Too hot? How about misting the roof?

[JCWDCW]

Misting works..rmkrum however raise some interesting issues. I don't think misting water on the roof will increase chances of a leak given the trailer probably goes through some massive storm action from time to time. Other points seem valid to me
JCW

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by alphamale49

Are their any portable air conditioners that don't require porting to the outside? If you could use one that needed porting, how would you do that? I say 'could' because the other issue is the limit of 30 amps. The total of the two would have to be less and you would not use the TV or microwave, water heater and reefer on propane. Thanks.

You have to have somewhere for the extracted heat to go, Air conditioning does not add cool to the air, it removes heat.

[ITSNO60]

J.Morgan that is a nice setup. Where abouts in NM is your base camp? We travel to Northern NM twice a year, Las Vegas/Santa Fe areas. Camped in Cleveland last summer which is just North of Mora on the road up to Dixon. My family has a lot of history there dating back to the 1500s

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

You have to have somewhere for the extracted heat to go, Air conditioning does not add cool to the air, it removes heat.

If you can share the shower a roll around unit will definitely fit in there and vent thru the ceiling fan. Advantage is leave it home spring and fall.... Again, if yours is a 30 amp trailer, use a heavy duty extension cord and plug into 20 amp breaker.

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

.. Again, if yours is a 30 amp trailer, use a heavy duty extension cord and plug into 20 amp breaker.

I have heard a lot of people recommend this but I really wonder how many 30 amp pedestals actually have more than 30 amps ran to them.

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by cazual6

What if there is a water softener?

A water softener uses an ion-exchange resin to swap calcium ions for sodium ions. It would probably reduce the more-or-less permanent mineral deposits from calcium, but would leave sodium deposits behind--which are easier to get off.

But consider that a sodium-bearing solution is probably corrosive to aluminum as well. I'm not enough of a chemist to be sure on this...anyone?

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

J.Morgan that is a nice setup. Where abouts in NM is your base camp? We travel to Northern NM twice a year, Las Vegas/Santa Fe areas. Camped in Cleveland last summer which is just North of Mora on the road up to Dixon. My family has a lot of history there dating back to the 1500s

Thank You! It was necessary because of the heat! We stay in Las Cruces, NM. for about half the year in two or three different trips.

I keep wanting to take a trip up to beautiful northern New Mexico, but I haven’t found the time yet. Soon!

Kinda on the flip side of you spending time in New Mexico, we spend a lot of time in Cochise County and Bisbee. (I’m a native Arizonan)

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

Thank You! It was necessary because of the heat! We stay in Las Cruces, NM. for about half the year in two or three different trips.

I keep wanting to take a trip up to beautiful northern New Mexico, but I haven’t found the time yet. Soon!

Kinda on the flip side of you spending time in New Mexico, we spend a lot of time in Cochise County and Bisbee. (I’m a native Arizonan)

My wife's family is from Cochise County, her great grandparents settled out there in the early days and became successful ranchers. My wife was born in Windslow and later they moved back to Cochise County and settled in Douglas.

I need to spend more time in Las Cruces, I have a cousin there, actually cousins all over NM.

If you spend any time up North you won't want to leave. Last July in Cleveland we stayed at a little RV park for $20 a day. AC during the day when the sun was out and furnace at night. Sipapu, Angel Fire, Taos. A very nice day trip is The High Road to Taos. Dixon is wonderful. There is a Presbyterian day school there that my grandmother taught at in 1921, I have the letter she sent home to Illinois that she wrote on New Years Eve, 1921.

Great Grandparents are buried up in the old Chacon cemetery at 9,000 feet, you cannot find it unless someone shows it to you....overgrown with trees and brush on a barely passable dirt lane. The church they founded in 1879 still stands and Sunday service is given by my 3rd cousin. The mission school in Chacon still stands across from the church and is now a memorial. Standing out there all you can hear is the wind and birds, and an occasional vehicle rumbling down the dirt road. I could go on forever.....can't wait to get back there.

[WayneG]

Yesterday I did a MacGuyver to test out the misting on the roof. Temps only got up to the low 80's but with all the windows,door, and vents closed I got it up to about 95 in the cabin, and over 120 on the outside skin. I turned on the misting water and although the wind was not helping, it was hitting the skin.
Unfortunately, all it would do for indoor temp was to keep it from rising any higher than 95 after an hour.
This was a half-assed test and I will try again today when it is suppose to be closer to 90.
So far, I dont think I have enough nozzles and I think they were too high and the wind allowed a lot of the mist to go elsewhere. Note in the photo that the back of the MH is wet. That is because the tree shades the rear end. Mist over the unshaded part never left the roof wet at all.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

I have heard a lot of people recommend this but I really wonder how many 30 amp pedestals actually have more than 30 amps ran to them.

These days most pedestals in my area have a 50, 30, and 20 amp outlet. If there are separate breakers seems like there would be enough juice for all to be in service at once. I could be wrong, but dozens of campers where I usually stay are charging electric golf carts on the 20 amp while running a/c on the 30 or 50. I am not even close to being a pseudo expert on electricity, so chime in if I have beans for brains.

Paula

[Shacksman]

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

I have heard a lot of people recommend this but I really wonder how many 30 amp pedestals actually have more than 30 amps ran to them.

To have more then 30 amps there would have to be a bigger amp breaker in the electric panel, and the wiring would have to be sized for the higher rating.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by Shacksman

To have more then 30 amps there would have to be a bigger amp breaker in the electric panel, and the wiring would have to be sized for the higher rating.

I just talked to one of the work campers at Indian Cove VB, VA who told me that the master panels had 75 amp breakers

[HowieE]

The fact that the panel has 75 amp breakers dosen’T tell you anything other than what they have fused the wire for. That is a function of wire size and length not what the recepticle at the end is fused for.

The total fused draw at the all the sites will be greater than the total at the panel.

Now that said I have camped at a park with all new electrical services that with 100% occupancy on a hot weekend had less tha 105 volts at my site. I asked the owner and he said it was all new and up to code. I said I will not be back until cooler weather lest I wanted to burn up my air conditioner.

Carry a volt meter or better yet have one installed.

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by HowieE

The fact that the panel has 75 amp breakers dosen’T tell you anything other than what they have fused the wire for. That is a function of wire size and length not what the recepticle at the end is fused for.

The total fused draw at the all the sites will be greater than the total at the panel.

Now that said I have camped at a park with all new electrical services that with 100% occupancy on a hot weekend had less tha 105 volts at my site. I asked the owner and he said it was all new and up to code. I said I will not be back until cooler weather lest I wanted to burn up my air conditioner.

Carry a volt meter or better yet have one installed.

No matter what size conductors they ran it could be a matter of the utility being unable to supply enough during peak demand. I have seen the local utility here run a dozen houses from a 50K pole mount. Unfortunately code does not enforce voltage drop, it is only mentioned in the fine print notes as a recommendation however enforcement is up to the local jurisdiction. I for one have never seen it enforced or even reviewed. Not to mention utilities are not subject to NEC enforcement to begin with, they are under the jurisdiction of the NESC.

I am sure this is more information than you really wanted to know

[HowieE]

Back to the original question of cooling the rig by spraying the roof.
The factor that has been left out of the equation so far is time.
People tend to forget that heat transfer through structures is not as quick as through glass. You can stop heat gain through a window by just covering the outside, not the inside as most do in parking lots, of the window. However with a structure there is a time delay depending on the makeup of the structure. If you don't start your reduction system, spraying the roof, when heat is first applied you in a catch up game from the start.


I thought I had posted this before but can't find it. If the interior of the rig is so hot as to cause the AC system t shut down do to high head pressure you can spray the condenser coils directly to reduce the head pressure and allow the AC unit to bring the interior temperature down to a point that the AC will remain on. Then depending on the capacity of your AC will determine if the AC will be able to reach the set point.

[gr.austin]

First of all the utilities are under a +/- 10% in Supply voltage. That is the utility company will maintain 108 minimum and 132 maximum volts. The Cycles are also +/- 10% except the cycles for the day are counted every last one of them and then at midnight the cycles are adjusted to the exact required count for the day. This makes sure your electric clocks are all in time.


Your A/C Compressor is designed to operate at +10% and -15% or 102Volts. What generally kills the compressor is the starting because the voltage drop in the wire is too high and the volts at the compressor during starting can go down to less than 90. The low voltage did not kill the compressor. The thermal overload trips and resets. After several failed starts the thermal overload fails to reset and the system is dead. Replace the thermal overload and you are good to go. Except the thermal overload is built into the compressor housing and inaccessible on most compressor but not all. But, because you are relying on the utility company to hold to their end of this bargain and are not monitoring the incoming volts that is why we buy Surge Suppression Equipment to alert us to faulty power and disconnect us from out of spec power.


Happy Streaming



Happy Streaming

[J. Morgan]

Oh the joys of having a 1972 air conditioner designed for 110 volts. I never worry about voltage drop much even with my 115 foot run from the outlet in my summer parking spot.

[JDArmstrong]

I agree with others that indicate mineral deposits on the skin of your RV would accumulate and possiblly damage the surface. Also, why subject your RV to potential leaks.


It may be better to shield your Airstream from direct sun by an awning or other cover. It's better to stop the heat buildup before it even reaches the RV. If an awning or cover isn't available,seek a nice shade tree.

[64GlobeTrotter]

I have to ask - have you cleaned BOTH the inner and outer heat ex-changers. I recently cleaned them on my trailer and it made a world of difference.

The inner ex-changer was half clogged with dust & lint. I was able to remove most if it with a toothbrush and compressed air. Getting to the ex-changer can be a challenge requiring some disassembly.

The outer ex-changer I blew out with compressed air, being careful not to damage the delicate fins.

[J. Morgan]

It’s 99 outside on the way to 102, its a comfortable 76 inside my Airstream with its one ancient air conditioner performing dutifully... experience tells me that the inside temp will probably hold within a degree or two until the sun sets.