Cooling tips in hot places?

[Thrumpskin]

We just bought our first 5th wheel and towed it down to Las Vegas. During the day it has been over 100 and the best we can get the trailer cooled to is around 87. Short of buying more or higher power A/C units does anyone have any tips for making it cooler in the trailer? we keep all the night shades down to limit the "green house effect".

 

[Shayne]

You didn't say wheather this is a new or used unit.  Some of these talented people here can definitely solve your problem but will need to know all the facts.  First check you fuse Box and make sure half of the power didn't pop a breaker.  The experts will be on shortly to help.  Welcome to the Forum and sorry about your problem.

 

[Carl L]

How big is this trailer of yours and how many A/C units does it have?  Are you attached to 30amp or 50amp shorepower.  What kind of voltage are you getting?    Is it under 110 VAC?.  On hot days, a lot of parks' voltages get iffy.

If you have awnings, use them.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Use the awnings. Close the shades. Stuff the skylights (roof vents) with foam insualting "cushions" (available in many rv stores)  cause they are just plastic and pass a lot of heat in addition to direct sun. They also make snap on vinyl covers for these vents.

Your rig may not have dual-pane glass - it's not standard until you get into the higher priced rigs. If that's the case, the windows are also passing a lot of heat. You could make insulating covers for some of them using the bubble-type insulation, foam board or other thin insulalting material.

Or just don't go there in the summer...  :-\

 

[Thrumpskin]

My unit is a brand new 2006 Cougar 289EFS. We are attached to 30 amp power.

 

[Karl]

If you can, find a place to park so the sun travels over the trailer from front to rear(or rear to front) and not side-to-side; less square footage exposed to the sun.

 

[Carl L]

My unit is a brand new 2006 Cougar 289EFS. We are attached to 30 amp power.

According to the specs, that is a 31 foot trailer with a single 13,500 BTU A/C unit.? ?It should handle the load, especially if you close off unused rooms.? ?Get an analogue plug in voltmeter and monitor your shorepower.? Low voltage (less than 110 VAC)can adversely affect airconditioning, or even damage the unit.? ?Not all trailer parks, or cities for that matter, have the circuitry or capacity to handle A/C loads on hot days.?

Besides that you can arrange to have a site that allows you to orient your unit E-W with the access door and awning side facing south.? ?That arrangement allows you to extend the awning to shade the side of the trailer from the sun in the southern hemisphere in the sky.? ? The services, port, side of the trailer will face north.

Crack your ceiling vents enough to allow heated air to escape.

Drink lots of ice tea.?

Think snow.?

;D

 

[John From Detroit]

You should also measure a number of tempertures, all at the same time if possible.

Those tempertures are: Outside air,  Air conditioner "Exhaust" air

Inside Air Conditioner inlet air, and outlet air,

Ideally humidity should also be measured both inside and outside as well

It is possible you got a deffective, but not very likely, the temperture test, coupled with the voltage monitor someone else suggested, will find this,  You can get thermoters specificaly designed for measuring AC outlet temp at auto stores but if you have a cooking thermoter which goes down to freezing, use it.  Same part, cheaper