Ben glad to see you are back up and at it just wanted to let you know starter solenoid‘s can crack under tremendous heat so like when you were in the desert that might’ve stressed enough to crack always good to have a couple spare also I don’t know if you know this but they make a mold killing agent that is like a cockroach fogger It’s arrows allies is mold killing agent so it gets in the places you don’t have access to like behind the vinyl in such
@@Swimdeep www.concrobium.com/products/mold-control-fogger/ moldhelpforyou.com/best-mold-control-fogger/ shop.biocidelabs.com/product.sc?productId=1 www.dwd2cleanair.com/products/protect-automotive-mold-bacteria-treatment Here’s a few different products and a couple different ways to do it
Ben, this is the happiest I've seen you since Leah left to go to Australia. We all would like to know, are you going after her, or moving on? Where does Ben's story go now? You're the writer and director and producer so give us a great story!
I miss this so much that I have been playing all 239 videos on a loop for the past few weeks, not even skipping a single ad. My way of showing you my continue support.
WARNING: It's probably worth mentioning that the Maxxfan stopped working a few days after I cleaned it. Water had gotten into the keypad rending it useless. Also probably worth mentioning that MaxxFan didn't respond to 4 emails I sent them asking for support to identify the part numbers needed. Pretty shocking really. these fans are notorious for having water issues as they are not adequately weatherproofed to handle normal operation and condensation. We like the product (when it works) but we wouldn't recommend it on account of the poor after-sales support.
Great to see and hear your voice again. I love hearing you talk. Great to see Alaska again also. Rub her behind the ears a few times for me please. Now we just need to see 1 more person to complete the crew. Keep up the good work on bringing Kombi back to a healthy home again.
You can get silicone bags as well that soak up the moisture in the air, they are eco friendly as they are reusable just air them out to dry or put in the microwave
I would not recommend silicone, as it contains a bit of acid. That would cause corrosion when in contact with metal. If you want to seal anything on a car, you should turn to products like Sikafkex (at least here in EU) Cheers
Yeah, you’re right! We had same problem the other year. I experimented a bit, and if you don’t have a barn to stick the van over Winter, you should mind these things 1. Get the moisture out before storage. Heat up the van, maybe place it in the sun and let the moist stream out. 2. While it’s warmed up close all openings, to prevent humidity to stream in. 3. Set up a dehumidifier and maintain it regularly by emptying the separated water. Either you have an active electric one or a passive one where you need to refill the salt grains. 4. if you haven’t got a barn, a tarp may also help to keep it dry underneath. Ever bit of Moist prevention is key. Cheers
One of the major sources of mold in any vehicle is in the cabin fan/heater/AC unit. Over the years the dust builds up in this area and coupled with lots of humid air of blowing through the fan/heater/AC ducting can provide a harbour for mold to grow and potenally spread elsewhere. I recently cleaned out my unit in a 2005 Nissan Elgrand van. It had a noticable musty/mouldy odor only when I first turned on the fan or AC. I think this is a good sign it needs a clean. I've also cleaned out a friend's volvo fan/heater/AC and it was very similar. I pulled out the glove box and the large turbine shaped cabin fan behind it. I had to scrub the fan blades with warm water and detergent and let the fan motor and electricals fully dry. Before I cleaned it the fan blades where coated in black dust/mould gunk. Removing the turbine shabed cabin fan opened up a large area of the ducting I could get my hand into. I scrubbed and wiped out as much of the dust I could reach into in the plastic ducting for the fan/heater/AC unit. My unit had a replaceable cabin air filter that looked like it had not been changed in many years. I replaced it. Generally vehicles from 2000 onwards have a replaceable cabin filter that should be replaced every year (or it will build up with dust and get moldy). With the turbine shaped fan and the cabin filter removed I could see into the fan/heater/AC unit. There is a large area of aluminium fins of the condenser that can build up with dust and get moldy. I used a pump spray bottle filled with 95% ethanol to blast it with a pressurised spray. Here in Australia cheap ethanol for cleaning is called methylated spirits but please check the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for the brand in your country as you don't want to use anything that contains isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) or methyl alcohol (methanol) these are much more toxic than ethanol. Methanol can cause blindness or damange to the nerves going to the eyes at not a very high dosage. I had a plastic tub set in the passenger foot area to catch any of the ethanol spray or drip while doing this. Also after giving it a good spray I looked under the vehicle. There was an obvious metal drain pipe where the ethanol was dripping out of. I stuck the nozzle of the spray bottle with ethanol up the drain pipe and blasted it out too. I left the doors open and let it air out for a day and then put the fan, cabin filter and glovebox back in. I've now taken the van on road trips for roughly 2 months during the rainy cold winter and no more mold smell when starting the fan/AC. I have mostly been sleeping in it with the windows closed as temperaturers have been getting to below zero centigrade. I am using high quality SolarScreens on all the windows but there is still some moisture on the windows in the morning after sleeping with the windows shut. The mold smell has not returned so I think this cleaning job worked well. I have also bought an medium/large size ozone generator for a vehicle. I've not yet tried it out but this is another way to help kill the mold. I still think it's best to clean out the fan and cabin filter and ducting by hand first and remove as much dust as possible as that's what mold likes to grow on. The ozone generators are fairly hazardous so if you use them be sure you've read up on them. The basic idea is usually run them for 10-30mins with the vechicle running and the fan/AC unit on full. Make sure you're not in the vehicle while it runs as breathing in the ozone is toxic. Let the vehicle ventillate out well after running ozone. And by all means if you buy one of those dogey Chinese ozone generators treat it as though the whole thing is an electric shock hazard, ie don't get your hands anywhere near it when it's on. I use a separate power extension (12v cigarette) cable that has it's own on/off switch so I don't need to risk zapping myself when turning the ozone generator on or off.
Search for damp rid, it’s a desiccant for mold stopping. Little buckets that draw in moisture. Cover limbo with breathable fabric, my US camper is covered parked through 4-5 months of cold, snow. Admit it took some brainstorming to park it beneath a swing set, with cover over it and windows cracked (air circulation) and max vent open. Thus far 8 years no mold in Maine. Truck is daily driver camper is parked covered beneath the swing set/ 2 aframes connected by post or pipe. Only damage 3’ heavy wet snow & ice, cracked the vent. -40* C/F , called dealer and they replaced for free.
We used to clean our water tanks and tube on our touring caravan when I was small with baby sterilization fluid that people use for babys bottles it worked well
Winterising. 1= Remove all possible soft furnishing and paper such as toilet rolls. 2 = Purchase a humidity meter £3.80. 3 = Anti Condensation Heater if 230vac available. 4 = Dehumidifier devices. Air vents open. 4 = lift up all rubber mats and rugs. 5 = Fridge door and cupboards open. We have owned a van 3 years and follow these rules. Visit van every month to empty or replace dehumidifiers. Start engine. We cannot take credit for this process but use tips from other RU-vidrs. Cheers from George and Jane
Every "we" and "our" made me a little sad, but exciting to see you gearing up for the next adventure. I'm interested to see what your plans are for the coming year.
A great thing too do during this....well let's say forced vacation, would be to redesign the cabinet by the bed, before Leia comes back........she is coming back RIGHT ! Making just enough room under it to make the bed a bit wider would be awesome upgrade . CHEERS AND SAFE TRAVELS Steve h.
So happy you got the Kombi's issues figured out. I knew you could do it. You have that pioneering spirit! Love Alaska, such a sweet puppy. I remember how patiently she waited for you and Leah whilst we had Thanksgiving Dinner at Split Rail RV park in Quartzsite AZ in 2017. Happy trails!
Next time, if there is a next time you park it in a wet place for an entire wint, just place lots of containers of desiccant beads around the Kombi and drive it twice a month long enough to heat it up. Desiccant beads really work to suck moisture out of the air
I fixed the mold problem, both at home and in my van, with tea tree oil. Just a few drops in a bottle spray of water and i use it first to clean and then i spray from time to time to prevent ir of coming back. I live in the north of Spain next to the Cantabrian sea and this is a very humid climate. We had a lot of mold around but nothing since i started with the tea tree oil. Also, to prevent that brown thing inside the water tank, i put a small amount of bleach every time a fill the tank. Mine is 90L and i put 9ml of bleach. Hope it helps someone :)
240v hook up + electric dehumidifier whilst parked over winter. put it on once a month to trap excess moisture and then seal the van tight. Never had mould. Also get to charge all the leisure system if you don't have good sun for solar.
I use cat litter in my boat over winter and it cuts the mold cleaning in the spring to half of what I was doing before. Looks good, great video. I’ll definitely be thinking about that water filtration. Blessings of safe travels and abundance 🌙🌸
Nice to see you and Alaska Ben. You're so knowledgeable. When do we get to see Leah again? You going to drive to Australia and go get her? Looking forward to the journey regardless. I bet your mum's been happy you've been around though. All the best.
Grab yourself a few wardrobe moisture absorbers. Work just as well as a dehumidifier and require no power. Cheap and easily replaced or refilled. They work great in caravans as well.
Where's Leigh? When you need someone to help you. Thank Q. For mention about mould getting into your water pipe work. Our caravan has been sitting in the backyard for two years. So l have just added another job to my list. Be glad to see you three on the road again.
Get a boat heater/fan to keep in the Kombi when it's not in use. You'll be happier for it. And every week start it and run the heater for an hour to dry the van out and deal with moisture in the ventilation and the box of the van.
Great video, I also run a waterfilter in my T6 Transporter camper, one is UV one is a koolfilter. No big watertanks, but fill the water where ever you are.....
With REGARDS TO THE MOLD... I am sure you know this already: But cracking the window is not enough. You need to install a few heavy duty moisture absorbers over the time it is not moved and check on them regularly.
Got to admit, since you left the PanAm, I am not as much of an avid watcher anymore. But had that water system on my purchase list anyways. Saves me some bucks. Pays you something (hopefully). All happy once it arrives.
Welcome back BEN. I love your video and all the travelling. I hope you, your family and Leah are well. Looking forward to more of your videos!!!! Thanks for making them and sharing your adventures with us. I know how hard it is to make, and edit the videos .....so thank you from Canada
Luckily you have some help there, here no help, no garage, and weather either way too hot or raining..but I keep plugging away at it..be safe Ben,hugs to Alaska ..
Top vid, mate. So good to see you, Alaska and Mum. And Boomerang! Let’s hit the road! My bus has a new engine and next month we head down the coast again in the Border-to-border Treffen, just like Alaska and I did a few years back. Remember that, Alaska?
Starterswitch failing prematurely? Is is switching way to much current above what it has been designed to to? If yes install heavy duty relays for large loads! Mold? find a suitable anti fungal spray to fumigate the inside!
You should do an occasional bleach treatment for your water tanks, fill it up with water, add a few cups of cheap >5% unscented household bleach (sodium or calcium hypochlorite), leave for 30 mins then run it all out from the taps so it also treats your pipes. Fill again with clean water and flush. good to go.
My gut reaction to mould in long-term storage is either large amounts of dessicant (oven-dried once a month?) or perhaps running an ozone generator for an hour or two at that same frequency!
when i leave a big container of water in the back of the car ill often find that its got condensation on it. i guess the larger body of water stays warm for longer then the moist air condenses on it. over a longer period of time i guess this could cause damp. were your containers empty? i guess a few socks of cat litter could help capture some moisture if you have to leave it stood for a while again? or flick the webasto on now & then if it comes with a keyfob ?
Great to see you back . Van looking great . This winter if not using van put some moisture bags in will help stop with mould . We use them in ours . How's lia hope I spelling her name right .
Here in the U. S. we have giant gun safes that can rust the metals and mold the woods. We use dehumidifiers, rod heaters, moisture absorption canisters etc. to fight this problem. Do you think that might help?
Awesome work and more importantly: A great documentary of your process, thanks for sharing that with us! I'm curious, though, how do you treat your wooden interior once the mould has settled in there? I had the same problem in my flat (wooden flooring directly under a not very easy to access window, condensation in the winter caused the flooring to be wet for a long time before I noticed it) and it doesn't matter how thoroughly I clean the affected flooring with isopropanol, the mould tends to come back.
So awesome to see you getting Boomerang ready for the road! I wonder if a dehumidifier would've helped prevent the mold? Or perhaps those desiccators the Japanese use during the raining season.
I think you have us sold on that Acuva water filter! We have a small (19ft) RV and I'm always scared of what's in the pipes. Thank you for sharing. ALSO -- Love the content. Missed ya!
As soon as you get to ok to travel to the USA, you should consider going back to the USA and head to Texas so you meet up with the guys from VWLife and Old Volks TV!!!!!🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂
Nowhere to go? I explored my own country a bit more :). Good to see videos like this. I have this with my Volvo 66.. If you repair one thing, another thing breaks haha.
Shock clean your tanks & lines with Iodine or Potassium Permanganate - (1 tablet (Iodine) or 3 grains (dust) (PP) is enouth to keep the tanks clear - one a year flush though with Baking Soda [Bicarbonate of Soda] >> you use this stuff to keep fridges Mold free & Clean You also should consider a 50W UV-C (Non Led - Mains Fluorescent Germaicial) + Ozone + Piezo air pump (0.5W ) + inline water pump Tank Loop with the Water tanks This System only need to run for 30 mins 2 time a day and for a hour after Refills Look into a Active Air well (condenser) - Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) - Desiccant Dehumidifier Based You make 8 ~16 pints a day pulling water moisture form the Outdoor Atmosphere
the post we have all been waiting for!! keep up the show and the 'no drama thing going on. has cb taken a peek at her yet? thought that was the coolest feature of their FI. cheers bill n candy ' '
@@KombiLife my whole program is ground to a halt. while doing some blood vein work I had heat stroke and woke up in Emergency. So now hugging my AC and waiting instructions . am awaiting your next adventure glad to see you back in action from my comphy chair Bill
