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I have just been reading some old posts about winterising caravans as we are new at this.

I wasn't sure about leaving food but gleaned that leaving tins is ok.

However, when we checked our van recently, there were puddles of condensation on top of each tin and some had gone quite rusty.  I opened some and the tin of rice pudding looked inedible!  I guess the temperatures have been so low that the food inside had frozen then defrosted!!  I thought tinned food was relatively safe so thought I would post this just in case some of you were planning to set up and were looking forward to your Fray Bentos Pie, New Potates, mushy peas and rice pudding without a need for a trip to the local store!!

Or are you all more clued up than me!!

The milk in the rice pudding would have frozen and the emulsion split, probably looked horrible but still edible...but I do like rice pudding!!

Thanks for the advice though, I need to go and check our van now we have had the thaw.

Quote: Originally posted by sticker on 11/1/2011

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hi flip  whenever  we put our van away for the winter we always took out everthing metallic that we had put in ,it always condensates even in  dry vans we also opened all  lockers to prevent cold spots

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I tend to store some food stuffs eg coffee and a few tins in the van over winter and ended up throwing a everything out just too be safe.  However i did leave quilts and pillows this year.  Even with all the sub zero temps, everything seems fine but the battery is flat so Ive already got the van hooked up to the mains and now have the heating on and the seats up and doors open to ensure that the heat circulates.  Cold weather will be back soon im sure but for now I know that everything is ok ... Ive even managed to avoid blowing a few taps this year because I finally learned how to empty the water pipes properly lol 

I have used these quite a lot and even bought the more expensive ones but still the air gets in and the vacuum fails and I end up with just stuff in  a bag.

seemed such a good idea to space save just wish it worked???

We leave all our cushions etc in the van, not had a problem with damp beds & things at all.

But the sun never shines here so the van stays the same temperature on the inside as it is on the outside - so no condensation in winter !!! 

Actually the sun never seems to shine much in the summer either. Or spring. Or autumn.

lol, you have to laugh really....

Our caravans is in a spot where it is mainly shaded from any sun (fat chance I know) & also we put the blinds down on the 1 day a year when sun occurs - I think that helps. (though I know lots of people can't pick & choose)