Caroline Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 What does it involve? What is the best thing to look for? What are the questions to ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 a properly winterised van will have a double floor. That is, two floors with a gap between. in this gap will live all your services....waste & fresh tanks pipework etc... Also heating will probably have some outlets under here as well making the interior floor nice and warm underfoot (very nice in the night for bathroom visits :-D) plus it usually allows further storage for items. Does not have to cost a fortune, EuraMobil Profila's have double floor's. mine apparently is "Only vehicle in its category with EN 1646 certified winter-proofing" To be certified as winterised they test that interior is habitable below freezing and stays warm for a prescribed time. hope this helps :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=10077&posts=5 This may help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 remember to go to page one on link above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Sorry guys but above thread link is really a distraction and unhelpful to a new prospective purchaser..... I missed this thread as I was on my Christmas cruise...... The semi integrated (low roof) EuraMobil Profilas are not "fully winterised". They do not have double floors or a EN 1646 test certification. check the website.......As Derek tried to explain it is only the 3 hightop (alcoven) models that are..... Some of the more expensive EuraMobil low roof models such as the terrestra & contura are double floor. Hope this helps :-D P.S. winterisation only work's if heating is on at a reasonable temperature to prevent problems *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 This may help a bit, posted in response to a similar query. There is a technical leaflet in the non-members part of the Caravan Club website, with a title along the lines of "Insulation problems with caravans", from which I have 'lifted' the following extract - thank you Caravan Club."Caravans built to European Standards (ie models from 1999 onwards) are given one of three grades to indicate the effectiveness of their insulation and their heating systems. • Grade 1 rating specifies a minimum degree of insulation but does not measure the capabilities of the heating system. These caravans should be considered suitable for ‘seasonal’ rather than all year round use. • Grade 2 rating requires the same level of insulation but adds a requirement for a heating system capable of maintaining the interior at 20 °C when it is 0 °C outside. This grade should be suitable for ‘extended seasonal’ usage, or all year round in reasonably favourable climates like the UK. • Grade 3 has a higher standard for both insulation and heating, such that the interior can be kept at 20 °C when it is -15 °C outside. It also requires that all water systems will operate when the outside temperature is -15 °C. These caravans should be habitable all year round in almost any weather conditions. The standard for motorcaravans is somewhat different and has not yet been universally adopted by all manufacturers. There are three grades, but these indicate heating classification, not insulation performance. In fact, there is no specific requirement for motorcaravans to have insulation although clearly most, if not all, will have. Grade 1 means the heating has not been rated. Grade 2 heating will achieve 20 °C inside when it is 0 °C outside. Grade 3 heating will achieve 20 °C inside when it is -5 °C outside and also requires that the fresh (but not waste) water supply must operate when it is -15 °C outside."The document is dated September 2007. The relevant standard is EN1645-1 (In UK: BS EN 1645-1), and the grades are laid down in the standard together, it seems, with the means for testing them. I say "it seems" because the standard is not, so far as I could tell, available on the web and copies, grace of BSI, cost £138 each. Sorry folks, but I'm not really that desperate to find out!What is really daft is the omission of an insulation standard for motorhomes. I can understand this presents difficulties because the cab area will always be poor in this respect, but what they are doing is simply inviting the manufacturers to install ever larger heaters (Does that hybrid gas/electric Truma make more sense now?) to meet the grade 3 standard. This merely encourages them to be profligate with our gas and electricity while skimping on the insulation. Indeed, it seems to me that a grade II van can be re-classified as grade III by merely increasing the heater capacity. How clever is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Oops sorry caroline trust me I thought it may help . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Every little comment helps thanks all. So it is just the floor space as in two layers nothing to do with the insulation of the walls and ceiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Caroline - 2008-01-10 7:57 PM Every little comment helps thanks all. So it is just the floor space as in two layers nothing to do with the insulation of the walls and ceiling. Obviously pointless having a double floor and paper thin walls..... so yes walls and roof insulation matter just as much. remember GRP sandwich construction and some use better windows then others etc... that is where the EN classification give you some assurances that van is fit for purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 JudgeMental - 2008-01-10 1:33 PM Sorry guys but above thread link is really a distraction and unhelpful to a new prospective purchaser..... disagree The other thread is very helpful, especially if you want a 'fully' winterized van. It really shows the issues to look out for. In fact, after reading it, i would think it really focuses exactly what your meant to be looking for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn Ward. Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Eh??? What a load of old tosh. Me and "our kid" used to have weekends away fishing in Fenland and we slept in the back of an empty Transit van in ten year old sleeping bags with army blankets on top. Were we cold? ******* frozen to be honest (lol) (lol) (lol) Did it affect us in later life? Like buggery it did *-) I'm so glad that our Dad brought us kids up to be proper down to earth Northerners who don't have time for frivolities such as underfloor heating and regard anyone from below Watford Gap as a soft southern shandy drinker who probably tucks his shirt into his pants :D Me, a chip on my shoulder?? Certainly not, I've got one one each shoulder to keep me balanced :-> Martyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 (lol) very good B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Martyn. What planet are you on? What constructive contribution have you made to the posting? Im on my 6th low flier and I am more coherent than you. I have found this thread very informative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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