Last minute RV prep questions

[zaqoff]

Hi everyone,
Can someone please help a novice RV burner with some last minute RV prep?

1) I will be using the stove (propane), and AC (generator). Will NOT be using the fridge or furnace (obviously!). Which vents/chimneys are safe to tape off from the dust? I can't seem to find any pictures online. I have two round PVC pipe chimneys on the roof, two metal round vents (3" or so in diameter) off the drivers side exterior, and a rectangular roof vent (which I think is for the fridge).

2) I will have a giant silver tarp covering the RV to reflect heat. Flush against the driver side wall of the RV and lifted off the roof of the RV via the metal rack on the roof + some wood beams. Tarp awning setup via rope and rebar on the passenger side. Do I just cut a hole and let the AC unit peek through the tarp, or cover the AC unit with the tarp?

3) Given the tarp idea, can I use Reflectix on the OUTSIDE of the windows, and tape them completely in place with gaffer/freezer tape?

Almost there!

[FossaFerox]

No one can be sure which chimney exhausts are which. It's model specific. Don't secure a tarp against your RV, it will properly thrash the paint and body.

[Captain Goddammit]

I have used my furnace out there. One year it got so cold at night almost no one could stand to be out. It's not always hot out there! There's a reason big fur coats are popular.
Why on earth would you not use the refrigerator, one of the very best parts of an RV?!
They will run on propane, and only a very very small amount of it. You've got nothing whatsoever to lose and everything to gain! Any RV carries more than enough propane to run the fridge for half of forever.

Yes, the rectangular vent on the roof located directly above the fridge is the fridge vent and you can tape it if you really want to (crazy! ) but if you do, you'll also want to cover the rear fridge vent. It should be a louvered hatch on the side of the rig, right behind the fridge.

[pink]

I second the captain on this. Having a fridge is my favorite part of having a camper...well after not having to run to the potties to pee in the middle of the night.

[zaqoff]

The reason I was planning to not use the fridge is because the RV is old (1982) and has a messy/dirty compartment with the refrigerator wiring for the propane. The RV mechanic thinks it should be cleaned and have the pipes removed and cleaned as well. $$$$$$. Seems not worth it because I have two giant coolers and dry ice. Plus don't people worry about leaving the propane running for 7 days straight? What if there's a tiny leak :/

[Captain Goddammit]

Oh I see well that's different! Yep the damn things are expensive. I once bought an older Winnebago just because it had a new fridge (worth more than I paid for the Winnie). I removed it then sold the Winnie.

By the way, when he says "pipes cleaned out", it makes me think you have a very common problem. RV fridges that sit around end up having the ammonia in the pipes on the back of the fridge crystallize and block the thing up. Often you can take a block of wood and bang on the pipes a bunch, hard enough to free it up but not so hard you break the thing, and it will start cooling again. RV fridges usually fail from bad circuit boards or leaking ammonia. If you ever got that ammonia smell from yours, the cooling unit went bad and it's an expensive fix $800+. The circuit boards are available and not nearly as expensive.

Try beating the coils on the back, hopefully the access hatch is placed so you can reach them. Sometimes it works.

[zaqoff]

Ok thanks, I will give it a try!
What do you think of my second and third questions about the AC and Reflectix?

[Captain Goddammit]

As long as the tarp is elevated at least a little I think the AC is fine under there. I ran mine under a similar shade last year. I wouldn't cut the hole.
I think you're wise to put the reflectix on the outside. I've heard it said that the metal window frames can transfer a bit of heat to the interior and covering the glass and frames is even better.
I always bring a few extra rolls of painter's tape to seal any surprise dust entry "hull breaches". One of mine is the hatch that covers where the shore power cord goes. In my rig that's open to the back of the under-counter cabinets and the drawers fill with playa if I don't tape it up. I also bring a can of that expanding foam sealant stuff but I haven't tried it out yet.

[pink]

I put my reflectix over the window & the frame; like the good captain said, dust will creep In Everywhere, and my frames are leaky. The windows actually stay cool to the touch inside with the reflectix outside. Without? There's a photo here somewhere of someone baking cookies in their car window.

[Canoe]

Reflectrix on the outside, covering the frames too.

Don't forget the skylights; but it's safer to cover those on the inside so you're not climbing up on top, and you can remove them if you need to ventilate. Consider a double or triple layer if you're covering on the inside.

Gaffers is the best tape to use. Wide green painter/freezer tape can work, but sometimes not, particularly if it's old tape. Clean & dry the surface first. Watch out for 'delicate surface' painter's tape; does not do the job.

If the window is large, cover half with one piece first, taping all around it's edges. Then cover the the other half of the window with another piece (at least butted, but with a slight overlap is better). This means the surface areas are smaller for wind blowing around a corner trying to suck the covering off.

Cover windows to the South, East & West.
AND, North facing windows too. They exposed to hot air that has heat that can conduct inside, and the hot air, hot ground and hot objects radiate heat inside through North facing windows too.
Some people find that having the reflectix on the inside of the North facing windows does a good enough job for those. And it allows them to open the window easily for those times in the evening or very early morning when you might be able to enjoy a light breeze. Also, you can cut a one or two inch square hole in the middle of the reflectix so there is always some outside light getting in, so you're not in such complete dark during the day.