[colin purewater]

hi people


i live in a terrace and frost is just round the corner
how do other people who live in either of the above heat there van to stop there tank freezing?
oil filled rad would be my best option but i would have to run a extention lead out my door and across the pavement to my van and some one would trip over it or sumthin

the othere option is a calor heater on low but im worried about ventilation???

any imput would be great

many thanks
colin

[dazmond]

oil filled radiator with extension lead.and yes across a footpath.albeit a small one.i live in a close so its quiet esp during the winter months.aquarium heater through the tank lid if it gets really cold overnight as well.

you could get a propane heater but they are expensive(£450+)

[Paul Coleman]

hi people


i live in a terrace and frost is just round the corner
how do other people who live in either of the above heat there van to stop there tank freezing?
oil filled rad would be my best option but i would have to run a extention lead out my door and across the pavement to my van and some one would trip over it or sumthin

the othere option is a calor heater on low but im worried about ventilation???

any imput would be great

many thanks
colin

I've had this problem myself.  I have tackled it from a different angle.  In Winters gone by I have pulled the feed hose out of the tank and run the pump dry briefly.  Even though the pump may not work the next morning if there's a freeze, at least it won't crack due to ice forming inside it.
The past couple of days I've done something different.  I have removed the hose that connects the pump to the rest of the system and substituted half inch John Guest tubing and the appropriate fitting.  For the electrics, I have put a couple of quick release solderless plugs (from Maplins) into the system.  This allows quick release removal of the pump for overnight storage.  Obviously the hosereel comes in too.  Not nice carrying it up a flight of steps to the flat but better than it freezing.
I have also heard of people putting the feed pipe into a large container of screen wash and leaving that in the system and reel overnight.

[DMC Window Cleaners Ltd]

try wfp anti freeze in your water buy it from window cleaning warehouse

http://www.windowcleaningwarehouse.co.uk/shop/backpacks/wcw-anti-freeze.html?keyword=anti

[colin purewater]

Thanks for the reply gent give me plenty to think about
seen in lidl before oil filled rads £39.99 on offer so might pick on up

many thanks colin

[Pope vader]

what about a 12 v ele blanket on top of everything

[colin purewater]

not sure it would work well enuf..

you tryed this???

[DMC Window Cleaners Ltd]

I used a 12v heater couldnt give enough heat out,
I use a heater on a sat in our vans to stop things freezing and antifreeze in the tank to stop it freezing on the glass of the floor.
best of both worlds

[SPE]

hi people


i live in a terrace and frost is just round the corner
how do other people who live in either of the above heat there van to stop there tank freezing?
oil filled rad would be my best option but i would have to run a extention lead out my door and across the pavement to my van and some one would trip over it or sumthin

the othere option is a calor heater on low but im worried about ventilation???

any imput would be great

many thanks
colin

Hi Colin, I live in a first floor flat and dont heat my van (just not practical for me to).
I suppose it depends on what is in your van.
In my case its as basic as it can be
my ro is indoors so all I have to protect is pump and fixed hose reel.
In previous years I've diconnected the tank hose and primed that, the pump and hose reel with antifreeze (pump it back into a barrel in the morning to reuse and flush with pure for a minute or so)
Although I normally have a di after the pump that is brought indoors during winter months and put inline after the ro which is in the hallway, never had a problem with antifeeze in the rest but never put through the di 
simple cheap easy

other option quite simply is to disconnect everything and drain down so no standing water to freeze in pump or hoses

I pefer the first option because with practice its quicker and less likelyhood of airlocks as everything remains pressurised

I should also say I live in the south so although it gets cold and icey and pipes freeze it would have to get extremely cold for a prolonged period to freeze a 650 ltr tank of water and in the last 5 years that has never been an issue

The one thing I'm curious to is those who heat, do you insulate the side panels and roof of your van ?

Simon

[dazmond]

last year i had 10 barrels freeze up in the van when it went down to -15 one night!hopefully it wont get anywhere near them sort of temperatures this winter.

i bring hose reel,trolley,pole inside.i suppose i could leave the pole in the van this year as ill be using an oil filled radiator when its below freezing.

do you guys use the radiator on a low setting all night?i have 3 heat settings 600w/900w/1500w.

[DMC Window Cleaners Ltd]

when its cold i leave it on a stat,
and when its freezing i leave it on a timer so it comes on for half hour even few hours.
my van hasnt got any insultation not had a problem yet but if it gets any colder i may have to start thinking about doing this

[SPE]

another good idea is have a travel kettle in the van that you can plug into ciggy lighter.
Not only is it handy for a hot drink or cuppa soup but but you can unfreeze brush jets and hose fittings very easily 

[DMC Window Cleaners Ltd]

spe thats a great idea for day time but remember over night you can damage hoses, and if u have an RO in there crack filter housing and membrane.
best keep some background hit to stop it dropping below 0

[dazmond]

hi spe i always carry an extra flask of hot water for thawing jets!got me working again a few times during last winter!

[DMC Window Cleaners Ltd]

couple of hundred pound and go hot wash with the fog wash works so much better then cold water,
you dont clean your dishs at home with cold water

[SPE]

spe thats a great idea for day time but remember over night you can damage hoses, and if u have an RO in there crack filter housing and membrane.
best keep some background hit to stop it dropping below 0

sorry I dont quite understand
kettle for defrosting frozen connections daytime including jets, these and some hoselocks can freeze whilst in use in day
I'm not suggesting anyone pours hot water over their ro or filter housings.
My circumstances may be different to others as I cannot heat my van overnight, for that reason the vans set up is very simple and does not inlude filters , di resin or ro.
The only part that needs care is the pump, either drain it, remove it overnight, or prime it and the hoses with antifreeze.
Simon