Cooling on the road - Montana Owners Club

Glenn the fifth · 07-01-2014, 02:35 AM

We are heading out tomorrow morning for the annual summer trip across the state. Our first stop is Lake Chelan (love that place) and it is supposed to be about 98 degrees for a high. We cannot check in until 2:00 PM when it will already be pretty warm (read that as HOT). We have about a 4 1/2 hour trip to get there and I plan on having all the shades down in the 5er while on the road. We only have one air conditioner and I know it will not keep up with those temperatures. I would like to keep the trailer as cool as possible on the road and I thought about maybe leaving the Fantastic Fan on while traveling. Any thoughts? Thanks, Glenn

**DQDick** · 07-01-2014, 03:32 AM

I've left the vents open when traveling. That's the main reason we bought the vent covers.

**DQDick** · 07-01-2014, 03:33 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by DQDick

I've left the vents open when traveling. That's the main reason we bought the vent covers. If you hit a dust storm, however, find a place to stop and close them.

washley1 · 07-01-2014, 04:34 AM

Without covers I'd be concerned about rain, etc, but even with covers I wonder what fumes would be sucked in? Never considered doing it myself, but I'm sure there are many with experience.

Glenn the fifth · 07-01-2014, 04:48 AM

Thanks. I am not too concerned about fumes because our Fantastic Fan takes a "suction" from the inside of the trailer and blows out. I have a cover over the fan (supposed to be very dry anyway), so I am not worried about rain either. Just looking for way of keeping it a little cooler while on the road.

BB_TX · 07-01-2014, 05:15 AM

If you have power available and can run the A/C, cool down the inside as much as possible overnight and then keep the shades down the next day. If you can do that, then do not run the fan or open the vents. That will only draw in the hot outside air and displace whatever coolness you may have gained.

If power is not available, then the fan and/or vents are a good idea as long as you have covers.

Glenn the fifth · 07-01-2014, 06:26 AM

Thanks Bill, I do have power out there and will try that.

kdeiss · 07-01-2014, 03:49 PM

In my opinion if it 98 out the trailer is going to be 98 or more inside.As for cooling it over night traveling at those temps it going to be over 90 inside in an hour.My advice would be when you arrive at the CG plug in open up turn on the Fantastic Fan then unhitch close up fire up the AC and head to an Air Conditioned Resturant I would wait till Sun Set to return.I speak from experience trying to cool a 92 degree trailer in the Sun with one AC unit

cdaniels · 07-01-2014, 04:16 PM

When we had 1 air and traveled we closed off the bedroom and put the air on dump as soon as we got there. Once the living areas get cooled off then open up the bedroom and closed the dump. Kept all blinds closed and put sun shades on the skylight in bathroom and front door to keep heat out. It did work pretty well. We did put in a second air eventually. In the larger units it's almost a must if you summer camp.

BB_TX · 07-01-2014, 04:29 PM

Cooling as much as possible for as long as possible will "cold soak" everything in the trailer; appliances, furniture, walls, etc. They will retain some of that and will require less cooling upon arrival. The air will warm up, sure, but the air can be cooled quicker if you do not have to cool everything else at the same time.

bncinwv · 07-01-2014, 04:43 PM

Or.....take the drastic approach as we did on our first rig. Installed a front receptacle and carried a 3000 watt generator in the truck bed which was plugged in during travels. Ran the AC as we pulled the rig. Of course, our primary reason was for the crated furry creatures which travel with us in the rig. The same reason we opted for the built-in genny on the last two rigs. There are options available if you are desperate enough.
Bingo

Glenn the fifth · 07-02-2014, 01:54 AM

Thanks all, learned a few things with this post. I need to break down and get that other A/C. My biggest concern is that I don't have the overhead clearance where I store my 5er here at my house in the winter. The back one barely clears but even a low profile looks like it might cause issues up front. -Glenn

steelpony5555 · 07-02-2014, 05:27 AM

That's the main reason we got the second AC installed. Even in Texas we rarely use it except for quick cool down when we pull in. Its worth every penny just for that use only. Once it's cooled down we shut off the bedroom AC and the main AC does the job. But we also close off the bedroom and put it on dump even during hot days since we don't use the bedroom during the day. We also travel with our vents open and when parked out back they are left open and we never get water inside even during some of our gulley washers....

washley1 · 07-02-2014, 10:48 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by steelpony5555

That's the main reason we got the second AC installed. Even in Texas we rarely use it except for quick cool down when we pull in. Its worth every penny just for that use only. Once it's cooled down we shut off the bedroom AC and the main AC does the job. But we also close off the bedroom and put it on dump even during hot days since we don't use the bedroom during the day. We also travel with our vents open and when parked out back they are left open and we never get water inside even during some of our gulley washers....

We do the same with our bed room unit. Once the desired temp is reached we shut it off MOST of the time. Once or twice we needed both in mid afternoon, but not for long.

washley1 · 07-02-2014, 10:50 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Glenn the fifth

Thanks. I am not too concerned about fumes because our Fantastic Fan takes a "suction" from the inside of the trailer and blows out. I have a cover over the fan (supposed to be very dry anyway), so I am not worried about rain either. Just looking for way of keeping it a little cooler while on the road.

OK, I wasn't thinking about having the Fantastic Fan running, just open, so you make a good point.

jlb27537 · 07-02-2014, 04:44 PM

Get it cool, and do not open any vents. They will only bring in hot air. The idea of going somewhere till dark is a great idea. A single A/C will not cool these rigs in a 98 degree day. Been there/done that.

Glenn the fifth · 07-03-2014, 02:45 AM

Cooled the trailer off real we'll overnight before leaving home and when we got here after traveling 5 hours in 90ish heat, it was still pretty cool. The one AC brought it down to 74 pretty quick. These things are really insulated pretty well. Thanks for all the tips folks, second AC will be installed this fall and then I won't have to worry about it. -Glenn

Phil P · 07-04-2014, 01:52 AM

Hi

To answer the OP’s original question!

The Fantastic fan is designed to be operated while moving; it has a rain sensor that will close it if it rains.

I check ours with a little water whenever I am on the roof.

Phil P

BusyCarol · 07-04-2014, 12:30 PM

I know the OP had their questioned answered but for those of you who do not have power ahead of time here is what we do. We often travel to campsites with no power and we do not run our generators to get the AC cooling off. We open the windows at night to let the rig cool down and we turn the Fantastic Fan on to 70degrees and let it auto run. The next morning we close all of the windows, with the exception the one right by the door. We leave it open a crack because the fantastic fan instructions say it is supposed to have one window slightly ajar, and then we run down the road. We go from about 68 degrees to about 75 on a 90 degree day on our 4 hour drive. We have a wireless thermometer inside and we keep track because we travel with our dogs crated in the trailer on hot days. The fantastic fan does a pretty good job of keeping it around 770-75 degrees.

We do have both air conditioners and when we have power we do a pre-cool as some other posters have suggested but that isn't always an option. Glad you figured it out and had a nice 'cool' home to step into on a hot day!

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