Cold weather and cars door locks.

[Aerohead]

Have a Saab 9000 Aero, hence the call sign, loves the cold, has blowers for ducted hot air on each rear door window, goes like poo off a shovel on boost when real cold.

 

[Melvyn Best]

Few times a year I leave the dehumidifier in the car over night, always surprises me how much water I get out.

Try using the air on!
40 odd years ago I carried out a major service on a Volvo 240 belonging to a guy that had been attached to the British embassy in Moscow, when the customer collected the car he asked if I had filled the screenwash reservoir to which I replied yes and a decent amount of screenwash , he then told me it was filled with neat vodka the last time he had filled it

 

[voipio]

The temperature reported for here this morning was -2 degrees C, but the infrared thermometer was giving a reading of -10 off the top of the railway sleeper. Tonight, it's -3, and the sleeper is at -12, and the grass is not far behind. It's going to be a cold one!!

 

[Trevorleach]

Try using the air on!

Air con never off, the old girl has had a leak or two over the years.
Other reason is sometimes I use it as a van and it can have the doors open for hours no matter the weather.

 

[addjunkie]

If find putting it in the garage helps. Shame its full of other stuff!

 

[Olderisbetter]

I have a 240v heater in my VW T4 on an extension lead i just flick it on from a remote switch 30 mins before i leave the house, not long now till i drive off plugged in.

 

[Cobbler]

I have a 240v heater in my VW T4 on an extension lead i just flick it on from a remote switch 30 mins before i leave the house, not long now till i drive off plugged in.

Done that with the campervan, driven off with the mains lead still plugged in, pulled the socket out of the pillar! Had to screw it back together & hope I wasn’t seen.

 

[James1979]

Done that with the campervan, driven off with the mains lead still plugged in, pulled the socket out of the pillar! Had to screw it back together & hope I wasn’t seen.

Hook the extension lead over the drivers mirror

 

[Cobbler]

Hook the extension lead over the drivers mirror

That’s what I do …… now In 25 years of owning camper vans I’ve only done it the once.

 

[James1979]

That’s what I do …… now In 25 years of owning camper vans I’ve only done it the once.

Touch wood never done it. Mates wife who’s a paramedic told me about it years back. Done it ever since.

 

[cheb]

I did that on the works van. Probably a good thing as they had to rewire it, I only ever handled the cable and plug with rubber gloves on after the permanent driver commented on a tingly feeling when he plugged and unplugged.

The ambulances up here have auto eject plugs, turn the ignition on and out goes the plug.

 

[James1979]

I did that on the works van. Probably a good thing as they had to rewire it, I only ever handled the cable and plug with rubber gloves on after the permanent driver commented on a tingly feeling when he plugged and unplugged.

The ambulances up here have auto eject plugs, turn the ignition on and out goes the plug.

She was old school before this auto eject stuff. The older ones still do it - I’m not sure they trust the ejectors 100!

They’re proper money though. I tried to buy one for the last camper build and I was shocked. Was couple hundred pounds I think.

 

[voipio]

An inline kettle type plug and socket (IEC C13 socket and IEC C14 plug) works well as a safety measure. Might need waterproofing, unless the van is kept under cover.

 

[Robotstar5]

The ambulances up here have auto eject plugs, turn the ignition on and out goes the plug.

Doesn't always work though

 

[Migmac]

Mate told me many many years ago after finishing night shift, and just wanting to go home to bed, him and workmates used to pee on the car door locks if they were frozen

Never had to pee on car locks. Never locked them till we moved here. Pee’d on plenty gate padlocks to get them unfrozen

 

[Migmac]

Try using the air on!
40 odd years ago I carried out a major service on a Volvo 240 belonging to a guy that had been attached to the British embassy in Moscow, when the customer collected the car he asked if I had filled the screenwash reservoir to which I replied yes and a decent amount of screenwash , he then told me it was filled with neat vodka the last time he had filled it

Must have been cheap and nasty vodka. Proper Russian made vodka goes like syrup. We had Russian friends who gave us a bottle which we were told to keep in the freezer.

 

[James1979]

Never had to pee on car locks. Never locked them till we moved here. Pee’d on plenty gate padlocks to get them unfrozen

Used to fix kit for an arb contractor.

Usually when his lads weren’t about so it was ready for the next day. Got in one early morning about 4 to fix something. He was already there, which was unusual.

On his knees with the padlock against his mouth.

“What are you doing?” Says I.

“Defrosting it. Why how do you do it” he goes.

“Oh I **** on it” I said.

He was not a happy camper.

 

[ukracer]

My problem is I think the part that is freezing I can't get to with lubrication.
I have puffed a bit of graphite in the parts I can reach and have some silicon grease ready apply (damn stuff is Red though)

 

[Melvyn Best]

Must have been cheap and nasty vodka. Proper Russian made vodka goes like syrup. We had Russian friends who gave us a bottle which we were told to keep in the freezer.

This would have been around 84/85 pretty sure he told me it cost £0.09p a lt