two ideas for better cooling of the CV

[AMonger]

I'm weighing two possible methods of isolating the front 1/3 of the van to make it easier to heat and cool.

Anybody ever try a curtain rod with a heavy-duty shower curtain to isolate the front 1/3 of the van for A/C and heating purposes? I'm thinking one of those adjustable/expandable ones. I'm just wondering if the van body is too solid, so maybe it wouldn't hold and the rod would come crashing down.

My other idea is using magnets to suspend the shower curtain. It would be closer to airtight, and hold more securely, and removing it would be as easy as taking down the magnets and folding the shower curtain or plastic sheeting.

Any opinions?

I know some air would get past, but it would sure keep most of it in the front. I remember being in a straight truck with some sort of air blockage that only allowed about 10% fan airflow in the sleeper. I'd hang a bedsheet from the top bunk to isolate the lower bunk, and it was surprisingly effective at keeping the cold air in the lower bunk area. Still would rather have had full fan function, but it was still surprisingly effective.

 

[Doggie Daddy]

I remember being in a straight truck with some sort of air blockage that only allowed about 10% fan airflow in the sleeper. I'd hang a bedsheet from the top bunk to isolate the lower bunk, and it was surprisingly effective at keeping the cold air in the lower bunk area. Still would rather have had full fan function, but it was still surprisingly effective.

This wouldn't happen to have been a s/t with a sleeper made by a company with an A and a B in their name would it? Their sleeper heater/ac controls were famous for melting the wiring connections to the high speed setting.

 

[AMonger]

This wouldn't happen to have been a s/t with a sleeper made by a company with an A and a B in their name would it? Their sleeper heater/ac controls were famous for melting the wiring connections to the high speed setting.

aamof, it would.

 

[ebsprintin]

For cooling I would spend more effort on keeping the sun out and some kind of air circulation. If you plan on idling then, yes, a smaller area to cool is easier to cool. I'm working on a curtain for my windshield and front windows that has reflective plastic sheet (space blanket material) sandwiched between quilt batting. The inside side has a sun block fabric and on the outside I'm adding ironing board fabric. Something like this might work for you too. You can find the quilt material if you google "warm windows". I've seen magnets that would do the job. I have my curtain intalled with snaps.

eb

 

[flattop40]

I use a blanket to partion off the cargo area. I keep in place with clamps that attach into the frame work of the van. The blanket is a better insulator than a shower curtain.

 

[AMonger]

I use a blanket to partion off the cargo area. I keep in place with clamps that attach into the frame work of the van. The blanket is a better insulator than a shower curtain.

Hmmm, really? The shower curtain is plasticized. I would think that'd be better.

 

[flattop40]

Hmmm, really? The shower curtain is plasticized. I would think that'd be better.

A good insulator is anything that slows down the flow of heat/cold. In order to do that you must have pockets of air. A solid item lets heat transfer rather easily where as a blanket has 2 sides of cloth plus the matting on the inside. Hence, a slow down of heat transfer. The insulation in your house is made up of thousands of air pockets. Touch the side of your van where there is no protection from the sun and it is hot. The reflectex that alot of us use is just bubble wrap with foil on the out side and again AIRPOCKETS. Have I made my point yet?

 

[AMonger]

The reflectex that alot of us use is just bubble wrap with foil on the out side and again AIRPOCKETS. Have I made my point yet?

Reflectex would be this?
Reflectix Inc. | The World’s Largest Manufacturer of Reflective Insulation and Radiant Barrier Products
Would that be easy to apply and remove? I talked to a guy whose van was shiny like that. He told me he could run the AC or heat just long enough to cool the inside, then shut it off for a few hours and it would hold the temperature pretty good. After a few hours, he'd repeat the process. Do you get results that good? Do you need a vapor barrier?

 

[flattop40]

Reflectex would be this?
Reflectix Inc. | The World’s Largest Manufacturer of Reflective Insulation and Radiant Barrier Products
Would that be easy to apply and remove? I talked to a guy whose van was shiny like that. He told me he could run the AC or heat just long enough to cool the inside, then shut it off for a few hours and it would hold the temperature pretty good. After a few hours, he'd repeat the process. Do you get results that good? Do you need a vapor barrier?

I have it throughout my van.

 

[Turtle]

Yeah, whenever I go to bed and want to get all snuggly, I reach for my plastic shower curtain to keep me warm and toasty.

Reflectix is best when used in an attic and stapled to the frame with 4-6 inches between the Reflectix and the roof. When applied flat, like to the inside of a van, it has an R-factor of about 4. Not great, but way better than nothing. Better is to use foam board and canned foam in all the voids, and then cover it all with Reflectix. All seams should be covered with silver foil tape. It's easy, but time consuming to apply, and not at all easy to remove if applied correctly with caulk and 3M spray glue.

An uninsulated van is nothing more than an iron box sitting on black asphalt.

A will or other type of blanket that's fuzzy enough, will latch on to the "hook" part of Velcro hook and loop closures. Attach the hook strips with the right glue and you've got a very good barrier.

For windows, tinted side windows will make a huge difference in heat and cool transfers. When parked, window coverings that are thermal, and not just reflecting, works best, both in winter and summer. I use Thermo-mat Isoflex 7-layered window coverings that can be seen here (where I ordered mine) and here (also a recommended vendor). It was created by an Italian company under contract from NASA, and is used on the Mars Rovers, Space Station, orbital probes and most of the newer satellites. It's gnarly. You can get 'em cut for the Sprinter, probably for any vehicle, or a do-it yourself kit that, had I known about it before I insulated my van with boards, foam and Reflectix, I may very well have insulated it with 7 or 8 do it yourself kits and not used the other stuff much at all. I have the Sprinter's roof slope insulated with it, which prevents condensation from forming up there. But any kind of multi-layered thermal and reflecting material will do.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I use the foil bubble stuff and it fits the OUTSIDE of my windshield vs what most do and have it in the dashboard...the glass stays cool to the touch unlike the inside that just deflects great heat around the edges and acts like a mini furnace

 

[jaminjim]

I use the foil bubble stuff and it fits the OUTSIDE of my windshield vs what most do and have it in the dashboard...the glass stays cool to the touch unlike the inside that just deflects great heat around the edges and acts like a mini furnace

I hate it when someone touches the inside of the windshield. I can barely see out of it if there is even the smallest of finger prints on the windshield.

And why is it that after washing the outside of the windshield a massive bug (that should be classified as a UFO) squishes right in my line of sight?

 

[piper1]

I use the foil bubble stuff and it fits the OUTSIDE of my windshield vs what most do and have it in the dashboard...the glass stays cool to the touch unlike the inside that just deflects great heat around the edges and acts like a mini furnace

What do you do to keep it on the glass in the wind or damage free from the other elements (including tj wizzing on it)?

I agree on the mini furnace thing! I have a dark cover for the winter that I use purposely as a furnace.

 

[AMonger]

I use the foil bubble stuff and it fits the OUTSIDE of my windshield vs what most do and have it in the dashboard...the glass stays cool to the touch unlike the inside that just deflects great heat around the edges and acts like a mini furnace

So what do you do to secure it from blowing away or being stolen? Does it wrap around the door posts and then you close the doors on it?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I have a bungee cord that attaches to the mirrors...I can also use the piece of 2x4x18 I carry for messed up pallets to use on a real windy day as a paper weight...

 

[AMonger]

I have a bungee cord that attaches to the mirrors...I can also use the piece of 2x4x18 I carry for messed up pallets to use on a real windy day as a paper weight...

And it doesn't, uh, "walk off" on its own, that is to say, with a little help? I'm surprised. Yeah, no question having it on the outside would be more efficient at keeping heat out.

 

[AMonger]

Yeah, whenever I go to bed and want to get all snuggly, I reach for my plastic shower curtain to keep me warm and toasty.

Well, I would think shower curtain because it's plasticized. I would think it would be better at separating one area from another. If you hold up a section of blanket, even a thick one, between you and a fan, you can still feel some breeze. If you do the same with a shower curtain, the breeze would be totally blocked. That's why I thought shower curtain.

(And I bet if you were cold, and you wrapped yourself in a shower curtain, it would hold your body heat and you'd get warm. Wouldn't be nearly as pleasant or comfortable as a blanket, of course...)

But the idea about a fuzzy blanket with velcro is a very good one, and cheap to implement, too. I imagine I'll be giving that a try before the weather turns hot. Now I just have to persuade the owner to let me insulate the interior.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

And it doesn't, uh, "walk off" on its own, that is to say, with a little help? I'm surprised. Yeah, no question having it on the outside would be more efficient at keeping heat out.

Never had a problem...with that..

 

[greg334]

Why don't you get this;

All Season Outdoor Blanket

I've got casualty blankets that I have used in the past and they worked well, but this seems to be a bit better than a plastic shower curtain.

 

[RLENT]

At some point I needed a moving blanket/pad for a load I had picked up - so I swung by the local Harbor Freight Tools and picked a pair of very nice, heavy, quilted camo moving blankets ($11.99 each)

One I used for the load, the other I cut down and used directly behind my bunk for a divider between the cargo area and the front of the vehicle - works great:

Camo Moving Blanket