R Values

[pbahlin]

Back in the late 60s I was stationed on a Coast Guard cutter in Honolulu. We sailed to San Francisco for a scheduled November dry dock where we were to undergo a major overhaul that involved cutting off and rebuilding a major part of the superstructure aft of the bridge to expand our CIC.

Unbeknown to us we were sailing into a shipyard strike action. When we arrived, hords of yard workers flooded our ship in the first day. Their goal was to disable the ship so we couldn't leave during the strike. Instead of a graceful, controlled demolition we were savaged with giant bolt cutters that cut through armored cables indiscriminately.

The plan was to keep the living quarters of the ship habitable so the crew could stay aboard during the yard period. As it turned out, so much was damaged that it was not safe to run our diesel electric plant so we had no heat. I'm a yankee born and bred so cold was not new to me but staying on that ship was the coldest I've ever been.

San Francisco, that winter was wet and 40s almost every day and we were 'living' in a steel box on a drydock with no water against our hull to moderate things. I worked double shifts so I wouldn't have to go early to my bunk. After about a week they moved us all to land and warmer accommodations but I've never forgotten that San Francisco 'heat'.

Still, for me though, a little discomfort is just the spice you get for having lived an adventure and I'd rather that than to be all warm and toasty without one.

[Wild Horse]

temp differential isn't limited to cold.....using a laser, the "leaks" and r values are just as prominent when it's hot out if you know what to look for.

[richfaa]

Here in Florida it is 68.6 degrees outside, sunny, wind 10/15 gust to 20mph. Here at the PC desk at the 3400 when the wind gust I can feel air movement at my feet. This AM when at the dinning table having bkfst we could feel the same with a gust.
How do dual pane windowes help with that. Cold is transmitted through the walls, slide are not tightly sealed. Do some of the temp checks that are suggested.....surprise..... Not a bash...just reality.

[Wild Horse]

Rich, I'm not sure what you are saying...well, maybe sort of.

The laser will tell you with (literally) pinpoint accuracy where you are "weak". You feel air movement, but do you know exactly where it's coming from ? I hear alot about feel air movement..it's "coming from the slide". Well, ok...but is it coming from the whole slide, or maybe from the corner(s), or from the top, or...? I think one thing people sometimes fail to realize is that every little bit helps. Maybe walls are r19, but a slide joint is r3? There are cures for alot of this, but I'm sure there are a lack of cures for some. So, for example, if you are wintering in FL and you feel a "breeze" coming from a slide...being as you maybe stationary for a month+, can you go outside and run a strip of clear packing tape over the slide joints? Or maybe it's in the corners, and you can stuff a piece of non-adhesive weatherstripping into the joint. Outlets are another biggie. One nice thing about a laser is, once you pull the trigger (and hold it down), you can "drag" it along a stretch and tell exactly where the difference is.

Hey, I don't even have my Monty yet...but when I do, I will surely be testing and trying to improve on the insulating of it...because it probably makes just as big a difference in a/c as it does in the heating.

If your point is that they don't put adequate insulation in the walls,ceilings and floor....well, ya got me there ! But whether a stick built or a 5er...there's always room for improvement.

See ya soon !

[richfaa]

We do have the laser. We know exactly where the draft is coming from and it is at the corners..all four of them in every slide right were the seals overlap. We shoot the wall above the bed and the temp is 60 degrees. The inside temps is 70 degrees and the outside temp was 48 degrees. The R rating is not the problem it is the many places that air can find its way into the camper. It will be interesting to shoot the temp on both sides of the dual pane window then shoot the temp right below the dual pane window.. We had a lot of fun with the temp thing. Hey... we just pay the utility bill, stuff towels in the corners and have a good time.. So it is a bit drafty... We are not in Northern Ohio,

[TLightning]

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

We do have the laser. We know exactly where the draft is coming from and it is at the corners..all four of them in every slide right were the seals overlap. We shoot the wall above the bed and the temp is 60 degrees. The inside temps is 70 degrees and the outside temp was 48 degrees. The R rating is not the problem it is the many places that air can find its way into the camper. It will be interesting to shoot the temp on both sides of the dual pane window then shoot the temp right below the dual pane window.. We had a lot of fun with the temp thing. Hey... we just pay the utility bill, stuff towels in the corners and have a good time.. So it is a bit drafty... We are not in Northern Ohio,

Agree 100%. The double windows will not make near the improvement plugging up the drafty holes will. We've been using plastic WM bags...stuff 'em in the bottom of the slides and they very slowly expand to do a good job of keeping out the drafts.