Community Forums

Tskadberg · 08-09-2022, 08:19 AM

We just spent a week driving in 100+ degree weather. I like to be in the 60s. To get by I put the silver bubble wrap in all the windows i could. Especially the windshield when stopped, makes a massive difference. The top of my windshield will be 120 degrees otherwise. I also set the AC to 50 degrees, by morning it might be in the 50s but it helped the AC keep up in the heat of the day. I also had done what other suggested a about proper air flow. Nothing beats some shade. I might be an extreme case but this worked for me. It was up to 107 one day. In a pinch i might even leave our big slide in to limit the amount or air to cool.

Dave Pelletier · 08-09-2022, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamperLifer

Go outside and sit in the shade in the daytime and enjoy the fresh air. What's the point in sitting inside the RV or TT during the day. It is commonly over 100 degrees F here and we sit outside, go swimming, hiking, etc. Might as well stay home if you don't enjoy summertime.

there are many reasons people might like their RV's to be cooler than 100 degrees inside! LOL We just got back from a 4 day trip with daytime temps well over 100 and I ran the AC the entire time - even though we were out swimming and hiking most of the time, we don't like sleeping in an oven and the dog would probably die if left in the trailer without any AC during the day.

Cheers,
Dave

AJMike · 08-09-2022, 09:19 AM

Living, as we do, in the Phoenix area we are familiar with heat related issues when we camp. Normally we don't camp in the heat but we make one or two trips to the Texas Gulf Coast during the summer and that means that all of the places we stop are hot. We address that issue in several ways.

We mostly boondock but if we are going to be camping in hot areas we always stop at campgrounds where we can use shore power.

I try to make sure the AC filters are kept clean and I try to have the AC looked at by a qualified tech at least once a year to make sure it is ready for the summer.

We lower the shades on all of the windows when we set up in a camp site.

While we try to use most of the steps that the OP listed we have found that sometimes it is not possible to park in a east-west direction since the campground sites point however they do and at least one park would not allow us to drive into the space except in one direction. They made us reverse the direction of our RV.

When possible we try to make sure the side of the RV where the fridge is is positioned away from the afternoon sun and use the awning to keep the side where the fridge is out of direct sunlight.

We make use of the directional vents of the RV to keep the house part cool during the day and the bedroom cool at night.

I also think it is a good idea to run the generator for the last hour of the trip so that the roof AC has a chance to cool the entire RV right before we stop for the day. That way there is not so much of a heat burden for it to fight when we hook up to shore power.

Smitty77 · 08-09-2022, 09:28 AM

May have missed it, as many recommended cushions for the vents. We also use curtain rods, and have a doubled over and packing taped piece of the silver bubble window insulation, up in our bathrooms solar dome (The dome, was the second highest contributor to heat gain, after the windshield.)

On windshield covers, from researching this years ago, I was surprised that black or dark brown windscreen covers were the best at reducing heat gain. (May have been on this board, but an RV Club did many methodical tests, and reported their findings. Think it was the Fleetwood Discover group!).

And of course, mobility allows us to escape hot spots!!!

Best to all,
Smitty

Jay D. · 08-09-2022, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamperLifer

If that's all I'm gonna do is SIT inside, I would rather be in the comfort of my home.

NO i try and avoid areas that are extremely hot. i'll move to some place where its not so hot, simple
Jay D.

Over here · 08-09-2022, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay D.

NO i try and avoid areas that are extremely hot. i'll move to some place where its not so hot, simple
Jay D.

Eggzactly! The cabin on wheels should be comfortable to reside in. Mid 90’s with humidity to match, outside, just isn’t comfortable for most of us. Hook up and GO!
Wonder how many folks are dry camping in Quartzite right now, hahaha.

bpu699 · 08-09-2022, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2cyber71

The best you would be able to do is 20f less than outside.
I have 3 AC for my 43ft diesel motorhome with lots of windows and 30 inch wide slides.
If it’s 100f outside, I’m happy with 80 inside with lower humidity than outside.
Close the window day and night shades shades and otherwise outside reflectix will help better, but it has to be outside the windows

The reflective material has to be outside? 99.9% don’t do that?

AudiDudi · 08-09-2022, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpu699

The reflective material has to be outside? 99.9% don’t do that?

I leave my 5th wheel in the AZ sun all summer with reflectix on the inside. It's sat that way for the 9 summers that I have owned it. If it was on the outside, I doubt it would last though the monsoon winds and rain.

CamperLifer · 08-09-2022, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

there are many reasons people might like their RV's to be cooler than 100 degrees inside! LOL We just got back from a 4 day trip with daytime temps well over 100 and I ran the AC the entire time - even though we were out swimming and hiking most of the time, we don't like sleeping in an oven and the dog would probably die if left in the trailer without any AC during the day.

Cheers,
Dave

Of course ! We all love sleeping in the AC !

AJMike · 08-10-2022, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay D.

NO i try and avoid areas that are extremely hot. i'll move to some place where its not so hot, simple
Jay D.

Sometimes not so simple and not so easy.

We travel from the Phoenix area to South Padre Island in the summer so that we can enjoy the beach and swim in the Gulf. That is a 4 day drive through areas that are equally hot - southern New Mexico and the Texas panhandle from El Paso to Corpus Christi and then to Brownsville. The whole area is 100+, sometimes 110+ and there is no where else to go except through the heat.

Jay D. · 08-10-2022, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJMike

Sometimes not so simple and not so easy.

We travel from the Phoenix area to South Padre Island in the summer so that we can enjoy the beach and swim in the Gulf. That is a 4 day drive through areas that are equally hot - southern New Mexico and the Texas panhandle from El Paso to Corpus Christi and then to Brownsville. The whole area is 100+, sometimes 110+ and there is no where else to go except through the heat.

thats why i have no interest in traveling the lower southern states. my next trip i think, is going to be up into Canada. up to Fort Nelson then east and down towards Montana.
Jay D.

AudiDudi · 08-10-2022, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay D.

thats why i have no interest in traveling the lower southern states. my next trip i think, is going to be up into Canada. up to Fort Nelson then east and down towards Montana.
Jay D.

I live at 4700 ft elev in Montana - yesterday it was 101 at 4:30pm on the back deck in the shade. We've had a number of days in the mid 90's with more to come. The really good news is we haven't had any smoke from the fires (yet). Usually by about July 15th, we are seeing smoke.

TXiceman · 08-10-2022, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine359

Maybe try one of those mist fans? We’re never in 100+F. But if we were, I’d probably get one and sit outside with the mist blowing on me.

Mister systems do not do much in high humidity areas. In the desert, they are wonderful.

Ken

FL420 · 08-10-2022, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamperLifer

Of course ! We all love sleeping in the AC !

Of course, not all of us love sleeping in the AC.
We love breathing fresh air through open windows with a Honeywell 3 speed 9" diameter desktop oscillating fan sweeping across the bed. Our (4) 6 VDC FLA GC2 batteries and inverter can run the fan on it's highest setting and 2 CPAP machines 8-9 hours and run the Mr. Coffee in the morning and still be above 50% SOC.[emoji1783]
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