User Tag List

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 20 of 20
  1. #11
    Rolling Along OurNewEra's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    727
    Mentioned
    6 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    Do you have vent covers to let you travel with vents open? Might help some.
    @Foothiller I will second what @jkwilson said about vent covers. A few months back I installed the black Maxxair covers on our two vents, not smoke or white but the black. I selected the black primarily so it matched the other roof items and not even thinking about sunlight or heat. They significantly reduce the interior heat. Sunlight does not come through the black Maxxair covers. You said you have the insulation pillows in the vents but the black covers may help also.
    Mike & Lisa
    Central Florida
    2021 Imagine 2970RL
    1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

  2. #12
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Tucson
    Posts
    89
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I have vent covers, but it's usually hotter outside than inside, so I leave them closed.

    I too left CA in 1997, for a 2 year full-timing trip. We spent that winter in FL, but we just don't do well with humidity. I'm looking forward to getting back to our White Mountain site in AZ, but we have to cross hot country to get there (we're doing CA/OR coast now where it's quite cool). We'll just have to deal with the heat we encounter and whatever the A/Cs can do.
    2020 Ford F150 XLT with HDPP, 3.5L TT V6, 6.5' bed, 3.73 axle, Curt A16 manual slider hitch.
    2021 GD Reflections 150 series 295RL 33' 5th
    Long ago: Carriage Lite 35' 5th, towed by Dodge Ram 2500 V10

  3. #13
    Site Team traveldawg's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Florida Space Coast
    Posts
    3,853
    Blog Entries
    1
    Mentioned
    94 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    We've been all over the west this year, TX, AZ,NM, NV, CA, OR and it has been the hottest weather we've ever been in. When we have good power and can keep both ACs running we stay comfortable. When in Las Vegas at 104 degrees it was bad as the campground power was terrible. We had days where the inside temps got to 84 degrees.

    So I think good power is essential.

    We've been in Bend, OR for the last few weeks and have had days over 100 degrees ( I can say the same for Joshua Tree; Lake Havasu; Baker, NV; Carson City and more). The almost never got over 79 degrees. I run the living area AC at 77 or 76 degrees, Auto, HI and the bedroom air at 76 or 75 degrees, auto, hi.

    Travel days does require serious cooling down but most travel days are 4 hours or less to it isn't too crazy getting it cool again.

    I made my own air deflection plenum mod for the main AC (it's on this site under my mod list) but didn't do anything with the bedroom air.

    I have swapped around some of the directional ducts and the ones that are just a 45 degree angle in 2 opposite directions to get air flow we like. I have found the main AC will short cycle if I am the duct nearest my door to much toward the thermostat.

    I have black vent covers and a thermal vent pillow in the shower skylight (but it only covers 2/3s of the skylight. We keep the shades (beige) down on the sunny sides of the RV and try to keep the awnings out to shade the side when possible. We don't have slide toppers. I tried the fan routine but it never seemed to help unless we sat in front of the fan; we haven't bothered using it lately.

    In 30+ years of camping we have never had so much heat. We live in FL and have traveled comfortably there in summers (but the temps is usually 95 or less). This is just bizarre heat this year. Tomorrow we start working our way toward the Olympic Peninsula and cooler temps - so looking forward to that.
    Larry KE4DMG
    2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
    2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
    Search kalakamods for my mods


  4. #14
    Site Sponsor openrangeowners's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Cooksville, MD
    Posts
    137
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    We just returned from a cross-country trip where the hottest temps were at Big Bend Texas. The 50 amp receptacle was not working correctly so we had to use 30 amps until it could be repaired. We were essentially on a blacktop parking lot (Rio Grande Village) with no tree cover. It was 103 degrees one day. We have 2 dogs that stay in the camper when we are out, so I have a 3K inverter with 400 amp hours of lithium battery (can run one AC for 3-4 hours (more with sunlight on the solar) .... when we left in the morning the camper was 74 degrees including the bedroom (running 1 AC). When we returned in the afternoon the camper was 78 degrees except the bedroom and bathroom were 95 degrees (doors were closed to them). I added a shade on the skylight in the kitchen (yes we have a skylight and a separate ceiling vent that has a smoke colored cover). The bathroom and the front bedroom windshield window were heating up the that part of the camper - the bathroom skylight did not have a shade (the vent does though). I could feel the heat coming in through the skylight into the shower .... I have since ordered a removable insulated 14" x 22" insert for that.

    When we were able to hook up to 50 amps, the bedroom and rest of camper cooled down to 75 degrees where we had set the thermostats - and fairly quickly given it was 103 degrees outside sitting in full sunlight on an asphalt surface.

    When we travel, I normally remotely turn on the bedroom AC about an hour before we arrive (using inverter/battery) and the camper is definitely in the upper 70's to low 80's at that point when the outside temp is over 90 degrees.
    2021 - Grand Design Solitude S-2930RL
    2020 - Ford F-350 SRW 4x4 6.7L CCLB

  5. #15
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Tucson
    Posts
    89
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks Traveldawg and openrangeowners. I looked at the specs for a Solitude recently and the insulation was a bit better than my Reflections 150 series. I'm pretty much maxed out on weight, so really can't do solar or generator - they're a nice solution to travel heat. I also try to limit travel to 4 hours except when I'm trying to get through a area like NV.

    I use two skylight insulation pillows in my 13x28 shower skylight, they've stayed up there so far. I will tweak the A/C vent directions a bit.

    So far we've had good 50A power, it'd be nice if that continues. I'm actually using heaters here on the coast and have popped the 30A breaker twice.

    Indeed, the "heat dome" action seems to be making this a monstrously hot summer in the west. More than normal wind too, I think. If I remember my A/C stuff from 50+ years ago, handling 95 degree humid air is more difficult than 95 degree dry air.
    2020 Ford F150 XLT with HDPP, 3.5L TT V6, 6.5' bed, 3.73 axle, Curt A16 manual slider hitch.
    2021 GD Reflections 150 series 295RL 33' 5th
    Long ago: Carriage Lite 35' 5th, towed by Dodge Ram 2500 V10

  6. #16
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Vancouver BC
    Posts
    90
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    What's your battery and inverter situation? As with openrangeowners, I have a 3000W inverter that runs all the 120v in my 30A trailer, and will last about 5 hours on my lithiums.
    That could be something to look into, to cool your trailer while driving? Depending on your battery setup, you could turn it on an hour before arriving, and it should be enough to cool your trailer without killing your batteries too much.
    Also, take a look at your AC condenser, fins, and grill up on the roof. Make sure they're clean and free from dirt, cobwebs, etc. Anything on them blocks heat transfer and airflow, which reduces AC efficiency.
    2017 F150 Lariat 3.5 EB
    2020 Imagine 2400BH

    retired: 2016 Starcraft 19BHS & 2004 Fleetwood Mesa

  7. #17
    Fireside Member Linndoren's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Friendswood TX.
    Posts
    47
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I too have this issue in Texas. This is what I have been looking into.
    https://www.shaderv.com/
    Phillip
    2021 F250 King Ranch 6.7L PS SRW SB CC 4x4 Tremor, 35k inverter, 60gal S&B tank.
    2019 312 BHTS, MORyde CRE300, five leaf 6k leafsprings , MORyde heavy duty shackles.
    Non Destructive Examiner- Oilfield Trash

  8. #18
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2020
    Location
    Tucson
    Posts
    89
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I haven't been to a CAT scale recently, but I don't think that I have spare weight capacity to add solar and multiple batteries. A good idea if you can handle the weight.

    The shaderv thing looks very interesting for long in-place stays. Keeping the sun's rays off should eliminate a lot of heat load. Thanks.
    2020 Ford F150 XLT with HDPP, 3.5L TT V6, 6.5' bed, 3.73 axle, Curt A16 manual slider hitch.
    2021 GD Reflections 150 series 295RL 33' 5th
    Long ago: Carriage Lite 35' 5th, towed by Dodge Ram 2500 V10

  9. #19
    Rolling Along
    Join Date
    Mar 2020
    Location
    Whatever state the landing gear sits upon (Texas c
    Posts
    763
    Mentioned
    16 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Do you run your exhaust fans at all? I know, oddly enough, that running the maxxair during peak hours really helps suck out the high heat at times.

    Newly full timing in our 2021 Momentum 395MS-R with our tow pig being a 2021 F-450 KR

  10. #20
    Seasoned Camper J Maguire's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Phoenix
    Posts
    268
    Mentioned
    3 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Just returned from a 5 week trip through AZ, Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington State at the hottest period of weather with a similar rig. I recommend upgrading the 13.5k to the 15k... we had no problems with the heat having two 15k units. Cozy.
    2021 GD Reflection (150) 5th Wheel 268BH
    2019 F250 Gas 6.2L V8 FX4 Crew Cab
    PullRite 2100 20K Hitch w/ LOCKED OUT Turning Point
    2x Honda EU2200i Generators & 1UP Bike Rack & Roll-N-Lock Bed Cover
    Previous Setup:
    2017 Outdoors RV 23BHS
    2017 F150 Sport 3.5L V6 EcoBoost

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.