Max Winds Speeds

[paulos_muzza]

Hello - does anyone know the max wind speeds on the Mp. Mines a 2018 and it’s windy tonight

 

[paulos_muzza]

With the roof up of course

 

[Epigram]

I assume you were rocked to sleep and have survived !
Plenty of posts on the California forum if you search wind damage roofs and advice such as parking with tail to the wind etc.
I am sure others will come up with more specific experience and advice but remember to be extra careful when lowering in case something has been pushed slightly out of alignment.
MP roofs are not quite as prone as Calis for pinching in the scissor mechanism or at the front but can still get damaged.

 

[paulos_muzza]

Thank you. Will give that a try. We left at 0130am as we couldn’t all fit downstairs and drove home. What is the contingency plan for this? A tent and throw the kids outside

 

[SteveR]

.... What is the contingency plan for this? A tent and throw the kids outside...

If you can't go tail into the wind, maybe try to recline the front seats (facing forward) a little perhaps? Two on the bed and one each on the driver and passenger seat. Not great but you probably wouldn't sleep worrying if you had the roof up

 

[Epigram]

Thank you. Will give that a try. We left at 0130am as we couldn’t all fit downstairs and drove home. What is the contingency plan for this? A tent and throw the kids outside

When I was younger, more alcohol and stay up all night.

 

[Steve B]

We camped last year in high winds (tail on), put the roof down at about 1am, you just know that its getting too windy by the shaking of the van and the sound the wind makes. The fact that everyone else on the site did the same helps!

 

[Coffindodger]

2009 Marco Polo, been in some very strong winds, home and abroad 50 mph +.
For a general picture I use Ventusky which is usually very good but to get a more localised forecast I use local weather apps for the country I’m in.
Visually, study the wind, watch the trees and vegetation, study the clouds and when you have a good mental picture, remove awning etc if things look dire, back the van into the wind and enjoy a good night’s sleep. Have always slept in the ‘penthouse’ never below


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Epigram]

This talk of camping in adverse weather has reminded me of last summer when we stopped off at Eguisheim (near Colmar) in the French Alsace wine region on a campsite on the road up to the castle overlooking the town. (was that only a year ago ?)

One night we were treated to one of the spectacular thunder storms that are typical of the area. I remember them well from when I lived in the Rhine Valley and it is which is why many houses in there have lightning conductors.

There was almost continuous sheet lightning and rumbling of thunder which lasted for several hours. I was happy to sleep up top and look at the spectacular display while I drifted in and out of sleep......

Many of us will have seen the Top Gear episode where Richard Hammond is in a car that is subjected to a discharge of many millions of volts of electricity equivalent to a lightning strike.

It’s schoolboy (and girl!) physics demonstration of the principle of a Faraday cage. In essence the current passes through the conductor on the outside (i.e.the car) and nothing gets in. [My physics teacher would be pernickety about this explanation but he wont be reading this!]

I am comfortable so far, but cars are usually metal. What happens in a fibreglass campervan which is a relatively poor conductor, or worse still a fibreglass pop up top with canvas sides and a couple of metal struts either side propping it up ?

Ah, you might say, it’s wet and water is a good conductor. In my case at least the van and pop up roof was relatively dry while the thunder rumbled overhead.

Are there any instances of fibreglass motorhomes or campervans with pop up roofs being struck by lightning?

If not, perhaps it’s time for another Top Gear test possibly with a vote on who should be the guinea pig this time?

Having been uncomfortably close to lightning strikes a couple of times I am not volunteering!

 

[JamesWu]

I vaguely remember something like no more than 30 knots I read, I kitesurf so most places I stayed were windy, I only pop up if it is less than 20 knots, Marco Polo can definitely handle more but I found it is tricky to undo the pop up in 20+ knots, as the canvas gets caught in the roof, had to risk my hand to push or pull to guide it.