Writer: Helena Bergström
We have our motorhome stored in the garage over the winter and yesterday, on Maundy Thursday, it was time to pick it up for spring. Unfortunately, it didn't go quite as planned ...
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Winter storage ... without electricity
We have had our motorhome stored for the winter in a garage about an hour outside Uppsala. In previous years, we have had maintenance electricity connected during storage, and we have appreciated that very much.
This winter, it turned out that it was no longer allowed to have electricity connected (insurance rules?) and because of the misunderstanding, we had to make an extra trip to the garage (with a hire car!) to disconnect the batteries. We did this to try to avoid starting problems in the spring... Now the question was: would it help?
Time to pick up the motorhome - a long journey
On Maundy Thursday it was time for us to pick up the motorhome. As we only have one car - and one driving licence - it's quite a long journey for us. This is how we travelled:
Metro 15 min + commuter train 1 hour + bus 1 hour
Arrived at the garage - how would it go?
Finally we arrived, and we finally got to see our beloved FREEDOM motorhome! Now the only question was... would it start? We were prepared for it to be a challenge, and we had a battery starter with us, which we bought at Clas Ohlson (and which has helped us on previous occasions).
But no, the motorhome would not start ... We connected electricity from the garage and we used the battery starter, but it just didn't work.
A long day, with many trials
Could it help if we charged the motorhome with electricity for a few hours? We were able to charge the campervan with electricity from the garage during the day. The girl who worked there told us about a lunch restaurant nearby, and when we came back we could sit in their office and work on the computers. We hoped that a few hours of electricity would help ...
We tried again and again, using electricity from the garage and the battery starter. But no, unfortunately, it was not possible to start the motorhome ...
Giving up and going home
Unfortunately, we had to give up and go home. This is what the journey home looked like:
Waiting in the bus shelter 40 min + bus 1 hour + commuter train 1 hour + tram a few minutes + metro a few minutes
We left the houseboat at 7am, and we were back at 7pm. A long day! Unfortunately without a motorhome ...
How should we solve this?
We are not sure how to solve this, but our first plan at the moment is to buy a new starter battery and head back to the garage. It's tricky to buy a starter battery without a car, but at best (if they have a starter battery at the petrol station near the garage) we can take a piper with us on the commuter train/bus and solve it that way.
We simply hope that it's down to the starter battery, and that it's not to do with the glow ignition. To be continued!
This week: Grateful for ...
So, right now it feels really hard! But we are grateful to live in our nice houseboat (we have talked about that this week!) and we are also grateful that there is hope to solve the challenges with the motorhome.
Your turn ... What are you grateful for?
The week ahead
We are still at home in Stockholm. Our only plans right now are to work, meet family and friends and solve the challenges with the motorhome. Now we take the opportunity to wish you a really nice Easter! How are you celebrating?
Did you miss the last Friday Blog? Read it The weeks rush by... don't they?
You might also like:
Travelling by campervan in Sweden with South African friends
Wonderful days at Elmia Caravan Motorhome
What a week! - Iftar, quirky everyday life and a motorhome trip
We are on our way! - Motorhome holidays in southern Europe await
Everyday travelling and camping in a different way...
Friday blog: Lectures and party at Elmia Husvagn Husbil
English (UK) 
Svenska
Per Thimon says:
What a pain in the arse! Here it is actually allowed to feel a little sorry for yourself and maybe even cry a little.
03 April 2026 - 8:18
bmlarsreseblogg says:
How sad and annoying, Grrr! We can only hope that it is a new starter battery that is needed and that sounds quite likely. We have had that happen with Laikan last year. Then we got it started with jumper cables but shortly afterwards it was just to change the battery ...
We have been in Sweden for a week now and are grateful that everything went well and that we got to meet some of our loved ones. After a nice Maundy Thursday with good friends, it will be a quiet Easter weekend with a few stops at Falbygden's art round and a little fix with Laikan.
03 April 2026 - 8:42
Peter says:
2 assumptions from the chop
Why put a motorhome so far from where you live, must be closer even if it is more expensive it will be cheaper in the long run.
Why not buy a new battery and put it in the car and transport it with it. Park it and take the motorhome home then go communally and pick up the car later. Regards Peter
05 April 2026 - 14:51
Anki says:
So sad with starting problems ... hope it ,pours itself with a new starter battery!
Anyway, I wish you a Happy Easter!
03 April 2026 - 8:55
SonjaS says:
Ugh hard! but just to buy starter battery, take a loan car and go there. hopefully the new battery will solve the problem! good luck!
03 April 2026 - 8:56
Helena says:
Yes, it will be something like that! The tricky thing about borrowing a car is that we only have a driving licence. So if we go there with a borrowed car, we can't take the motorhome with us from there, not at the same time anyway ...
03 April 2026 - 9:19
Freddan says:
Hi there, mate. Isn't there a friend with a driving licence who can come along?
04 April 2026 - 2:11
Jossu says:
What a pain. The journey with all the changes and then the waiting and hopes, to then have to go home without a motorhome.
I hope it works out, and that you have a nice Easter after all.
I will be celebrating Easter with my parents and a couple of relatives, which I am grateful for.
03 April 2026 - 9:00
Anette Nilsson says:
What a shame! We had to change the starter battery in February. But then we have the motorhome 10 minutes walk away. It started after we charged it all night and we could drive to the battery store and change it on the spot.
It will certainly not be easy for you. Hope it works out in the near future.
03 April 2026 - 9:43
Eval8 says:
So sad 🤥 that's exactly how you don't want it.
Personally, I am grateful that the caravan is in place and that the awning is up. Then you are well on your way.
(I almost feel bad for you, writing that.)
Hope you get your problem solved quickly!
Happy Easter 🐣🐥
03 April 2026 - 9:51
Marika says:
How sad! But is it only one of you who always drives then? I thought you took turns. I'm grateful that the sun is finally out here today. Hope it works out with the battery problem!
03 April 2026 - 10:29
JoY says:
What bad luck you have with the motorhome and so far away too. Understand that it does not work to take a rental car with a driving licence. Other friends who have a driving licence? I feel really sorry for you, it's Easter people are busy, could have driven you there but we are going away. You have probably checked different options, taking an Uber or similar costs a fortune,
Fingers crossed that it works for you Happy Easter Hugs
03 April 2026 - 11:55
BP says:
No, yuck! I feel very sorry for you. Can't even give you good advice... Just thought of one thing. I would probably google first and explore a little more what could be wrong. Oh, you have used a starter battery (the booster that is). Maybe there is a workshop nearby that is prepared to check Freedom, after Easter.
Thank goodness you hadn't planned a trip with Freedom for next week...
Wishing you all the best and a Happy Easter, which it's not exactly for you...
03 April 2026 - 18:20
Peter Hallberg says:
If you need help, I am in Knivsta have screwed a lot with cars for about 50 years
03 April 2026 - 21:02
Anonymous says:
Order a new battery from the company where the motorhome is parked instead, and you will avoid all the hassle of carrying it on the train etc. .
It will start with new
04 April 2026 - 10:17
Anonymous says:
Hi, have read everything you described, a motorhome that does not start petrol or Diesel I run with starting gas, one sits at the key and the other sprays in, usually always ticking away even with half bad battery, hope it works out. Happy Easter Weekend.
04 April 2026 - 16:36
Ditte says:
So very boring! And travelling such a long way and all the hassle. Maybe you have some friendly friends who can help you with transport. If we had a car, ....
Wishing you good luck and as Happy Easter as possible.
Grateful for this week? Yes, that I live in Sweden this week too and that I am surrounded by great friends and family.
04 April 2026 - 13:26
Richard Anderlund says:
Top tip. Connect the car with jumper cables and charge the battery with the other car. That should revive the battery.
04 April 2026 - 15:50
Bärgare says:
No.
05 April 2026 - 0:38
Annika på Resfredag says:
Oh dear, what a shame, hope it works out next time!
04 April 2026 - 17:10
Anonymous says:
Have you locked your car and unlocked it with a charged battery?
05 April 2026 - 0:36
Gunnar Nylund says:
SHIT happens, you just have to be patient and not give up. The solution is usually found by stubbornly looking for it
best, which after all is there somewhere.
Keep up the good work
05 April 2026 - 12:05
Anonymous says:
Sounds like pests have eaten on the central stem of the electrical system. Will probably be a very expensive repair if even worth spending the money on then basically a little depending on where the damage is and how far the damage is. Possibly replacement of the entire electrical system is required.
06 April 2026 - 12:11
Monnah says:
Really sad! Hope it works out in some smooth way... 🙏🏼❤️
06 April 2026 - 19:53
Anonymous says:
My RV mechanic warns against starting for the first time in the spring with a bad battery or jump starter. It can cause power spikes that knock out the airbag module, expensive and unnecessary.
15 April 2026 - 15:53