Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Posted: **Sat Jan 13, 2018 10:53 pm**

Yes, my 80 degree inside heat was a mistake in two ways. One it was warmer that day. I think about 45F and I forgot to turn off the heater and when I checked the trailer was at 80F. Too hot!

So time does make a difference as does outside temp. This trailer is empty, except for a scooter.

I think I can conclude if a 7x7x17 aluminum trailer with Refectix and wood floor/wall one could heat it with a 1350 watt electric heater about 32F if left on all the time. Mine does cycle on and off. When at 60f inside it is on 5 min and off 2-1/2 min.

I am installing an Atwood 16K in 12K out propane furnace in a month. I am now sure it will handle any weather without more insulation.

I will be building in beds and cabinets which will add insulation in most areas.

Posted: **Sun Jan 14, 2018 2:14 pm**

Thanks for all you thought, helpful tips and suggestions. It has got me doing more research. From what I'm getting from my research, the air space would cause a heat conveyor and leach heat from the trailer during the winter and the cool air conditioned air from the trailer during the summer. That being said, I wonder if that heat exchange would keep the air space an average temperature in between that of the inside and outside temperatures, keeping the cavity from sweating?

Posted: **Sun Jan 14, 2018 3:35 pm**

hankaye wrote:Howdy All;

Call me crazy, lots of others have ... "GoneFishin" has only the bubble-wrap
type of insulation inside his walls and yet he is able to camp (he states),
comfortably with his heating system in some fairly coolish to cold weather.

hank

Yep, still true to this day! I can keep it comfortable in there with my propane heater in temperatures down to +10 or so. My insulation isn't too great, or very thick. I could do better, but the need hasn't exceeded the labor yet. :oops:

The best thing I did was put in the foam tiles on the entire wood floor. That made a world of difference.

The original poster's idea of insulating from the outside (inside the trailer) never occured to me. :thinking:

I need every inch in my current trailer, but if I ever go to the 7-wide I sometimes consider . . . Yes, put up the insulation, cover it up with thin ply or paneling, and bam. I'd consider that for sure. Just would want the wall covering to be light due to the added weight issue. What would be some alternatives to thick, heavier ply wood? paneling, yes. What else?

Posted: **Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:22 pm**

Gonefishin, Howdy;

Did you ever do anything to the ceiling, insulation wise ???
Just being curious.

hank

Posted: **Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:47 pm**

I never did Hank. It's so flimsy to begin with I'm afraid to pull it off and be able to get it back on. My other thought was that since I use it a lot in the summer and I don't have air conditioning in it, it cools faster after sunset without any insulation in the ceiling, it lets me open the vents and let the heat escape. If I ever do another one though I will probably go ahead and insulate the ceiling as well, I think that's probably more important than wall insulation in the grand scheme of things.

Posted: **Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:24 am**

Gonefishin, Howdy;

Gonefishin wrote:I never did Hank. It's so flimsy to begin with I'm afraid to pull it off and be able to get it back on. My other thought was that since I use it a lot in the summer and I don't have air conditioning in it, it cools faster after sunset without any insulation in the ceiling, it lets me open the vents and let the heat escape. If I ever do another one though I will probably go ahead and insulate the ceiling as well, I think that's probably more important than wall insulation in the grand scheme of things.

I was thinking more about the sound deadening aspect. Mine sounds like the inside of a drum
when it's raining or after the rain and the drips are falling from the trees.

hank

Posted: **Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:50 pm**

hankaye wrote:Gonefishin, Howdy;

Gonefishin wrote:I never did Hank. It's so flimsy to begin with I'm afraid to pull it off and be able to get it back on. My other thought was that since I use it a lot in the summer and I don't have air conditioning in it, it cools faster after sunset without any insulation in the ceiling, it lets me open the vents and let the heat escape. If I ever do another one though I will probably go ahead and insulate the ceiling as well, I think that's probably more important than wall insulation in the grand scheme of things.

I was thinking more about the sound deadening aspect. Mine sounds like the inside of a drum
when it's raining or after the rain and the drips are falling from the trees.

hank

I enjoy the "sounds of nature" pinging the roof top! I can tell if its a light shower, heavy rain, or hail without even looking outside. Not sure if there's enough insulation on the planet to deaden the sound of water on that tin roof. But I hear your point. I recently did have to remove a little bit of ceiling to get to a wire for a new LED light, and there ain't nothin' up in there but dead air. :shock:

This idea of insulating from the plywood already in place has got me to thinking though . . . Glue/nail some foam insulation, and screw a cover on it. My kind of project. :lol:

Posted: **Mon Jan 15, 2018 3:06 pm**

My plan is to attach a 2x4 to the frame every 4 feet, to attach the paneling to, and put Owens Corning Foamular (R 7.5) in between. The Interstate trailer I looked at had 1.25" ribs in the wall and ceiling, so the ceiling will get it too (with an extra 1/4" strip attached). I don't know if the paneling will bow over a 4' wide span, but if it acts weird I can add 2x2 in between. I want to assemble it all with screws, so that I can remove anything in the trailer to get access or if I ever sell it and people won't buy it with the conversion. I looked at trailers this weekend and didn't know that car haulers have about 4' of sloped floor in the back. I'm sure that's an easy enough work around. I also saw a trailer with a vent already mounted in the ceiling and can't imagine that I could ever do a worse job than what I saw that the factory did.

Posted: **Mon Jan 15, 2018 3:46 pm**

Gonefishin wrote:
hankaye wrote:Gonefishin, Howdy;
I spent a month in FLA back in the 70's in an Apache tent trailer with a tin roof it rained every day for the first 2 weeks we finally put the awning over the tin to keep the noise at bay.Needless to say i have insulated my new conversion.
Gonefishin wrote:I never did Hank. It's so flimsy to begin with I'm afraid to pull it off and be able to get it back on. My other thought was that since I use it a lot in the summer and I don't have air conditioning in it, it cools faster after sunset without any insulation in the ceiling, it lets me open the vents and let the heat escape. If I ever do another one though I will probably go ahead and insulate the ceiling as well, I think that's probably more important than wall insulation in the grand scheme of things.

I was thinking more about the sound deadening aspect. Mine sounds like the inside of a drum
when it's raining or after the rain and the drips are falling from the trees.

hank

I enjoy the "sounds of nature" pinging the roof top! I can tell if its a light shower, heavy rain, or hail without even looking outside. Not sure if there's enough insulation on the planet to deaden the sound of water on that tin roof. But I hear your point. I recently did have to remove a little bit of ceiling to get to a wire for a new LED light, and there ain't nothin' up in there but dead air.

This idea of insulating from the plywood already in place has got me to thinking though . . . Glue/nail some foam insulation, and screw a cover on it. My kind of project.

Posted: **Wed Jan 17, 2018 9:21 pm**

jimreo wrote:My plan is to attach a 2x4 to the frame every 4 feet, to attach the paneling to, and put Owens Corning Foamular (R 7.5) in between. The Interstate trailer I looked at had 1.25" ribs in the wall and ceiling, so the ceiling will get it too (with an extra 1/4" strip attached). I don't know if the paneling will bow over a 4' wide span, but if it acts weird I can add 2x2 in between. I want to assemble it all with screws, so that I can remove anything in the trailer to get access or if I ever sell it and people won't buy it with the conversion. I looked at trailers this weekend and didn't know that car haulers have about 4' of sloped floor in the back. I'm sure that's an easy enough work around. I also saw a trailer with a vent already mounted in the ceiling and can't imagine that I could ever do a worse job than what I saw that the factory did.

I did 1” XPS continuous on the inside of my existing plywood, then screwed thin paneling over the insulation. The screws were long enough to bite into the plywood. No furring strips, because I didn’t want any more thermal bridging. It seems sturdy (I say seems because I’m still in construction and haven’t done any torture tests yet, although I have driven 1200miles with no issues). The paneling very slightly “dips” at the screws, b cause of how the XPS deforms, like a chesterfield couch but minuscule. This would drive some people nuts, but to me it seems fine. Just food for thought, the wall furring strips *may* be unnecessary from a structural perspective.

But if you want to be hanging/securing stuff from your walls, like hanging cabinets and the like, those studs you’re thinking about adding might be real nice.

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

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Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood

Re: Thoughts on not stripping off the wall plywood