Reflectix on walls instead of foam board?

[XR-duous]

Perhaps this has been beaten to death already, but I didn't find much when searching. It seems that everyone goes for the foam board insulation (at least in the cargo conversion builds), which has a super low R value.... but I don't see anyone really using the reflectix roll insulation. In my set up, we don't camp when it is crazy cold. The coldest has been in the upper 30's. So I don't think it's going to take much to heat the trailer in the winter, with or without insulation. Our bigger problem is the summer trips when we are baking with 75% humidity and 90-100 degree temperatures. I have 1" wall studs, so I was thinking that I could get significantly higher R value out of the reflectix (as opposed to foam board) by putting in 1/2" shims, thereby creating a 1/2" gap on both sides of the reflectix. Does someone have a logical reason why this wouldn't be a better option for my cargo conversion? I suppose the focus wouldn't be keeping the cold in, but would rather be keeping the hot out. But I'm not really seeing how that's a problem.

As a point of reference, I just did a trip with no insulation where it was over 90 degrees and where the trailer was in direct sun most of the day. It cut the humidity, but struggled to keep it cool during the peak of the day. We were running about 80 degrees in the trailer and 90-92 outside. It did cut it down to 65 at night without much problem, however, even though the outside of the trailer was always covered with condensation in the mornings. It's an 8,000 btu unit in a 7.5x20 trailer.

Advice much appreciated.

[Socal Tom]

Relectix is great on the outside. I put it as a cover on my roof and the dark colored roof temp is about 30f less based on my hand. However in the wall it doesn’t do much more than air. The foam board will keep the cool in much better than the foil stuff.
You want you trailer to be like a yeti cooler, if the foil stuff was better you would see all the premium coolers made that way, in stead only the cheap ones come that way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[John61CT]

Reflectix is mostly useless, not insulation.

Shading outside, preventing radiant heat gain, but it has no significant value as insulation in a mobile context.

[Cosmo]

This video researches Reflectix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epxt30Ws9xE&t=8s

[XR-duous]

Has anyone ever tested the foam before and after to see if it's really worth it with such low r values?

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Pinstriper]

The best thing you can do about heat is avoid leaving the thing in full sun. An easy-up sun shade over the top of your parked trailer will do more than almost any amount of insulation. A larger cargo trailer could mean an extra sun canopy, or a different sort of tarp and pole kit to set up a sun fly. Obviously choosing a shaded location is even better. Exterior color helps a lot, too. Especially to slow the heat build up during transit.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Tomterrific]

Bright white paint will really help with direct sun. As far as night time is concerned, ventilation is king. Foam is the best insulation for differential temperatures.

I primitive camp mostly without electricity, never with A.C.

Tt