Keeping cool in summer heat

Well, it is that time of year again, and the sun is beating down on some of us. One challenge is to keep cool, and keep that refrigerator running. A couple of years ago we were trekking in TX and hit 103F heat. We really weren't prepared.

We've done a few things to help us. Some are the same things others have done and based on my observation, some are not.  Of course, one thing is to park in the shade if possible. However that may be easier said than done. So if we have to park in full sun, then what? How to keep our Roadtrek from becoming a sauna?  The Duo-Therm Cool Cat heat pump works really well, but it does need some help when the sun is bearing down upon the front of the RT.

Here's a few things we have done to aid us in keeping cool in our RVs.

Reflectix
A bubble wrap reflective foil in windows has been a big aid, particularly in the Roadtrek, our class B. That has a large front window which simply seems to pull the heat into the vehicle. Reflectix has been very helpful. We use it in all windows except the side entry in summer and fall/winter trekking. Glass has a R-value of about 0.1 which means almost no insulating value. I understand that Reflectix has an R-value of 1.0. I understand the Roadtrek has an R-value in the walls of about 4.5. Anything we can to to improve the insulation is a good thing.

Screens
The Roadtrek came with side entry and rear entry screens. When the outside temperature is acceptable, if we can get better airflow that is an aid. However, we prefer to close the side door. I fabricated a magnetic held screen for the front side window. These can be purchased, if one prefers. The goal is to get the interior temperature down to the exterior without the use of air conditioning. We open the side window a couple of inches and use the Fantastic Fan, or open the rear door which has a full interior screen.

Fans
Our RVs have roof fans. These include Fantastic Fans. That's helpful for pulling warmer interior air out, and drawing in cooler outside air, when it is available. Or, after a shower, these fans can move moisture laden air to the outside, reducing interior humidity.

However, we also use a 12V DC fan in the Roadtrek, We found one that sits on the shelf above the side door. It has side air inlets and variable speed. Very helpful to move air around in the front of the RV, particularly if the vehicle is facing the sun.

A small 120VAC fan is also useful. This we use in the travel trailer to move the air around. Got a small 8 inch diameter Vornado which is also variable speed.

Create Shade
If one can't park in the shade, the next best thing is to create it. Many rigs have an awning, and if possible one might be able to orient the position of their RV so they get some benefit. Creating partial shade is easier than it may seem. We use several sun screens to aid us. One we fabricated from a roll of Coolaroo material. We hung that one the side of the TT which gets a lot of afternoon sun. It made quite a difference. We purchased a triangular piece and we position it as necessary with the Roadtrek. Usually to the front. I use a couple of expandable metal tent poles and 1/8 inch green nylon rope with tent stakes to get it into place. A 36 inch wooden dowel holds the front up to keep it off of the vehicle. I use aluminum carabiners to attach the sail to the tops of the poles. This allows me to quickly drop the sail if the wind comes up, or when evening approaches. The lines are strung to stay in place and hold the poles up with the sail dropped.

Here's the Roadtrek with awning extended, reflectix in the front window and the coolaroo sun sail up.

When not in use the sun sail folds conveniently and with the tent poles goes easily into the side storage compartment of the Roadtrek.

The travel trailer gets a lot of side sun in the dining/living slide. We hung a piece of coolaroo fabric. I used the coolaroo lacing kit to clean up the cut fabric ends. A custom wooden clamp the full length of the top keeps it in place. I fabricated a spacer to keep the upper area of the shade off of the side of the trailer. The spacer is made from a chromed shower rod and foam pipe insulators. That space is important to keep an air gap along the entire length of the shade. 

I use a couple of clamps designed for that purpose on the bottom with a bungees at a slight tension to hold the bottom out from the RV.  I attached the bungees with 1/8 nylon cord to a couple of bricks.

Cover the Roof Vents
A Maxxair vent cover is nice. It keeps the sun from directly striking the lid of the roof vent and it keeps bugs and birds away from an open vent. We added one to the Roadtrek.

However, the previous owner of our TT didn't install these covers and it has three roof vents. While on the roof I noticed that the covers were showing some distress after being in the sun for about 6 years. We also noticed a lot of heat in those areas during hot sunny days. One can install a insulator.  Camco has one which has a bright aluminized surface, which can be pointed up. These aren't very convenient if one wants to open the vent lid frequently. However, in cool weather we use one in the bedroom to keep the heat inside and provide some insulating value.

I decided to cover the vent covers with heavy duty aluminum foil. That reflects the heat away from these covers. It really made a difference in the travel trailer. I used a tube of exterior silicone caulk and after applying a bead on the edges, sides and in a pattern along the top I simply placed the aluminum foil and smoothed it into place. I trimmed the foil and folded the edge under the vent cover lid.  The travel trailer has 10 windows and frosted glass in the doors, so we get ample light even with the vents opaqued.

Camco vent insulator, aluminum side up:

Refrigeration
Our Roadtrek has a Dometic 3-way absorption type refrigerator. When we first encountered 103F we were on a site with the refrigerator side of the RT in full sun. The refrigerator had some difficulties keeping things sufficiently cold.

We had one of those battery operated fans and it was useful. An internal thermometer mounted on the top shelf told us the real condition inside. I did some research and read the Dometic manuals about "Power Ventilator Installation" and concluded that improved ventilation would be helpful. I added two very low power 12V DC fans and a thermostat with an in-line fuse.

Refrigerator interior fan

Ventilation Fans

Refrigerator Thermometer

Adding a screen to the vehicle passenger window

Trekking in my view is to be living a life of moderation. This is consistent with other aspects of my life.  To that end, using nature's breezes and ambience is far superior to air conditioning, etc. That's my opinion and my quest.

Our Roadtrek came with optional screens for the rear and side entry door. These are a good thing. The screen in the rear entry work well, because we don't enter or exit from those doors. I only need to unzip the screens for access to the storage below the rear king-sized bed/sofa.

However, the screen for the side entry is another issue. We enter and exit frequently via this door. I'd say it's obvious that a plastic screen with zipper won't survive long in that location. So we haven't used it.

However, to get good cross-ventilation we need a goodly sized front entry or exit point for those breezes. The side entry window includes a screen and the window pivots on a vertical hinge, and opens about 1/2 inch. This area isn't sufficient for the air movement we need. It is also a problem if the weather turns inclement.

The front of the vehicle also gets a lot of sun (infrared) load if it's pointed that way. In other words, the front of the vehicle gets hot. We really like the heat pump/air conditioner in the rear, but the front of the vehicle remains warm.

So I decided to improve the airflow. To that end I fabricated and installed a screen on the exterior of the passenger side window. With such an arrangement, we can open one of the rear doors with the screens attached and we'll get the cool breezes we love, sans insects.

This was easier than might be imagined. In fact, I'd suggest that Roadtrek offer this as an option for buyers. The screen rolls and is easily attached to the exterior with magnets. The thick black edging in the photos is not used to adhere the screen to the vehicle. Magnets at 8 points will be used.

To construct this I used aluminum screen, but it would be easy to do the same with a plastic screen. I purchased the aluminum to bug-proof the refrigerator and hot water heater ventilation.  I may post on that in the future.

This is a photo of the screen, temporarily held in place with 8 pieces of electrician's tape. Magnets will be used to do this in the future. The 2 inch black edging is "duct tape" which provides a thin surface for magnetic attraction and also seals the edge of the aluminum screening. I installed the black duct tape in two layers "back to back" with the aluminum screen sandwiched between.  However, about only 1 inch of the screen is sandwiched between the tape. The electric window can open and close while the screen is in place.

When not in use (when the vehicle is travelling, etc.) the screen is rolled for storage:

If I were wanting to get "fancy" I'd purchase tape which more closely matches the exterior color of the Roadtrek. I leave that for Roadtrek to offer!

Here's a photo of the screen while being constructed. If one wanted ultra-precision, I'd suggest the old trick of taping newspaper together to fit the area and then using that as a template. My parents did that to purchase a pre-cut linoleum floor back in 1955 or so. It worked then and it will work now.

After installing this, I asked G what she thought about it. She said it was a real improvement. Mission accomplished!

Side Door Screen Solution

We haven't had a bug problem, probably because of the weather we have had while using the camper van. Our travel plans were stopped this year by a number of issues. We did complete two spring treks and that was it until last week when we took a short 3-day shakedown before putting the camper into storage.

However, insects can be a nuisance. We do have an optional screen kit for the doors, and there is also a permanently installed screen on the window of the side entry door. Because of the cool weather early this year, insects weren't a problem.

However, it wasn't long and we pushed the side window screen out of the groove. This is a relatively easy thing to fix. Eight screws and the screen can be removed from the side door window, stretched and put back together.

Of course, it would only be a matter of time before there were more serious damage. I decided to make a permanent modification.

Solution
The problem was caused by putting one's hand on the edge below the window when exiting the vehicle. That might be to open the door fully or simply to steady oneself. Here is the solution:

Material: 1/2 x 1/2 inch aluminum angle, cut to length, file rough edges smooth and round.

We've debated the color, but for now the aluminum color is helpful and catches the eye when egressing the vehicle. I drilled two holes in the angle to match the existing mounting screws. This was a simple job.

Second Problem - Small Gap Around Screen
While I was at it, I sealed a small gap in the corner of the screen. This was easy with DAP "Quick Seal" which is paintable. I chose an almond color which I can also use around the home. I'll paint it black to match the trim of the screen window.