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  1. #1
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Snuggled in, need thermal camera

    So here we are all snuggled into our winter home in Park City, UT. We are really looking forward to the ski season, it's snowing, about 11f. Tanks aren't frozen, waters not frozen, it's about 68 in the main area, 52 in the bays. Everything is working. But

    There are some cool spots in the RV, bedroom, kitchen floor, not bad, not unbearable, but maybe there is some way for me to identify were the cool is coming from. I started looking at hand held temp readers, then I spotted thermal cameras, it got me to thinking maybe I need one of them. So I am asking for experiences or advice on these things as the only thing I truly understand about them is the price tag, momma isn't gonna be happy if I get one.

    Anybody have any experiences with thermal cameras?

    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  2. #2
    Big Traveler Steve7's Avatar
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    No experience with them here, but I would think it would work well for you. I’ve seen them identify ghosts on tv shows...Lol
    Steve & Sue (pups:Sky & Sierra) Gardnerville, Nv
    2017 Refelection 297RSTS
    2017 Ford 350 CC 4x4 Lariat Superduty 6.7, Long Bed

  3. #3
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    The thermal camera would probably be faster at finding the cool spots. I would think the hand held temp reader will do the same thing, just slower. A lighter would also be a good tool to help find that little breeze of an air leak. Just don't get it too close to something and start it on fire.
    Just opening the door of the RV is going to let the precious heat out. Recovery will be slow. As the RV is recovering the heat, the cold spots will be moving because of the furnace air flow.
    Are you going to work or just ski? KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  4. #4
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by orbiker View Post
    Are you going to work or just ski? KEN
    Work two days a week in exchange for free ski pass and minimum wage to help pay the propane bill. -2f, my fancy Pirit hose froze, or maybe the RV park pipes froze. I am a little loath to go outside and play with the water. Maybe if I had the thermal camera I could easily find the location of the freeze. We are on internal water now, nothing frozen inside the RV.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by D2Reid View Post
    Work two days a week in exchange for free ski pass and minimum wage to help pay the propane bill. -2f, my fancy Pirit hose froze, or maybe the RV park pipes froze. I am a little loath to go outside and play with the water. Maybe if I had the thermal camera I could easily find the location of the freeze. We are on internal water now, nothing frozen inside the RV.
    That sounds like a good deal (2 day).
    I heard from the manager of Cascade Meadows ( 5 miles north of La Pine, Oregon ) that it was 1* last night. The Oregon Cascades are getting a little snow and 1/2 the ski areas are open.
    You want that thermo camera. If you could put it to work, then it would be easier to justify the purchase. If their pipe is frozen, the sooner it's thawed the better. It could get damaged. KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

  6. #6
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Got it thawed, will post a new thread.

    How to freeze a Pirit hose by over insulating.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  7. #7
    Big Traveler
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    You're going to have a great time! Keep us updated on how things work. I'm curious how much propane you'll use and how much you supplement with electric.
    2019 Momentum 395
    2018 Ram 3500 DRW 4.10 AISIN

  8. #8
    Seasoned Camper
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    Quote Originally Posted by D2Reid View Post
    So here we are all snuggled into our winter home in Park City, UT. We are really looking forward to the ski season, it's snowing, about 11f. Tanks aren't frozen, waters not frozen, it's about 68 in the main area, 52 in the bays. Everything is working. But

    There are some cool spots in the RV, bedroom, kitchen floor, not bad, not unbearable, but maybe there is some way for me to identify were the cool is coming from. I started looking at hand held temp readers, then I spotted thermal cameras, it got me to thinking maybe I need one of them. So I am asking for experiences or advice on these things as the only thing I truly understand about them is the price tag, momma isn't gonna be happy if I get one.

    Anybody have any experiences with thermal cameras?

    Never used one myself, but I've had two houses evaluated with them so that I could insulate where needed. The first house was a 250 year old home in Woonsocket RI back in 1986, and the second home in Greenfield IN in 1992. In RI because I was getting insulation blown into the walls (it wasn't insulated at all) the contractor guaranteed he'd get all the cavities filled and used the thermal camera to insure it got done and showed me each wall. He only missed one small cavity in a closet and corrected it once found. Blocking of the cavity by a 2x4 is what caused the problem so he simply put a hole below the 2x4 and filled the cavity.
    In IN I had to pay for the service, it was pretty cheep, if I recall something like $50. I'd planned to blow insulation into the ceiling and wanted to see if it made any difference to the thermal picture once done. What i did learn was how much colder the corners of a room are vs. the walls. What I was told is the way corners are studded out there isn't any insulation between the corner studs, but there is a channel of air, and the cold will come through there. Apparently some people use spray foam (the kind you can get at Home Depot) to fill this void and it's quite effective. Easily done during construction, or home renovations.
    If you decide to get the camera, you may want to offer an analysis of other winter campers RV's for a few bucks to help with the costs. It might make momma happier seeing as how you have a method to recoup some of the expense. I know I'd pay you to look at my 384GK here in IN as I'd be interested to know where I could strategically place tape/insulation to help seal Duchess (my DW's name for our 5th wheel) a bit more.

    Pete
    Pete & Carla Nelson
    2017 F-350, diesel, DRW, Lariat, 8' bed, Ford's TPMS, Furrion camera, Revolver X2 Tonneau Cover
    2017 Solitude 384GK, with dual pane windows, slide toppers, gen ready, heat pump.
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    MoRryde independent suspension, 8k axle, disc breaks, Sailun S637 tires

  9. #9
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aridon View Post
    You're going to have a great time! Keep us updated on how things work. I'm curious how much propane you'll use and how much you supplement with electric.
    I will apologize ahead of time, I am not a great record keeper. So I will tell you what I know today. I have 3 tanks, 2-30# tanks, about 7 gallons each, and 1-40# tank, around 9.5 gallons. When the temps are running teens at night and near freezin0g in the day I will burn about 5 gallons. When the temps is 0 or below and teens in the day, I will burn about 7-10 gallons. This is an undocumented WAG based on when I went to get the tanks filled.

    The gas switched over to the 40 pounder sometime yesterday mid-day, burned through the night. I expected it to be empty this morning but it showed 1/3 full via frost line. 0 last night, 22 at 11am.
    ,
    Electric. Fireplace is on constantly. The thermostat in it is really weird, but it goes on and off from time to time. We have 2 1500 watt cube heaters, we run them on an as needed basis. The kitchen table slide tends to feel cold, so we will put one under the table. DW keeps one in the bathroom for taking showers.

    Other fun stuff: We came from Houston area and 3 weeks of rain, there was extra moisture in the RV as evidenced by frost on the slide walls. I will pick up some Damp Rid and places them near the 2 areas that have frost.

    The bedroom slide with the drawers and closet get pretty chilly. We take our clothes out the night before, otherwise they are cold. When I put the temp gun on in the little cubby next to the bed it reads 30, below freezing.

    I have some frost around the frame of one of my dual pane windows, I suspect left over moisture from the rains. We have also noticed some insulation improvement when we pull the blinds down, so all blinds are pulled at night during the coldest period. Sunny side blinds are lifted during the day for solar heating. One advantage to the nearly black full body paint.

    Today will be first sewer dump, hope things will go well. Neighbor had his sewer hose fall off of the caterpillar and got a kink in it. It froze solid, poor inexperienced fellow, he tried thawing it by adding more water. When he went to test it the frozen hose broke, he didn't have a gate valve. They are gone today, this kind of camping is not for everyone.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  10. #10
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by COLRetired View Post
    If you decide to get the camera, you may want to offer an analysis of other winter campers RV's for a few bucks to help with the costs. It might make momma happier seeing as how you have a method to recoup some of the expense. I know I'd pay you to look at my 384GK here in IN as I'd be interested to know where I could strategically place tape/insulation to help seal Duchess (my DW's name for our 5th wheel) a bit more. Pete
    That could be fun, but I am thinking it is more trouble than it's worth. Yesterday I was pretty excited about the idea of a thermal camera, today I am whining about spending too much money. Sitting on the fence is uncomfortable.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

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