# Keeping cool inside the van



## 107925

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


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## 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.


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## 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


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## 93309

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.


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## 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


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## 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.


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## 107990

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.


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## Rapide561

*Keeping cool*

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


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## 107925

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


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## 101405

*hot van*

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.


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## GerryD

We do the same as everyone else:
Keep blinds in use especially the blind on the Heki, Silverscreen on all day, as much ventilation as possible. Turn blown air on at night to keep the air moving. If you are lucky enough to have an OmniVent, one trick we learnt was to cover the vent with a wet tea towel and then turn it on to blow into the van, works like poor man's air con.


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## oldenstar

With your Twin you have the wide sliding door, as we did with our Tribute last year. Plus on really hot days you have the rear doors and all the side windows to open, which should utilise any breeze at all for cooling.

I know we did not experience any really hot weather, with UK in the Summertime and France in the Autumn, but we did not have a problem last year-no cab or habitation air con.

I do worry more about our new Low Profile which we pick up next week, our side and rear doors now to be replaced by a single van door. However I suppose on site the rear locker door could be left open, and I am not unduly worried-especially as wife's health dictates we remain in the UK this year.

We all survived in the days before air conditioning, and I seem to recall one of our moderators saying on another thread that his roof aircon was one of the accessories he would think twice before adding again.

So, as said before, utilise the shade and your van's wide and numerous orifices (Wow!!) and I don't think aircon necessary.

However, each to his own, and if the funds are there it is an option.
HTH
Paul


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## 107990

I think chassis a/c is essential if you are in southern europe in summer, or in even northern europe come to think of it. Driving anything when the temp is up to 40c outside, and probably higher in, is not pleasant. I wouldn't pay for the roof air con again. It's probably cost me about £50 per hour of use.


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## 107925

We are seeing a bit of negativity about roof aircon here. Obviously, it's an expensive purchase, but one I thought people perhaps aspire to. I can't quite see what the main flaws are. Yes, it will be noisy, but then so are fans. Aircon will use power, but if you're on hook-up, I wouldn't have thought that was an issue. I had imagined roof aircon would be a blessed relief. 

Why is roof aircon not such a good thing?

Shaun


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## maddie

Hi just to say we open large heiki roof open windows with S/S up and blinds up on the sunny side.Plenty of light thro the roof,but the van is also v/well insulated with at least 45 mm styrofoam to floor,sides & roof so this also helps keeping warm and cold :lol: 
terry


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## Don_Madge

Shark said:


> 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


Hi Shaun,

We have a LWB Timberland PVC.

We have never had air con, cab or otherwise. Seen so many people confined to their air con vans because it's too hot outside, just my opinion of course.

For the cab area we have the Silver Screens "Solar View" http://www.silverscreens.co.uk/solarview.html as far as we are concerned this is a must in the warmer climates.

We also have solar view covers for the windows in the back door the covers our on the inside of the windows.

One can see out OK but people can't see in unless there is back light. It also allows you to keep the cab windows open to let the breeze through.

We have to be careful about parking in the shade as we have a roof mounted solar panel.

We have the sliding door open and have a fly screen up if needed.

We also use the roller blind with sun blockers to keep the sun out and also have home made fabric covers for the large window on the other side of the van.

We often walk around the camping areas of summer shows to get some ideas on what other people are doing.

Don


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## 107925

I looked at that link, Don, and get the idea. However, their website doesn't display prices. Can you tell me roughly how much they cost?

Cheers,

Shaun


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## wenlock

Shaun
I have been trying to find my receipt to no avail.
I bought silver screens for my Trigano Tribute, similar van to yours, last September and paid around £115-120 not sure now.
They fit very well and come in the correct size of bag, I mean that when finished with they actually fit in the bag provided, this is rarely the case with tents,awnings etc. 
Good firm to deal with.
Paul


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## 107925

Nice one. Thanks, Paul.

Shaun


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## therising

*Silver Screens*

Regarding the silver screens, we bought a set of the 'solar view' (the ones with the perforations) last summer and I believe they were around £50. Before we went skiing last week we bought a set of the 'solar frost' screens and they were around £100.

Just my opinion, but the solar frost ones seem so much better that I may well use those now in summer as well as winter.

Andrew


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## Don_Madge

Shark said:


> I looked at that link, Don, and get the idea. However, their website doesn't display prices. Can you tell me roughly how much they cost?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Shaun


Hi Shaun,

I've just been chatting to Silver screens and the solar view for your van is £79. They don't do the shows anymore as they are so busy with the mail order side.

Don


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## 107925

This is good information - thanks everyone. So, do I pay the extra for the winter ones, or stick with the cheaper summer ones? I would have thought that most people would use their vans in the winter, so it would be obvious which set to go for. However, I daresay matters aren't that straightforward. Anyone care to elaborate as to why the winter ones aren't necessarily the best choice for summer use?

Shaun


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## Grizzly

Don Madge said:


> For the cab area we have the Silver Screens "Solar View" http://www.silverscreens.co.uk/solarview.html as far as we are concerned this is a must in the warmer climates.


We bought one of these last year and were very disappointed with it. It rolls up smaller than the winter weight insulating screen and is therefore easier to carry but is nothing like as effective; indeed we found we had to use the internal screens as well to get any significant cooling and still the hot windscreen acted as a big radiator internally.

One useful addition for the big windows facing the sun is to buy as many of the silvered car windscreen frost covers ( the concertina folding type) as you have windows. Either sew or stick fabric tape or elastic to them and then hang them over the outside of the opened window, attaching the elastic or tape to the window latches. They give shade, privacy, reflect the sun, and mean you can leave the windows wide open. They look neat as well as with the vans we have had they have been the right size.

We also hang damp towels over these windows inside when it is very hot.

G


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## Rapide561

Shark said:


> We are seeing a bit of negativity about roof aircon here. Obviously, it's an expensive purchase, but one I thought people perhaps aspire to. I can't quite see what the main flaws are. Yes, it will be noisy, but then so are fans. Aircon will use power, but if you're on hook-up, I wouldn't have thought that was an issue. I had imagined roof aircon would be a blessed relief.
> 
> Why is roof aircon not such a good thing?
> 
> Shaun


Hi

I have roof aircon - it is a Dometic B2200 system. It is very good, but I would not want to sleep with it running. It is fairly quiet in operation, and I find that if I give it a good blasting before bed time, that suffices.

R


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## pneumatician

*Keeping Cool*

As already mentioned the main steps are:-
Silver screen on the cab
Sunshades up on the sunny side
Ventilation ports open
Plenty of cool drink in the fridge
A good book and comfy chair
A bird spotters book and pair of bins
Poss alternative:- as and when available entertaining conversation with fellow campers (nuts and Alcohol required as bait) 
Just sit back enjoy and wait untill it cools down

We have Aircon fitted and earplugs !!
I have also fitted fans behind the fridge vents

Steve


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## wobby

Our old Hymer didn't have air con and frankly I am not that fond of it. So we fitted a Fiamma turbo power fan in the roof which blows in or out, we found it great especially for the dog if they were left in the van. If we went out for the day we always left it on and it worked so well that when we ordered our Carthago, a fan was added to the extra's list even though we now have a Dometic air-con unit. Which I might add won't be used unless thing get mega hot.

Wobby


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## NicknClair

Now being on the 3rd van conversion, on the last 2 I used Taylormade Silver Screens, which did a cracking job in keeping heat out when we are at Narbonne last July, but we also do alot of surfing all year and found that the insulating properties were brill. However to aid cooling on the last van, we purchased an automatic fantastic vent as a/c on the roof of the van was too heavy (even for the little CA1000AC from Dometic/Waeco). We Lowered the Cab windows very slightly, then with the fan in operation, it drawed air from the front of the fan and dragged it out through the roof. We didn't have it blow in as it was harder for the air to escape, however by having the fan turned to drawing the air out, we found that it helped a great deal pulling a draft from the front cab area. Being an auto system, we would leave the van during the day to keep itself cool, but it also has a rain sensor just in case it is opened and so do the heavens


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## 107925

That sounds interesting. Can you elaborate on what an 'automatic fantastic vent' actually is and from where they're obtained.

Ta.

Shaun


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## Don_Madge

Shark said:


> That sounds interesting. Can you elaborate on what an 'automatic fantastic vent' actually is and from where they're obtained.
> 
> Ta.
> 
> Shaun


Shaun,

This will give you some info on the fantastic vent. http://www.marcleleisure.co.uk/store/fantastic-vent-4000-p-93.html

We've had them for many years and they do an excellent job.

Don


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## wobby

The Fiamma Turbo vent is has a temperature and fan speed control but not a rain sensor. However if there were any chance of rain the top can be raised to allow ventilation and still keep the elements out. 

Wobby


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## snuff

just found this link air con 12 v


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