We are now settled back on to our winter pitch.....
This will be the third winter that we have spent here on Dartmoor and it is good to catch up again with the regular winter campers who we have got to know over the past couple of years....
The day we arrived it was pouring with rain even though when we left the Barley Meadow site just 26 miles away it was glorious sunshine... Dartmoor does seem to have it's own special micro climate....
The following day it was very misty with drizzle in the air but it proved to be a good day to clean the caravan in readiness for the forthcoming winter....
We used Fenwicks caravan shampoo followed with a good rinse with Fenwicks 'Bobby Dazzler' which is a hydrophobic product which gives the van a nice shiny finish and helps to keep it clean over the winter.....
We usually clean the caravan at the start of the winter and again in the spring when we prepare the van for our seven months of touring over the summer season......
At the end of the day Anne's son Brian who lives not far from the site brought over our winter awning and took away our summer awning for storage in his loft over the winter.....
The day after cleaning the caravan we awoke to a lovely warm and sunny day which enabled us to erect the awning and get it all fastened down in readiness for the winter storms that we usually get during our winter stay......
I have already managed to get out on the bike and I plan on another ride tomorrow..... The weather at the moment seems to have settled down again so it is a case of making the most of it while we have it.....
One thing that happened yesterday was that our fridge decided to stop working... It works on the absorption principle unlike a normal domestic fridge which usually works with a compressor.... Absorption fridges have no moving parts so there is not too much to go wrong....
After doing a few checks I have a feeling that the problem is with the fridge heating element so a call to a local mobile caravan engineer will have to be made.....
At least it stopped working at this time of the year and not in the middle of summer when we would have missed it more...this time of the year things like milk etc can be left outside overnight and manage to keep pretty cool anyway....
This will be the third winter that we have spent here on Dartmoor and it is good to catch up again with the regular winter campers who we have got to know over the past couple of years....
The day we arrived it was pouring with rain even though when we left the Barley Meadow site just 26 miles away it was glorious sunshine... Dartmoor does seem to have it's own special micro climate....
The following day it was very misty with drizzle in the air but it proved to be a good day to clean the caravan in readiness for the forthcoming winter....
We used Fenwicks caravan shampoo followed with a good rinse with Fenwicks 'Bobby Dazzler' which is a hydrophobic product which gives the van a nice shiny finish and helps to keep it clean over the winter.....
We usually clean the caravan at the start of the winter and again in the spring when we prepare the van for our seven months of touring over the summer season......
At the end of the day Anne's son Brian who lives not far from the site brought over our winter awning and took away our summer awning for storage in his loft over the winter.....
The day after cleaning the caravan we awoke to a lovely warm and sunny day which enabled us to erect the awning and get it all fastened down in readiness for the winter storms that we usually get during our winter stay......
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| Erecting the Winter Awning... |
One thing that happened yesterday was that our fridge decided to stop working... It works on the absorption principle unlike a normal domestic fridge which usually works with a compressor.... Absorption fridges have no moving parts so there is not too much to go wrong....
After doing a few checks I have a feeling that the problem is with the fridge heating element so a call to a local mobile caravan engineer will have to be made.....
At least it stopped working at this time of the year and not in the middle of summer when we would have missed it more...this time of the year things like milk etc can be left outside overnight and manage to keep pretty cool anyway....
We had the same issue. Apparently fridges for caravan and motorhome last for 20,000 hours. Plenty for normal use but as full timers that's only about 2-3 years bits need replacing. My guy suggested switching it offfor a day if we can and also using the gas option on occasions to give the electric side a chance to rest.
ReplyDelete*Gideon Howe*
DeleteThat is interesting information Gids.... Over the winter the fridge gets turned off for three days every third week when we are off site.... When towing it is on the 12v system.... We don't use gas at all...perhaps we should start :-)
Perhaps Climate Change and the warmer winters is one of the few good things to come out of all this..makes year long campers life just that little bit moire comfortable
ReplyDelete*Peter Roberts*
DeleteI would actually prefer the weather to be crisp cold and sunny rather than warm wet and dank...... It's better for winter cycling too.... That is until we get the dreaded ice and then I am on the turbo...
Mind you the weather this week has been sunny warm and dry...good for day to day living and cycling :-)
Hi Trevor-
ReplyDeleteI wonder if your fridge sent a message to our compressor-based fridge, which stopped working last Sunday. I checked the usual things and then tried to get a technician to come and fix ours. Finally found one who replaced the fan for about $250. Better than buying a new one at over $1K.
I have never heard of the Absorption Fridges before. I am curious and will be looking them up.
Enjoy your new patch!
Cheers,
Chandra
*GreenComotion*
DeleteI am pleased that I was able to introduce you to the exciting world of 'Absorption Fridges' Chandra :-) I would not be surprised if the fridges had been sending messages, after all , the machines are taking over.....
Tavistock looks a good site. I've stayed in Tavistock a couple of times when cycling but not in the van. Thats an interesting comment about caravan fridges and their life expectancy, I wonder if its worth getting a small domestic fridge and keeping it in the awning, I've seen many continental caravanners do this.
ReplyDelete*Dave*
DeleteYes Tavistock is a nice place to be... It's Anne's home town and she was born in a cottage just a couple of miles from the site...
Ref the fridge saga... There have been some developments which I will update you on in my next post.. Your comments are not too far off the mark..