Community Forums

NealC · 06-29-2019, 02:25 PM

While only RV'ing two years now I've learned a lot and much from many of you here. Let's help our fellow new Newmarians with tips to keep the coach cool in the height of summer now upon us. I'll share my tips and feel free to add on yours too.

Tip 1: Stay ahead of the heat

If you wait until you're hot to turn down the temps in your coach you'll never catch up. While it may be slightly uncomfortable on the cold side earlier, try to keep ahead of the heat indoors

Tip 2: Balance your AC's

I have a 40ft with 2 AC's. I typically keep the front AC one degree lower than the rear UNTIL recently. The front AC is ducted to help cool other zones and it's probably the AC that will have the highest runtime on it and therefore be the first to go south on you. My recent discovery is to actually keep the temps in sync so for me 73 or 74 on both zones. Let the rear AC(s) help the forward zones and even the load.

Tip 3: Close the bedroom door

Depending on where your thermistors are (the sensors for the temps in the zones) you may have one AC such as in my coach the rear zone is right next to the front zone thermistor. By creating a barrier to that thermistor it won't sense cooler than it really is causing the front zone to shut off too early.

Tip 4: Leave your bathroom doors open

You have vents and a good airflow in the bathrooms. Allow that cool air to come out and help the adjacent rooms.

Tip 5: Block the heat

5a) Get your shades down early and block the heat from getting in. Know your orientation by using the Compass on your smart phone. Know where the sun will rise and set so you can be prepared to block the sun.

5b) Extend your awning to keep the sun off the walls of the coach. It's up to you and your risk if you trust wind/motion sensors to auto close them, rule of thumb for safety is to retract the awning when not home.

5c) Use 3rd party products such as Magneshade to block the sun from entering the glass. This discussion is not about effectiveness of these 3rd party products, there are other discussions or you can create your own thread to ask, but block the heat is the theme.

Bonus: Stay hydrated!

strongcity · 06-29-2019, 02:37 PM

We have a 05 Newmar Kountry Star 37 foot 2 A/C's. It is 97 where we are now and it is keeping temp comfortable. The big help will on the 5th we are going to Colorado for the rest of the summer and that normally solves the A/C problems.

tnedator · 06-29-2019, 03:24 PM

Kicking myself for not doing it months ago, but things got crazy at work, but about ready to place my order for magne shades. Probably won't get them until the tale end of the summer now.

Grateful for the third AC this week, as my coach is pointed right at the afternoon sun, but the park is near capacity and I'm lucky I got any 50 amp site that would fit (barely) a 44' coach.

GlampDaddy · 06-29-2019, 03:28 PM

We use a vent cushion to block heat coming from the ceiling vents. Cheap and highly effective.
https://www.campingworld.com/vent-cu...ap-106744.html

Rollin101 · 06-29-2019, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongcity

We have a 05 Newmar Kountry Star 37 foot 2 A/C's. It is 97 where we are now and it is keeping temp comfortable. The big help will on the 5th we are going to Colorado for the rest of the summer and that normally solves the A/C problems.

Pulled into Pueblo Co. yesterday, after driving all day, temp was 106. Turned on generator and front air about 30 minutes before we got there. Set up turned all three a/c units on and they were cycling within the hour.
So it’s not cool in all of Co. In Ouray today and temps in the 70’s, much better.

Mr_D · 06-29-2019, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlampDaddy

We use a vent cushion to block heat coming from the ceiling vents. Cheap and highly effective.
https://www.campingworld.com/vent-cu...ap-106744.html

They have double walled insulated lids for the Fantastic Fans. I added them to my last rig and the present one came with them. Theses are not the add on covers but actual double walled ones from Fantastic Vent.

NealC · 06-29-2019, 04:28 PM

Here's one on Amazon for $6.45. I may give this a try, never heard of them.

https://amzn.to/2FDWhnC

PAtrailtrim · 06-29-2019, 04:32 PM

Amazing the heat readings on the vents. Vent pillows make a BIG difference. Reflectixing windows also makes a big difference.

**CLIFFTALL** · 06-29-2019, 04:37 PM

I put blackout material on my skylight with Velcro and it worked amazingly well keeping the heat out. My vents were covered with maxxair vents and they worked well for them.

Click image for larger version

Name: IMG_0104.JPG
Views: 113
Size: 305.8 KB
ID: 251597

tom chelbana · 06-29-2019, 10:19 PM

Your AC systems has filters on all the intake vents that over time need to be cleaned. When these filter need cleaning they limit the return air for both AC and heat. On our 18 LA and many coaches with decorative ceiling covers you will find these vents under cover. There is one row for intake which have filters that need to be cleaned and another row which are discharge that don't have filters. To see if AC is discharging cold enough air it should be at least 20 degrees cold then the air in the coach which can be measured with a infrared temp. sensor from Harbor Freight for around 25$.
When it's over 95 degrees outside we will turn our gen. on to make sure the coach doesn't get to 80 degrees or hotter. Your dash AC air should be 30 degrees cold then the air in the front cab area. Right now when it's even close to 90 degrees our dash air is 40 degrees which is excellent.
Newmar Man

Skip426 · 06-29-2019, 10:34 PM

When possible , choose a site that has your windshield facing , east or north east.

Even with a 90% blocking outside windshield screen in use , facing south or west will put me in a no win situation when it comes to keeping cool .

Facing east with the awnings down , the coach has done fine in temps up to 97f ( hottest so far ) with just one A/C running.

TXTiger · 06-29-2019, 10:51 PM

X2 with Neal except add after Tip #5 with all your shades down, strip down and stay naked inside your RV and enjoy the A/C. Lol lol lol.

Stuart W · 06-30-2019, 06:26 AM

NealC, great info especially: Tip 1: Stay ahead of the heat[/B]
If you wait until you're hot to turn down the temps in your coach you'll never catch up. While it may be slightly uncomfortable on the cold side earlier, try to keep ahead of the heat indoors.

FLJOE · 06-30-2019, 09:01 AM

All good tips.

You have to know your coach and the a/c system. Each floorplan is a little different due to where the sensors are located and how it is flowing.

We have found with our model and three a/c units we have to run zone 1 at 75, zone 2 at 70, and zone 3 at 72 to keep the whole interior in the 72 to 74 range.
If not real windy and we are in the campground we will have awning out and shades out. If we are going to be gone awnings are in and shades sometimes are in.

We just ordered the Magna shade a week or so ago. Even though their web site predicts several weeks to ship if you talk to them in person they claim it is closer to 4 to 5 weeks currently.