4 seasons use, Arctic package? - Montana Owners Club

Ozz · 07-15-2006, 01:37 AM

Hello fellow Montana owners, a question.
Is the cold weather package, whatever that consists of, standard? or do you have to order it? After reviewing past posts, I read that all new ones are cold weather 'friendly'.
We bought our '07 off the lot, so I didn't have an order sheet to choose from. It does have double thickness windows, (that open up a very little way,) but what other option for cold weather do they offer?
Thanks, Ozz

Broome101 · 07-15-2006, 01:43 AM

Ozz if your coach has it it will be a sticker by the door that says Arctic Package next to the RVIA sticker.

richfaa · 07-15-2006, 01:53 AM

How about the Florida/ Texas/ Arizona option.

jrgwdenner · 07-15-2006, 02:55 AM

While at the factory, they showed us that the Artic Package consists of a layer of extra insulation in the belly. It's a fancy name for not too many changes.

Cat320 · 07-15-2006, 07:36 AM

As noted above, the Arctic Package is not standard, it consists primarily of more insulation in the roof, sides and floor. It is a $380 option. Also, in the 2006 brochure, Keystone touts the great insulation contained in the Montanas...followed by "When equipped with the Arctic Insulation Package." The dual pane windows are not part of the AIP either, they are a $1,385 option.

Montana_1240 · 07-15-2006, 07:50 AM

The added insulation can't hurt in hot conditions, either.

It would be nice if they could add lots more insulation to the big sides of the Monties. (Opening a cabinet during the day is like opening a blast furnace.) But I’m guessing the added insulation on the roof helps with all the sun beating down on it all day. And the added insulation on the bottom probably helps keep the near-100 degree heat from infiltrating to the floors.

If you see a Monty without that AIP, IMHO, you're probably seeing one of a few. I don't believe I saw one without a sticker, except at the factory. When we bought our 2004 3380 in Anchorage, it had the AIP. When we bought this 2005 3475 in Panama City, Florida, and it came with the AIP!

Steve

CountryGuy · 07-15-2006, 08:23 AM

Agree with Steve, really helps in the heat!

Ozz · 07-16-2006, 05:30 AM

I just came in from working on my Montana, I was fishing wires in the ceiling space, I don't know how they would cram any more insulation up there, also, the walls are foam board, so how could they get more insulation in there?
I'm Cornfused.
I haven't pulled the bottom yet, if it needs more insulation, and there is room for it, which I assume it does and there is, I will add to it when I put it back together.
Thanks for all the answers to my newbie questions.
Ozz

trukdoc · 07-16-2006, 05:35 AM

While doing maintenance I had the belly down and seen a lot of voids around tanks and between tanks. I came across some surplus insulation from a construction site that the contractor was giving away. I hauled all I could. I put some between the tanks and a full layer down the full length. It seems a bit quieter inside and the temperature stays a bit more stable in the heat. I am expecting my biggest benefits in the cold. That I will have to get back to you on.

Montana_1240 · 07-16-2006, 09:11 AM

I’m fairly sure that the Arctic Insulation Package is all about the added insulation in the roof and belly. The walls are two inches thick, whether you have the package, or not. And it’s all luan-foam-fiberglass. At least that’s what I manage to recall from the discussions at factory tours in the past.

Not sure if there’s a better reason for not installing fiberglass insulation in the belly than the idea of it holding water and molding. They use that aluminized plastic bubble-type stuff. It sheds water. I’m guessing your could add more of that stuff, and secure it where the other stuff might have gaps. That couldn’t hurt.

The benefits would be more evident in the cold, I’m thinking, too. That’s when you’d have to be using propane. And, unless you’re paying for your electric use, running the A/C all day long is pretty much “free.” Heating the Monty isn’t.

Steve

Ozz · 07-16-2006, 09:23 AM

Steve,
I was working, pulling wire in the roof area, as I said, there just isn't any more room for additional insulation, unless they stick the bubble wrap up there, or have a thicker roof with foam in it.
Yes, I will probably add bubble wrap to the belly, as I can't seem to leave anything without my grubby fingerprints all over it.....
Ozz

Montana_1240 · 07-16-2006, 11:12 AM

Ozz,

I'm too lazy to get into things until they break.

It didn't dawn on me about the insulation in the "attic." Not that I was ever looking forward to running any satellite coax if I wanted to put a dish on the roof, mind you. I just thought about it once in a while. But the idea of not only having to dodge the many support members, but adding the problem insulation would cause in running cables, and you just about talked me out of EVER attempting that chore. (Besides, I'd want to run it invisibly from dish to receiver. And with this receiver in a slide, I'm probably never going to get a run that doesn't leave exposed cables. I'm nit picking in that respect....) Somehow, I had an idea that if I just tied a heavy object to a string, I could "shoot it" from a vent opening maybe in back, to the vent opening up front. Or maybe borrow a trained ferret from someone!

I wonder if they COULD add a layer of bubble wrap over the spun insulation, just prior to putting the roof on. That sure sounds like a great idea. I hear that stuff's pretty good for insulation. Especially with the reflective surface.

I'm doing my best to clear the clutter off this desk before we travel. I've never been one to add too many extras on this house. Even if they'd help me be organized to at least a minimal level.

Steve

Ozz · 07-16-2006, 12:29 PM

Gyro,
You could borrow one of my Two Ferrets if it would help....
I was running power from the bathroom fan 12 volt supply to the Maxx powered vent fan on the vent between the bathroom and the shower on my 3400RL.
I haven't tackled the Satellite dish yet.
I have small fiberglass sticks that screw together, about 3/16" in diameter that I use when running alarm wire, or thermostat wire, they are super, they bend tightly and shoot right through insulation.
I used them to fish wire in my W/D closet for the 220 Volt wiring and all my 110 volt outlet additions.
If you have the tools, most of these jobs are not too hard.
Sometimes I think being handy is a curse of sorts........
Take care, Ozz

Montana_1240 · 07-16-2006, 02:50 PM

Ozz,

It’s so funny you should mention that power wire run.

We let our dealer install the Fan-Tastic between the bathroom and shower. They managed to find a power lead, (probably by color, alone,) and spliced into it. The installation looks great!

When they showed us their work, they mentioned that we had to turn the bathroom light on to get power to the Fan-Tastic!

I know it’d be fairly easy to correct. It looks like maybe only ten inches between the place where the power wires run down to the light switches, (bathroom and bedroom,) but until I have to take the screen off to clean those fan blades, (already had to do that on the much more used Kitchen Fan-Tastic, and bathroom vent fan,) it’s not gonna happen. We use it so seldom that it’s just not that big of a deal.

Oh. Did I say that I’m lazy?

I’ve used snakes to run cables in my past employed life. Coat hangers in my civilian life. Even watched as a pull string was routed through conduit with a vacuum, (running as a blower,) with the string tied to a ping-pong ball. Heard about using mice/rats/ferrets.

I might just take you up on the offer some day. Put ferret bait at one end, and a ferret with a pull string at the other.

I’m sure that I’ve just somehow offended a silly PETA type….

Speaking of fishing power wire…Do you know if the wall the breaker and fuse panels is on, in the bathroom, is double-wall? I’m wondering if it’d be worth pulling off the panels to drop a wire down that wall so I could install an outlet behind the toilet for one of those air fresheners and a night-light. If it’s a one-piece wall, I might just run from the W/D outlets and drill through to the bathroom. I didn’t notice when I changed my converter, how it was constructed….

I am somewhat handy. More so with a computer. But lazy. I’ve learned the fine art of procrastination. I’m a Zen Master at that!

Steve

Ozz · 07-28-2006, 04:51 AM

Well....
Being a new owner, I just saw the sticker that pronounced our unit as having the Arctic Package.
Not seeing any tank heater switches, I thought we did not have it. I guess they rely on heat from the furnace. I have not, as of this time, seen any evidence of a duct for heat dumped down there, but I haven't got the rear Two bottom panels off yet.
Ozz

tmarshall · 07-28-2006, 05:33 AM

As far as I can tell the arctic insulation package is just the heat reflective astro-foil layer in the underbelly. The construction diagram in teh product manual shows a double cross to indicate the AIP items and the only item I can see with the double cross is the astro-foil. I wouldn't imagine that the AIP helps in the heat of the summer if it is in the belly. It really will help in the cold though. But, there a re a lot of gaps in the underbelly that must be sealed for the added insulation to really help. It would be a good idea of Montana to put the astro-foil insulation in the roof (and sidewalls).

MAMalody · 07-28-2006, 08:23 PM

If I remember correctly, the Artic Package has a 2" vent into the underbelly. It is shown on the floor construction page of the product brochure. Keystone also says it is there. Hopefully, you will find it when you take off the rest of the panels.

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