Big Buddy = Big Moisture

[RVtrek]

I'm on my way to RTR, and I'm having a layover in Kansas City due to excessively strong winds and wind gusts. I found a relatively quiet spot at a Walmart, and I'm hanging out until tomorrow when the winds should die down. 

The issue I'm having is with excessive amounts of moisture in my trailer due to running a Mr. Buddy Big Buddy heater. It's actually so much that it's condensations on the windows and vents and then dripping on things. 

I can crack open more windows or vents, but then it gets too cold. The ceiling has some closed-cell insulation (R6.5), but the walls and floor are not yet insulated. I was planning on insulating the walls either at RTR or sometime in the summer. 

Any suggestions for keeping the moisture down while keeping the drafts to a minimum so I can keep as much of the heat as possible?

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

No personal idea of how effective it/they would be, but you could try a small dehumidifier; there are models that only need to be "plugged in" briefly (about 30 minutes I think) to recharge when they become saturated.

 

[user 13531]

That's normally a sign of insufficient ventilation not only from the heater but other fuel burning appliances as well. Have you been cooking with a gas stove? Maybe showering inside along with running the "Buddy"? Vapor Moisture is a product of fuel combustion. It's not Carbon Monoxide necessarily but worth checking for sure...

http://blog.mlive.com/home_improvement/2007/10/moisture_on_windows_a_sign_of.html

 

[rvpopeye]

I sometimes open the doors for a minute after heating the rig up to get rid of the damp air that the vents didn't.
Then repeat every so often.
Not a total solution but does help.

 

[RVtrek]

No personal idea of how effective it/they would be, but you could try a small dehumidifier; there are models that only need to be "plugged in" briefly (about 30 minutes I think) to recharge when they become saturated.

That's a very interesting idea!

I went digging, and I found such a product on Amazon, "Eva-Dry".  It can hold 6-8oz of water, and then it needs to be plugged in for 12-14 hours in a "well-ventilated area".  I'm pretty sure with the amount of moisture being produced, it would only last a couple hours at best before it was full.  Cool idea though.

 

[RVtrek]

That's normally a sign of insufficient ventilation not only from the heater but other fuel burning appliances as well.

Well, the trouble is that I can add more ventilation, but when I have enough ventilation to sufficiently handle the moisture, then it's too cold to be livable!

Have you been cooking with a gas stove? Maybe showering inside along with running the "Buddy"?

Yes, I have occasionally been using a gas stove, but I opened up another window next to that unit when I was cooking.  And that was pretty brief.

Vapor Moisture is a product of fuel combustion. It's not Carbon Monoxide necessarily but worth checking for sure...

http://blog.mlive.com/home_improvement/2007/10/moisture_on_windows_a_sign_of.html

I have a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector mounted in the trailer, and I check on it every once in a while.  When I check it's "max level" feature, it reports 25 ppm, which as far as I can tell, is pretty reasonable.

 

[RVtrek]

I sometimes open the doors for a minute after heating the rig up to get rid of the damp air that the vents didn't.
Then repeat every so often.
Not a total solution but does help.

Understood, and I think that might work if I had better insulation and perhaps more thermal mass, but if I were to do that, not only would I remove the damp air, but the heat goes out the door as well.

I'm pretty sure my solution is going to be two-fold:

1. Add insulation
2. Drive to someplace warmer

 

[user 13531]

Lol.... #2 is the the way to go....

Be safe up there!

 

[Thirsty Boots Nomad]

I'm pretty sure my solution is going to be two-fold:

1. Add insulation
2. Drive to someplace warmer

Best solution probably all around

 

[highdesertranger]

your solution are on the right track. highdesertranger

 

[rvpopeye]

#2 ,You got it !

 

[flying kurbmaster]

or if you are going to spend time in damp or cold places you could get yourself either a diesel, gas or propane vented heater.

 

[John61CT]

Best solutions

1 warmer parking spots
2 insulation
3 burn the fuel outside

​Propex HS2211 if propane

or

Espar / Webasto use the same fuel already in your tank

 

[Willy]

or if you are going to spend time in damp or cold places you could get yourself either a diesel, gas or propane vented heater.

 Wut he said. You can he like me and pick 6p a perfectly functional vented heater (used) off Craigslist or a wreck2r for $30-40. ..Willy.

 

[highdesertranger]

for temporary insulation hang some blankets from the walls and ceiling. you can get some cheap blankets from a thrift store. I find this works surprisingly well. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

when you have cold on one side of metal, and heat on the other side, you're gonna have condensation, even if the heater was vented, you'd still have it, go someplace warmer

 

[John61CT]

The parking heaters pump your interior air out of the van, mix with a small amount of some outside fresh air, heats it up very hot, then pumps it into the van space. This process will remove most of the moisture from the cabin air.

Meanwhile, burning one gallon of propane directly produces 1.64 pounds of water, but with these units that moisture is vented along with the carbon monoxide exhaust, outside rather than inside your van.

There are huge differences of efficiency between these units and the ordinary RV style furnaces usually used in the US.

Some styles work by heating up your engine block and running the vehicles heater fans, especially handy camping in the far north or high altitudes with a diesel motor.

 

[Cammalu]

for temporary insulation hang some blankets from the walls and ceiling. you can get some cheap blankets from a thrift store. I find this works surprisingly well. highdesertranger

That's interesting and reminded me of something I once read who know where or when. I was reading about old tapestries and how they were not only used for decoration but as insulation on those old castle walls.

Would be pretty neat to line walls with tapestries and beautiful quilts.


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[ArtW]

That is absolutely true, those castles were cold, drafty, and near impossible to heat well
that's also where canopy beds came from, the canopies were as much to keep body heat in as anything
There was a vid on Bob's channel last night where a 'dweller was doing this in her RV
It's called 'how I stay warm in my RV when it's freezing'

 

[Cammalu]

The Magnolia Pearl is covered in Tapestries and everything else. A google search will find many photos if this one isn't enough.

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