In Storage

[Pudsey Bear]

The engine will be fine so long as it has decent oil in it, If you want to run it, either make it for a few seconds merely to circulate the oil, 10 at the most or you build up heat and condensation, or take it for a good 30-minute run, the DPF should be fine but you could drop to third for a few minutes at 40mph, I always park in gear handbrake OFF on flat ground.

 

[Geek]

Hi all, I've just parked my van for the next few months in a good secure compound, this is the first time for me not to be able to plug into mains over the winter. So I'm wondering how long my 110AH gel battery will last whilst running my blow heating in winter mode my solar panel is 120W.

The solar panel will provide an average of 5Ah per day in winter. Not enough to be useful.

a sunny day) to give the van an airing. Is it worth buying a small generator

Are you planning to leave the generator running unattended, or to sit with it for five hours at a time as it tries to recover your battery?
Neither seems like a good arrangement to me!

if so any recommendations? thanks in anticipation.

I strongly advise you not to. Assuming you have a Truma or similar, leaving it running on gas unattended for weeks is dangerously foolish.
Leaving it running on mains is little better.
The electrical heating elements have a surprisingly short service life and replacing them costs a four figure sum.
If you have hookup power and want to leave a little heat on, buy a thermostically controlled oil filled electric radiator and use that.
If you don't have hookup, leave it unheated.
Either way, arrange for there to be constant ventilation, not just when you visit to air it. Skylights open a little, dashboard vents fully open.

 

[runnach]

Cover solar panel, remove LB and keep it topped up at home. And as has been said within previous posts, do your best to have motor secure and well aired.

 

[TJBi]

I've never had an issue keeping the LB fully charged in situ with solar, given that the only drain is the trickle charge to the engine battery, thus keeping that in a good state of charge as well. The engine battery does have some drain maintaining radio, security systems, etc., so important to have a means of keeping a good level of charge.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

My controller is supposed to charge the VB too, it keeps up with the LB fine, maybe there is a setting but I can't understand the manual, and I can't see the control panel very well, So I have a Ctek.

 

[trevskoda]

The simple solution is go down every fortnight start it up let it run for a while with the windows cracked open .

Bad thing to do for engines, diesels must be under a load to blow the rings out to bore, if you idle long they die and the oil does not make use of detergents, take it for a good 40 miles fast run.

 

[trevskoda]

The engine will be fine so long as it has decent oil in it, If you want to run it, either make it for a few seconds merely to circulate the oil, 10 at the most or you build up heat and condensation, or take it for a good 30-minute run, the DPF should be fine but you could drop to third for a few minutes at 40mph, I always park in gear handbrake OFF on flat ground.

Short blips dont let the long chain polymeres unfold in the oil and when cooling and folding up again they hold the blowby dirt and acids.

 

[Geek]

Cover solar panel, remove LB and keep it topped up at home

No need to cover the solar panel.

 

[Caz]

My last van had 110aph battery and 200w solar. In winter I could get 4 nights away without moving, before the battery got too low and the heating cut off.
I certainly wouldn't leave heating running whilst in storage.

 

[Sonar]

I am not sure if ours will go into winter mode at the moment as we have a few trips yet to make.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The best thing is to use it anyway, get off for a day or weekend away.

 

[taylo482001]

My last van had 110aph battery and 200w solar. In winter I could get 4 nights away without moving, before the battery got too low and the heating cut off.
I certainly wouldn't leave heating running whilst in storage.

I'm not leaving heater on permanently just a few hours a couple of days a month with me present. Van is my occasional man cave escape LOL

 

[Caz]

I'm not leaving heater on permanently just a few hours a couple of days a month with me present. Van is my occasional man cave escape LOL

Ah, I understand. You didn't really make that clear. In that case I think it would be OK. If it does get low then take it out for a run instead of just sitting in it.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I'm not leaving heater on permanently just a few hours a couple of days a month with me present. Van is my occasional man cave escape LOL

That makes some sense, but you have to consider damp from your breath (don't stop though) and if you boil a kettle or cook you are adding to the problem.

 

[Sonar]

There’s no cut and fast advice on winter storage it’s a case of each to their own.
And then learn from any mistakes.

Did that from storage in the south to storage in the northeast. Massive difference in temp. As much as. 2 to 4 degrees.

 

[runnach]

No need to cover the solar panel.

Give them a wash, cover them up for the duration of battery removal, then all ready to go when battery is reinstalled, and clean.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Disconnect the solar panel before connecting the battery, the correct procedure is to connect the battery before connecting the solar panel.

 

[trevskoda]

Just a simple fuse to pull on the votronic s regulator

 

[Sonar]

I have a fuse I pull on mine as well then I can do whatever is required .

Never ever covered the solar panels ..

 

[trevskoda]

Im for pulling my fuse so of to bed, night all.