Phoenix Summers

[edmck]

I recently purchased a 2012 Montana 3100RL that I plan to use as a winter home in Mesa while I work my way through an all-too-painful divorce. After just a few weeks I've grown to like this fifth wheel and I've been wondering if I could stay in this coach during the summer as well. I'm in no rush too buy another house or condo and besides, this is cheap living compared to owning a home. But every time I bring this up to friends and neighbors here in this RV resort I'm told that NO WAY can anyone live in an RV during the hot Phoenix/Mesa summers. Maybe so, but this coach has two roof ACs (15,000 and 13,500 BTU) and everything I've read suggests that Montanas are built with above average insulation. So I'd like to get the opinion of others in this forum: Can I survive living in this 3100RL through a hot Phoenix/Mesa summer? Is it true — as I've been told by a local AC tech — that in 115 degree outdoor temps the coach will never get below 90 degrees? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[AZ Traveler]

Ed,

We tend to get away during the hottest part of the summer but have spent some time in the rig in the AZ summer heat. It is certainly doable. If it gets too bad you can always add a 3rd a/c.

Set up to minimize solar heat with blinds down, vent shades and something to block solar heat coming in shower skylight.

[rohrmann]

We’ve been in some pretty hot areas in our rig, and yes, the AC’s get a workout. 85 to 90 degrees inside will feel cool compared to outside when it gets real hot. The best thing to do is keep the units turned on, so you get cooling started early. Once these rigs get heated up inside, it takes a long time to cool off. Get shade screens installed outside to keep the sun off the windows and anything else that will keep the sun off the rig and you will do fine.