Winter tip: Winter rest - when the vehicle goes on holiday
Even we Allgäu people can understand that winter camping is not everyone's cup of tea. However, if you are planning to use your Friend of the family again in the spring, there are a few important things to bear in mind during the winter! We have put together a list of how to prepare motorhomes and caravans for the winter break. At the latest when the golden autumn no longer shines quite so golden, many campers start to mothball their holiday vehicle. Depending on the possibilities, the car can then be parked outside or carefully covered in a carport or even in a dry barn. Although special covers are available as weather protection for freestanding vehicles, it is ideal if the motorhome or caravan can spend the winter in a protected place.
Before the seasonal immobilisation, it is also advisable to take a look at the licence plate, because if a general inspection is due during the rest period, it is sensible to drive up to TÜV, Dekra or GTÜ now. This can avoid trouble due to excessive deadlines for recommissioning.
Leisure vehicles with seasonal licence plates may not be parked on public roads outside the registration period indicated on the licence plate . This includes not only parking on the roadside, but also in public car parks. In addition, uncoupled caravans may be parked at the roadside for a maximum of two weeks, even if they are registered all year round. You are therefore well advised to organise proper winter storage in good time.
The seasonal break must - firstly - be carefully prepared and - secondly - bridged in a way that preserves value. In the preparation phase, one-off activities are on the programme, first and foremost the conscientious exterior and interior cleaning. Anyone using a high-pressure cleaner in the Clean Park should take particular care with tyres and windows: Both react sensitively to the sharp high-pressure jet at close range and can be damaged. So please keep your distance. Vehicles with a smooth sheet metal body can also be preserved and those with a GRP body can be polished to prevent yellowing.
Be sure to check wheel arches and the underfloor for pockets of dirt. Moisture binds in them, which can cause rotting or corrosion. It also makes sense to seal openings and pipes - where possible - to prevent small animals and creepy-crawlies from entering.
On the last trip to the winter quarters, a quick stop at the petrol station to increase the tyre pressure by 0.5 bar. This helps to avoid flat tyres. Nevertheless, the parked vehicle should be moved a few centimetres from time to time during the winter for the same reason. When the vehicle is stationary, always release the parking brake, put the vehicle in gear and/or lower the supports and secure with wheel chocks. Now is also the time to ensure frost protection for the cooling water and windscreen wiper system in motorhomes.
For door, outer flap and window seals, treatment with an appropriate acid-free rubber care product is sufficient to prevent the seals from freezing and keep the material elastic. Then there will be no leakage problems later on.
If you have a power connection in your winter quarters, use the charging function of the on-board electrical system to keep the batteries charged. Otherwise, it is advisable to remove on-board batteries, charge them and store them in a frost-proof place. If a charger with charge retention is available, the batteries can remain connected permanently, otherwise recharge them every four to six weeks.
It is clear that gas bottles only spend the winter in the vehicle if they are closed, disconnected and fitted with a protective cap. Make sure that the forced ventilation remains open at all times. After the toilet flush tank (if available) and the cassette have been emptied, the camper clears out his vehicle as far as possible. Do not overlook food and drinks in particular - bottles can burst when freezing.
Now is the time to vacuum the carpets and upholstery thoroughly and, after cleaning the walls and furniture, place them loosely in the car. The PVC floor and all smooth surfaces can be cleaned with soapy water or a mild household cleaner. Furniture flaps, doors and of course the fridge remain open after cleaning. This allows the air to circulate optimally.
The entire fresh water system should not only be completely emptied, but also cleaned, disinfected, descaled and made frost-proof in good time before the cold period sets in. Special preparations are also available from specialist retailers for this purpose.
Then move the lever on all fittings to the centre position and open fully. Attention For motorhomes and caravans with on-board batteries, it is essential to deactivate the pumps electrically (pump switch, remove pump fuse in the ballast). If you want to be on the safe side, blow through the pipes with oil-free compressed air to remove any water residue.
In order to avoid long-term damage to the vehicle, regular checks are recommended in phase two. Small movements to avoid tyre flats have already been mentioned. But the most important thing is to ventilate properly. If there is still moisture in the wood, upholstery and textiles from your last holiday, it will condense when the temperature drops and can lead to mould and mildew stains. The first indication of this: a stale, musty odour in the vehicle. Regular airing helps against this - one hour every four to six weeks in dry weather.
Dehumidifiers are also considered an effective preventative measure against moisture and mould in caravans and motorhomes. They should always be used in vehicles that cannot be kept completely dry under a roof. Three different operating principles are suitable for use in caravans or motorhomes: chemical drip systems, regenerable moisture binders and physically operating dehumidifiers. Chemical draining systems are designed for single use. A water-attracting salt takes the moisture from the air, melts in the process and drips into a collecting container as a saturated salt solution. Regenerable products work with diatomaceous earth, for example, whereby the absorbed moisture is released again when heated in the oven.
Physical dehumidifiers usually work according to the condensation principle, whereby the moisture condenses on a cooling element and drips off into a collection container. Of course, this requires 230 volts in the winter quarters and a look at the water level in the collection container from time to time. What many air-conditioning system owners don't realise: This also removes moisture from the air. It should therefore be operated regularly, even in winter storage.
Sparkling clean, well protected and regularly aired, every leisure vehicle will survive the winter break without any problems. And for many, many years.