Speaking of the Arctic Circle, puts on me a certain panache, it is something exciting, something that does not make me sleep at night; study all the possible drawbacks, so as not to be unprepared during extreme or emergency situations.
For how many you can think of, there will always be one that you will escape and that could give you trouble, and as you can imagine, then you have to have some imagination and / or knowledge to run for cover with few resources.
Yes, because in the Arctic Circle no joke, especially when you're the ends of civilization, where lands of snow and ice, inexorably devour the landscape, where everything is sterilized, where life is "slowed down" by this frost bitten, where everything is black and white (in the few hours of "light"), and where you can mirror "arctic asphalt."
In short, we must be careful, it's easy to get in trouble.
Since I published my journey in February to hunt the northern lights or the "elusive lady" as well as like to call to local, many people have contacted me, I gave advice, and expressed interest in this "small" business.
Aside from the clothing that I'll have to get me to address those temperatures (which in part I, during my travels in Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan and company) and I will talk about in more detail in another post, I will share some things I'll have to take on means (if you have more tips or tricks contact me).
The Westfalia James Cook even though it is equipped with a medium that already factory has various tricks, to make it a means very attractive and handsome for this type of travel (also clearly has several flaws a bit like all things, even if for the moment I i have not yet noticed them)
The shrewdness of the parent company are:
- Gas cylinders of the internal slot (with venting to keep always open, some by insulating housing and using pure propane, I should have no problem) I bring 3 bottles of 5 kg.- 2 batteries services to the gel placed under the bench, as well as the clear water tank housed beneath the bench, then within less likely to freeze.
- A good internal insulation, I would improve, in the sliding door and the cab doors.
- Bonoplex glazing with air chamber, thick, a godsend.
- Rear-wheel drive with 4 studdable tires (I'll have to buy), install about 570 nails 1 to 1, as soon as conditions in Sweden will begin to change, this will allow me to be in compliance in Italy and Germany, where it is strictly forbidden to run with tires hobnailed. This allows me to not leave with thermal Italy, change them with spiked in Sweden or where it will be and turn with the tires in the van and another change to return to Italy. For security'll bring back 4 good snow chains, you never know.
- Tall, well-insulated roof, no doubt about it over the bed is huge and the interior space equally, the heat inside will travel as a rule upwards so you should stay very well with freezing temperatures outside .
- The heating system (eberspacher diesel) is located outside, under the body, and sheltered by a steel cover, in this way will remain protected from the icy night, where you can record temperatures of -38 °. For safety further insulate.
- Refrigerator compressor, everything inside, without tubes toward the outside; actually spoke a moment ago of -38 °, the fridge thinking is "chilling" I'll use it? surely, we say that if you really were to break, I will have no trouble keeping the food!
- The vessel has a nice "tonnage" in contrast to his "master" this will guarantee a certain grip, studded tires then they will do the rest.
What I should definitely improve?
Well, to be sure there are a lot of things, but we see the most important!
- Install a pre Hydronic heater for starting the engine "cold" (read more about the pre heater), in other words, turning it on and working in a completely independent way from the engine, draws the air from the outside and inside the mixture with the fuel (diesel oil in this case) and releases heat energy into the cooling system, all this in times rather "slow", about 35-40 min before starting. But it is essential (strange that the house did not have any), I'll try to recover a used one and install it, this way I also avoid using oils and liquids with special grades for those temperatures and then counter them returned to Italy.
- Insulate the air intake in front of the radiator, and I will do it with a sandwich of waterproof material tempotest (outside) and padding inside so as to isolate the air flow can, I will also predict the "burglary at pull-down "so that if I have to divert some air to cool down enough to" open the curtains ".
- Insulate the outside ONLY with the same system the windshield and cab windows, always with the same system coibenterò also the panoramic window in the roof.
- I invent two "socks" to protect the solar panels that those temperatures could be seriously damaged, basically very little I will use them whereas those latitudes to 14 is already dark.
- I will invent another system for the boiler, unfortunately, is one of the weak points of this medium, the water heater is essential for the hot water and the installation was not the best, is positioned in line at the middle of the recovery nozzle air coming out of the roof,It should be a cover so that you do not ice deposits above, at the same time must remain open to afford occasionally to turn it on in order to keep in acceptable temperatures the water in the circuit.
- I'll put his hand to the insulation of the engine compartment, I will try to fill the existing material, so as not to waste precious heat.
- As the medium has 195000 km, it will replace the water pump and services belt to feel comfortable.
These are just the arguments I made in these nights, who knows what will be in future, there is still much to do and surely something will come to me.
I leave you with a video about the Aurora Borealis hunting in the Arctic Circle!
Good vision
Do you have a van, you have the time available?
The Aurora Borealis is also your dream?
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