A weekend of this:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TtGOM2f3KuE/UPRnL6R1jgI/AAAAAAAAMHA/NtGWZriA3as/s512/IMAG1516.jpg)
And temps between -6 and -15 will sure let you know what your maintenance program is right. No time to be sloppy or cheap. A breakdown in this weather could be fatal.
50/50 fuel, Power Service and a properly maintained air system will keep you going. Webasto ran for about 20 hrs this trip, slept nice and warm the whole trip.
Preventative maintenance sure pays for itself!
Now that there looks like a fine day for a winter drive!
I agree, extremes of cold and heat are great for showing you that your coach is up to snuff.
Best vehicle on the road in winter conditions is a coach.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Very nice indeed! So I'm ever-curious about the Webasto - do you have one or more of their heater units (name?) in the bays to keep the plumbing above freezing, or? And where is your main Webasto ? Thanks for any information.
Kind Regards, Phil
We don't have any overt heat in the bays Phil. The Proheat is in the third bay in the centre. Water tanks in the fourth bay. There's enough waste heat off the Proheat that I never worry about the water system - most of the plumbing is in the bay with the Proheat anyway. The only freezing problem we have is with our manifolds which are (stupidly) located in the fourth bay just inside the door on the road side. That's always the first place to freeze - usually at around -15C. I can keep it thawed with either a 100 watt bulb or a cube heater depending on temperatures and winds down to about -25C
We dont have plumbing perse. Be pretty tough in this country to have it without running into freezing issues.
The unit is in the engine compartment. All I could find is this video when I first got the bus. The unit must have a tailpipe...which it does now. Things you learn the hard way.
http://youtu.be/d0neeonmTtI (http://youtu.be/d0neeonmTtI)
Here are 3 of the heaters we have. I think there are 3 others: (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-bgXrCZCOhCE/TGmZO8IhnSI/AAAAAAAAAqM/MxwEGFEbduU/s640/0816001325.jpg)
Perfect. Thanks gentlemen. I'm learning. ;D
Kind Regards, Phil
We've been fulltiming this winter in Ohio. In Indiana at the moment...heading to Michigan this week. Have already experienced single digits several nights in a row. That being said, we've kept our bays warm with cube heaters. One in each of two plumbing bays. They keep the floor warm too 8) We run two space heaters in the living compartment too. One in the living room, and one in the bedroom. Keeps us toasty.
I've got to hand it to you guys. Maintaining a bus in moderator weather is more than enough for me. Adding seriously freezing temps to the mix may be more than my delicate mental balance could handle.
-33 New Years Eve in Buchanan Lin.
We drained the bus and winterized it in the fall so we were just winter camping in it but we were very comfortable. You need to plan ahead a bit though. For example, doors can freeze shut when you warm the bus up and then freeze it up again. Prevent that by spraying the gaskets with Pam before you let it freeze up. You need winter fuel in the tank for the diesel furnace to even light. I didn't have that but I got lucky by pouring some Melt in the tank before I tried lighting the furnace. It took several resets before it got going - mine tries to start 3 times and then pukes out until you reset it. And a heated mattress pad is a huge help, both for warming the bed up initially and for making night time much more pleasant. I wouldn't advise doing this regularly but for one time winter adventure it was actually a lot of fun.
Iron man curling, all you can eat wings on New Years Eve, Ukrainian ladies put on a pancake breakfast - what's not to like about that?
I have a setup using the Aqua Hot heater system, it uses 6 radiator units through out the coach, and with 5 thermostats, keeps every thing happyincluding the ISM engine.
Of course the engine also helps heat the rest of the heaters too, nice setup also incudes the domestic hot water for bath/shaving kitchen sink etc.
Rules are, do not let it freeze up, gets very costly real quick,of course antifreeze in all but the domestic/drinking water syste, that is where you keep the eyes open, not difficut, just pay attention.
Far cry from the old setup with the LP furnaces etc. Easy to get spoiled.
Dave M
Best way to winterize is not to be in freezing weather in the first place. Good Luck, TomC