Keeping cool in a camper trailer

[Mc4by]

I understand the best way to avoid stifling temperatures in a camper trailer is to not be where the heat is.
But what do you do when you are?
I know RV's have air con and tinted windows, but what do those of you who have had extended stays in camper trailers do?
Mini air con units. Throw water over the canvas. Park under trees is an obvious one.
TIA

[4bye4]

I understand the best way to avoid stifling temperatures in a camper trailer is to not be where the heat is.
But what do you do when you are?
I know RV's have air con and tinted windows, but what do those of you who have had extended stays in camper trailers do?
Mini air con units. Throw water over the canvas. Park under trees is an obvious one.
TIA

A slight improvement can be achieved by making a "fly" with ground sheet if there is now trees available. Also open up and allow any breeze to flow through. Even hot breeze is better under canvas. No shade and no breeze , ya just have to sit it out. Using water to wet the canvas will only work if there is a breeze and I would be careful of how much water you use, assuming you are talking outback camping. On top of a ridge is often better than in a valley after the sun has set as any breeze will tend to flow up or down the slope, but also could be a bushfire risk and can sometimes be just too windy. Sometimes its cooler outside the trailer/tent under a car awning or somthing. Biggest thing is stay hydrated.

[Mc4by]

A slight improvement can be achieved by making a "fly" with ground sheet if there is now trees available. Also open up and allow any breeze to flow through. Even hot breeze is better under canvas. No shade and no breeze , ya just have to sit it out. Using water to wet the canvas will only work if there is a breeze and I would be careful of how much water you use, assuming you are talking outback camping. On top of a ridge is often better than in a valley after the sun has set as any breeze will tend to flow up or down the slope, but also could be a bushfire risk and can sometimes be just too windy. Sometimes its cooler outside the trailer/tent under a car awning or somthing. Biggest thing is stay hydrated.

All excellent suggestions.
The camper trailer we purchased has a 'tropical roof' which is like a fly above the roof so that should help.
Choosing the best spot to sit it out seems to be the best option.

[Avo]

We camped in a camper alot up north...out secret was on really hot days we use to hang out in shopping centres,can be boring but they all have aircon

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Mc4by]

We camped in a camper alot up north...out secret was on really hot days we use to hang out in shopping centres,can be boring but they all have aircon

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

A simple but effective solution. :smiley_thumbs_up:

[GQtdauto]

Ryobi mist fan outside on mist and inside just on fan works good , we won't go camping in summer but unfortunately when travelling around the country you will get some hot places no matter what time of the year .
Being near water helps .

[Mc4by]

Ryobi mist fan outside on mist and inside just on fan works good , we won't go camping in summer but unfortunately when travelling around the country you will get some hot places no matter what time of the year .
Being near water helps .

I was looking at mini air conditioners but then I would need a generator.
The mist fan sounds like a much better option.

[Cuppa]

Mini air cons tend to be very noisy & to be honest would struggle to make much of an impact in a tent! Better to adapt than to spend your days hunched over a noisy machine I reckon. Expecting to need to adapt is probably the key. Anything else & you are fighting a losing battle. A good fan or fans are worth their weight in gold, especially on those long hot still nights. Finding one which is quiet but moves the max amount of air without flattening batteries is a challenge. We rate the Caframo fans highly - not cheap but for a small fan they do a good job & use very little power..

Air flow, (midge mesh on windows is great at keeping out midges & sandflies, but not so good at allowing airflow), shade & camping near water are what helps along with the tropical roof you have. However, on shade, we have often chosen not to put up our awning, instead sitting in the shadow of the vehicle or Tvan instead. We have found that heat radiating down from the awning can feel like being in an oven. Solar reflective awning material can make a difference. What makes a big difference in the Tvan are it's roof hatches to let out the heat as it rises.

We have survived 48 deg temps, but would have struggled without somewhere to swim or a waterfall to sit under now & again. Cooling one part of your body can make a big difference, eg.sitting with just feet in a bucket of water. A spray bottle with just water in it to mist yourself & others is a cheap & effective 'cooler'. Just camping close to a body of water can make a real difference even if you dont get into the water.

Don't expect to do much when it's stinking hot, kick back, drink lots of water & save physical activity for dawn & dusk. First light of the day is the best as the ground has had a chance to cool a bit overnight. Currently the air con in our car is not working, which sounds terrible but actually it's not so bad. I think going back & forth from hot to cold is unhealthy. We drive with the windows down, occasionally closing them & building up a good sweat before re-opening them ..... ah bliss! :biggrin: We think that what makes the biggest difference is heading north slowly if you can, it helps your body to adapt as you reach progressively hotter climate. As long as you can take a 'make the best of it' approach you'll manage. Without that it could get miserable at times............. well to be truthful that should be *will* not *could* - it's one of the costs of adventure & discovery. :)

Pretty much all my comments refer to extreme heat which you will encounter sooner or later. Mostly it's not as bad as I've made it sound though. Some of the hardest temperatures to cope with were 28/30 degrees in Tasmania! Hole in the ozone layer makes the sun very harsh down there!

[Mc4by]

Cuppa, thanks again for an extensive reply. Given the level of your experience living off the grid, I will take your advice on board.
I will save a big chunk of money not buying a generator or portable air conditioner.
Building resilience is good advice and trying to avoid the extremes will factor into our planning.

[GeeYou8]

Ryobi mist fan outside on mist and inside just on fan works good , we won't go camping in summer but unfortunately when travelling around the country you will get some hot places no matter what time of the year .
Being near water helps .

I have one of these for keeping cool in the pits at speedway before races, with high fan setting & low water setting it still gets things pretty wet.

[GQtdauto]

I have one of these for keeping cool in the pits at speedway before races, with high fan setting & low water setting it still gets things pretty wet.

When camping on a 40 degree day with no wind the getting wet bit doesn't seem to matter much .