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Old 07-06-2012, 02:03 AM   #1
Glenn the fifth
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Warm driving ideas

Hello all, hope you're doing well. We leave tomorrow for a little trip and I had an idea that I wanted to bounce off of the experts here. Our second part of the drive from central Washington to Idaho will occur mostly in the early morning hours before it gets too hot. It is supposed to be about 100 by the time we get hooked back up at the campground in Idaho about 1:00 PM and start cooling the trailer off again. I will be driving with all the roof vents open when I leave central Washington, but also thought about leaving the "Fantastic Fan" running while I was driving to help keep it a little cooler. It will be about a 4 hour drive and our batteries are new (about 4 months old). Any concerns or other hints? -Glenn
 
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Old 07-06-2012, 02:29 AM   #2
HamRad
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Glenn and Darcy,
We hope you are doing well too. If you're on a trip then you're definitely doing well! We travel with all our vents closed. We find that the coach seems to stay just as cool or even cooler with the vents closed. We've never ever operated the Fantastic Fan while traveling.... except by accident! If one had a generator on board then you might want to close all the vents and run the AC. But otherwise I think you're just as well off to run with the vents closed.

Good luck and have a great trip. Dennis
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Old 07-06-2012, 03:49 AM   #3
Glenn the fifth
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Thanks Dennis, I actually thought about having all vents closed and all the day night shades down also. Then I saw someone on here yesterday that said he (or she) pulled their trailer in the warm/hot weather with the vents open and it seemed to help. That is where I got the idea last night. I would not worry about it so much if I would have gotten the second AC installed when I bought it. Kicking myself for that decision now. I will get one installed when we get back.
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Old 07-06-2012, 04:15 AM   #4
Fire5er
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We also run with vents closed. If you ever go through a dust storm or by a farmer plowing and you vents are open you will have dust everywhere inside the 5er.
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Old 07-06-2012, 04:28 AM   #5
DQDick
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It's not just dust storms or farmers, with this heat and dryness we're having a lot of trouble with dust just sitting still. We only run with the vents closed even though we have vent covers. We also tend to stay on the road longer than a lot of folks on the forum, but we've never had it be really hot inside when we got stopped for the day. We get it cool, if possible, before we leave, pull all the day night shades down and then take off. On 100 degree days like we're having now it will be warm when we stop, but not hot like a car in the sun.
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Old 07-06-2012, 05:00 AM   #6
Mrs. CountryGuy
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Vents closed, for dust and dirt issues.

Fantastic fan?? MAYBE only if there is a Maxx air cover thingy over it.

Believe me, we have arrived at campsites in hot weather and it is hot in Tana, it is part of the "experience"??? SIGH. Last summer arrived in Amana Iowa on a 120 heat factor day, it was 96 in Tana and we thought we would NEVER get it cooled off in there. We only have one air unit. But, I am still here to tell the war story.

Traveling with night shades down DOES help.

Be safe, stay hydrated, enjoy!
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Old 07-06-2012, 07:02 AM   #7
Art-n-Marge
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I'd keep the vents closed for temperature reasons too. I have seen written many places that all vents should be kept closed when driving to prevent dust, debris, bugs and anything else to get sucked into the rig when driving at any speed. I would think this would cause whatever temperature is outside to eventually end up inside the rig too.

Don't forget that these rigs are not as well sealed as we'd like but the gaps and holes are very small and open vents or exposed windows would not help. On a hot day when traveling down the road, stop for a rest, then enter the rig and you will find the inside of the rig is always a lot cooler than whatever the temperature is outside when keeping the vents and windows closed and the shades closed.

Even the person that stated they were driving in 120 degree weather and the interior was 96, isn't that better than 120? You want to keep things cooler, not guarantee that it's gonna be the same.

I don't think driving with open vents or exposed windows is a good idea. Likewise, keeping everything closed up when driving in the cold will keep the interior warmer as well. There's a scientific term for this but I forget the name.
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Old 07-06-2012, 04:20 PM   #8
steelpony5555
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We just drove up thru the countries mid section and hit temps from 106 to as high as 111. We also travel a lot around Texas in 100 + degrees. We always keep her buttoned up traveling. Never know when you'll hit a gully washer and even with the covers I don't trust them to keep that kind of water out. Yes it is hot when you pull in in the evening and takes a little while to cool down even with 2 AC's but it will cool down by bed time.
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Old 07-06-2012, 05:15 PM   #9
racerjoe
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I think the fan vent cover may not be strong enough to handle the speed while open. we leave our other vents open but have covers on them
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Old 07-07-2012, 12:06 AM   #10
Glenn the fifth
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With all the great input I have now decided to travel with all the vents closed and the night shades down. Even though I have covers over all my vents (including the fantastic fan), they will all be shut. Still wish I would have bought the 2nd AC when I bought the trailer now, live and learn. Hope you all have a great weekend and remain safe and happy. -Glenn
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Old 07-07-2012, 09:48 AM   #11
Art-n-Marge
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I am in the "wish I had a 2nd A/C" but that's what happens when you buy the rig in cool weather, so don't feel alone. But one of these days....
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Old 07-07-2012, 10:46 AM   #12
awaywego
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When it is hot and we arrive and can only use 1 AC unit we close the upper level and open the quick cool on the unit and work on that area first. After that cools we close the quick cool and open the top area. I takes less time to cool it that way.
When the quick cool is open there is still some cooling going through the ducts to the bedroom.
This helps us and hope it works for you.
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