cold draft from desk area-3400

[DarMar]

On our 1st run this spring we ran into a cold night being about 17F and a bit of wind. I found while sitting at the desk of the 3400 the cold radiating from under the desk to be quite uncomfortable. Compared to any of the other slides the temp difference was substantial and I was unable to locate a real draft so to speak. My question is are all the 3400 models like this and if so what might be done to correct this problem. I did notice as we were leaving the campground a fellow camper had an insulated type of blanket wrapped around the extended faces of his main slide.

[Fire5er]

Is your telephone jack outlet located there? If so they are not very airtight. May have been the cause.

[Exnavydiver]

That seems to be the spot they put the sub-woofer. If you take out the panel under the desk you will see a whole bundle of cables running behind the sub-woofer and going through the end of the slide through a hole in the end slide. I just stuffed a few rags into that hole around the cables and that seemed to stop most of the area... Dave

[swanny]

If you have a fireplace pull it out and check behind it. when I had mine out to check all the connections I found a big hole cut in the paneling. (8"x8") Why??????? anyway a lot of outside air was coming in. Filled with insulation and covered with dryer vent tape.

[richfaa]

Darwin.....You mean you were not "warm and Toasty"??We had the same experience on a "chilly" day in Florida. There are drafts in every slide. Put your hands on the walls. Go barefoot on the slides. We did a post on warm and toasty this winter. With a moderate wind paper blew off the counter top. The main slide should have been even worse. It is a RV thing...The slides stick out there with little insulation and wind /cold does get through the seals.. These campers do have one major thing that will correct the problem....WHEELS.. We keep moving.

[DarMar]

Exactly Rich, we were not warm and toasty at all while sitting at the desk in particular. The rest of the slides don't seem as bad as long as one is dressed for the weather accordingly.
As Karl, Dave and Kevin have indicated I will search further all the areas under the desk and behind the fireplace to see if I can add some insulation factor somewhere.

[richfaa]

I know some folks will say don't do it but try to plug up some of those large holes in the underbelly like around the springs and shackles.
We just gave up on trying to plug all the holes and try to stay in warm weather. That desk area is the main offender. We measured the temp on the floor in front of the sofa.With the outside temp and 45%, the inside temp set at 70, the floor temp was 60 as was the temp of the wall under the window.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

DARN, here I thought you added a keg & tap to the desk. I was all set for a TALL COLD ONE. DARN DARN DARN

[JimF]

We have an 07 3400 and a fulltime, have been in really cold blowing weather and have not really experienced any of the cold in the desk area. The only air leak we have had was on the floor at the corner where the slide wall meets the floor. Under the carpet you could see a small rubber gasket that is "supposed" to cover a large hole where the slide meets the floor and wall. I put a small bit of insulation in that area, then checked all the other slide corners and insulated them. Set the temp on 66 and we stay quite toasty. We see perodic posts on the subject but have been real lucky I guess.
We don't have the phoney panel in front of the sub-woofer in this mdel.

[richfaa]

Like we stated before. We did not get the warm and toasty package. Did not notice it on the option package.

[Dean A Van Peursem]

Under the computer desk on our late 2006 3400RL is very cold. Even in AZ in the winter. Had to resort to a portable heater under the desk to keep my feet warm. Have not been able to find a fixable leak anywhere. Have come to the conclusion that is is just poor insulation on that slide. Haven't noticed the problem as much on the other slides. We didn't notice or purchase the "Warm and Toasty" option on the 3400RL equipment list either. Apparently the Arctic Option didn't get included on the entertainment slide. AZ temps aren't all that bad. I don't think it would be bearable in really cold weather. Sum Ting Wong!

[nunya]

I don`t get it either! I even put 6" batt insulation under the floor and had full skirt on during the winter and that slide still gets cold and we have double pane windows as well. Always cooler for whatever reason, even as we chat and its 51 out now here in Moab! No skirt or insulation needed here! YEAH

[richfaa]

Oh.. We did purchase one of those skirts that go around the nose of the 3400 while in Florida this winter. It did make a big difference in the cold air flowing out of the front closet. It was funny watching Helen warm her clothing over a space heater before putting them on. It does not get that cold in South Central Florida. Had a few mornings in the 40"s. Now we have never been in really cold weather in this 3400 and we never intend to and what we have experienced in 40's and 50's re-enforces that statement.We do have wheels on this thing and we do use them.

[stiles watson]

On our 340 Big Sky, there is a 1/2" gap between the top of the back panel and the bottom of the desk. To stop drafts in that area, we plugged the gap.

When I removed the fireplace, I saw that big hole in the back of the cavity. Before I cover it up, I want to know why it is there.

When I took the fireplace out, I found where it is plugged in. The 110V plug is behind the bottom file drawer. I used the other plug to add a small surge protected strip under the desk. I ran the wire through the holes for woofer wiring and over the top of the removable panel under the desk. then I attached the strip to the side wall with heavy duty Velcro. It makes it easier to use electrical equipment at the desk.

[chas]

My mountaineer has the same problem , put 3/8 foam insulation on the wall behind the desk drawers and it dident seem to have any effect
had to put a small heater at my feet .

[DarMar]

Sounds like this is a common problem and of course ANOTHER electric heater might be the only solution. I have since had the fireplace out and found that same large hole and large space behind which I promptly filled with insulation. Our 3400 does not have the sub under the desk so I can't see a hole or gap anywhere. I am still wondering about that insulated blanket that wraps around the extended part of the slides on the outside, but of course that won't help with the floor/underneath area. Guess I will have to crawl under there yet again just to see what's up.

[richfaa]

The folks behind us in Florida had a Mobile suites and had the same problem. Those slides just do not have the insulation....or.....none of us got the warm and toasty package.....

[stiles watson]

You may not stop the cold that radiates through the floor, but you can stop the draft, the flow of air over the top of the panel under the desk. I did.