Insulation?

[jonyjoe303]

I've been thinking about trying out some kind of a swamp cooler or making one. Would you mind sharing what kind you have and where you got it.

I had to build my own, on the "heating and air conditioning" section there is post on the recent dual stage swampcooler I been testing. It has been working great, if i build anymore they will be dual stage, the performance is noticeable compared to just a regular swampcooler. I never seen anyone sell the dual stage swampcoolers, so you have to build it yourself. I been using swampcoolers for 9 years and they make a big difference in keeping you cool, having max insulation allows you to stay cool with minimal power use.

As far as insulation I used regular 1/2 inch generic gluesticks (cheapest ones) to install the insulation to my bare metal roof, I installed the first layers in 2013, 9 years later they are still on the roof, never fallen off. I use hotglue because it has no fumes and it dries within minutes. You can hotglue foam on top of other foam, making multiple layers.


roof insulation 6 layers (1/2 inch per layer) . With 6 layers I no longer felt any heat coming in through the roof.

 

[wfopete]

Insulation pays you back 24/7/365 and it kills noise. My 2020 cargo Transit sounded like a drum before I dropped $1000 of 3M Thinsulate in it. Now it is quieter than my car.

 

[eapj1]

John Wells no relation to Bob Wells made a swamp cooler and this is his blog link http://thefieldlab.blogspot.com/search/label/pepino I'm not spamming here, this is the real deal. I'm in Ohio so don't need one due to the humidity here. He lives in southern Texas, where it is dry. So if i was going to make one I would use his design. Take care.

 

[LargeMarge]

If I choose not the insulate a cargo van... [because I plan] to follow good weather...

.
Well, planning to follow good weather is certainly a good plan.
1973, I initiated my Keogh self-employed IRA because I planned to travel the world in style...
...on my 'pension' draw of us$1,000 a month.
.
Although good weather is certainly a fine fine outstanding goal, I welcome an occasional rain.
And sometimes in good weather, I get some hail.
(Not 'jail' as auto-correct incorrectly insists...)
(And yet, far-be-it for me to interfere with the mysterious ways of bytes and electrons and programming...)
.
Rain and hail on a tin roof can be relaxing and meditative.
Toss in some wind, add some gusts with the hail going horizontal, and that 'gravel-in-a-lunchbox' symphony lulls me to sleep like a baby.
.
I just love the relaxing sounds of a pleasant freeway as I nap at a rest-stop.
And conversations of folks leaning against our rig are always worth the price of admission.
Not to mention but certainly worth adding... the pleasant relaxing sounds of a community of hounds harmonizing.
.
Yes, I think that whole 'insulation' fad will blow-over in a few weeks.
Does anybody honestly remember hula-hoops?
Or Michael Jackson?
Or the olden days of spritzing sanitizer on shopping-carts?

 

[BelgianPup]

Don't bother insulating if you don't think you will need it. Some people need to learn the hard way.

Install a ceiling vent to let hot air rise out of the rig. Install some kind of exterior frame on the roof about 3 - 4" higher than the roof surface. When you're stopped, stretch a white or silvery tarp over the frame to shield it from direct sunlight.

In cold, install a diesel heater and use good, natual-fiber bedding (down sleeping bag, wool blankets or comforters).

If these suggestions, don't work, insulate.

 

[CoyoteG]

I was living in a VW New Beetle
Now I have a Chevy express cargo van.
It is the Taj Mahal compared to the beetle
I figure the van is better than the beetle and breaks the wind better than a tent.
I have a hammock strung up in the back of mine. I can and have gone quite cold and stayed comfortable in the under quilt and hammock.

 

[dreamrunnerjt]

I had to build my own, on the "heating and air conditioning" section there is post on the recent dual stage swampcooler I been testing. It has been working great, if i build anymore they will be dual stage, the performance is noticeable compared to just a regular swampcooler. I never seen anyone sell the dual stage swampcoolers, so you have to build it yourself. I been using swampcoolers for 9 years and they make a big difference in keeping you cool, having max insulation allows you to stay cool with minimal power use.

As far as insulation I used regular 1/2 inch generic gluesticks (cheapest ones) to install the insulation to my bare metal roof, I installed the first layers in 2013, 9 years later they are still on the roof, never fallen off. I use hotglue because it has no fumes and it dries within minutes. You can hotglue foam on top of other foam, making multiple layers.


roof insulation 6 layers (1/2 inch per layer) . With 6 layers I no longer felt any heat coming in through the roof.
View attachment 32633

You did it on the outside of your van? That’s a bit unusual.

 

[dreamrunnerjt]

I was living in a VW New Beetle
Now I have a Chevy express cargo van.
It is the Taj Mahal compared to the beetle
I figure the van is better than the beetle and breaks the wind better than a tent.
I have a hammock strung up in the back of mine. I can and have gone quite cold and stayed comfortable in the under quilt and hammock.

Strangely I have never used a hammock. Although I understand they are much cooler than a bed for hot weather.

 

[CoyoteG]

Strangely I have never used a hammock. Although I understand they are much cooler than a bed for hot weather.

Once you get over the learning curve, I have found it the very best sleep and space efficient. Know how to hang it. Know about insulation and under quilts. Most people I know quit after the first time they get it wrong. But if you can push through, it’s the most comfortable way to sleep I’ve found. PS: stay away from sticks across hammocks. A regular camping hammock, under quilt and a sleeping bag are all I use.

 

[dreamrunnerjt]

What is a “ sticks across” hammock?

 

[maki2]

Solid cloth nylon hammocks are not all that cool in hot weather. The mesh ones are much better for summer as your sweat can evaporate away.

Solid stick hammocks have a spreader bar at each end. It is not needed if you use a hammock in the correct orientation. Many people sleep length wise in a hammock. That is incorrect. That puts stress on your spine as it will be in a curve all night. You also could easily fall out of the hammock when trying to get out of it. The proper way is to lie down or sit crosswise to the length. Your spine is then straighter and properly supported. That also makes it a whole lot easier to get in and out of the hammock. If you are a larger or tall person a hammock sized for two might be a more comfortable choice. The hammock should be hung at a height where your feet touch the floor when you sit down into it. You sit in the middle both width and length wise so when you lie back your feet and head are on the fabric. This is why if you are tall you might need two person hammock. Before you make a purchase check the measurements for the width to make sure it is a match for your height.

 

[bagabum]

What is a “ sticks across” hammock?

Look for a youtuber named gonagain, Rick and Linda made a pole hammock and went to a Duc canvas place to have a custom cover made so that he could adjust the covers tightness in 3 different sections for the contour of his body. I t was very interesting.

 

[user 22017]

What is a “ sticks across” hammock?

The pros and cons: https://thathammocklife.com/spreader-bars-vs-non-spreader-bars/