Hot vs cold

[treesprite]

** I just realized there is a separate forum for this topic -maybe mods can move the thread?**

I was planning based on battling cold, but it's a lot easier to deal with cold than it is with heat, and there will probably be more time with hot weather than cold. I can't deal with indoor temps being any warmer than 80f, because of health issues, so I think I should change my strategy to tip the scale to accommodate the hot weather with only secondary concern for cold.

This is a cargo van, and I plan to put a wall with door between living space and cab. So the windows in the living space that can open, are just the side door windows that push open at the bottom like vents. The rear doors have windows that don't open.

If I put a ventilation fan unit in the wall to the cab, to take advantage of opening the cab windows, what should I do for roof fan vents, other than adding one of a size I still have to determine?  (It just occurred to me that this wouldn't help at night in places where I can't leave windows rolled down). I plan to put fans at the openings of the side windows.

Is there a point at which adding more fan vents will stop adding to the cooling?

Then there is the question of how much power they will need. I have to stretch out my purchasing of stuff over a long period of time, so I have to carefully prioritize what gets power.

 

[MrNoodly]

Some questions:

- What types of places will you be staying in? Populated or in the boonies? Camping or stealthing?

- Are you able/willing to travel to places where it's not so hot?

I ask, because there might be solutions that are much simpler.

 

[user 423]

This is a cargo van, and I plan to put a wall with door between living space and cab. So the windows in the living space that can open, are just the side door windows that push open at the bottom like vents. The rear doors have windows that don't open.

If I put a ventilation fan unit in the wall to the cab, to take advantage of opening the cab windows, what should I do for roof fan vents, other than adding one of a size I still have to determine?  (It just occurred to me that this wouldn't help at night in places where I can't leave windows rolled down). I plan to put fans at the openings of the side windows.

It's possible to retrofit a tilt-out window at the rear. Available at salvage yards, eBay or someone parting out a van on Craigslist.  This would provide cross ventilation. Push-pull fans could be added for better flow.

The cab windows don't need to be rolled all the way down to provide ventilation. You can install vent visors that allow lowering the windows 1 or 2 inches without letting rain in:

https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Ventsha...----1&vehicleName=2005+Chevrolet+Express+2500

 

[maki2]

I would strongly recommend you watch the videos on the cheaprvliving youtube channel that cover The subject of staying cooler in hot weather. There y ou will learn about ambient temperasture. If the outside temperature is more than 80 degrees the only way y ou can get the temperature insideby our van to be below 80 degrees is by using an sircondityioner. A fan will blow air over y ou and make you feel cooler hut it cant lower the air tmperatur eto lower than the ambient air temperature. But of course it can removve exess heat build up that can happen inside a van that did not have adequate air flow inside of it. But if it is 90 degrees outside ambient air temperatue it most definetely can not lower the temperature inside the van to lower than 90 degrees.

So that leaves you with two choices, go where the ambient temperature is less than 80 degrees or install air conditioning. Bjut do remember that in Wrstern WA on yhe Olmpic p eninsula by the mointains wherre it is forested the summer temperature high is rarely over 80 degrees. Lots of free National forest camping arounc there but not necessasrily a lot of solar power all summer long. Also t he voastal areas in WASttste and Orgon are often less thzn 80 in yhe summer. Can be foggy in the mornings but it burns off by noon. That means t he hea t does not have a chance to build up before it stsrts getting low in the sky. This is also true of nortern California coastal areas. Morn ing fog in summer is going to be your eco friendly air conditioning system. Wooded high elevations are the other choice.

 

[ckelly78z]

I would much rather deal with being too warm, than too cold, but either way, you need to insulate your van properly, and maintain decent ventilation. During the Summer, you can keep your doors open with zip up screens to get the cooler night air. I would mount a MaxAir roof fan also, and have a portable desk fan that could be aimed in your direction.

Always plan to park in the shade, or make your own shade with an awning that connects to both sides of your van (or even completely covers your van). For sleeping in the hot Summer, you could always have an outdoor hammock, or cot, that could be set up inside of a screen room.

 

[treesprite]

As long as the issue is only for leisure trips, I just have to continue going to places with higher elevation in summer (shore power won't help for vacations, because there's no point in traveling if I can't go outside). The real issue is that if I end up with no place to live in the spring (because of other people not paying their part of the rent), I've still got to stay where my job is. It gets so hot and humid here (near DC), that some days I can't even get to my car, I have to use sick leave and wait until night to go to work.

I honestly don't know how so many people manage to live in the south and southwest, it would put me in the grave. There are so many beautiful and wonderful places I'll never be able to experience, so many great people I'll never meet, just because of stupid health problems that force me indoors.

 

[MrNoodly]

I lived my first 16 years in the DC suburbs. No air conditioning. Spent a lot of summers in the basement in front of a fan.

 

[treesprite]

I've lived here my entire 58 years of life, was born at Walter Reed. The weather was a lot cooler, less humid, less polluted. We had snow most of the winter, enough to use metal runner sleds without the runners touching the ground (we were on a street aptly named for being in a valley between hills, so all the streets became sled runs, and our yard was a series of steep terrace-like hills). Snow is very infrequent now, and when we have it, it doesn't last very long. Most of the area that was woods and farms, is sardine can type housing surrounding shopping and transit centers. There is a permanent smog line on the DC horizon that I can see from my 15th story apartment in White Oak - that wasn't there when I was a kid. I really miss the snow we used to have.

 

[Psyckosama]

For heating, a Chinese diesel heater might be good for you if you have onboard power.

As for cooling... two important questions. How dry and what's your accessibility to water?

If you can get regular access to water and have a dry environment you might want to consider an evaporative cooler.

 

[crofter]

If you plan to stay in hot humid areas you will want to have a rear air conditioner, and this will also require either solar setup or shore power. Here is a link to video on that. You can also search youtube under "bob wells cooling" and find even more good info.
-crofter

 

[Uncle Todo]

I'm a life'r in the DC area, born in FC and yet to stray far from.

In my van travels I plan on going with the weather, more southerly in the winter and northerly in the summer and avoid humidity as best as possible. Hoping to avoid any extremes in weather, hot or cold, more than an occasional.
This is provided the vanning goes well and I end up doing it for longer than a season.
I had initially been hoping to leave November'ish, but now looking like it may be more a Spring departure.
I definitely prefer colder temps than hotter, you can always add layers but you can only take off but so many...

For a roof vent, I'd recommend the MaxxAir Deluxe. They have three models, they all have a built in shroud so it can be used while it's raining, but the middle and top models are reversible so they can be used for intake or exhaust. The top model comes with a remote and power opening shroud where the middle is knob operated.
I bought the middle, I like the intake/exhaust feature to help moderate temps. I lucked out and found one on FB Marketplace $100 cheaper than buying new. It was new still sealed in its box, owner had spilled paint on it and unable to return it.

 

[treesprite]

Glad to know another person in my area!


I've read about the Maxxairs. I definitely want a reversible fan on the vent, whatever brand it ends up being.


To answer a question, it is very humid here in summer, a swamp cooler would never work.