Arctic Insulation

ST

Stevarino

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My 2021 Imagine 2500rl has a sticker on the outside of the entrance door that says " Artic Insulation, Four seasons protection." What does this mean exactly? Was this an option when new?
 
I live in the north. I assumed it was either an option or a requirement for units sold by GD in colder climates. Our dealer stated we could camp in sustained temperatures from 20 degrees up. We camp in the cold and it has gotten to high teens overnight and we haven't had a problem.

Here are the details from GD's site on the Imagine.
- Imagine’s design has been put to the test in extreme temperatures ranging from a frigid 15 degrees to a scorching 100 degrees. Third party extreme testing showed that the Imagine remained functional and achieved very comfortable temperatures.
- A high performance, high efficient furnace delivers maximum heating power throughout the entire unit.
- Heated and Enclosed Underbelly with Suspended Tanks
- Heated and Enclosed Dump Valves
- Designated Heat Duct to Subfloor
- Roof Attic Vent

One time I was camping in Wisconsin in the fall and the temps were getting down to the low 20's overnight. One morning I go outside and the camper next to me is leaking water out of his coroplast (not a GD). Obviously something froze and sprung a leak. I later learned that he moved from WI to FL and this was the 5th camper he had owned and never had a problem previously. The difference this time was he bought his camper in Florida, not Wisconsin. He noted that he never considered whether it was prepped for cold weather and he now assumed it was not.
 
It's marketing. If anyone at any of these manufacturing companies really believes they are putting R40 insulation anywhere on these units, they're swallowing way to much of their own marketing BS, which I guess is expected if you are in marketing (speaking from experience here). Many homes do not achieve R40 with attic insulation. If anyone thinks a poorly installed layer of insulation with a sheet of mylar is going to give that kind of insulation barrier, well then I guess you can believe just about anything.

Not blaming anyone new to RVing for believing they are getting what is advertised. But you have to apply the same rationale to anything marketing. Have you ever received a burger in the drive thru that looks like the photo? :)
 
Considering that Imagines have 1" foam walls it seems kinda silly to think it's rated for really cold temps. IMO between trying to keep the TT warm inside and trying to keep the pipes and tanks from freezing I'd never want to be in anything below 40* at night. Without dual pane windows you'll get a lot of condensation on the windows. For the most part at least on Imagines it total marketing. The pipes and tanks may be okay but the occupants will have to work the heat overtime to stay warm.
 
goducks14 said:
Considering that Imagines have 1" foam walls it seems kinda silly to think it's rated for really cold temps. IMO between trying to keep the TT warm inside and trying to keep the pipes and tanks from freezing I'd never want to be in anything below 40* at night. Without dual pane windows you'll get a lot of condensation on the windows. For the most part at least on Imagines it total marketing. The pipes and tanks may be okay but the occupants will have to work the heat overtime to stay warm.
Click to expand...

Well now, based on the holes I have cut in my Imagine, they are 2" walls, but that still doesn't make it cold weather ready. The doors are more than 1" thick so the walls cannot be 1". I also think nothing below 40 degrees is a bit extreme. I've been down to 15 before a water line froze after a few days. When temps got back into mid 20's the lines thawed. When temps remain in the 20's I've had no problem with frozen lines. But do agree that the furnace is working overtime and condensation is a real problem.
 
Riverbug said:
Well now, based on the holes I have cut in my Imagine, they are 2" walls, but that still doesn't make it cold weather ready. The doors are more than 1" thick so the walls cannot be 1". I also think nothing below 40 degrees is a bit extreme. I've been down to 15 before a water line froze after a few days. When temps got back into mid 20's the lines thawed. When temps remain in the 20's I've had no problem with frozen lines. But do agree that the furnace is working overtime and condensation is a real problem.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the misinfo. I was thinking XLS/Aim. Yeah 2" is pretty much industry standard till you hit higher price points.
 
goducks14 said:
Sorry for the misinfo. I was thinking XLS/Aim. Yeah 2" is pretty much industry standard till you hit higher price points.
Click to expand...

No problem, perhaps it is different for Aim trailers, but I can't imagine (ha!) and RV using 1" walls these days.
 
We camped at -9* once in the old Foretravel. Went through a lot of propane that night. That's part of the reason why we're leaving the trailer behind when we drive up to Nebraska for a funeral.
 
Riverbug said:
No problem, perhaps it is different for Aim trailers, but I can't imagine (ha!) and RV using 1" walls these days.
Click to expand...

Actually they do. GD Imagine Aim and XLS only have 1" of foam in the walls. So does the 150 and 100 series 5th wheels. If you look at the door trim on the inside you can see that the trim is tapered down to meet the wall. Walls are 1.5" overall. 1/4" on the outside and inside with 1" of foam in between. It's actually pretty common in lower end trailers.
It
 
Stevarino said:
My 2021 Imagine 2500rl has a sticker on the outside of the entrance door that says " Artic Insulation, Four seasons protection." What does this mean exactly? Was this an option when new?
Click to expand...
It means it will do well around the town of Arctic...... Alabama. LOL

Really it's just a marketing sticker. My 2021 Reflection is no better insulated than my 2005 Titanium.
 
I bought it but havent picked it up yet as it is still cold hear in very northern MN. 2020 reflections 273mk 5ver.
Said to have r40 in the roof/sealing, r30 in floor, and r9 in the walls. That said, true or not, it will still be wayyyyy, better than the 2017 forest river grey wolf 26bh it is replacing i had for 8 years and lived in full time. AND, yep that thing went downhill fast not the best built.
I spent the winter in it before retiring to test the lifestyle. The Bath PA, area so not even as close as very norther MN where i am and grew up, but still cold. There were 10 spots for winter, i had one. Each spot had a 100 gallon propane tank dropped off to fill and use. I never had a frozen anything. Skirted, waist/sewer were pvc piped, water hose heat tapped, wrapped with tinfoil then pipe insulation, never needed to let water run/drip, never froze. No need to get into all the ins and outs of fulltime set up, wintering, it would get to lengthy. Also, electric was not metered, so being caught with your hot water on electric, or an electric heater was an instant,,, your out.

That said, i only one time had anything on that thing freeze. That was when i was wintering in Texas a few years ago when things froze up, and lost power. The campground wouldnt allow skirting, and with the cold and high winds, my water froze right where it leaves the tank to come to the pump. Having no electric and no campground water, i was dry camping with generator to keep batteries toped off. If i was allowed to skirt, water wouldnt have frozen.

So,, i am looking forward to fulltiming in the new/used 273mk 5ver. Just having a way better underside covered let alone a heated basement, and on this unit, heated tanks, enclosed docking station. Will be a big improvement of the TT, for cold snaps.
The plan is/was to not get stuck in very cold in the winter, but it happens, not for long periods, but still happens.
 
I just had my "arctic insulated" 270 in 25F weather...yes, not terribly cold, but cold enough...it did fine. One exception though is the ceiling vent in the bedroom...that thing is just a heat escape route as is.

Are there some kind of plugs you can buy to put in the square hole to help stop the heat loss?
 
Mark_270BN said:
I just had my "arctic insulated" 270 in 25F weather...yes, not terribly cold, but cold enough...it did fine. One exception though is the ceiling vent in the bedroom...that thing is just a heat escape route as is.

Are there some kind of plugs you can buy to put in the square hole to help stop the heat loss?
Click to expand...

Yes - we have used these in both vents for years (during the hottest and coldest parts of the year):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0024E6QX0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Rob
 
I mentioned this in another thread, but our Imagine owners manual states the RV is not designed to be used in freezing or sub freezing environments without additional precautions being taken by the owner.
We’ve been around 45* and been okay. Not sure I’d want to go lower though.
Rich
 
Here is the "Artic Insulation" in my 2018 290 BH. Only a thin sheet of reflective film in the underliner. No actual insulation. You can see it pushed to the side while I was working on the water tank.
This pic is when I had to tear it apart to fix a water tank that dropped out, I added the extra supports under the tank, there were no supports at all before..
That's a whole other story. WATER TANK ANGLE IRON BRACED 1.jpgLOL.
 
Lv2gen said:
Here is the "Artic Insulation" in my 2018 290 BH. Only a thin sheet of reflective film in the underliner. No actual insulation. You can see it pushed to the side while I was working on the water tank.
This pic is when I had to tear it apart to fix a water tank that dropped out, I added the extra supports under the tank, there were no supports at all before..
That's a whole other story.View attachment 51049LOL.
Click to expand...

This is another clue that your 6 year old unit has had the underbelly opened up previously. And whover did it skipped putting the insulation back in it. Who knows what else was done....or not done.
 
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