Keeping cool inside the van Forums

Shark

This coming summer will be my first in the Twin and I'm wondering how to keep it cool. I have cab aircon, so on the move shouldn't be a problem. However, unless we were desperate on site, and everyone had given up trying to keep quiet, I couldn't see us running the engine to keep cool. I've no intention of adding any further aircon, say, in the roof. That seems to leave fans and the opening of doors/windows. That seems OK during the day, but at night, I'm not so sure.

With your PVC, what have you found worked or didn't work in terms of trying to keep cool in hot weather?

Shaun

aultymer

Even though we don't have a PVC we still suffer from heat and lack of expensive air con (we don't even have it in the cab!!)
Our experience is from several years holidays in France and Italy with and without a MH.

We tried an evaporative cooler in France last year and that was a no-no. It was very cheap but no use in humid conditions - in fact it made life worse.

It would work fine if you are in an area of very low humidity but France isn't.
Adelaide residents use them to great effect!!

Park in the shade like the locals, keep reflective blinds up on the sunny side (it's a bind not seeing out but it is cooler). We spoke to a French Gite owner who remarked that the locals could not understand why the English opened all the shutters on the sunny side of the property and suffered all the solar gain then complained about the heat.

Open all vents but keep mozzie screens in place. On hook up we use a 10" fan, which we bought in a French supermarket, and leave it on all night if it is really hot.
On the plus side even us northern races get used to the heat after a week or two if we just adapt to a slower pace of life, have siesta or long slow lunch out of the noonday sun and get out and party or barbie in the relative cool of the evening.

max123

We have never had aircon and been on some pretty hot trips, Greece, Italy etc. We always have the windows and roof vents open and have a fan going. Once it goes past about 38 it starts getting a bit uncomfortable and after this I have slept outside normaly keeping the rest of the campers awake with my snoring. Not a pretty sound so I have been told.
Max

veralin

hello Shaun yes it does get a bit hot in france we us a couple of fans one over ther cooking area although most of cooking is done outside via outside bbq piont on the camping stove, and we put another fan over the seating area.
Keep and eye on ebay we picked them up for a fiver each the dont use a lot of power and are ideal for leaving on overnight oh and the osilate but we dony us that functions.

therising

Just thought I'd add my (again, non - PVC, experience of warm weather / no air con).

We have a Hymer Van, so not that much different to a PVC in size terms. Last year we spent six weeks in Port Grimaud and some days the temperature got up to 45 degrees in the van. We did all the obvious stuff - windows open, blinds and mosquito nets closed etc. and also had a 'tower' fan that we used mainly at night.

Unfortunately... none of the above seemed to help at all! The fan just moved the warm air around and unless you were actually sat on top of it, made little difference. During the time we were away (mid July to end of August) the temperature did seem to cool a bit, and, mentioned by others, we also must've got used to it, but we decided then that we would have air con installed (we have cab air, but agree that running the engine wouldn't ingratiate us with other campers!).

So... Dometic air con ordered and due to be fitted by BSS next Monday. I know this isn't the answer for everyone - clearly, we are going to be restricted to hook up or face the wrath of the anti-generator brigade, but I'm of the view that if you can make life easier (and more comfortable!) then why not!

Andrew

bigfoot

We used to do this tip in the desert. Put a bowl of cold water in front of the fan and put a towel in the water,if it is safe to do so place one end of the towel over part of the fan,this has the effect of cooling the air as the water evaporates.

DollarYen

Well for me it has to be northern climes in summer and the med in spring and autumn even though i have chassis a/c and a big waeco unit on the roof.

Rapide561

Hi

Not a PVC but same principal I guess.

I use my silver screens in the summer to reflect the suns rays away.

If the sun is primarily on one side of the van, I open the windows on the sunny side just a touch, and then close the blinds behind them.

I fully open the windows on the shady side.

Keep roof lights open all time.

It got up to 33 in here on Tuesday and I think it will do the same today. Best thing to do then is move outside.

R

Shark

Sorry, I wasn't meaning to exclude those who didn't have panel vans; it's just that I had visions of people with RVs explaining how to cool down a much larger space than I have. All suggestions are welcome.

Within the relatively small confines of a PVC, it will clearly get rather hot - after all, it's just like a big tin can! In this country, I hate the way we have little infrastructure to cope with excess heat. I hate non-airconditioned cars and shops, etc (once you've been to Florida, you see how it should be done), so I'd like a strategy for the van.

I've actually got a couple of portable aircon units at home, which I wheel from room to room, but they're big, heavy and noisy. So, for the van it looks like fans and wet towels is going to be the cheap and cheerful option.

Shaun

silversurfa

Not a lot you can do without aircon for a van, shade is always the answer.you can buy roof shades for motorhomes ! or make one . think Ihave seen them in the Hymer catalogue,might give you an Idea , window covers are another heat reducer, fans just move warm air . but do help of a night.