drivers overhead compartment heat

[Buford B]

I replaced the solid panel in the cabinet door with a grill, added a muffin fan, added insulation to the front cap and added a wire shelf in the cabinet to allow air to circulate better between and around the electronic components.

[Dutch Star Don]

On some Monaco coaches, they vented the rear of the upper left cabinet. I installed the largest fan I could in the back of the cabinet drawing air from the front to the back.

I didn't see much improvement when I insulated the front cap. I leave the door open and run the computer fan whenever the temperature rises. If running the A/C, I direct a vent toward the cabinet.

My left cabinet has the Home Theater system on the bottom, the DirecTv box on top of that and the Winegard power box for the sat dish on top of that. I glued 1" tall rubber feet to the bottom of the DirecTv box because it's fan is on the bottom. The one inch gap allows the fan to draw more air between the two.

I installed a surface mount outlet box (holds two outlets, 4 total) on the ceiling of the cabinet. The box has the two outlets (combos) that have an outlet and switch. I ran one lead from the surface mounted box to 110 volts and then I plug both the sat power box and DirecTv box into the outlets. I can now turn on/off the DirecTv box and sat power from these switches. It allows me to turn off the sat power without touching the sat power box and allows me to turn off the DirecTv box so that while boondocking on the inverter, the DirecTv box doesn't turn on.

I aso wired into the corner of the surface mount box a lighted rocker switch that turns on the computer fan. It's a tight fit to get everyting into the surface mounted box, but it's very handed to use.

I can now keep mine cool enough to not ruin the DirecTv box.

[Gorlininc]

In my 2001 diplomat I have 2 overhead compartments with the TV in the middle. On the driver side I have my direct tv box and the passenger side I have the DVD and the TV selector box. I also live in Fl. A never had an issue any time with heat.
Rick

[ArmyEOD]

Last week I removed my RCA surrond sound system from he overhead and have installed a sound bar under my TV. The sound is much better to me. After removing the RCA Unit and all the now unused RCA and RG6, I secured the 6 speaker wires in a coil and secured them out of the way. With everything removed RCA, Selector Switch Box, Blu Ray, Dish Box, and MoSat box I installed 2 Ea 3/4 X 3/4 wood strips to the bottom of the cabinet with wood glue. I then reinstalled the Selector switch box on top of the strips using hook and loop. Then using hook and loop I attached 2 more strips on top of the switch box and then installed my dish box. At that time I noticed that the Dish box was deeper than the switch box so I had to add a short center support at the rear of the dish box. I then installed the blu ray on strips with hook and loop and then the Mosat controller the same way. Bottom line I have a 3/4 air gap between each item, this allows for natural air flow between them. The units use to sit on top of each other with hook and loop. I also removed the glass from the door and once I find a ventilating screen material I will install it in the door. BTW I purcased the 12" hook and loop strips from NAPA, they are quailty and have very good adhesive. They were about 2.00 each but very good ones. Also I painted all the wood strips black. Hope this helps you out. The RCA unit was most of my heat issue.

[Larry and Suzette]

Thanks all.

I have been keeping the door open and have no idea what the temp is when the door is closed. The only thing in the cabinet now is the rca dvd player, switch box, kvh control, which is off, and the roof top antenna amp, which is on since it is in such a convenient location, NOT.

I have my Dish reciever/dvr sitting on the steering wheel. Since the steering column can be set to vertical I purchased an 18" round table top from Lowes. Added some varnish and a couple of blocks on the bottom to keep it located. The dangling cables to hook things up really look nice.

I don't see any place to drill 4" vent holes.

There is a vent in the rear of the cabinet which is partially blocked by the drivers shade mechanism.

I have an a/c outlet directed at the cabinet but we don't use the a/c that much.

I will try the insulation and muffin fan and see how that goes.

There isn't any good way to move any of the head producing elements to another cabinet.

It looks to me like that whole cabinet layout is an after thought with no thought.

Larry

[observer]

Larry, The suggestion to keep the door open works for me. There is a vent in the back of that cabinet, more easily seen if you view that cabinet from the windshield side. I have thought about a small fan but there is not a lot of spare room in that cabinet.

[Larry and Suzette]

Dennis, keeping the door open does not work for me. The front of the MH is facing west.

I'm thinking of the insulation and fan solution that others have suggested. As you say there is not much room in that cabinet.

Larry

[CoCoDave]

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

When we removed the front TV and reworked the cabinet I put a layer of Reflectix against the fiberglass front cap...

Joe,

Which Reflectix product did you use? On the Home Depot website there are several featured. Home Depot Reflectix

Thanks,

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by WindsorDave

Joe,

Which Reflectix product did you use? On the Home Depot website there are several featured. Home Depot Reflectix

Thanks,

I bought it from Lowes. I think all of theirs is the same except for the width and length of the roll.

[Larry and Suzette]

I have a 34cfm muffin fan tuning with the door open. I have also removed the"grill" from the back/front of the cabinet and assesses how that does.

It doesn't look like I get access to instal insulation by removing the TV.

[Denali]

Soon after we bought our coach, Monaco replaced the insert in the door for that overhead cabinet with an anodized black metal screen. Our Dish Network receiver still shut itself down from the 105+ degree temps up there.

I attached two muffin fans to that screen--one directing air in, one directing air out. It didn't help.

For the past six or eight years, I have attached a clamp-on 120 VAC fan to the open cabinet door each time we park. That solved the problem.

I have a remote thermometer sitting on top of the Dish receiver. It is currently 49 degrees outside, 70 degrees inside, and 83 in that cabinet. The fan keeps it to somewhere in the 80s all day.

[Larry and Suzette]

The muffin fan is not much help.

I purchased an 18" dia. wood table top from lowes. Added some varnish and 3 blocks to locate it on the steering wheel. Put the steering column vertical and now have a table for the Dish receiver. A few wires hanging from the overhead compartment but the receiver doesn't crap out. I think I'm done "working" on it.

[rbr]

Saw one fellow successfully using a laptop cooling pad under his Dish box. Something like this:

Gear Head CF3300BLK 17 Dual-Cool Laptop Cooling Pad (Blk) : Laptop Cooling Pads | RadioShack.com

Don't know if he was using a USB version plus a 120V to USB power supply or found one that runs off 120V.

[Denali]

Originally Posted by rbr

Saw one fellow successfully using a laptop cooling pad under his Dish box. Something like this:

Gear Head CF3300BLK 17 Dual-Cool Laptop Cooling Pad (Blk) : Laptop Cooling Pads | RadioShack.com

Don't know if he was using a USB version plus a 120V to USB power supply or found one that runs off 120V.

Now, that's a great idea. Our Dish receiver has a USB port we don't use.