Airstream too hot?

[CORockies]

Question for all of you. We set our thermostat for 55 degrees two nights in a row. The first morning it registered 69 degrees. Next morning it was 65 degrees. Any idea why the Airstream is so warm in the mornings? Neither of us can figure this one out. Thanks!

Zane and Diane

[J. Morgan]

Are you running the air conditioner?

If so, unless it is amazingly hot where you are, I cant imagine the AC not being able to get it cooler than that at night, and then not being able to hold the temps down until the sun is kinda high in the sky.



Superat stultitia.

[J. Morgan]

I see from your other post that you were using the furnace, not the A/C.

The reason for it being warm in the AM might be because of body heat plus the shinny aluminum skin of the trailer heats up like mad when the sun is bearing down on it.


Superat stultitia.

[xrvr]

If you are using ac they might be freezing up. That's a very low temp to expect the ac to reach.

[CORockies]

Sorry, should have stated that was the temperature setting for the furnance a night. Guess it could be the morning sun shining down on us plus body heat. We can't think of anything else. Thanks again!

Zane and Diane

[jdalrymple]

What was outdoor temp?


Regards,

JD

[cameront120]

Did you open the windows and vents to get some air circulation? Maybe you're just waking up to a humid, stuffy trailer.

[mfrez]

What is the outside temperature at night? Do you sleep with all your windows and vents closed? Leave at least the roof vents open and that should help.

[HowieE]

First question. Are you measuring the temperature at the thermostat or another location in the trailer? you can see significant difference from one point to another in the trailer. The heating system in a trailer is not the greatest as far a balancing is concerned. My trailer has at least 70% of the heat delivered to the living room, size and number of vents, while the thermostat is in the bedroom.

Second consideration. I would calibrate the thermostat on point against a digital or mercury thermometer. You may be surprised they don't use high quality units.

Third question. What was the outside temperature during the day? If it was above 75 the trailer may just not have cooled down. Did the heater ever come on during the night?

As far as body heat 2 people are only 1,000 watts and not enough to account for a 10 degree differential.

[CORockies]

We were looking at the temp on the thermostat. Plus, we could tell that it was warmer inside. It didn't have a bite to the air. The day temps were in the high 60's. No real humidity out here in the Rockies. At night it would dip into the high 30's.

Zane and Diane

[HowieE]

OK If the previous day temperature was only in the 60s and the trailer was not heated by that days sun shine to a point of being uncomfortable i have to assume there was a source of heat during the night. Do you recall hearing the heater come on during the night? If so I would assume the thermostat is way out of calibration. When you get up and find it warmer than you expect one test would be to turn the thermostat setting up just a degree or 2 from the 55 degree set point. If the heater comes on with that difference between the set point and the actual temperature the problem is the thermostat.

That was a common problem with the older mercury filled stats not being level on the wall but I don't think your stat is mercury filled.

[J. Morgan]

If it is hotter inside than out, either the trailer is retaining heat or converting sunlight or getting an input of other heat energy.

I say mostly body heat, supplemented by the morning sun.


Superat stultitia.

[NevadaGeo]

Originally Posted by CORockies

Sorry, should have stated that was the temperature setting for the furnance a night. Guess it could be the morning sun shining down on us plus body heat. We can't think of anything else. Thanks again!

Zane and Diane

20 questions, but how many hours after the sun came up is this "morning"?

[cameront120]

Remember that without the windows or vents being open, your bodies and breathing generate heat and moisture within a closed structure. If you aren't dissipating that heat and moisture, the trailer can become uncomfortably warm/humid/stuffy.

[HowieE]

Airstreams are thermal sieves. Made of aluminum inside and out there is few less effective materials, from a thermal consideration, they could have been made from. Just as you are willing to accept that they can be heated by the sun during the day you have to accept that they will loose heat during a night dropping into the 30s.

With 2 people and 2 electric heaters, about 3,500 watts, I can only hold my trailer to about 10 degrees above the outside temperature. When it is 17 degrees outside we get up fast and get dressed. You have to look for a heat source other than human. Try it one night without the heater turned on.

[CORockies]

The next time we get out we'll keep an eye on some of the things mentioned here. No doubt that there was some very good advice here. Thanks for all of it!

Zane and Diane

[Ray Eklund]

Boondocking School for Greenhorns... coming up soon.

There are routines for HOT, for COOL and for COLD. It is a learning process. The operating manuals do not give you this information.

We have an outside remote thermometer that the indoor unit reads both indoor and outside temperatures and humidity. Inexpensive and helpful.

There are ways to warm up fast in the mornings, or stay cool in the mornings by orientating your trailer. It is learned behavior, not inherited when you drive off the RV Lot. It takes some time, but you will get the hang of it.

Read some pointers on the Boondocking for Greenhorns under Boondocking. This has been covered many times on the Airforums. You must look around a bit. Next thing... you will be addicted to the Airforums and will never leave your home.

Stick around a few who know what is going on... and see you in the High Country some day. It is 109 F here in Las Vegas and will be down to 48 F in Gunnison, CO next week. Can you guess where we are heading tomorrow morning?