react with the chromium to form the very soluble chromium chloride (CrCl3), a reaction which pulls chromium away from the passive layer, leaving only the active iron. As the passive layer becomes diminished, chlorides penetrate the surface of stainless steel, creating spherical smooth wall pits. Keith. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) Thats interesting Keith, Thanks. Nevertheless, I am looking at my 'Ernesto' stainless steel tea mug (milk jug), battered but still brilliant despite being soaked in strong thick bleach (often overnight) many times over several years. ditto my old Sheffield stainless steel forks and spoons. So I can only guess its down to the quality of the stainless steel as much as anything. And if their 'stainless steel' is crap they blame the user for bleaching it. Doctor Fred Dibnah commented on a pair of Sheffield stainless steel scissors he had accidentally left outside on top of a wall for years, and still looked and cut as good as new. Wheras some other so-called 'stainless steel' stuff goes rusty. I found a 'stainless steel' knife in the greenhouse that shows signs of rust - and I don't bleach knives because they are easy to clean. Also rusty 'stainless steel' cheapo scissors that have never seen bleach. Incidentally Professor Alice Roberts did an interesting demonstration on TV where she poured bleach down a sink wastepipe. Then collected and analysed it when it came out the other end. When the bleach had done its job, what was left was relatively harmless compounds like salt. Which is what makes it suitable for use in such places as swimming pools. And pretty useless at killing weeds etc. But, as we all know, if steel is already prone to rusting salt will accelerate it. Edited January 27 by John52 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Keithl mentions above the Milton sterilising product and this 2014 MHFacts forum discussion refers. https://www.motorhomefacts.com/threads/milton.121202/#:~:text=Sodium hypochlorite solution (bleaches like,stainless properties of stainless steel. It used to be commonplace to add to a motorhome's full fresh water tank a dash of Milton (bottles of the stuff were sold in large quantities at outdoor leisure shows) but the practice fell out of favour as a result of warnings from Truma about using 'bleach type' water sanitising products when a leisure vehicle had a Truma water heater. Used in a very low concentration and thoroughly draining the water system afterwards should cause no problems (or that was what a Truma engineer once told me) but 'neat' Milton could definitely damage stainless steel badly if left in prolonged contact. I well remember a letter in MMM magazine from a Hymer owner warning that a Milton bottle left in their motorhome's stainless-steel sink when the motorhome had been put into storage had leaked and, by the time the leakage had been noticed, there was a hole right through the sink's bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 45 minutes ago, Derek Uzzell said: warning that a Milton bottle left in their motorhome's stainless-steel sink when the motorhome had been put into storage had leaked and, by the time the leakage had been noticed, there was a hole right through the sink's bottom. That would be worst case scenario wouldn't it? - because the water in the bleach would evaporate off leaving salt residue which as we all know accelerates corrosion in steel that is prone to it - like poor quality stainless. Would be worse than liquid bleach - and far worse than just flushing bleach through the system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 3 hours ago, John52 said: That would be worst case scenario wouldn't it? - because the water in the bleach would evaporate off leaving salt residue which as we all know accelerates corrosion in steel that is prone to it - like poor quality stainless. Would be worse than liquid bleach - and far worse than just flushing bleach through the system I would note that stainless is made in many different forms, it may be that to form a deep drawn sink requires a stainless that is more ductile and has less corrosion resistance, this doesn't mean that it is 'poor quality'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 4 hours ago, colin said: I would note that stainless is made in many different forms, it may be that to form a deep drawn sink requires a stainless that is more ductile and has less corrosion resistance, this doesn't mean that it is 'poor quality'. Well my stainless steel mug is stamped out of one piece, would have to be more ductile than a sink. Where its held bleach (on the inside) it doesn't have a mirror finish. But I wouldn't expect it to after stirring the tea etc Same with the cutlery. But its bright with no trace of corrosion. You could try it by leaving some cutlery in a mug full of strong bleach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 I very much doubt your mug is stamped, it will have been deep drawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 As ever was - a simple 'be aware of the potential of bleach to cause damage' has been hijacked into a personal crusade - exactly the kind of thing that puts many people off of joining in this forum. Give it a rest please. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Hi Rachel, Always bring "Her indoors" lol She looks after all of that lol Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 12 hours ago, Tracker said: As ever was - a simple 'be aware of the potential of bleach to cause damage' has been hijacked into a personal crusade - exactly the kind of thing that puts many people off of joining in this forum. Give it a rest please. Because my experience of bleach on stainless steel is different to yours doesn't make it personal So please don't try to make it so. Just a discussion of different views and experiences, which is what forums are supposed to be about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 12 hours ago, colin said: I very much doubt your mug is stamped, it will have been deep drawn. I haven't actually seen the mugs being made, but have seen 400g food cans being made. Machine stamps out a flat disc of steel sheet, (probably coated mild steel?) then it is pressed in several stages to form the food can My stainless steel mug looks very similar, however they did it its clearly one piece of metal with no joins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 You saw a mild steel can being made and assumed however it was made applied to all similar objects no matter what they are made from, then you have assumed that an object which is not of the same design can be easily made by some similar method with any material, sorry but that's to much assumption. Also you have used bleach in a stainless mug and because you have not noticed any corrosion have assumed there is none, once again an assumption too far. It is a fact that all stainless steels corrode when exposed to bleach, some more than others, but if the exposure is limited there will be limited corrosion to the point where it might be minuscule. It is a fact that certain stainless steels are more suited to certain processes or uses, I don't know for certain what stainless some manufactures might use for sinks, and why they are used, but I wouldn't be calling them 'poor quality stainless', without knowing the facts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Well however it was made, it shows stainless steel that doesn't visibly corrode can be formed into a dish or sink. My kitchen sink has seen plenty of strong bleach - lost its mirror finish but still bright and sound. Just like my stainless steel mug and cutlery. I tend to think outside the box, which inevitably leads to some discussion as I seek to learn and pass on what I have learned. Unfortunately it seems some people take that personally. For instance, when I got a new van with a smart alternator I was told on this and the Ducato forum I would need a £hundreds B2B charger for my secondary batteries. As stated by those qualified professionals who sell B2B chargers .... But I tried it with an ordinary £10 relay activated by the ignition switch. Its working fine and has been for nearly 3 years. I put this on the forum in the hope it might help someone else. Unfortunately some people take it personally as though I have slighted them by proving them wrong. Again I thought outside the box what happens if you use old AdBlue so I tried it. Again working fine. Thought I would post it to save members changing the Adblue unnecessarily (pig of a job to get to the reservoir and drain it) But again someone takes it personally. Ask them how out of date AdBlue is supposed to damage the SCR system and they won't answer. Just obfuscation, platitudes, change the subject, etc etc So lets stop taking it personally when we are proven wrong. Exchange ideas and help each other. Otherwise whats the point of the forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 even Brunel was wrong sometimes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 Hi John Good points and tips and they are appreciated , but sadly they do not work for all, as do some of mine not work for others either Now tells us what's the most important seasonal checks you would do to your Motorhome for the season? Regards Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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