Comfortable camping temperatures?

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Comfortable camping temperatures?

Postby KTM_Guy » Tue May 09, 2017 11:02 am

In planning my tear build I haven't come across any discussions on temperature. With just a fan like a Fantastic and 3/4" plywood wall with 1/8" skins some 3/4 ridged foam, what do you find as comfortable high and low sleeping temperatures. I know it is subjective but what works for you? I think I'm more interested in knowing what it your limit on what is to hot withou AC.

A few weeks ago we were tent camping in Death Valley and one night was 80ish when we went to bed and was hot, by 12:30-1:00am it was getting comfortable, by 3:00 it was perfect sleeping weather. The next night we camped at 7,000 feet and it got down to 33 for the low. We were a little chilly by that is because we were not thinking it would get that cold. We camp in the Colorado mountains into the mid 20's but know it will get that cold.




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Re: Comfortable camping temperatures?

Postby tony.latham » Tue May 09, 2017 11:33 am

In hot weather, obviously it's important to find a campsite with shade... but sometimes that's not possible as you well know.

We just finished a three week trip in the SW. Afternoon naps were fine without shade in 80º weather with the Fantastic fan running on low and windows on our commercial doors open all the way. I think we would have been fine if the temp had been pushing 90º. (Those door windows open from the bottom up and the low-flow coming in really helps.)

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In cold weather we use a 12V electric blanket to pre-heat our bed. A low of 25F is fine. :frightened: But we use a heavy down comforter.

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:thumbsup:

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Re: Comfortable camping temperatures?

Postby working on it » Tue May 09, 2017 11:48 am

You camp in the desert, or in the mountains, which I have not, yet. The requirements for your comfort will be much different than what I need, camping in the hot and humid North Texas, SE Oklahoma areas. I saw no need for insulation, since 40 degrees would be the lowest the I would normally expect to see, and my little 200 watt heater can handle that, in my 4x8. The opposite extreme is the heat of spring-summer-fall, from 90 to 100 plus. That's why an A/C unit, and a larger main fan (I use a Honeywell 11 inch table fan, mounted to the underside of my stereo shelf, when I need more airflow), are necessities for comfort. I also have computer case fans over my side vents, for air circulation whenever​ I'm inside (no CO2 build up). Without insulation, the walls sweat sometimes, but the heater, A/C, and fan(s) take care of it quickly. I would insulate, if I built it again, but it isn't a problem for me. Also, in direct sun, placing a canopy or awning over the trailer roof to shield it, will greatly reduce the temperature inside.
Last edited by working on it on Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Comfortable camping temperatures?

Postby Nobody » Tue May 09, 2017 7:37 pm

I built our TD in 2006. It is 50" wide by 114" long & has a cabin height of around 48" give or take a couple, outside measure. Sleeping compartment is approx 57" wide by 77" long with a storage compartment in the 'curve' at front & cabinets approx 15" over our feet that reach to the ceiling. I ordered & installed a Fantastic fan (Have no idea what model it is, 3 speed, reversible, DC powered). Our walls are framed with white pine/spruce ripped from 2x4s, (1/4" oak ply inner layer, 1/8" luan outer, covered with 0.040" aluminum, insulated with 3/4" blue or pink styrofoam in walls/doors, & floor, 1 1/2" in the roof) & the doors (2 each, 1 per side) are constructed identically. I located, ordered, & installed a 12"x18" 'crank-out' window in each door. My wife sewed double-layer curtains for each window. I have a Group 27 battery in the galley to provide 12vdc power for the lights, stereo, & the fantastic fan. We often have hot, muggy nights (& days) here in 'the south' & we've camped from Florida up the Atlantic coast & to the Pacific Northwest, & south to California so we've experienced a variety of weather conditions in our travels. If it is too hot/muggy to sleep comfortably we open the door windows about an inch or so & turn the fantastic fan on low, reverse flow, & it draws air in the windows, the curtains direct the air downward onto sleepers & within minutes we are comfortable. Many nights I've had to turn the fan off around 1-2 O'clock in the morning because it gets too cool. I also ordered a 2500BTU Pet Cool air conditioner & 'plumbed' the TD for it. We've used it maybe 3-4 times when camping in 'the south' in July when temps sometimes get unbearable. It requires115vac hook-ups but if it's that hot we make sure we have power wherever we camp (usually Corps of Engineer lakes). I can't give you a range of temps we're comfortable at but I've camped in southern Illinois in November in 18 degree temperatures & been perfectly comfortable in a good sleeping bag. I used to have a small HF 12vdc heater defroster that I'd plug in & turn on 10-15min before bedtime & when the alarm went off in the morning, it would warm the cabin up enough that I could dress/undress & get into/out of bed in comfort. I'm sure it drew quite a few amps but I never measured it & I've used it for 3-4 nights & mornings successively without killing my battery. The switch finally fried so I haven't used it for quite a while. The fantastic fan has done an outstanding job for us throughout our 10yrs & 30K miles. I think that it combined with the door windows have enabled us to camp in truly miserable weather in relative comfort...

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Last edited by Nobody on Tue May 09, 2017 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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