87. A freezing night in the campervan!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ม.ค. 2024
- After installing my Autoterm diesel heater a few months ago but not yet having had any cold weather to test it properly, I took my chance to go for a night at a nearby campsite with overnight temperatures predicted to come down to around about freezing (0C / 32F)
The campsite is called Clay Farm, at Clows Top, Worcestershire, England, DY14 9NN
Phone: 07899 994466 or email clayfarmcaravans@gmail.com
If you liked the video and wish to leave me a tip, here's the link: www.ko-fi.com/davidjohns and thank you! Or join the crew every month at / cruisingthecut
Tools & Parts used for my campervan build
Autoterm diesel heater: geni.us/Van_Autoterm
Renogy 2kW inverter: geni.us/Van_RenogyInverter
Sink: geni.us/Van_NewSink
Induction hob: geni.us/Van_InductionHob
Portable toilet: geni.us/Van_Toilet
Fridge: geni.us/Van_CoolFreezeCDF26
Charger: geni.us/Van_MainsCharger
Solar Controller: geni.us/Van_SolarMPPT
Gas Alarm: geni.us/Van_GasAlarm
Old sink unit: geni.us/Van_SinkHob
Old heater unit: geni.us/Van_PropexHS2000
Old inverter: geni.us/Van_Inverter
DeWalt jigsaw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltJigsaw
DeWalt drill: geni.us/Van_DeWaltDrill
DeWalt mitre saw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltMitreSaw
DeWalt circular saw: geni.us/Van_DeWaltCircSaw
Web www.vandemonium.co.uk
Twitter / vandemoniumuk
Instagram: / vandemoniumuk
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After a hard day at work, it is wonderfully delightful to view another of your thoughtful vlogs, David. Your sense of wry humour appeals very much and with a glass of red, shifts my mood to quiet enjoyment. Thank you.
Many thanks! 😀
Agreed✌
Only a glass lol a bit more is in order lol x
I find the lack of Branston Pickle on those sarnies disturbing!
Ugh. A little black pepper is the way!
We had cheese and tomato sandwiches today with a smidge of salad cream. Very nice.
Indeed so.
All those beans, who needs a diesel heater!😂
*speech to text* I have been watching your videos for three years now and you are the most British person ever and I love everything about it
😀
"Very distantly in all that fog I think there's some hills over there" is possibly the most British phrase ever, at least to a Yank.
Lots of things shrink in the cold.
be more specific? ;)
But not on women 😀
Lol mine has turned into a snail only comes out for a scatter
That weatherstripping issue. As a retired dealership mechanic, I installed or replaced many of these. We always cut them long and then forced it into place when installing. We would distribute the excess over the full range to avoid noticeable buckling of the seal. One other thing that would cause the corners to do this is a window glass that is not full seated. Pushing on the outside corners would reseat the glass. In your case it is most likely the weatherstripping has shrunk, which is normal, hence that cutting it long that we did. You have the right idea of pushing it into place and filling the gap to seal it.
You are quite right in what you say, many will stretch the seals as they install and then trim off from the rest. It is a good idea to put the trim in a fridge for several hours so it shrinks, measure what you need and add a bit and then ensure that it is encouraged into place.
Surprised you haven’t put your electric cable in self adhesive trunking
Same with double glazing rubber. cut it to long and loose the excess on the striaght runs.
I was going to call it A Gasket.
Also hot days are not advisable for insulation unless needs must because you'll be surprised how much expansion and contraction will happen at different temps.
American viewer here. Man was it trippy watching you drive down the wrong side of the road.
At least his steering wheel is on the right side.
We drive on the proper side of the road, it's you lot that drive on the wrong side.....................😄
Id’ve been disappointed if a cheese sandwich hadn’t made an appearance! 😂
Me too!
Cheese and onion 👍
Made with toasted bread ?
What fun. Hot water bottle!! Old fashioned but keeps your feet warm!! 😄
I drove HGVs for 25 years, sleeping pretty much 5 nights a week in them. Obviously using a night heater, all over Europe and Russia in temps as low as -25c
The best tip I can suggest is crack open the two front windows half an inch, this will prevent your windows from steaming up and causing condensation.
Also don't ever run the hearer while driving, as the vibrations can damage the fan inside.
One final tip, run the heater at least once a month, all year round. Otherwise your pumps and bits inside can seize up.
The trim has contracted due the cold weather. A caravan we had did this, and we were told it was due to temperature changes causing it to expand and contract.
yeah, I do this in my wagon too
Mine hasn't been started for 7 years. Now I know why it won't start.
window gasket material but that's what us ungrateful colonists who play with trains call it. Thanks again for a pleasant video to consume.
I needed that. Of course, here in Canada I’m chuckling at your idea of cold. I’m also a touch envious.
Right ?
Tip for rice. I use the microwave packs. It says on them that you can also heat them with a little water. What I do though is to heat the tin of chilli, curry or whatever and then add the rice into the mix half-way through and finish heating it all together. It's a double result as you only use 1 pan and you can eat it straight from the pan so no need for a separate plate so no extra washing up!!
Love this idea ! I don’t think I’ve ever seen microwave packs of rice, is it just in the rice aisle or does it have to be refrigerated?
@@katherinekelly5380 in the rice aisle. Lots of different ones.
It a bit expensive but I do this too
@@katherinekelly5380 they're in the rice aisle. Various makes, I tend to use supermarket own brand as much cheaper than Tilda or Ben's.
@@katherinekelly5380i love them ..1 min in the microwave
Now isn't that so much better than the Madness of a Cruise Ship
rather not see it in the cut tho 😂😂😂
'The madness of a cruise ship'.......................... I'm sure that both have their pro's and con's.
I'm no expert on weather stripping but as a man who has taken a cold plunge in a chilly swimming pool I know about shrinkage. 😁
😳
🤣
Loved the Gordon Ramsay joke. Still chuckling about it. Thanks for the laugh on this cold and snow covered day.
To stop condensation, Get a pair of old socks half fill one with cat litter, tie it up to seal it, then put it into the other sock and leave on the front window,
Now this is the kind of tip that I like. Simple yet practical.
Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Yes. Thank you for the tip…😃
Welcome to Sweden to really test the heater, today we only have -18°C but last week it was -43°C, it was mosquito free!
Seeing your superb cooking effort, (beans and tinned corn beef) reminded me of your Cruising The Cut video when you made bread - which I still think is THE funniest video TH-cam!
No. The scones making is genius. You have buy a separate scone pastry cutter
Fun vlog, thanks for bringing us along! I love the running commentary as if it is an Olympic event or a murder mystery! As for your chilly feet… here in far North America where we deal with some serious cold for many months on end, may I suggest something you might really like: re-chargeable boot heater inserts. Do not get put off by the “boot” part. These are generally wafer thin pads that can be charged up via USB then put into shoes, boots or trainers (as I believe you Brits call casual athletic style footwear) and the pads give off a gentle heat for several hours. Alternatively one can get full booties that have permanent wiring in them that are plugged in, charged up, then worn for toasty joy for many hours. Might be just the ticket … a pair for the van and a pair for at home! Think of them as little electric blankets for your feet! They are marvelous! ❤
Wear leggings and sweatpants, if necessary. Jeans are the idiot's way of keeping warm in winter. Looped weave material vs flat weave
Pre cooked sachets of rice are ideal for camping, put the bag in boiling water and heat up for 5-10 minutes. Alternatively boil in the bag rice as its self straining. Cold feet need goose down slippers, you look a sight, but your feet are warm and you don't go outside in them so who cares!
Microwave sachet rice. Much easier :)
and you can get small portions of rice veetee 2x125g stir fry or microwave, at most supermarkets.
I would avoid keeping cooked rice around for long - isn't that how botulism works?
hog roast is better
Corned beef and baked beans!! In this vlog you have surpass your legendary culinary skills.
Ha ha! spellcheck just changed that to baked jeans maybe there's an embryo of an idea there for future trips.
I think Field Marshal Montgomery would approve.
For rice in the van we use Uncle Ben's rice in a bag. Boil in the bag, lift the bag out of the pan of water and let it drain. Open bag and onto the plate. A lot less mess.
David thanks for the vid, the issue with the window gasket maybe your van is growing.
🤣 Beautiful observation.
Maybe he needs to take the van on longer runs, more often, to keep it trim and fit.😁
David you should have your own comedy show i find your vlogs very amusing and occasionally informative😅
I think he went full "Partridge" on more than one occasion....😂
I suspect the window seal has contracted with the cold - if it’s like car trim the metal inside it will contract in the cold.
I just love your videos, David. They really do bring a smile to my life and take me to a planet called "Normality ". Thank you so much. You're a fantastic bloke and I know I join many people who long for the good old values. 🎉
😀
You could also use an electric blanket for alternative heating overnight.
Dead right! My single lecky blanket draws 30 watts on low, can't think of anything cheaper to keep warm...
@@EelingStudiosTeddy Bear Bedding. Game changer.
"Rice is messy".
I am amazed you have not discovered the delights of a rice cooker. Produces perfect rice in an easy to wipe out container.
But as a fellow electric only van owner, I found it is also a brilliant low power one pot cooker. I have used mine for scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, salmon on rice with veg, bacon and eggs, miso soup and porridge. Probably ok for heating anything tinned as well. Draws a miserly maximum of 300W.
Just be sure to get one that has a keep warm function and a non-stick liner. For the two of us I use the Lakeland mini for about £35.
I camped in -12 in the Highlands before, I used an ex BA arctic sleeping bag and hung a paraffin lamp from the tent roof and insulated in between the inner and outer layers with a blanket It was warm.
Glad to see that you made it through the night without too much going wrong.
That diesel heater seems to be the genuine article.
Happy Camping!
Not only is the price right, there are fresh eggs on offer!
Nice to have been with you all night.
It's not only that they are driving on the wrong side of the road, also the eating habits of the English are keeping me on the mainland for the time being.
I can always take the night boat when the crisis comes to close.
David, there are mountaineering gear suppliers that sell down booties with a substantial footbed for short jaunts in the night. Exquisitely warm, take it from someone who can't live without them on cold winter nights out on the three-season porch! Regardless, enjoying this channel of yours immensely as always. Cheers.
This has made my day David . Just got home from work, couldn't think what to have for a late lunch and behold you are making your legendary cheese sandwich. So I had the same. Thank you 😅
Glad to hear it 😀
nice one David. On my victron smart solar, I set the absorb to 13.8v and float to 13.4v for my LifePo4. Once or twice a year I adjust it to take the battery to 14.4v absorb, 13.8v float to give it a full blast. I settled on 13.4v for the float after realising that the battery tends to sit around that if left alone for a while. I need to get one of those heaters for my van and I will have to watch your install video again. What a lovely quiet (at this time of year) camp site that was. HNY ! cheers. Oh, and as you well know, things do shrink in the cold.. hehe :)
Corn Beef Hash, nothing wrong with that. You just need some good old Smash potato. Lovely video. enjoy
You are truly the king of video titles i laugh when i see the latest vid, thanks so much for your videos so enjoyable
Glad you like them!
I love that you did not remember how to work the heater (sounds like what I am like with gadgets).
And then left that part in the video.
BTW - I have no interest in fishing either.
☮
I have an autoterm and I don’t like using the thermostat because I don’t like it ramping up and down, pumping out cool air and restarting etc. cause I feel the restart uses the most power.
I use it via the power settings. Put it on flat out to warm the van up, then lower the settings down to minimum to maintain the temperature. It’s also quieter that way as the fan is slow, the ticking slows right down and it doesn’t wake you up.
Just give it a blast to clear it out once the trip is over and the heaters not gonna be used for a while.
I’ve found that method uses the least power because it uses minimum power to tick over and maximum power to keep starting up.
Try it, you have nothing to lose. It’s also quite fuel efficient ticking over compared to ramping up and down
Cheers - I'll have to try to see if I can find that mode!!
Wow for an older gentleman you sure can make lunch super fast
Another immensely enjoyable video, David. Best wishes.
Many thanks!
'Perfecto luncho' - sounds like a spell that I would like to learn to cast anytime, any place.
😅😅🎉
Oh, and I put my waffle syrup in a cup(not much) and dip pieces of waffle in. That way I don't end up with syrup all over the plate that I unsuccessfully chase around with waffle pieces. MUCH less waste.
So good to see common sense and simple meals. So many “roughing it” videos of people camping with no tents end up making gourmet meals. Nice video, thanks
Sounds like you’ve been watching Mav.
As to the window rubber gasket lining, that happens. I had two different VW Camper Vans, and that is a routine thing to replace. Both VW Vans were a 1978 Transporter version (converted to a Camper) and then a 1986 Vanagon.
Yes, trim like that does shrink over time. Installing it as long as possible and using black #M trim adhesive helps. Yes, the lithium batteries are affected by cold. Dumping some heat from your heater would help in very cold weather. Love your overdone 'restrained' British humor. :)
Gee that's a strong cup of tea
David, my mouth watered at the sight of your cheese sandwiches. The buns were beautiful, English cheese is delightful, and the tomato was perfect. I'm a bit jealous as I've not slept more than 4 or 5 hours for some time.
Agreed!
Well done with the heater ❤❤❤❤
Always entertaining and informative.
I hope you have a CO2 monitor!!
I like your style of videoing - relaxed and somewhat humorous!
I dig the tiny kettle!!
20 degrees is a bit high - I would aim for 18.
You could use a tumble dryer tube to move the heater outlet in the van over night
So enjoyable for which I thank you.
The way you stated in the video, making the gap of the seal at the bottom of the window larger so you can rearrange the seal back into the corners is the best way to fix your window seal. Sometimes they shrink like that, and sometimes they expand and you get them deforming out of place.
Shiny mylar coated bubble wrap is pretty decent for insulation and quite cheap. It also works as a pad to sleep on under a sleeping bag or blanket.
David, nice Friday video. Thank you
I am impressed by your battery, solar and inverter. I am watching my own Victron plugging away with blazing sunshine on the panels, but my old battery is saying, enough already and wants to retire.
Hey! Good to see you!
Another great video and a perfect lunch.
Love the camp out. I like the heater
Jolly good shakedown cruise, David. Thanks for sharing!
Buy a mini rice cooker! I love mine..quick..simple..easy clean...and finally decent brown rice as well as white...definitely van worthy...
Ran a espar heater in my peterbuilt and was comfy at minus 35f no problems at all.
Seems like a great place to camp - very clean and neat!
nice little road trip & test 👍
for the feet I have the same problems , what I discovered is: if I am ready to stay inside then I have socks for inside (cozy ones) and I put on 2 or 3 pairs and it is still cozy and yet so warm that sometimes I didn't realize that my feet were the problem, not the heating.
As a last resort, read the destruction manual🤣
Hi David, I also have a Planar heater... The start-up / shut-down cycle uses about 2 amp hours of power (I have measured it). This is equivalent to 2-3 hours running on minimum power. In "Temperature Mode", the heater will reduce power as the set temperature is reached, but it won't turn off - just keeps running on its lowest power (to reduce electricity consumption). It's therefore possible that the temperature will go above the set point in this mode. "Thermostat Mode" turns the heater off once the set point has been reached, as you would expect. I prefer "Temperature Mode" as the heater keeps running quietly on low power so you don't get the noise of it starting and stopping at night.
A very enjoyable and entertaining video David. 👍
Oh it's so good to be on the road again.
Another great video. Keep 'em coming. Thanks
wow! @7:03 i thought my tea was dark :-)
@8:29 that's not a lake, more like a pond. living beside lake huron, we would call that a puddle :-))
Miniature van, Miniature lake. All good in a Miniature world. 😉👋
That's not dark!
😂😂😂 Also, a friend used to joke that I would just “wave a tea bag” over my mug…I like it very weak, and nothing added.❤
Thankyou, yes food for thought as I shop now for a van
Wonderful as always
Thank you! Cheers!
Wow! That was one strong-looking cup of tea. More like coffee... Is that how it's typically drunk in the UK? 😳
Tastes vary but a lot of folk like it strong, often referred to as "builder's tea" since tradespeople typically like it strong
I find myself continually wondering what our ginormous 48,000 lb. American Class A diesel pusher would look like in one of those campgrounds. It's embarrassing to even contemplate, if I'm being honest. How uncouth! Another excellent video, David. Something to be savored. Thank you.
Probably wouldn't make it around the roads!!
glad you survived the night thanks again
I would keep the heater on overnight, just at a lower temperature. The required load of energy to go from slightly uncomfortable to comfortable will be easier in the morning. The idea is to maintain a thermal load in the vehicle you top up.
What a robotic presentation. Mesmerising pedantry. I actually like it!!
Thank you David for making this episode ! I greatly enjoyed it and learned a few things along the way too ! Cheers From California 😊
I enjoy your videos as audio only while working, then rewatch onscreen in the evenings. Great content!
Aren't your friends at @shiphappens camper van builders? They should be able to help you with that the next time you stop by for an update... heck, that sounds like a collaboration video made in heaven. Let them have a run through of your work and do a review while they "fix" everything... 🙂
I was surprised to see others there camping in the cold weather. Good economic heater you have.
Thanks for another interesting vlog. I'm thinking of getting a van or a minivan this year, & I will refer to some of your vids when I fix it up.💖
Fantastic job, I just fitted one in our camper, toasty, great vlog.
No explosions! That's a good start!
Great vlog David.🙏👍🇦🇺
David, really enjoyable video. Your cup's of tea are just 'legendary'. Exactly the way I like it. 🍵
Yes, a vandemonium video. Been looking forward to one in quite some time.
Lovely jubbly John is back. I remember when you got your green cushions :) I still enjoy watching you make your gourmet meals.
Happy trails to you .
Blessings to you and your loved ones.
The window gasket is too short and has shrunk in the cold weather.
All gaskets suffer from "Reversion" that ensures they shrink in length, we used to extrude a nylon cord within small section nitrile rubber window gaskets to reduce reversion.
"Tempering" the gaskets by exposing them to multiple cycles of hot/cold and ageing the gaskets will help as well.
From a practical standpoint ilength
I could imagen that that place would be quite lovely on a warm summer day just sitting listening to the birds by the lakes :)
I was a HGV driver who spent nights out in the wagon. Over the years I got used to the hum of the heater unit and now sleep with a ventilator fan at home! It's very soporific.
Hilarious vlog & typical David. It's the "learn as you go" program, it took me years to figure out the heating configuration in my Subaru.
Homely and comfy 👌👌👍👍
Great vlog as always David! You may find the window seal my expand when the weather heats up a little.
I immensely enjoyed this episode, particularly the cuisine was a delight. In contrast to so many other videos this was very relaxing after a days graft.
Top marks 👌
That was really freezing cold!! Glad that all works well...but nothing like fluffy socks for cold feet!!!😊😊