Is an Airstream a summer oven?

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by bill benton

In 1991 was when my Airstream was built. I think somebody at the factory was on something when they decided to offer a 34' trailer with a 13,000 BTU AC. I don't know if anyone thought that some people lived in the south. I know a second unit was a option.

Yep after a bad experience with the 13.5 BTU AC in my '01 27' Safari on its first trip (100 degrees full sun outside, 86 inside), I soon learned that white roof or not, aluminum trailers do not reflect the sun very well. Now putting that AC unit on a 34' trailer is a case in futility. I've been in enough 34' units in the summer to know that its a lost cause.

So when I bought my '04 30' Classic, I opted for the biggest AC unit available which was the 15K Penguin. I've never regretted that choice.

Jack

[Boondocker]

I wonder if polishing lowers the temperature as well? I know it sure does look cooler

[wheel interested]

This might be an oddball idea but has anyone or is it feasable to add insulation over the interior of an Airstream? Perhaps a double wall??and/or storm windows?? If anyone has any ideas, practical or not, I'd sure like to hear them.

[crazylev]

The real solution is one of these bad boys.....

[wheel interested]

Originally Posted by crazylev

The real solution is one of these bad boys.....

Love it Lev, has real appeal for hunting trips and beverage of choice too. Should those be mixed?

Seriously that is along the lines of the bed bumper strips so not totally out of the question. How about a special party unit with neon beer signs and a composite quilt of all the beer label can holders.

EDIT actually looking back I think that is not a beverage holder in your graphic. Don't get old Lev the eyes are the first to go!!!

[cars7070]

My cat Albie almost died in a 2013 AS in Kentucky on a 95 degree day,the air was on and working good,the trailer was out in direct sunlight no shade and we were gone all day until late afternoon...my cat made it the AS was not so lucky I sold it and bought an open range fifth wheel with dual air,loved the AS but she was an oven...

[jcanavera]

Originally Posted by cars7070

My cat Albie almost died in a 2013 AS in Kentucky on a 95 degree day,the air was on and working good,the trailer was out in direct sunlight no shade and we were gone all day until late afternoon...my cat made it the AS was not so lucky I sold it and bought an open range fifth wheel with dual air,loved the AS but she was an oven...

I'm assuming you had some type of a/c or electrical failure. Any trailer closed up with no cooling will turn into a trailer of any brand into an oven. You may have had a temporary power failure while you were gone which may have been long enough to heat the trailer, and when the power came back on, the trailer hadn't recovered.

Even though I felt my 13.5 unit in my Safari was undersized, sitting in 104 degree full sun situations, my inside temps weren't life threatening for my dogs.

I do keep my Fantastic Fans set to open up and come on in case inside temps rise above a safe level as a safety. If the weather is really hot, we won't leave the dogs in the trailer if we have to head out for an extended period of time.


Jack

[Kirti]

Hi,
I have spent some time studying thermal dynamics and metal, though a very poor insulator is an excellent conductor of thermal conditions, that is heat or cold.
I live in az and the best we can do is make sure none of the metal is in the sun cause if so then yes it is an oven. If instead of an awning merely over the side we cover the whole trailer then the difference is incredible, something like 50 degrees cooler or so when shaded. I'm working on an easy to use awning to use on my airstreams now! I have three, so I'll post a pic if, when I complete it, but I've much to do first.
Anyway find some shade in the summer and sun in winter. so nice to have wheels on our houses no?

[Phoenix]

Hmmmm... Must be a function of the surface area exposed to direct sunlight, outside ambient temperature, the size of the RV air conditioner, and the inside volume of air being cooled. Our 19' Bambi has never had problems cooling down, even in 110+ degree heat.

Last summer when our home heat pump was dying, we spent a couple of days in our Bambi in late June and again in mid-September, waiting for the air conditioning repair tech to come. On both occasions, the daytime highs were 105-110 degrees; and the air conditioner in our Bambi never had any problems cooling it down to around 75 degrees. However, we do NOT have panoramic windows, and we cover the side windows and ceiling vents with auto shade screens.

Since 2005 (when we bought our Bambi), there have been several occasions when we stayed in our Bambi instead of imposing on relatives and neighbors when we had problems.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Hmmmm... Must be a function of the surface area exposed to direct sunlight, outside ambient temperature, the size of the RV air conditioner, and the inside volume of air being cooled. Our 19' Bambi has never had problems cooling down, even in 110+ degree heat.

Same with our 22' Safari Sport and it can cool down in less tha 10 minutes.

[prairieschooner]

Has anyone done tests re; Polished vs Not Polished?

[dwightdi]

Many people have tested the unpainted aluminum roofs vs painting them white. All the new trailer use white roofs because the factory confirmed the benefit. WBCCI did not offer 30 amp service at the Internationals when I started 20 years ago. In Rapid City in 1996 it was 104 degrees inside and outside. We used fans to keep it that low. The next year I painted my 1977 31 footer roof white. It helped about 10 degrees cooler. I would think polishing would help a little. All solar collector reflectors are polished for a reason. I have seen polished Airstream "door within a door" concentrate the sunlight enough to melt the polypropylene outdoor rug. If the light is not reflected, but diffused and absorbed by the surface, the surface temperature will rise.

[m.hony]

I think an Airstream could be hot in the summer, but-
I have a 50 amp trailer with 2 air conditioners, a white roof, and awnings all the way around.
I have also cut Reflectix for every window and sky light.
We're OK in zero shade and 105 heat index.

[cwf]

I know a guy here in Central Texas who has 2 of the 15k units on his 23' !

He says... "It's adequate".. He works from the AS year round when not traveling to Asia for business.

So, I guess it al depends on what YOUR comfort quotient is.

I added a 15k to our 34' because one AC didn't cut it.. Even at night!