I notice the insulation value is better than my last camper

[lineman1234]

I just did my first 2 nights in my new to me 2020 Grand Design Reflections 273mk. From what i gather, it is rated r40 in sealing, r30 floor, and 9 walls, as well as it does have single pane windows.
My last 8 years of camper life, was living in it full time, 1 year working then 7 years of retired full timing.
The temps hear aren't the best yet so no water was in any tank, still winterized, but everything else good. Saturday nights low was 40f, and Sundays 38f, daytimes about 60. It will be below freezing a few nights before the end of the month. I wont be in the camper again till the end of the month. So best not to add water till then.
2 not overly big electric heaters only, and i was more than fine. The windows didnt leak cold air like the cheaper TT i had, the 5ver having a slide, vs my other camper did not, wasnt that bad to heat the extra space as well as the way bigger/higher sealings, and bathroom.
This thing is going to be full time home again at the end of the month to get back into full timing after a short break, this past winter.
The better insulation as well as the heated basement and tanks will be very nice.
So, more space to heat, but seems warmer and with less effort to do so. That is/was without temp insulation around the slide and in the vents as well as the skylights. All shades open, as the shades closed will help some what for cold dropping off the windows.

 

[JKellerJr]

I just did my first 2 nights in my new to me 2020 Grand Design Reflections 273mk. From what i gather, it is rated r40 in sealing, r30 floor, and 9 walls.

Be careful when it gets real cold. There are many holes it frame that will let in cold air that will freeze waterlines regardless of the heated basement

Just an FYI. Those r rating are so far off from reality, I don’t know how they get away with it. for an r40 roof it would need 14/15” of fiberglass. At best it’s 5 1/2 but I think it’s only 3 1/2. Fiberglass also loses r value as it get colder.

Not trying to be negative Nancy. Just be smart and attentive in the cold. Don’t fall for the marketing hype from the manufacturers

 

[lineman1234]

I spent the winter in Eastern PA, in my ( cheep ) forest river TT, from October to April 1st. At a campground that had 10 spots for winter people, all 10 were full. Every spot had a 100 gallon propane tank for it. I wanted to test the lifestyle before leaving and retiring. Electric was not metered, so there was NO having electric heaters or the hot water on electric. A dehumidifier is/was a must, that was ok to have.
With skirting, heated and wrapped water hose, hard plumed sewer, i never had one thing freeze up. I worked outside as i am a retired electric lineman, when i was home, i wanted to be warm. I never used all the propane in that tank i had topped off when i got to the sight.
I would rather not go into detail on what works for me for cold temp living in a camper. The one time i had the water freeze during the cold snap as we lost power in Texas, i should have just temp skirted, then took it off after, i dont think i would have gotten in trouble.. All shore water, was lost with power, so it isnt freezable to trickle the water from the fresh tank, like one would from the shore water to keep it from freezing.
This 273mk will be my 6th camper so far in life.
The 273mk is way better sealed and insulated than the other campers i have had. That is/was my point.

 

[lineman1234]

A little update.
I moved in last Friday to my new fulltime home. It is still cool up at the top left of MN, so was 34f this morning, and will be 32 for the low tonight.
This camper is great. Hardly any inside moisture, i havent had to use my dehumidifier yet. In the past TT i would have to at about 45 and colder.
2 1500 watt tower heaters, each on its own leg, L-1 and L-2 are working great. They dont run both all the time,or all the time. And im not even winterizing anything yet, as im still moving in and organizing. So the 2 roof vents arent plugged with the cover and nothing around the inside of the slide yet, it doesnt leak, but still a small cold area to put some blk pipe insulation in at some point.
I am still impressed with the fit and finish of this 2020 compared to my last rig/home of 8 years.
Even the windows are a lot better, even though still single pane, the cool dropping off at the bottom is nothing compared to the Forest River product.
The floors are of course warmer than the past TT, because of the basement, and actually some insulation.
Although the furnace is great. I dont use it wile plugged in, as its easier to use electric than go fill the tanks or even when a truck comes around the campground, have them filled. I like to keep tanks for emergency outages. Thats a natural thing for me to be a prepper. As my job as a lineman was to restore power quite often. The fresh water tank is always full in long stays, and emptied and refilled every so often to keep that part ready.
As of yet, the campground water still isnt on, as they wait till the frost is out and no chance of freezing the lines and pipes. Everything else is on. The 52 gallon fresh tank is working great. I think i had 30 or so gallons before with mentioned TT. The pump using the pump option is great to fill the fresh tank, but i cant gravity feed from my water bladder in the bed of my pickup like a normal style fresh water fill. I had to pump it into the tank.

 

[johndeerefarmer]

Be careful when it gets real cold. There are many holes it frame that will let in cold air that will freeze waterlines regardless of the heated basement

Just an FYI. Those r rating are so far off from reality, I don’t know how they get away with it. for an r40 roof it would need 14/15” of fiberglass. At best it’s 5 1/2 but I think it’s only 3 1/2. Fiberglass also loses r value as it get colder.

Not trying to be negative Nancy. Just be smart and attentive in the cold. Don’t fall for the marketing hype from the manufacturers

Yep, R values are a joke. They add that reflectix stuff and a little fiberglass and call it R40. My 29RS has about 3" of fiberglass so more like R15

 

[trailrydr]

Yep, R values are a joke. They add that reflectix stuff and a little fiberglass and call it R40. My 29RS has about 3" of fiberglass so more like R15

Especially when you can hear a conversation (in your trailer) going on in the trailer next to you.... wouldnt count on it keeping any heat/cold/conversation (or mouse fart) in very well!

 

[lineman1234]

Interesting. Nothing so far but negative and complaining......
...
I dont have to be/live in a camper, i choose to. I love it and overcome and adapt to the weather. Its not that hard.
...
I was happy with my bought new 2016 forest river TT for 8 years living only in it, and im very happy with this 2020 reflections 273mk.

 

[trailrydr]

Well, if we are talking about insulation... or the advertisement there of.. lets be clear, its a shoebox on wheels with hype on selling info.

Yes, I like my 295RL for a towable 5er trailer layout and size, but Im not drinking the "insulation selling" coolaide cause its not what I (knew or) bought it for... because none of them really do squat in that area that arent quality built w/"proper" insulation single/double wide mobile homes.

 

[lineman1234]

Im out, unless it drifts back to topic, of ( better than ). People that went from a lesser brand, to a better brand and noticed the differences.
...
I did, i posted it, and it derailed.

 

[RV2600RB]

Our 5th rv was a Cedar Creek fifth wheel.
It had the best insulation of the 6 RVs we’ve owned so far. Very warm in cold weather and very cool in hot weather. We couldn’t hear someone having a conversation right outside the bedroom.
35 ft, triple slide, six point auto leveling, miss that one but it was too much trailer for us.
Our current trailer seems adequately insulated so no complaints.
Rich

 

[goducks14]

There's absolutely no way you get R40 in the roof. Ever see how GD tapers the roof trusses down to almost nothing at the sidewalls. Having 5" in the center does nothing for getting an R40 roof value if the ends are only 1.5" thick.
I suggest to anyone with any RV (Except for a $$$$$ MH) to turn on a ceiling fan on a cool morning and go open a few drawers or take an access panel off. I'm pretty sure you'll feel cool air coming in. RV's are draft magnets.

 

[lorend]

Im out, unless it drifts back to topic, of ( better than ). People that went from a lesser brand, to a better brand and noticed the differences.
...
I did, i posted it, and it derailed.

This post did seem to turn into a negative bashing event in a hurry. Glad that you are happy with your 273. You did post some good information for some of us as to what you have done when in cold weather. I usually don't camp in cold weather, sub-freezing, but when in low 40 temps we have also ran small electric heaters. Not sure what the "real" r factor is but we were quite comfortable. I have a sticks and bricks for when winter sets in. lol.

 

[lineman1234]

Thanks for the positive inputs.
My hole reason for starting and still is, on this thread, was to share first hand of what i had, and now have. I was and still am, hopping others have noticed differences. Most would probably be in places with high heat stories, vs cold stories, and comparisons. Some may have downsized like one hear mentioned, and the change was not as good as the big rig they had, but still wanted/needed to downsize, and noticed the difference, but the new smaller camper was still nice.

I am still daily thankful that a friend of mine that doesn't mind facebook, as i dont like social media, he found this pole barn find for me. I was going to go new, till i looked at this camper, so i got a great deal and a great camper. This 2020 still smells new camper smell.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

We just took delivery of a 2024 and noticed the same. Also, several 2020 rigs in our camping group never got the under belly/underfloor insulation. Evidently our 2024 did.

 

[lineman1234]

Just for an experiment........ Could you look/ask those others if they have the sticker or a sticker, that sais 4 season, arctic pack or such a thing. That would be cool to see and put a wrinkle in the people that have a problem with that mentioned 4 season sticker, artic insulation to ease up on that bashing for ( some ) ha ha.

I took the panel off under my rear sink to gain 1/3 more of it for storage. I can see right to the bottom with a light. The white foam measures exactly 2 inches of just the foam, on the floor, and then add the linoleum on top of the sub floor then the bottom panel the foam is on. Quite impressive. Then i can see the rear grey sink gray tank, and some black mat type insulation on the under side bottom panel that encloses the under very well compared to my last rig.

Extra bonus, is, the rear panel area i removed had been vacuumed, not just had hole/s drilled and the wood and such left there like my last camper. The under belly, tank area, what i could see was very clean, so must be sealed fair to good, as the last owners needed to drive down a gravel road in and out a few miles to get to the highway from there place, so that sais its sealed fairly good. In my book.. This is a 2020 built in 2019.

 

[trailrydr]

Just for an experiment........ Could you look/ask those others if they have the sticker or a sticker, that sais 4 season, arctic pack or such a thing. That would be cool to see and put a wrinkle in the people that have a problem with that mentioned 4 season sticker, artic insulation to ease up on that bashing for ( some ) ha ha.

Had the sticker on my 2019.... the sticker itself probably doubled my side wall r value for about 4" square.....LOL! Happy trails.

 

[lineman1234]

My 4 season stickers were starting to peal around the edges, so i just pulled them off a few days ago.
Same with my lower kitchen table window with the fire escape sticker, it was almost off, so i took it off. Should be a no brainer, if one cant get out the door, and dont want to do the drop from the one in the upper bedroom that still has the sticker, the table window is the only one big enough to fit through, and a lot less to drop to the ground with.