Ok, it has gotten colder. And there is a big difference from 29 degrees down to 20 degrees. My heater barely warms up the bus. It is just too much surface area that is contact with the exterior. The heater is not designed to heat up this much space with such bitter cold only 6 inches away, and that is the extent of my thickest insulation in the walls under the windows. Me saying my bus is weather proof because I have been comfortable when temperature drops to 30 is like saying it is waterproof because it keeps the rain out. But if I drove it into a lake I am sure I would find it weak spots.
I am not complaining, I am just surprised at the difference. Instead of condensation I have frost on the inside of my windshield that forms about 2 hours after the sun goes down. I scrape the frost off, condensation appears and immediately freezes. So I have a new battle. As with most things prevention goes a long ways. I leave a the side window cracked if I plan on driving it again after the sun goes down. During the day, I find that if I park the bus with the windshield towards the sun that condensation will not form. I am just adapting to cards I am being dealt and look forward to learning new 'tricks' to make condensation maintenance more efficient.
A nice surprise is that even when I turn off the heater before I go to sleep, my multitude of blankets, comforter, sleeping back keeps me nicely warm. Getting up in the morning is tougher. The cold freezes the water in my pet's water bowl. My flooring consists of metal bus floor, covered by 1/2in foam board, covered with 1/2in plywood, covered with linoleum. Not much insulation there. And all 4 sides of my bus are exposed to the wind and cold, unlike a house which has either earth or crawl space to keep the most crispy cold at bay. Same idea with an attic.
I suppose when I camp in 0 degree weather I will have some new revelations.
I am heading back to Spartanburg this week to pack up and clean up the area. I plan on having lots of new pics when I return.
You could try window quilts at night to help keep some of that cold from coming thru the windows... maybe even some mylar(space blankets) on those quits.
ReplyDeleteMylar reflects infared waves you could put them on your ceiling to reflect heat down.
Also bubble wrap could help on the windows, (even waste from business) it would allow light and heat to come thru from the sun and still insulate.
You could use waste peanuts from local business, pack them in sacks to make cheap insulation.
Have you thought of a wood stove? you can get alot of free wood like pallets, tree trimming, drift wood ect. where ever you go.
just some thoughts..