How hot does it get inside of your class B?

[rjf7g]

We are going camping next weekend in the B I have plugged it in to cool the fridge. The outside temps have been in the 80s and the temperature inside the camper the last few afternoons has been over 110ºF. Does this seem normal to you? I don't remember it being that hot inside in the past, but I may not have noticed it.

[Ron J. Moore]

Wow, that is hot. Did you have the Fantastic going? Also, if your going to campgrounds, and it is hot and probably humid, you might consider purchasing a Breeze Fan to supplement your ceiling fan. Ron

[rjf7g]

I opened the ceiling vent and back door and it cooled down to the 80s while we went out to dinner. I closed it back up for the evening, though.

[InterBlog]

In the deep south in summer, mine typically tops out at 105 to 107 -- but that's with vent running, windows open, etc.

It would go higher than that if I allowed it, by keeping the van un-shaded and un-ventilated. I've measured exterior skin temps as high as 146.

Heat is serious business in southeast Texas. I've done a number of improvements to combat it.

(1) Earlier this year, I added a reflective roof coating (blog post). It's not a magic bullet, but it does help. It's a bright white latex product called Bus Kote:



(2) I also sewed a side shroud with a reflective outer cover (blog post). It is held on when needed with neodymium dot magnets and looks like this (below). It was an inexpensive metallic fabric that I bought on clearance and you can see the imperfections in it (thread tension variability). The corresponding exterior windshield cover being a commercial product that I got probably from Sprinter Parts Depot.



(3) I also currently use Reflectix inner window coverings, except in the cab I use the Heat Shield commercially-fitted windshield and side window coverings. A few fellow B van owners in greater Houston have installed 3M Crystalline tint in the cab, but we haven't taken that plunge yet because that stuff is pricey - about $1,600 to do the cab windows alone (but reportedly it does work). Goes to show you just how desperate we are for heat control in this part of the country.

With respect to the interior window surfaces in the body of the van, I'm in the process of upgrading from Reflectix to DIY window covers that have Insul-Bright cores. That's a thermal fabric typically used in products like oven mitts and pot holders. The slider cover looks like this, held on with Velcro dots (it has a metallic overlay for style - the Insul-Bright is actually a white product that looks a bit like quilting stock):

[Phoebe3]

I think it's pretty easy for a closed vehicle to be 40 degrees F higher than outside ambient, sometimes more. I spent the last 30 years in the Mojave desert so have a little experience at trying to keep from burning my fingers on the ignition key.

The best thing to do is to provide shade on the outside of the van. Rack mounted solar panels are ideal since it's a two-for-one improvement.

Then, exterior window covers like InterBlog's are best, but if you live in the howling winds of the desert, might not always work.

We immediately bought a roll of mylar-coated bubble wrap from Home Depot, cut it with scissors into the window shapes, and placed it between the glass and window blinds. Works VERY well.

Reflectix 48 in. x 25 ft. Double Reflective Insulation-BP48025 - The Home Depot

I also used it to create insulated window covers for the front windows. I'll document that and post it at a later time.

[CGAZ Paul]

I live in the Arizona desert. Temps from July thru Sept are usually 106F to 113F on a regular basis, with overnights just below 100. During this time it is not the famous "dry heat" they talk about. We are in Monsoon at that period. I currently have a Rialta HD which is reasonably easy to cool (aluminum skin and roof in white). Better yet is my 1976 Silver Streak travel trailer which will stay cool in that heat until about noon. I did have a 2007 Itasca Navion. Even though I had an upgraded 15,000 btu AC I could not bring it lower than 86 degrees after 4 hours of running. Though it was nice-out it went. The Rialta is amazingly resilient but closed up, anything will turn into a roaster. Shade is an RV's best friend; especially out here. Saves the paint and interior as well.

[MsNomer]

Tyvek is available from Amazon for $4/yard without logo--plain white for making kites. Last year camped near Death Valley, I did some experimenting in my white Promaster self-build. Tyvek on the outside of all glass surfaces kept the interior at near ambient, which was about 100°F. Added benefit over Reflectix was that the interior was pleasantly light. In one experiment, I draped the Tyvek partially covering a window. Exposed glass clocked 135° on my laser thermometer. Covered glass was 102°.

[rjf7g]

Thanks for the info. I use Reflectix in the windows when we camp and I leave it up on the driver's side as it doesn't interfere with my view of things. Maybe I will put it back on the passenger's side once I park it.