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

[unaccompaniedsenior]

My camper shell is too small to put Havlock wool for insulation I believe. 8 x 5 feet only. So I want to go with an easy method to insulate my camper shell, but I will be buying some RV desiccant bucket though. Thanks for you advice


The vertical space inside the camper shell is about almost 4 feet, I can not stand up straight in it. I only put reflectix on the floor for insulation, and a 1/2 inch ply wood on top of it , abs then a thin carpet on top, I have a cot bed. I am looking into a diesel heater

Refectix is NOT insulation; it has an R-value near 1.0 (e.g. almost no insulating effect whatsoever). As a radiant energy barrier--its design purpose--you'd have done far better to cover your ceiling and walls with it instead. Besides, heat moves UP, not down. The only reasons to "insulate" your floor would be to deaden road noise, and to keep your warm toes off the cold floor.

 

[gbugle4u]

This is my first time posting on this site, but I can definitely report that ventilation is key to reducing condensation. Even if you could hang a small USB fan next to a cracked window, that might be all you need to keep it at bay (having an opposite window cracked to provide cross ventilation would be ideal). I have a 10 speed MaxxAir roof vent in my homemade camper that is always on the low setting, unless I am cooking or need it because of high temps, etc... Absolutely great!
As far as keeping warm, a good down sleeping bag rated at 15 deg or lower should be all you'd need. Good luck and hope you stay warm!

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[rruff]

The only reasons to "insulate" your floor would be to deaden road noise, and to keep your warm toes off the cold floor.

Hot *air* moves up, but you will definitely lose heat through an uninsulated floor... just won't be as much as the ceiling.

 

[Frood]

I just saw a youtube video about something that may work... Company in Texas that makes a spray-on coating called Lizard Skin... https://lizardskin.com/
May be worth a shot.

 

[GntlStone]

If the problem is condensation and not just heat, I have had good luck with various anti-condensation products. Some I bought at the Dollar store. Just 1 example is the Camco-44284-Moisture-Absorber-Refill on Amazon for about $5. I now use one that plugs into my 12V system.

At Home Depot this afternoon I happened to see a large containe of DampRid for aboul $13. It's meant to refill the smaller starter containers($3), which I would also suggest picking up one or two of.

DampRid Refillable Small Starter

DampRid refill

 

[jonyjoe303]

condensation is mostly on exposed metal or glass surfaces. Even using 1 layer of foam insulation on those surfaces should clear that up. I never had any condensation form on any of my insulation even when I was using a mr.heater propane heater.
When I did use the heater, I notice alot of extra condensation on my windshield and also on the propane cylinder itself.
I think even one layer of foam will improve your situation. Sleeping in 40 degree weather every night is no fun.

 

[rruff]

Sleeping in 40 degree weather every night is no fun.

I like it.

In the summer I like to camp ~9-10k ft, so it's usually colder than winter in southern AZ!

 

[Malamute]

I like it.

In the summer I like to camp ~9-10k ft, so it's usually colder than winter in southern AZ!

I always liked it as well, I sleep well in colder temps, to a point. In the west it usually warms up 20 or 30 degrees over the nights low, so getting up wasnt too bad once the sun came out. My down bag was OK to zero and below, 30 below being the coldest I slept in the back of my truck.

In a steel frame camper shell I made I had frost lines on the ceiling when below freezing outside, it had foam board between the frame parts but the roof paneling was right on the metal. I mainly slept cold, whatever the outside temp was, the inside was pretty much the same. I didnt try to heat the inside full time, only if i was going to be in it and doing stuff for short periods. The future cargo trailer camper project will be different, and have a propane furnace, but I survived OK with just a high quality down bag in the past.

 

[rruff]

The future cargo trailer camper project will be different, and have a propane furnace, but I survived OK with just a high quality down bag in the past.

I try to camp where night temps are at least freezing, but it's gotten into the teens a few times. I've never had a heater except for a couple candles (not when sleeping!). I'm thinking about getting a small propane lantern instead (less toxic fumes), and you can turn them down much lower than a Buddy style.

If I wanted a real heater I'd look at one of the small Chinese diesel models. Filling up the diesel tank should be cheaper and more convenient than filling propane tanks.

 

[metaglypto]

If you have enough solar and battery those are also nice to just stick under your coat on cold evenings. The typically use ~40W on high, so not a lot.

Try a soapstone foot warmer, they work well. These footwarmers are extremely low tech, and useful for more than just staying warm in your sleeping bag. Pre-heat them over camp fire, propane stove or heater, or you might even be able to find a place on the car engine to heat them. They easily stay warm all night at the foot of the bed under sleeping bag. They can also be used for keeping food or drinks warm, or setting wet boots on to dry out overnight. https://vermontsoapstone.com/products/handmade-soapstone-bed-warmers/

 

[Malamute]

I try to camp where night temps are at least freezing, but it's gotten into the teens a few times. I've never had a heater except for a couple candles (not when sleeping!). I'm thinking about getting a small propane lantern instead (less toxic fumes), and you can turn them down much lower than a Buddy style.

If I wanted a real heater I'd look at one of the small Chinese diesel models. Filling up the diesel tank should be cheaper and more convenient than filling propane tanks.

I lived in a 22 or 24' 79 Winnebago for several years/winters while building cabins and houses, and while getting my cabin completely operational. I had to replace the propane furnace one winter, the one I bought is a Suburban, I think a step or two up BTU wise from whatever the motor home size suggested. It managed to keep it livable down to about zero or so with straw bales stacked around the outside lower half. The motor home is now storage, and the roof is failing. Im going to salvage all the useful parts for my cargo trailer project including the furnace. It will run on either 12v or 120v.

The motor home also had substantial condensation on all the windows, and window and door frames when it was cold outside.

As for seeking the cooler places, i used to seek out old snowbanks in the woods around Flagstaff in the spring to sleep on or by them, and follow the snow line up the mountain to catch the last snowbanks. They also make it nice for your cooler, you dont have to buy ice.

 

[rruff]

I never used soapstone, but they look cool! Heat capacity by weight is less than water, but it's more dense and gives you 2x-3x the heat capacity by volume. Plus they can be heated well above the boiling point... so if you insulate them from your skin, you should be able to get some long lasting warmth. The warmth will also taper off as they cool down, which would be a good feature at night I think, but probably not in other scenarios.

Let me see... if you wanted the equivalent of 40W average for 8 hrs that's 40 J/s *28,800s = 1,152,000 J. Soapstone's heat capacity is 785 J/kg K. Let's say you heat the stone uniformly to 500F (278K) above ambient (is that practical?), that's 218,230 J/kg... so you'd need 5.28 kg or 11.6 lbs of the rock. Seems viable to me!

Could heat it over the stove before bed, stick it in an insulated bag (that can take high temperatures), and you'd have heat for a good while.

 

[unaccompaniedsenior]

Hot *air* moves up, but you will definitely lose heat through an uninsulated floor... just won't be as much as the ceiling.

The only heat lost through the floor will come from a ***source of heat in contact with it*** such as your bare feet.

 

[rruff]

The only heat lost through the floor will come from a ***source of heat in contact with it*** such as your bare feet.

... or air, or anything thing that contacts it inside your van. https://www.buildagreenrv.com/van-camper-ceiling-vs-floor-heat-loss/

 

[unaccompaniedsenior]

... or air, or anything thing that contacts it inside your van. https://www.buildagreenrv.com/van-camper-ceiling-vs-floor-heat-loss/

The "air" in direct contact--this is what conduction requires--with the floor amounts to a few billion molecules, at most, and virtually NO heat transfer because the coldest air is next to the floor. The same thing applies to the outside of your roof--only a few molecules are in direct contact to facilitate conduction. 99% of the heat energy leaving a vehicle does so via ***longwave radiation*** and NOT by either conduction or convection.

 

[rruff]

99% of the heat energy leaving a vehicle does so via ***longwave radiation*** and NOT by either conduction or convection.

Where do you get this? Completely untrue... and also irrelevant for insulation.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

To keep yourself warmer you could also put a sheet of reflectix directly below your sleeping bag, which should help radiae some of your warmth back to your body. If you have any extra left.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

If the problem is condensation and not just heat, I have had good luck with various anti-condensation products. Some I bought at the Dollar store. Just 1 example is the Camco-44284-Moisture-Absorber-Refill on Amazon for about $5. I now use one that plugs into my 12V system.

I prefer not to use anything that requires my battery station at night. Someone just told me that DampRid might solve the condensation problem . I think try that. Thanks for your advice anyway.

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

Years ago I had read that walls sprayed with urethane foam insulation with a minimum of 1 1/2" thick on walls and ceiling would thwart the condensation problem. You could also build a floor with wooden 2X2's, spray foam between them then then top off with plywood sheets. Of course the condensation on the windows will have to be wiped with a towel. In this way condensation wouldn't be a problem and you'd have an extra warm camper shell. Just make sure you also have operable air vents for fresh air.

Thanks for the advice

 

[iluvyouthisbig]

If the morning dew is heavy, excess ventilation will actually increase interior condensation. But if the inside is damp and stuffy in the morning, then increasing ventilation is necessary. A hearty dinner and a plump sleeping bag should be what keeps you warm.

Thanks for your advice