Winter checks | Meet the Trudgians

Winter checks

Posted by on Jan 31, 2016 in Featured, Technical | 3 comments

Winter checks

Like many other caravan owners, we simply cannot keep our van outside our house. We’d love to, but there is simply no room to put it on the drive. So our caravan is sited at a local caravan storage facility.

This means that the caravan is not easily overlooked. It means we cannot simply throw open the curtains and ensure everything is OK. So we visit the caravan at least once a week to make sure that everything is in tip top condition.

Our checks on the van are quite basic. They range from a visual inspection of the body work, checking the electrics, a quick damp check and generally ensuring everything is as it should be.

On this weeks visit I complied a quick video of some of the checks I undertake while we make our visit. The list isn’t exhaustive nor do I include some of the security checks I complete – but it gives you a flavour of what sort of thing you would check for.

In all honesty our van rarely gets left alone over winter. The longest it has been idle for is 6 weeks. So we tend not to winterise the caravan like many others do.

Anyway here is the video, let me know your thoughts.

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3 Comments

  1. Hello again, Dan
    I am interested in getting a solar panel similar to the one you have set up. Have you any top tips of which one to get? I only want it for keeping the battery topped up when in storage as we are usually on hook up the rest of the time.
    Thanks, Chris

    • Hi Chris,

      This is exactly what we use our panel for. We have only used it twice on site when we had no EHU. I found that a “over the top” panel that is partially blocked and hidden behind tinted windows performs really well, even in short winter days.

      For that reason we use a suitcase solar panel that folds neatly in half and delivers a 100w. i did work out that with one panel partially covered and behind the glass – you could easily user a 40w panel for simply battery topping up.

      I bought mine on eBay – there are lots available, but have a look at this one :
      http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100W-Mono-PV-Power-Folding-Foldable-Suitcase-Solar-Panel-for-Moto-home-RV-Boat-/201565372938?hash=item2eee3b820a:g:lJgAAOSwMmBVtjTv

      I hope that helps.

      Dan

      • Thank you, so much, Dan. Leaving it behind the windows in storage as you do, is exactly what I want to do. The loss of sun through the windows should still be enough to trickle charge. Chris

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