Declaring war on Interstate summer heat gain

[TayaraTravel]

Originally Posted by wachuko

...

Did you ever installed the 3M Crystalline film on all of the glass?...

We installed it on front and side cab windows. Made a big subjective difference.

[Mcrid]

Originally Posted by wachuko

Did you ever installed the 3M Crystalline film on all of the glass?

An alternative: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ml#post1971361

[coasttocoast]

Here in "beautiful" atlanta, where it's 1000 degrees for 9 months of the year, I've tried several different things.

1. go north- this is the best solution; however, even 2000 miles north of atlanta in newfoundland in june, you're going to want a t-shirt and some sun screen. still, 75 in the daytime is better than 100.

2. 3m crystalline- nothing competes, period.

3. i have the dual laser version of the temperature sensor, and i pointed it at my white car and my black car on a hot sunny day. i only found a 7 degree difference.

4. i cut out some reflectix for my windows. this works pretty well in addition to the included airstream shades. for the front windshield, i put the reflectix on first. i also always put up the reflectix if i am parked, like for lunch somewhere.

5. take advantage of air movement. i run my fantastic fan when it's hot if parked.

6. i have 3 panels on the roof, and i'm thinking of adding another. i don't know if this contributes to the heat or not, but they do keep the systems operating during the day.

7. i tried putting some sound- and heat-deadening material in the overhead compartment, but i was only partially successful in getting my hands, and sticky, material through the overhead light opening. where i did get some material in, it is somewhat cooler. another bonus of opening this area is that you can wire-tie the endless amount of wire that airstream uses to connect the cameras thus quieting the ride.

8. in a hot climate, just run the ac, and also run the generator and ac while you're driving. if you prefer not to do this, try running it for about an hour prior to reaching your destination. this greatly cools down the coach.

9. wear loose fitting light weight clothes, and stay out of the sun.

on a similar note, i have a 1960's ranch house which i have thickly insulated including triple-pane windows. the house stays cool with 3 ac units running mostly non-stop. from june through august, my electric bills average about $550.00 monthly. my friends in upstate NY average less in their yearly energy expenses for a similar sized house. last "winter," we only had a handful of days where a long-sleeved shirt and a very light wind breaker wasn't enough to stay warm. if you are thinking of taking a trip to the south in the summer, i reccomend re-thinking that idea and coming from November through March.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by coasttocoast

Here in "beautiful" atlanta, where it's 1000 degrees for 9 months of the year...

...

LOL.... I'm from Nova Scotia originally, and I thought *I* was serious about heat reduction. You put me to shame.


Just this past Tuesday, we found yet another way to gain an additional measure of coolness in the Interstate: acquire a cabana that fits it like a glove and shields it from direct sun. I'm repeating this photograph below from the Interstate Lifestyle thread, but as we were debating whether or not to buy into this Airstream community, we sat in our rig at high noon and prepared lunch (Mexican pork and calabaza stew with brown rice and fruit). The air was not excessively hot owing to the time of year, but obviously the sky was speckless, the UV index was off the charts, and the sun intensity would have made such a move impractical in a bare exposed van. And we said to ourselves, "It IS rather pleasant that we can sit under here and not sweat to death as we are eating."

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Unfortunately, 3M Crystalline film (or any film, transparent or not) can only legally be applied to the top 5 inches of the windshield here in Louisiana. The windshield laws here were written in 1993, and never updated since. Looks like I get no relief from my greenhouse windshield…

I wish that was the law everywhere. Nothing is more dangerous that not being able to make eye contact with a driver. You need to know what their intentions are at intersections. I'm particularly conscious of this when I'm on my bicycle.

Here in NY they recently set a minimum level of light transmission for windows, at the request of police officials. Cops need to see what they may be getting into as they approach a vehicle.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

I wish that was the law everywhere. Nothing is more dangerous that not being able to make eye contact with a driver. You need to know what their intentions are at intersections. I'm particularly conscious of this when I'm on my bicycle.

Here in NY they recently set a minimum level of light transmission for windows, at the request of police officials. Cops need to see what they may be getting into as they approach a vehicle.

If you use the clear 3M Crystalline film, visibility, in or out, is not impacted. But the heat reduction is significant. So you can still see inside or out without problems. I too do not like it when they install darker tint in the windshield (for the comments you made) and I always go with the % legally permitted on the sides.

[sheakev]

Originally Posted by wachuko

If you use the clear 3M Crystalline film, visibility, in or out, is not impacted. But the heat reduction is significant. So you can still see inside or out without problems. I too do not like it when they install darker tint in the windshield (for the comments you made) and I always go with the % legally permitted on the sides.

I just got a 2017 AI last week (used with 9,000 miles). Driving it home over two very sunny days I noticed the heat (IR) coming in on the driver's side. I am considering the 3M Crystalline film for the front side windows to primarily knock out the UV and if I get some reduced heat gain that would be a bonus.
I don't want to lose visibility so I'm thinking their lightest tint. Is that being too conservative?

Does anyone tint the windshield, it seems the laws in most states only allow tint on the top which it all ready has.

[wachuko]

Even the 90% 3M Crystaline (almost clear) will cut down in heat a lot! That is what I have in the windshield of my X5.... so use that on the sides as well if you do not want higher tint on the sides.

[MISGM]

I recently installed the 3M 90% ceramic film on the driver/passenger side windows passenger, and my windshield. The result is just remarkable for seriously reducing heat transfer into the cockpit from sunlight.

I also added and recommend the installation of the self healing clear film on the frontal surfaces of the AI to resist paint chipping from road debris ( would really show on my black exterior paint). I actually have the film installed from the air dam up to the radion antenna.

[BurntAsphalt]

I've been thinking about getting the 3M crystalline film on the side windows. The lack of an authorized installer close by has been an issue. I'm hesitant to spend the big bucks on film for that massive windshield since it has been a rock magnet in the two years that we've had the bus. I've replaced one windshield and already have a ding in the new one.

[TayaraTravel]

We added the film to front (70%) and side (40%) cab windows. Does not decrease visibility to any troubling extent, though we rarely drive at night.

Cuts heat and glare substantially during the day. I rarely need sunglasses for driving now.

[InterBlog]

What are the odds of this??

A few days ago, I was driving out of our storage facility when I spied a middle-aged female in a storage bay a few buildings west of ours. She was working on her T1N-based Class B. I'm the ultimate buttinski and so of course I had to stop and converse. Her rig was a 2006 LTV, probably a Free Spirit, built on a 2005 Sprinter. She was preparing to swap out the original degraded polycarbonate headlights for new ones.

As we chatted, I took a brief look at the underside and was surprised to find a great deal of spray foam insulation under there. She said it had been applied because of the Canadian origins of the rig, and that she found it to be a big help in moderating the inside temperature.

Anyway, note to self to investigate this further in the future. I hadn't considered any form of insulation from below, as most of our problems in the south have to do with incident solar radiation from above. But it's potentially worth taking a closer look at what other T1N builders have done.

(Edit: She had also installed her own lithium system. For sure, not an ordinary Class B-er.)

[73shark]

Probably do the most good in the winter but still wouldn't hurt in the summer w/ the heat radiating up from the asphalt.

[rowiebowie]

I have an Avenue Suite and while probing behind Airstream’s beautiful cabinetry, have found insulation very hit & miss. Fiberglass batting and Reflectix (?) in many places, but just as many spots were skipped or hap-hazardly done. It’s as if Airstream gave their insulation department only half what they needed to do a thorough job, and told them to do the best they could.
I’ve done the best I could filling in the missing gaps and as soon as I foam the bare and hollow roof rails behind the microwave & fridge, I will install a fan to cool that area. As mentioned in another post, proper lower & upper venting for the nova cool 12/110v fridge was not on Airstream’s priority list.
I bought one of these 16/cfm fans https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a length of 1-1/4" ID flexible hose and wired it to a lighted wall switch I added. I routed the hose behind the wardrobe and out the panel above the rear tv using this 1-1/2" OD round vent cover https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The fan pushes a good amount of air, but of course, my mod changed the original ventilation path (if you can even call it that) I'm drilling a couple of 3-1/8" holes below the fridge in the cover to the Inverter/Fuses/Breakers/Battery Cut-Off and am considering closing off the microwave grill in an effort to pull air into the bottom and out the top. But probably not until I install a thermostat so I can leave the fan switched on.

[InterBlog]

It is two weeks shy of a year since I added the Bus Kote to the roof of our Interstate, so it's time to report back on how it is aging.

It has a very rough texture so it does tend to trap dirt. You can see that it's a little bit dull now, a bit blotchy, after a year and about 10,000 miles.

The good news is that the adhesion is still superb - that was the part I was worried about. I can always re-brighten the surface by overlaying an additional thin coat, which I will do today if the rain holds off. There's no evidence of product break-down or peeling, save for millimeter-sized shedding at the front and back seams where it meets the clear coat of the main body (it won't stick to clear coat).

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

I have an Avenue Suite and while probing behind Airstream’s beautiful cabinetry, have found insulation very hit & miss. Fiberglass batting and Reflectix (?) in many places, but just as many spots were skipped or hap-hazardly done. It’s as if Airstream gave their insulation department only half what they needed to do a thorough job, and told them to do the best they could.
I’ve done the best I could filling in the missing gaps and as soon as I foam the bare and hollow roof rails behind the microwave & fridge, I will install a fan to cool that area. As mentioned in another post, proper lower & upper venting for the nova cool 12/110v fridge was not on Airstream’s priority list.
I bought one of these 16/cfm fans https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a length of 1-1/4" ID flexible hose and wired it to a lighted wall switch I added. I routed the hose behind the wardrobe and out the panel above the rear tv using this 1-1/2" OD round vent cover https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The fan pushes a good amount of air, but of course, my mod changed the original ventilation path (if you can even call it that) I'm drilling a couple of 3-1/8" holes below the fridge in the cover to the Inverter/Fuses/Breakers/Battery Cut-Off and am considering closing off the microwave grill in an effort to pull air into the bottom and out the top. But probably not until I install a thermostat so I can leave the fan switched on.

Update on insulating behind the Microwave in my '2012 Avenue:

Hot, or at least Sunny weather is returning. Before, in the un-insulated frame channels behind the microwave, I got temperature readings as high as 121 degrees in direct sunlight. After foaming inside the hollow frame channels then adding reflectix, the highest reading I got on the next similar sunny day was only 100 degrees.

I'm very pleased with the 21 degree reduction. Now to install the fan (above) to vent that area, the 100 degree on/85 degree off thermostat https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1, on/off switch, and reinstall the microwave.

[rowiebowie]

Today I dropped my Avenue Suite (Chevy chassis) at my local tint shop for 3M Crystalline 90% install on both front cab windows. The tint is my finishing touch on my battle against heat. The fiberglass top on the Avenues is extremely well insulated right from the factory, but I couldn't say the same for wall insulation. I added behind cabinets where there was none, added Reflectix to side windows, a commercial brand windshield shades for the cab, and now tint. What a difference it all makes!

In the past, I've done things and paid for things that resulted in very little difference after all of it was done. But I'm happy to say my battle to curb heat has not been one of them. The steps I learned in this Forum for battling the harsh Texas sun have been well worth it.

We've already had a few hot days with highs in the low to mid 80's and full sun. Now, with the RV closed up tight (no running or even opening the Maxx Fan or a window), the hottest recorded temperature at countertop height has been 96.1 degrees. Sure beats my car which immediately gets to Easy Bake Oven temperatures after 10 minutes.

[InterBlog]

This comment is partly for T1N owners, partly for all Interstaters who are looking for ways to cut down on heat load.

On the Mods thread, I think it was, I groused about having a Velcro issue. That was the winner in that day's "First World Problems" competition.

This is the T1N comment:

Come to find out that Airstream did not optimize the installation of its Velcro dots for vertical loads.

With that observation, in my mind I can hear people replying, "Say what??!"

The rivets are holding on the slider door's solid-backed Velcro dots in random orientations. If you grab them with your fingers and rotate them, you might notice an immediate performance improvement in the Velcro, as the hooks get moved into a more responsive position (i.e., hooks-up). Those dots are tight to the door with Airstream's rivets, but if you try, you'll find that you CAN spin them.

That right there solved a lot of my Velcro nonperformance issues. Duh, who knew.

This is for all Interstate owners:

Last year I started experimenting with a fabric called Insul-bright. By this time, there is no doubt in my mind that I would insulate our entire van with it, if I could. Forget about Reflectix. Forget about denim insulation. Forget about Pink Panther. Forget about that other product the name of which I forget but which is very expensive. I would go with Insul-bright.

Yesterday I wanted to shoot temperature readings of the top of our slider (where my DIY Insul-bright window covering is) and the bottom of the slider, so that I could illustrate what I am talking about. Unfortunately I discovered that we temporarily misplaced our temp reading gun, so I'll have to do that later.

Anyway, regarding this Insul-bright slider window covering, it was my proto-type for proof of concept (initial blog post here). I wanted to verify that it would function optimally before I took the time to do over the entire set of van windows with it.

I'm glad I waited. First I had the Velcro issue which was partially solved above. Second, I've had an issue with this metallic outer fabric, which I like the best for coordination with the rest of the interior (the aluminum goodness). But the fabric is not as durable as it should be for this application. I went to Joann Fabrics yesterday and asked them about it. I said, "Every time I stick a pin in it, it wants to run." The clerk said, "Well, we just got a new metallic in stock recently, and that may be the reason why we switched." So I took home a few yards of that new fabric. My next prototype will be of that new stuff.

Third, I decided that I wanted to use the slider cover to help host my burgeoning collection of travel pins and patches, given that our refrigerator is already max'd out with such collectibles. That means the cover is going to be increasingly heavy and the original dots are insufficiently sized for that. So right now, I'm experimenting with supplemental adhesive Velcro strips (positioned hooks-up). The T1N window trim is black, so the additional strips are black-on-black and barely visible. Not an eyesore.

Anyway, here's a pic of that, and I'll post back when I get further down the Insul-bright road. Eventually I'll have Insul-bright covers for all windows. It's just a matter of optimizing their construction.

[InterBlog]

I feel compelled to cross-post this gem of a photo. It gets an A+ for originality.

This is not me. This is a poster on another forum who goes by the handle "classbbud". He used ten bucks worth of "space blankets" and clear packing tape to create this heat-rejecting enclosure for his van.

Despite all the other items already in my heat-war toolkit, I went ahead and ordered these blankets. It doesn't seem like it could be a lossy fall-back - for crying out loud, it's just ten bucks (Amazon: Leberna Emergency Foil Mylar Thermal Blankets 59 inches x 87 inches (Pack of 10) Double Sided Escape Tact Bivvy, Space Blankets Survival).

Even if I don't bake to death, there may be an unforeseen circumstance where some or all of them could come in handy. Attack of the tree sap or hoarde of crappy caterpillars, perhaps? Sudden volcanic eruption a la Mount St. Helens? Hail? I don't know. It's ten bucks!!

This is today's entry in the category of "I cannot un-see that..." The owner says this approach works surprisingly well.
LOL

[Hittenstiehl]

That photo is too much🕶