A/C Barrier For Dash Air

[CSX4350]

After driving a couple of times this summer, I have found that the dash air just doesn't cut it. I really hate to run the generator all day long while driving, many have suggested putting something in to seperate the front seat area from the rear to trap the cool (I can't call it cold) air in front where the occupants are.
I thought about this for a couple of months, and debated several different designs before finally deciding how to go about this.
I went to Home Depot and got a length of closet rod and a pair of wood closet rod retainers. I had some cherry gel stain here from a different project. I stained the rod ends and attached them to the overhead cabinets with two sided tape, hopefully if they have to be removed they can do so easily with a minimum of damage:





I trimmed the wooden rod to length and stained it to match. I found some nice, heavy 84" drapes at Bed, Bath & Beyond, in a grey that matched the interior nicely, and hung them from the rod:









It could look a bit better, but considering that the front seats aren't even I just couldn't think of any better way of doing it. A side effect of doing it this way is that the rod doesn't have to be removed every night to run the slides out. The rod can be removed anytime or for the winter with a minumum of visible remnants. The rod ends do not interfere with opening the storage doors at all.

["007"]

JOHN added to Quick Tips.

[Aridon]

Nice job


It will certainly work. Any particular reason you don't want to use the generator? Those machines like to be used and the gas usage between dash air and generator is really minimal.


For us the front dash blowers also don't work well enough for me. For the wife its fine her internal temp is a bit lower than mine I guess so we roll with everything blasting to keep me chilled. Poor wife says we can hang meat in here at night when we go to bed Funny thing is if I leave the AC hotter she will wake up in the middle of the night and juice it as well. I've converted her

[Jetsmania]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have found that the dash air just doesn't cut it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi! Don't forget to turn on the overhead fans above the windshield. It helps quite a bit to move the air. Paul

[CSX4350]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Aridon:
Nice job


Any particular reason you don't want to use the generator? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Generator fuel usage is rated at 1.1 gallons per hour, with diesel pushing $5/gallon a 10 hour day is an extra $55 in fuel. I'm hoping that this will at least keep the front comfortable enough to be bearable. Without it the front wasn't bearable. I'm also going to tint the front windows, hopefully that will help too.
I do wish Newmar installed small fans in front the way other manufacturers do.

[Sixpack98]

Great idea and great job. Our HR Endeavor dash air sometimes cannot keep the front cool enough and this is a good idea in milder weather. We will crank up the genset an hour or so and run both AC in hotter weather to get a jump on cooling down the coach.

[Jetsmania]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I do wish Newmar installed small fans in front the way other manufacturers do </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi! Read my previous post. They have fans but they are hidden. work great! Paul

[CSX4350]

Paul, I have used them but not in weather this hot, then I felt no benefit from them. I have to go tomorrow and get my satellite dish repaired, so I will get to test my barrier and I will play with the fans too. Hopefully I can stay reasonably comfortable with just the dash air.