Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Moderator: Jillygumbo
- snowrat
- Bongolier
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Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Planning on setting off in about a month, heading for Slovakia for some snow and snowboarding of course
Route out will be fairly direct but will explore and meander my way back in a few months. Hoping to get to many places including Croatia.
If anyone has any tips please share!
Does anyone know if I will be able to get Camping Gaz bottles filled anywhere or have a suggestions on what gas bottles to carry that would be refillable/exchangeable without having to buy adaptors for every country?
Route out will be fairly direct but will explore and meander my way back in a few months. Hoping to get to many places including Croatia.
If anyone has any tips please share!
Does anyone know if I will be able to get Camping Gaz bottles filled anywhere or have a suggestions on what gas bottles to carry that would be refillable/exchangeable without having to buy adaptors for every country?
- BongoBongo123
- Supreme Being
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Winter tyres all round ! Shame you did not have a 4wd for real winter Bongoing. Take a battery charger with Euro mains plug, if a battery is on its way out a few nights at -10C will kill it dead.
A full tank of neat screen wash for very low temps. Couple of good quality scrapers and a few cans of de-icer. Ensure sufficient concentration of anti freeze in the coolant for the temp zone you are in. Beware of bongo air bleeding requirements if you need to drain and refill the system.
Have a great time.
A full tank of neat screen wash for very low temps. Couple of good quality scrapers and a few cans of de-icer. Ensure sufficient concentration of anti freeze in the coolant for the temp zone you are in. Beware of bongo air bleeding requirements if you need to drain and refill the system.
Have a great time.
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Thanks BB123
I have already done a couple of winter trips, my business being skiing and snowboarding.
In France I had no problems with it being a 2WD even in some major storms and crossing passes into Switzerland. I do have winter tyres which make a huge difference.
Had issues with batteries and glow plugs when I last spent 5 months in Chamonix through winter, so learnt from those mistakes/oversights!
Gas has always been a problem even when in the Scottish Islands and Highlands last winter.
In France I had to buy a special gas bottle and regulator and take it back at the end of the trip.
I know that propane is also better at around freezing temps and below, something I did a lot of research and testing on before as I have a Propex heater.
Screen wash, anti-freeze and de-icer seem good advice thank you.
Some of the things I have to take/do before I leave: -
Euro breakdown cover
Full drivers pack for France including alcohol breath testing kits
Ownership document in case I make it to Albania!
German 'green' sticker for some cities.
Oh, and they drive on t'other side o't' road
Any ideas on gas bottles anyone?
and thanks again BB123
I have already done a couple of winter trips, my business being skiing and snowboarding.
In France I had no problems with it being a 2WD even in some major storms and crossing passes into Switzerland. I do have winter tyres which make a huge difference.
Had issues with batteries and glow plugs when I last spent 5 months in Chamonix through winter, so learnt from those mistakes/oversights!
Gas has always been a problem even when in the Scottish Islands and Highlands last winter.
In France I had to buy a special gas bottle and regulator and take it back at the end of the trip.
I know that propane is also better at around freezing temps and below, something I did a lot of research and testing on before as I have a Propex heater.
Screen wash, anti-freeze and de-icer seem good advice thank you.
Some of the things I have to take/do before I leave: -
Euro breakdown cover
Full drivers pack for France including alcohol breath testing kits
Ownership document in case I make it to Albania!
German 'green' sticker for some cities.
Oh, and they drive on t'other side o't' road
Any ideas on gas bottles anyone?
and thanks again BB123
Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
This would be your best bet............snowrat wrote:Any ideas on gas bottles anyone?
http://www.gaslowdirect.com/Gaslow-6kg- ... le-Cylinde
.................if you can find room for one.
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Thanks for that, seems like the best option for the places and temperatures I am going to... if as you say it will fit (amongst several snowboards and skis)
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Done lots of research into this. Info on the web is much better than last time I was planning such a long trip.
Gaslow 6kg system with fillers and adapters over £325 (through distributor not Gaslow). Without adaptors possible for around £275.
They now have a 3kg bottle available but only saves about £20, but useful on saving space.
I found a cheaper option with same spec of bottles using Gasit bottles. Can now get a 6kg system for about £160. I expect this is what I will go with.
Gaslow 6kg system with fillers and adapters over £325 (through distributor not Gaslow). Without adaptors possible for around £275.
They now have a 3kg bottle available but only saves about £20, but useful on saving space.
I found a cheaper option with same spec of bottles using Gasit bottles. Can now get a 6kg system for about £160. I expect this is what I will go with.
-
- Junior Bongonaut
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Hi Snow rat.
Spike here from Slovenia.
Here it is possible to get any gas bottle refilled. They just check the Date on the cylinder for safety.
Then fill from a bulk tank. Had lots of different cylinder filled including Camping Gaz. They are NOT available for normal exchange. The Gaslow system sounds fine but last time I went to Austria I just bought a local brand bottle outright and it was less than 50 euro including the gas, and it was a big bottle, 32kgs I think, and I just left it on the floor in the snow with a long pipe. It was the winter type gas so didn't freeze.
Yep, winter tyres are far more effective than 4 wheel drive,......by miles! Please note you 4WD's
Love to join you for a shread, but the slopes here are so cheap we rarely go anywhere else now.
If your dropping down to Croatia anyway, then please stop by here and you can park up and we can go for a slide?
Hope this helps.
Spike here from Slovenia.
Here it is possible to get any gas bottle refilled. They just check the Date on the cylinder for safety.
Then fill from a bulk tank. Had lots of different cylinder filled including Camping Gaz. They are NOT available for normal exchange. The Gaslow system sounds fine but last time I went to Austria I just bought a local brand bottle outright and it was less than 50 euro including the gas, and it was a big bottle, 32kgs I think, and I just left it on the floor in the snow with a long pipe. It was the winter type gas so didn't freeze.
Yep, winter tyres are far more effective than 4 wheel drive,......by miles! Please note you 4WD's
Love to join you for a shread, but the slopes here are so cheap we rarely go anywhere else now.
If your dropping down to Croatia anyway, then please stop by here and you can park up and we can go for a slide?
Hope this helps.
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Thanks Spike
Yes, I've found snow tyres make all the difference, negotiated some pretty tricky snow filled roads with my 2wd and good tyres.
I am thinking the refillable gas bottle will be a good investment, spent a lot of time in Scotland without gas as nowhere to do an exchange on the north coast.
I'll let you know when I am going to be around Slovenia, hopefully getting there whilst the snow is still good.
What area in Slovenia are you?
Yes, I've found snow tyres make all the difference, negotiated some pretty tricky snow filled roads with my 2wd and good tyres.
I am thinking the refillable gas bottle will be a good investment, spent a lot of time in Scotland without gas as nowhere to do an exchange on the north coast.
I'll let you know when I am going to be around Slovenia, hopefully getting there whilst the snow is still good.
What area in Slovenia are you?
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Leaving in 3 days and the Talivan (formerley Chamvan) is just about ready. Major items have been...
New 135ah leisure battery as old one wasn't keeping it's charge.
100w solar panel added to help keep LB topped up allow longer wild camps. Fitted it myself, straight forward really.
Refillable gas bottle fitted - Gaslow option was going to be about 300 quid but managed to get a similar system from Gasit for under £200. Fitted it myself, drilling 70mm hole in side of van wasn't so bad, getting the inside panel back on without damaging too many clips was the hardest part.
A few minor jobs I'd like to do but they may have to wait until I reach Slovakia.
Now... getting excited
New 135ah leisure battery as old one wasn't keeping it's charge.
100w solar panel added to help keep LB topped up allow longer wild camps. Fitted it myself, straight forward really.
Refillable gas bottle fitted - Gaslow option was going to be about 300 quid but managed to get a similar system from Gasit for under £200. Fitted it myself, drilling 70mm hole in side of van wasn't so bad, getting the inside panel back on without damaging too many clips was the hardest part.
A few minor jobs I'd like to do but they may have to wait until I reach Slovakia.
Now... getting excited
Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Have fun
Are you living in your bongo while over there
Are you living in your bongo while over there
Gas safe heating engineer / plumber if you need any advice just shout.
- mikeonb4c
- Supreme Being
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Wow, great progress. You're the only person I've heard of apart from me whose managed to shoehorn a 135ah lb into a Bongo (Energy Bull in my case). What make/model did you go for as others may be interested.snowrat wrote:Leaving in 3 days and the Talivan (formerley Chamvan) is just about ready. Major items have been...
New 135ah leisure battery as old one wasn't keeping it's charge.
100w solar panel added to help keep LB topped up allow longer wild camps. Fitted it myself, straight forward really.
Refillable gas bottle fitted - Gaslow option was going to be about 300 quid but managed to get a similar system from Gasit for under £200. Fitted it myself, drilling 70mm hole in side of van wasn't so bad, getting the inside panel back on without damaging too many clips was the hardest part.
A few minor jobs I'd like to do but they may have to wait until I reach Slovakia.
Now... getting excited
Good luck with the trip. Too old for all that myself
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Not once I get to my destination Gasy. I'll be spending a week in the Bongo on the way out, via Belgium, Nuremberg Christmas markets and Czech republic.
Then I've got a month or more in an apartment in Liptovsky Mikulas. After that I plan on heading east into the Ukraine and then south (not sure of the route yet) and back through Croatia and Slovenia. Checked out the farthest goal I could make it to could be Istanbul but that's a long shot.
I had researched solar systems but decided I didn't have time to fit one. I was fed up of having my Propex cut out each time the battery dropped to 10v. This also indicated that the battery was shot after several winters and extreme temperatures over four years or so.
I bought my last 2 batteries from http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/ . Although I had bought online they were near me (about 20 miles away in Rochdale) and said to drop in and they would test the batteries. The drive battery was still strong after four years, however the leisure battery wouldn't hold a charge. I use a cig lighter LED voltage indicator to watch the battery Vs and you could see the numbers ticking down.
They offered me a 135 ah battery but it wouldn't fit so I altered the battery tray and it fits well now. Cost £90, not sure of the make.
Whilst at Alpha I looked at their solar systems and decided to go for it. I got a 100w panel which fits on the roof nicely (although not the one from their website). It was supplied with a PV controller, brackets (that I did not use) and connections into the panel.
It was straight forward to fit (technically) the main hassle being removing panels to get the wiring to the battery. A friend made me two aluminium brackets to fit onto the roof bar screw point on the Bongo, which are also stuck to the roof with a tacky 'gunge' adhesive/sealant.
Cost of solar kit £160
Cost of battery £90
Discount for buying both £15 (he said this was off the battery but I suspect they make more money on the solar!)
Additional cost of cable from controller to battery £11 (I got 5m red 6a and 5m black 6a) and didn't have so much left over.
I can ask my friend how much he would charge to supply a pair of brackets. We also added some 1" deep spacers for my rear roof bar to increase the clearance over the solar panel.
- I expect I will get a more advanced controller 'MPPT' which is more intelligent, increases efficiency by between 10 & 30%, particularly in winter) and one that has a better analysis of the solar generated and current solar generation figures. This will cost around £20, but for now (time and delivery limitations) I will try the stock controller first.
-you can definitely get solar kits cheaper by buying parts separately and waiting 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
I'll hopefully get chance on one lonely dark winter evening to upload a step by step for the installation and bracket design.
Total time for fitting the solar (once brackets made) was around 4-6 hours although it could be done in much less. I had to do it in the rain which was so cold my hands felt frozen!!!
I'll hopefully get a good idea on the success of the solar as I wild camp all the time (and I absolutely love it!) so if I stay put somewhere for a few days will be able to monitor how well it keeps the battery topped up. This is my main thought about getting solar, to keep the battery as topped up as possible and therefore less likely to wear out as quick.
I am happy to help where I can with info for the selection and fitting of the solar, just write here (then everyone can benefit).
Then I've got a month or more in an apartment in Liptovsky Mikulas. After that I plan on heading east into the Ukraine and then south (not sure of the route yet) and back through Croatia and Slovenia. Checked out the farthest goal I could make it to could be Istanbul but that's a long shot.
I had researched solar systems but decided I didn't have time to fit one. I was fed up of having my Propex cut out each time the battery dropped to 10v. This also indicated that the battery was shot after several winters and extreme temperatures over four years or so.
I bought my last 2 batteries from http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/ . Although I had bought online they were near me (about 20 miles away in Rochdale) and said to drop in and they would test the batteries. The drive battery was still strong after four years, however the leisure battery wouldn't hold a charge. I use a cig lighter LED voltage indicator to watch the battery Vs and you could see the numbers ticking down.
They offered me a 135 ah battery but it wouldn't fit so I altered the battery tray and it fits well now. Cost £90, not sure of the make.
Whilst at Alpha I looked at their solar systems and decided to go for it. I got a 100w panel which fits on the roof nicely (although not the one from their website). It was supplied with a PV controller, brackets (that I did not use) and connections into the panel.
It was straight forward to fit (technically) the main hassle being removing panels to get the wiring to the battery. A friend made me two aluminium brackets to fit onto the roof bar screw point on the Bongo, which are also stuck to the roof with a tacky 'gunge' adhesive/sealant.
Cost of solar kit £160
Cost of battery £90
Discount for buying both £15 (he said this was off the battery but I suspect they make more money on the solar!)
Additional cost of cable from controller to battery £11 (I got 5m red 6a and 5m black 6a) and didn't have so much left over.
I can ask my friend how much he would charge to supply a pair of brackets. We also added some 1" deep spacers for my rear roof bar to increase the clearance over the solar panel.
- I expect I will get a more advanced controller 'MPPT' which is more intelligent, increases efficiency by between 10 & 30%, particularly in winter) and one that has a better analysis of the solar generated and current solar generation figures. This will cost around £20, but for now (time and delivery limitations) I will try the stock controller first.
-you can definitely get solar kits cheaper by buying parts separately and waiting 2 to 3 weeks for delivery.
I'll hopefully get chance on one lonely dark winter evening to upload a step by step for the installation and bracket design.
Total time for fitting the solar (once brackets made) was around 4-6 hours although it could be done in much less. I had to do it in the rain which was so cold my hands felt frozen!!!
I'll hopefully get a good idea on the success of the solar as I wild camp all the time (and I absolutely love it!) so if I stay put somewhere for a few days will be able to monitor how well it keeps the battery topped up. This is my main thought about getting solar, to keep the battery as topped up as possible and therefore less likely to wear out as quick.
I am happy to help where I can with info for the selection and fitting of the solar, just write here (then everyone can benefit).
- BongoBongo123
- Supreme Being
- Posts: 1671
- Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:14 pm
Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Good luck on your adventure sounds like fun. For a bit I thought you were going to just sleep in the Bongo. That can be cold enough without heat in September here. I find the tent is comfortable with decent bedding to 10C. Below this I start feeling a cold face and a bit uncomfortably cool.
- snowrat
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Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
Thanks BB123, I'll be staying in the Bongo lots but not at this ski resort, just when I do side trips and a long road trip at the end. I've got a good sleeping bag and always sleep downstairs in winter, although have slept upstairs in the past.
Snowboarding/skiing in the Slovakia or the Ukraine anyone?
Finally made it to Slovakia after 1403 miles on the road, 2 nights indoors and 2 nights in the Bongo.
Snowboarding/skiing in the Slovakia or the Ukraine anyone?
Finally made it to Slovakia after 1403 miles on the road, 2 nights indoors and 2 nights in the Bongo.
Re: Eastern Europe Winter Road Trip
What's the weather like
Gas safe heating engineer / plumber if you need any advice just shout.