Frozen caravan water problems

When it's frosty we stand our aquaroll on a couple of bricks or blocks of wood as well as wrapping it in an insulated jacket.

I like the idea of a sleeve on the tube. I imagine one of those split-sided lagging tubes they sell at builders' merchants might do the job well too - or is the pipe usually too bent to cope with this?

The sort that I have used on our copper pipes at home would be a bit stiff to cope with the curve in the aqua roll pipe. However, there may well be more flexible versions available.

If we  had a CDP at home it would be tempting to try it on the front drive, but would feel like cheating!

 

That should not be an issue stopping you using it at home to sort out any issues. If you empty it each morning into your home WC there is really no need to use any loo chemicals at all. They ought if sold in the EU be suitable for homes on the main sewage system or cess pits, the only issue is with septic tanks. Anyway, no chemicals, or bio laundry washing pods or fluid can be used.

I did find this one online    http://www.bluebio.co.uk/  as we'd hope to use something environmentally friendly. I don't know if anyone's tried this.

I use an old jacket on the aquaroll - well 2 actually an padded one and a waterproof on - the plus point being that the cuff goes over the whole plastic bit as well as the pipe - whereas proper pipe lagging wouldn't protect the "gun" bit you plug into the caravan.  A polystyrene base for both aquaroll and wastemaster although in really cold weather a bucket would be easier to defrost waste water.  Plus bringing in the hose last thing at night if really cold.   Winter Caravanning is great fun in my opinion. 

I know they do say the blue stuff isn't supposed to be good for septic  tanks but mine hasn't complained and I have used it a lot - having slept in my caravan outside the house on a semi permanent basis for about 10 years.  Now I use the Biopods I am even less worried about the tank - it may be due an empty - but after around 10 years I am not complaining. 

Dometic do green stuff in sachets or tablets (not sure as have not opened it) plus the blue sachets  no longer contain formaldehyde.

For trying things at home I would use the bio pods.

Condensation on the inside of the windows will happen, just make sure the van is very well aired and ventilated when you get home to dry it out fully. If we use the loo on our journey home I simply lift a cover off a sewer manhole, I wouldn't like to empty it in the house. Many caravan Rallies using village halls open a manhole cover.

If you intend stopping on your drive hooked up to the electric mains in the house you will need a converter to link your caravan or caravan lead to your mains lead. I guess that you don't intend to use the shower in the van, to see how it works, but should you do, don't forget to disconnect the shower head and lower the shower hose into the shower tray.

Hope the engineer's check is a good result. I too think it a good idea to get to know how the van works whilst on the drive at home especially at this time of year. If the van is not too old it may have some instruction documents still with it & the dealer should run through things in general with you at handover.

 

  Now I use the Biopods I am even less worried about the tank -

Bio pods - there's another thing to look up on the net...

Thanks again for all this advice. OK, Front drive it is for the first go, then, just to persuade our nice neighbours we've finally flipped  

And I'll have to investigate about the electric connection.

If this van's the one, it's from 2000, and does come with all documentation. As you say, N1805, we just hope the engineer gives it a clean bill of health!

HH There's pages on Bio-pods see the link below.

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/tips-for-making-caravanning-touring-cheaper/Bio-Tabs----yes-they-certainly-seem-to-work/rt/1221031/