Insulation (or lack of)

[Jeff Watt]

I have recently returned from a 1.5 month trip to S. Texas and have a few observations which I hope will start some discussion and possibly some remedies.

The MH faced south in the park and as I don't have windshield covers, it was pretty hot up front. I also noticed the heat coming out of the compartment where the TV/audio units sit was really extremely hot. I am thinking that there must be minimal insulation in this area above the windshield between the cap and the cabinetry. Has anyone ventured to see what, if any is installed in that spot?

Secondly, the entry door does not seal well. I am not referring to the air seal (which I believe works), rather just the door seal when the MH is turned off. There is a definite airflow around the door. When parked overnight in the northern climates, it was cold; closed the stepcover but there was a lot of cold air coming in around the door. Any suggestions other than some weather stripping?

Third, cold air comes in under the passenger side sofa. I can see a bit of daylight and believe it is where the ram must push the slide out. Short term remedy was stuffing towels under the couch strategically. Long term?

All in all the MH worked well. On 90+F days another AC unit would have made it better although it wasn't totally unbearable - bedroom/bath areas were cool enough and by nighttime it was OK. I am thinking the filter in the front AC needs to be checked. Looks like a fun job dropping the ceiling to get at it.

Appreciate any thoughts and comments.

Jeff

[Gil_Johnson]

I have covers for all forward cabin windows.  They really help if facing south.  The AV equipment location makes little sense (IMHO).

The Sony DVD receiver is too long and therefore sticks beyond the enclosure.  This is how it was delivered from the factory.  There is an AC vent in the compartment, so if the AC is running it helps.  My remedy was to move the AV equipment to the cabinet over the mid coach TV.  My coach has a 40" TV mid coach facing forward with plenty of room for equipment.

I can't say you have the same ventilation source I do.  On my coach I recently found a fairly large area behind the carpet on the aft side of the entry stairwell that the carpet was the only thing between the inside and outside.  It does let some air through, as would be expected.

I have 3 AC units, 2 15K BTU units and 1 13.5K BTU unit.  I seldom use the smaller one in the middle.  I can say that when the forward unit failed last year the middle one was worthless in cooling the forward cabin, even with supplemented with a fan.  At the time of the failure it was pretty warm, 90+ degrees and humidity at 90+%.

Gil
08 Contessa

[Joel Ashley]

The 2007 Redmond FMCA rally was our first, and 100+F weather was the norm each day.  A California company had a booth there, and for just the price of materials I had them install front window covers, and a couple window awnings, which they did at our parking spot while we were enjoying the rally elsewhere.  They did a super job and the covers are high quality and fit perfectly, and they had samples of a dozen or more colors to choose from.  Nearly 5 years later the material still looks like new, goes on and off as easily as ever, and uses swivel clasps instead of the confounded snaps.  The deal included entry and driver's side window covers, as well as windshield wiper covers to protect the rubber from the sun, and a long narrow, simple soft nylon case for storing the covers that you can just toss in the side of a bay when loaded or lay or fold empty anywhere.

I can truly say that the covers make a HUGE difference in interior temperature, especially where our coach is stored with the windshield facing south.  The cover won't protect the front cap top, of course, so solar heat will still permeate into the A/V area, but the ambient temperature in the coach overall is vastly reduced, which certainly must affect the A/V situation.  Some have been known to put computer cooling fans in the upper compartments, and dusting the components regularly helps, but adequate vents in the woodwork out of the factory would've been nice.

As to the air leaks, BCS did some tweaking to our door seals when the coach was new, which helped, but the door surround is an inherently cool area.  Occasionally I see daylight around the slide corners when they are extended, and BCS did improve that situation a bit when new, but if I go outside and mess with the rubber where the seals meet in the offending corner, it is fixed, albeit temporarily;  at least the draft is stopped in the winter, and the no-see-ums are stymied in the summer.  I'm not sure there is a permanent fix since the seals have to remain flexible to fall into the correct position open and also closed; it requires some experienced fine tuning to achieve both consistently.  If your gaps are in other than corners, perhaps your slideout needs an overall alignment check, or the seals are actually damaged or detached in some way.

Joel

[william thorup]

Jeff...I think you are refering to heat coming thru the exterior skin of the coach behind the forward AV unit, not from the unit itself.  In my coach there is very little insulation compared to my previous coach which was custom built for Northern climate.  On cold days you can see where the frames are from the moisture on the outside. To help with interior heat, caused by the sun, I have tinted all the windows, of course with exception of the windshield, with regular window tint.  I have also followed trough with matching graphics on all the windows.  It has made the interior of the coach a little darker but I feel the reduction in interior temperature on hot days is well worth it.  I also replaced all the halogen bulbs with LEDs...that made a big differnce in heat from the old bulbs.  The halogen bulb near the thermostat would keep the air running all the time.  That no longer happens.  Gil, I wonder if you have the same problem?

Bill
2008 Contessa Westport 42'

[Gil_Johnson]

Bill,

I have two problems with where the forward thermostat is located.  One being the proximity to the halogen bulb.  The other and more significant issue is its proximity to the window.  If the sun is on that side of the coach and the side awning is not out it stays hot there, even with the shades pulled.  I know it's a challenge to find an ideal location for a thermostat, but surely they could have found a better location.

So, you have dimmable LEDs?  Which ones did you buy and are you satisified?

Matching graphics on your side windows...that must look great.  On my do to list is to tint the side windows.

Gil

[Jeff Watt]

Thanks Bill.

No argument from me that the placement of the equipment is less than desirable from a heat perspective. I guess if the older Sharp TV was changed to a new one, then the large tuner unit can be eliminated from the space.

I didn't explain the situation sufficiently. It isn't heat from the electronics (although they get hot even when not in use), rather because an area has been cut into the thin wood in the back of the cabinet by the PO for his sat receiver, there is a now a path for the heat to enter into the cabin. Also if you can tell, the Sony AV unit is so large that it needs the cut out space in order for the wiring/cables to be inserted in the back of the Sony unit. Don't have an AC vent into the area.

My front thermostat is not in too bad a spot. The lights near it are never on and it is placed high enough that sun doesn't get on it.

There is some bat insulation above the area, but in front there seems to be metal and not much else. I need to pull the Sony unit out and have a look behind it. May think about moving it, but really no where else it can go easily; any deep cabinets are in the slides.

Jeff
ps. I removed my sat receiver to be able to see the cutout. It too needs the space.

[Jeff Watt]

Joel, and others:

The passenger slide fits well and the seals are good all around it. I think the air is coming in from the ram area - shown in photos. Hope you can see what I am referring to.

Jeff

[Joel Ashley]

Forgive me, Jeff.  You did explain that the suspect was the ram, but that didn't adhere to my brain.  I guess because our slideout has a full panel across the underside, up higher and with no cutout as in your photos, and the ram is below the panel.

As I look at your photo, I have to ask could a fitted sheet of metal, aluminum or galvanized, be fastened atop that cutout, screwed from beneath with sheet metal screws, to stymie air flow and without the sheet or screw tips or heads getting snagged or tearing up a seal during slide operation?  A thin cushion of foam or other material could be sandwiched between.  If screws would snag somewhere, perhaps velcro would offer sheet removability for ram access as well as a weatherstripping effect.  All you'd need are tinsnips, and screwdriver and screws or a box of Velcro.

There already appears to be some wear along the cutout edges, implying extra care needed with any alteration.

Joel

[Bill Sprague]

Your pictures of the electronics cabinet look exactly like mine.  When our motorhome was new, the Sony system failed quickly.  I whined hard at Beaver.  Under warranty, they replaced the door with a louvered door.  Then I added some half inch Home Depot Styrofoam to the top of the cabinet with double sided tape.  I've also added a "muffin" fan that I can turn on when it is really hot.  Now, the temperatures stay low enough that the electronics are surviving.  Next step for me is replacing the SD Sharp with an HD version that will reduce what's in the cabinet.  

[william thorup]

Gil

[william thorup]

Gil....these pictures show what the graphics look like....preparing to go to Sun n Fun Airshow so have taken the coach out of the hanger

Bill

[william thorup]

Gil...this is the G4 bulb I replaced the halogens with...plenty of light and they will dim.  I did snip a little of the pins to make it easier to insert them.  I bought them on line and if I remember right they were about $3.00 apiece.  I have the box but unfortunately all the print is in Chinese.

Bill
2008 Contessa Westport 42

[Gil_Johnson]

Bill,

Our coaches are identical except for the window graphics and that your coach lives in a better home.  The graphics look great!  Also, thanks for the LED info.

Gilding

[Jeff Watt]

Been asleep at the wheel here and have missed the discussion. Thanks for the replies. The placement of the electronics in the front really seems to be a bad placement, but in my MH there is no where else to put them (easily). I have some P2000 insulation 5/8" thick that I can place above in the cut out area which hopefully will reduce the heat entering through the modified, i.e. cut out, enclosure.

I have been looking at windshield/window covers and finding there are a number of suppliers. I thought about the interior ones, but am thinking that outside probably provides more heat protection. Granted the interior ones are convenient and won't get dirty, etc., albeit for a price. The MCD motorized ones are likely a pain to install - any thoughts?

What have members found to be good or not good covers?

Jeff