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Topic ClosedInsulating under bed in 171

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Goose View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Insulating under bed in 171
    Posted: 02 May 2013 at 10:23am
Anthony the moisture that you are seeing is more than likely the result of your breathing while you sleep. The POD is built very tight and with out cracking the fan vent and a window to have a flow of air the moisture in your breath condensates on the windows and up on the roof. We all have seen this when camping in the colder times of the year.   Goose
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 May 2013 at 9:13am
So I sealed the edges of the plywood with silicone and took it out last weekend.  We had one cold night and I didn't feel any cold air blowing in from that area - much improved.  I was also sure to keep the storage doors closed tight.    I noticed some condensation along the seal between the roof and walls, so there's probably air leaking there as well.  Where else have people sealed their Pods?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Apr 2013 at 7:39pm
Anthony, great idea!  Thanks for the suggestion ... going to be doing some caulking on it this weekend so adding this to the list.
 
Goose, I'll see if I can find that somewhere around here for the frig area.  We have a small electric heater with a thermostat we are using for really cold nights, but M's definition of really cold and my definition of it vary greatly!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Apr 2013 at 7:38pm
The proper name for it is "radiant barrier".  Its best known by the trade name Reflectix.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Apr 2013 at 11:29am
This is the mylar/bubble wrap/ foil that I used to insulate the short walls behind the refrig. I used 3 layers of foam baseplate seal cut and glued in between the framing and then added the bubble wrap over the top held in place by 1/4 inch screws. I used the baseplate seal because it was flexible enough to work into that small space.
   I also have two layers of bubble wrap in the back window that really cuts the heat in the back. For the life of me I can't think of the name of this stuff, only that they had it one year at the local Home Depot and then last summer they did not and had buy it out in Casa Grande when we got there.
   Like Outbound I have a bunk heater on the mattress in the truck and on a cold morning you never want to get up, it works great.    GooseDSC03039.jpg
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Apr 2013 at 7:02pm
I've noticed cold air getting sucked into the 171 between the plywood for the bed and the back wall which leads down to the storage area.   Make sure the storage doors are closed and consider a bead of silicone between the wall and plywood. You can add insulation after the airflow is stopped. I'm going to try this as well.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Apr 2013 at 12:45pm
How about using Reflectix under the bed and up the wall to just below the top of the mattress?

I can also highly recommend a heated mattress pad if you've got hookups.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2013 at 7:19pm
SmileI would recommend picking up a roll of mylar/mirror/bubble wrap.  It is usually available in the building section of the big box stores.  It looks like bubble wrap but the plastic is coated with a mirror-like surface.  The bubbles act as thermal insulation and the mirrored surface reflects heat.
So it works great to keep hot sunlight out and reflects IR heat in the interior.  I cut it to fit the shape of my Pod's windows and use the blinds/curtains to keep it from falling out of the window frames.
I finally added a couple of industrial strength sticky-back Velcro to each sheet to help keep the panels from falling down.
The bubble sheets really work well...they stop most of the condensation/frost when nights get nippy.  My bed is located beneath the rear window and there is never any cold drafts when the sheets are installed.
I also use the inserts on the sunny side windows if I know that it is going to be a scorcher and I want to prevent the temp from building up too fast from sun shining through the windows.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2013 at 6:47pm
Nope, we don't have a memory foam mattress yet ... on the wish list but kind of spendy.  I agree that would probably help a lot with the issue as well.
 
We haven't had our Pod long enough to actually use it in the summer, so I am thankful for the responses about dealing with the heat.  Though I live in the Southeast I am a Northwest born'n'bred boy who likes it colder, and I don't do well with trying to sleep when it is too hot.  That has been a concern of mine, and these ideas to keep the heat out are fantastic!
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Apr 2013 at 6:43pm
Originally posted by techntrek

 Sounds feasible.  Do you have a memory foam mattress?  We do, I sleep against the back wall in our 171 and haven't noticed any difference, I can only wonder if that mattress helps.  Something that may help you is to leave the access door under the bed open overnight to allow warmer air to circulate under there. 
 
Doh!  Now why didn't I think of that! Cry
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