HELP: Condensation Problem & still very cold living inside my Truck Camper shell

[rruff]

You said temp as low as 40F... you should be able to tolerate that well with good sleeping bag; one that is rated to 0F or less. This is the simplest and quickest fix. Blankets work too... the ones with fluffy insulation inside and even fleece. Pile them up!

You get condensation because the fairly humid air inside hits the cold surfaces and turns to water. You need to insulate thoroughly to eliminate this. If it's humid outside, I don't think ventilating will do much. If you are on the coast, that could be part of the problem.

The buddy heaters are catalytic and do increase humidity. Any of the propane heaters that you stick inside your space, will. Plus 1lb propane cans are crazy expensive now. Your best bet is to insulate yourself.

I lived in topper on a Toyota truck for 10 years, and getting ready to do it again with a larger box on Tundra. Traveling to places with moderate temperatures helps a lot! Around Yuma is my favorite place in winter. Gets down ~40 at night but is very pleasant during the day.

Merry Christmas! And good luck staying warm and dry!

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

You said temp as low as 40F... you should be able to tolerate that well with good sleeping bag; one that is rated to 0F or less. This is the simplest and quickest fix. Blankets work too... the ones with fluffy insulation inside and even fleece. Pile them up!

You get condensation because the fairly humid air inside hits the cold surfaces and turns to water. You need to insulate thoroughly to eliminate this. If it's humid outside, I don't think ventilating will do much. If you are on the coast, that could be part of the problem.

The buddy heaters are catalytic and do increase humidity. Any of the propane heaters that you stick inside your space, will. Plus 1lb propane cans are crazy expensive now. Your best bet is to insulate yourself.

I lived in topper on a Toyota truck for 10 years, and getting ready to do it again with a larger box on Tundra. Traveling to places with moderate temperatures helps a lot! Around Yuma is my favorite place in winter. Gets down ~40 at night but is very pleasant during the day.

Merry Christmas! And good luck staying warm and dry!

thanks for your advice, i think it is cold if it is 40 degree out, lol, but what do you mean by do it again with a larger box on Tundra? A bigger camper shell or you build it yourself?? I have Tundra too, but it is not powerful enough for the regular camper, so i simply use my camper shell instead, and i don't know if i like camping style living. So i better go with whatever i have, i don't want to spend more money. I believe Tundra is a 1/2 ton truck. Merry Christmas to you.

 

[rruff]

thanks for your advice, i think it is cold if it is 40 degree out, lol, but what do you mean by do it again with a larger box on Tundra? A bigger camper shell or you build it yourself?? I have Tundra too, but it is not powerful enough for the regular camper, so i simply use my camper shell instead, and i don't know if i like camping style living. So i better go with whatever i have, i don't want to spend more money. I believe Tundra is a 1/2 ton truck. Merry Christmas to you.

Yes, I'm building a camper. It will be over GVWR loaded up, but should be fine with upgraded springs and shocks.

Mine is tall enough to stand in, but on my old truck I made shell #2 tall enough to sit up straight (~57" floor to ceiling for me) and that made a huge difference compared to a short shell. Lots more room and more comfortable.

A cheap way to make panels for a shell is to take the 1" XPS foam (blue or pink usually at the hardware store) and glue thin cheap plywood on both sides (plus wood along the edges), using PLPremium. Then wet lay fiberglass on the outside. Strong, stiff, well insulated, waterproof. If you don't like fiberglass, something like Gaco roof or bedliner would probably work fine.

I went "deluxe" on my current one though. I'm removing the bed, and used PVC foam core and just fiberglass for inner and outer skins. I don't recommend it. Too much sanding, too much mess, and too much work... and a lot more expensive.

 

[GntlStone]

A cheap way to make panels for a shell is to take the 1" XPS foam (blue or pink usually at the hardware store) and glue thin cheap plywood on both sides (plus wood along the edges), using PLPremium. Then wet lay fiberglass on the outside. Strong, stiff, well insulated, waterproof. If you don't like fiberglass, something like Gaco roof or bedliner would probably work fine.

That sounds like what Coachman trailers have as exterior walls. They call it Azdel and charge lots of $$ for it.
It's structurally very strong.

 

[rruff]

That sounds like what Coachman trailers have as exterior walls. They call it Azdel and charge lots of $$ for it.
It's structurally very strong.

They don't have a continuous hard and water-proof shell though. They have seams at all the edges that you need to seal. With what I described you only have to seal the spots where you penetrate the shell with windows or vents.

 

[PeterPiper]

I don't know how much vertical space you have in your shell (I would imagine not very much) but in my Dodge Caravan I found that being on the floor is awfully cold. Getting up off the floor seems to be a key to comfort. If that's not possible, I'd look into as much thick closed cell foam pads to go under me as possible.

If you're still too cold, others have mentioned diesel heaters and I second that. The heat from them is wonderfully dry.
I find that even below freezing I usually have to crack a window to let some heat out and that's on the lowest setting.

 

[CosmickGold]

I insulated my van with Havlock wool (the best from sheep in Australia), because it absorbs moisture when humidity is above 60% and releases it back to the air when below 60%, retards mold growth, absorbs and holds harmful chemicals, and is a good sound barrier as well. They say you should not use a "moisture barrier" with it, for moisture barriers always fail resulting in moisture that cannot escape.

If cabin air is free to flow over the inside of your cabin's outer skin, of course that's going to cause dew to form on it with water droplets running down, just like on the outside of a glass of ice water. So insulate the outer skin from such airflow.

And propane is largely made of hydrogen which burns by combining with oxygen in the air to form water, so you'll always have moisture problems when using one of those. Everyone does. That's why I put an actual furnace in my van, isolating that propane flame behind steel which ventilates the flame to the outside of my vehicle. In your case, sounds like a small diesel heater is what you need to do the same moisture-free job.

And in the meantime, leave an RV desiccant bucket in your living space. They're typically used for winterizing boats and RVs to prevent mold developing from humidity issues. You'll want one with a mesh or screen top so if it tips over while you are driving it won't spill the desiccant material. It will trap moisture and won't release it back into the air.

 

[rruff]

In your case, sounds like a small diesel heater is what you need to do the same moisture-free job.

I might be an outlier, but I lived in my truck for 13 yrs and never used a heater of any kind. If low temps are ~40F like they are for the OP, it's easy to deal with that using sleeping bags and blankets. I like simple. If you insulate the walls well and cover the windows you can get a decent (~10F) boost just from the ~100W your body generates. If I needed or wished to camp in <20F regularly I'd have a heater, and the cheap diesels look interesting... but they are quite a contraption too, need to be mounted outside somewhere, and are noisy when running.

The wool insulation sounds interesting. How do you buy and install that? It sounds like moisture still condenses on the wall, but it's under the insulation, which absorbs it. It is that correct?

 

[CosmickGold]

The wool insulation sounds interesting. How do you buy and install that? It sounds like moisture still condenses on the wall, but it's under the insulation, which absorbs it. It is that correct?

All the answers for your wool-insulation problems can be found at Havelock Wool for vans.
At the bottom of that page you'll find Why Is Wool the Ultimate Moisture Manager?
and also Where, how can I buy Havelock Wool for my van?

 

[crofter]

You said temp as low as 40F... you should be able to tolerate that well with good sleeping bag; one that is rated to 0F or less. This is the simplest and quickest fix. Blankets work too... the ones with fluffy insulation inside and even fleece. Pile them up!

You get condensation because the fairly humid air inside hits the cold surfaces and turns to water. You need to insulate thoroughly to eliminate this. If it's humid outside, I don't think ventilating will do much. If you are on the coast, that could be part of the problem.

The buddy heaters are catalytic and do increase humidity. Any of the propane heaters that you stick inside your space, will. Plus 1lb propane cans are crazy expensive now. Your best bet is to insulate yourself.

I lived in topper on a Toyota truck for 10 years, and getting ready to do it again with a larger box on Tundra. Traveling to places with moderate temperatures helps a lot! Around Yuma is my favorite place in winter. Gets down ~40 at night but is very pleasant during the day.

Merry Christmas! And good luck staying warm and dry!

I second the sleeping bag. Plus you can add the liner of choice to keep it clean and aired.

My focus was to keep my core warm, as I was not spending much time sitting or sleeping. Vest, hat, & socks plus a good set of long underwear are essentials for winter dwelling.

Keeping the rig at optimum temperature is a waste of time IMHO, better to be warm in layers at whatever the temperature is doing.
-crofter

 

[fadwamelvina]

I sleep in a minivan. I suggest you get further away from the floor as possible, maybe a foam mattress? I also crack a window or two to vent our the moisture - no matter how cold. I have yet to have condensation. Hope this helps.

 

[jonyjoe303]

I'm in a van in california, those are the same temps I encounter every night. My advice is use alot of rtech foam insulation (found at home depot) . I been using it for years. To make it work you need multiple layers of it. With plenty of foam insulation and making sure no wind can get in, you can get at least a 20 degree difference between the inside and outside. I havent had to use a heater in 3 years. As for as condensation, I never encountered it in the back of the van, I only see in the windshield in the morning.

Right now at 6 pm its 50 degrees outside, inside my van its 73 degrees. Without insulation it would be 50 degrees inside also. Anything below 50 degrees and you need a sleeping bag, below 40 degrees I would sleep inside 2 sleeping bags. Currently the lowest its got is about 36 degrees outside, inside my van about 58 degrees, I sleep on top of a sleeping bag, with 1 or 2 blankets.

This is the rtech foam insulation I been using, 4x8 foot sheet (1/2") cost about 10 dollars. I use hotglue to attach inside my van. On the roof I got about 6 layers of the foam(mostly for the heat), everywhere else about 2 layers.






These are the temperature I get in my van with just the foam insulation, no heater. This is in the morning around 5 am when its the coldest.

 

[metaglypto]

Lots of good suggestions here. One I've NOT seen mentioned yet is a soapstone foot warmer. I will include a link to new ones that cost around $50, but you can also find antique ones for about the same price. Heavy, but effective and very low tech. Just heat them over a fire, propane, charcoal, or whatever you use to cook with, wrap in a towel and place at the foot of the bed. Stays warm all night. These used to be very common, and were used like described, or in old cars with no heaters to keep feet warm. https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

 

[NctryBen]

I imagine your daytime temps are tolerable? I use a 0 degree sleeping bag with a lighter one on top. Usually can be comfortable in the lighter bag. Especially if only dealing with 40 degrees as a low temp. When using the warmer bag I either place the lighter one inside it or use another liner of some sort. Washing the heavier bag can be an issue. A buddy heater used briefly in the morning to take off a chill wouldn’t be so bad. And just moving air with a usb fan might help the moisture situation. I personally went to the diesel heater and love it! I built a regular truck camper and used 1” foam board insulation. I used spray foam to seal around the edges of it.

 

[solos42]

I'll never forget the first time I woke up to droplets on the ceiling, just from me during my sleep.
There is an old remedy, put calcium chloride in a pillowcase hang with a bucket underneath to catch moisture. And there are products on the market to collect moisture. Calcium Chloride is caustic, making the air salty may affect electronics.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

Yes, I'm building a camper. It will be over GVWR loaded up, but should be fine with upgraded springs and shocks.

Mine is tall enough to stand in, but on my old truck I made shell #2 tall enough to sit up straight (~57" floor to ceiling for me) and that made a huge difference compared to a short shell. Lots more room and more comfortable.

A cheap way to make panels for a shell is to take the 1" XPS foam (blue or pink usually at the hardware store) and glue thin cheap plywood on both sides (plus wood along the edges), using PLPremium. Then wet lay fiberglass on the outside. Strong, stiff, well insulated, waterproof. If you don't like fiberglass, something like Gaco roof or bedliner would probably work fine.

I went "deluxe" on my current one though. I'm removing the bed, and used PVC foam core and just fiberglass for inner and outer skins. I don't recommend it. Too much sanding, too much mess, and too much work... and a lot more expensive.

Wow, that is too much work for me, lol. I am not really a handy person, but you are talented. Thanks for your input.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

Lots of good suggestions here. One I've NOT seen mentioned yet is a soapstone foot warmer. I will include a link to new ones that cost around $50, but you can also find antique ones for about the same price. Heavy, but effective and very low tech. Just heat them over a fire, propane, charcoal, or whatever you use to cook with, wrap in a towel and place at the foot of the bed. Stays warm all night. These used to be very common, and were used like described, or in old cars with no heaters to keep feet warm. https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

Thanks for your advice, I will look into that

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

I imagine your daytime temps are tolerable? I use a 0 degree sleeping bag with a lighter one on top. Usually can be comfortable in the lighter bag. Especially if only dealing with 40 degrees as a low temp. When using the warmer bag I either place the lighter one inside it or use another liner of some sort. Washing the heavier bag can be an issue. A buddy heater used briefly in the morning to take off a chill wouldn’t be so bad. And just moving air with a usb fan might help the moisture situation. I personally went to the diesel heater and love it! I built a regular truck camper and used 1” foam board insulation. I used spray foam to seal around the edges of it.

Thanks for your advice . I will do just that

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

I'm in a van in california, those are the same temps I encounter every night. My advice is use alot of rtech foam insulation (found at home depot) . I been using it for years. To make it work you need multiple layers of it. With plenty of foam insulation and making sure no wind can get in, you can get at least a 20 degree difference between the inside and outside. I havent had to use a heater in 3 years. As for as condensation, I never encountered it in the back of the van, I only see in the windshield in the morning.

Right now at 6 pm its 50 degrees outside, inside my van its 73 degrees. Without insulation it would be 50 degrees inside also. Anything below 50 degrees and you need a sleeping bag, below 40 degrees I would sleep inside 2 sleeping bags. Currently the lowest its got is about 36 degrees outside, inside my van about 58 degrees, I sleep on top of a sleeping bag, with 1 or 2 blankets.

This is the rtech foam insulation I been using, 4x8 foot sheet (1/2") cost about 10 dollars. I use hotglue to attach inside my van. On the roof I got about 6 layers of the foam(mostly for the heat), everywhere else about 2 layers.
View attachment 29741





These are the temperature I get in my van with just the foam insulation, no heater. This is in the morning around 5 am when its the coldest.
View attachment 29740You have a van, but mine is a truck camper shell, I only have 8” x 5” space in it, so I don’t think I could put too many layers of r tech foam insulation in it, it takes up spaces. If I only use one r tech board , I don’t think it works. Anyway, thanks for advice. I will still look into that.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

I sleep in a minivan. I suggest you get further away from the floor as possible, maybe a foam mattress? I also crack a window or two to vent our the moisture - no matter how cold. I have yet to have condensation. Hope this helps.

Thank you, you didn’t use any insulation at all?