Traveling With a Roof Vent Open

[Modstock]

Have any of you traveled with the roof vent open.
I see construction trailers with theirs open around town .
Any downside ?
I probably wouldn't do a full trip with it open but maybe when closer to camp an exit before.

 

[foxontherun]

Probably depends on what kind of vent you have. When I first got my trailer it had what I call the "cheap" kind on it. According to MaxxAire website standard vents / other models you must close basic or non-reinforced vent lids before driving so the wind does not catch, crack, or tear the plastic lid off your roof.

I installed one of these over my "cheap" ones so I could the vent open when raining and open when traveling down road. Worked well for ventilation but had no fan:
Maxxair Maxx I (White) RV Vent Cover - Maxxair

I now have MaxxAire 5100K fans and I can drive down road with those open and have had no problem. They are built for highway speed. The manufacturer states its sturdy dual-arm lift design can stay fully open at highway speeds. I wouldn't recommend them being open on dirt roads though, ha! Might get a little dusty in the trailer....no need to ask how I know, ha!

Hope this helps some.
Harry

 

[Tony Latham]

Have any of you traveled with the roof vent open.

Nope. In fact, we have a lever that locks the lid down that I obtained from Camp Inn. Ours is a Fan-tastic, with one arm. Since a teardrop is an airfoil, it attempts to lift the lid and create low pressure inside, which isn't a good thing in rain or dust, which can enter through the window drain vents.

It's something Camp-inn figured out.

Those construction guys? They're tired.

Tony

 

[Modstock]

Spent the last 3 days at Bonneville. Going in and out and once in town. Left both of my ports open and once the roof vent. It was stupid hot 105+ and needed to vent that hot air out. Speeds were under 60 but for the long drive home it was all closed up.

 

[foxontherun]

If you want some ventilation while traveling down the road something like this might help (go on sides of trailer not roof): https://www.ebay.com/itm/8001205611...MI_vK10q-IlgMVakf_AR3HFyODEAQYASABEgLC7PD_BwE

My trailer has one on driver side at the front top and one on the passenger rear bottom. My trailer usually stays somewhat comfy, not cool but at least not blazing hot. They are open all the time. Grant it, I haven't been on dirt roads, so might not work for you unless you get the type that close. Just a thought if that is what you are looking for. Perhaps something like this:

Aluminum Sidewall Trailer Vent - Proline Products LLC

These aluminum sidewall trailer vents are a great way to have air circulate in your enclosed trailer. These vents are bi-directional meaning you can angle them to open forward or towards the rear, depending on their location in the trailer and what exactly you're trying to achieve.

nhtrailers.com

Harry

 

[Modstock]

All in all, my trailer doesn't do too bad in the heat if I keep the windows open when parked.
Sitting all day, about 3pm is when it starts to heat up if there's no wind.
At night I parked sideways to the wind but if it's high winds I point the truck into the wind.

 

[ddc612]

When I started towing my teardrop the very first time I noticed the Fantastic fan cover fluttering in the wind at highway speeds. I didn't know if it was the air going over the roof line pushing it up or air pressure inside the td. Finally my fix was to use a short 6 or 8 inch bungee cord with hooks and screw eyes at each rear corner as the anchor. Works great! I did also notice water being sucked in thru the water drains at the bottom of the door. After some research here I found my rear hatch wasn't sealing very well along the bottom, creating a vacuum inside the camper, sucking water in the drains and leaving a wet spot in the sheets along the door. Doubled the bulb seal along the bottom of the tailgate took care that!

 

[featherliteCT1]

A popular youtuber, named Gonagain, said that he was getting dust inside his trailer while driving with his vents shut, due to a vacuum. He opened his front side vent (at the top) and his rear side vent (at the bottom) and solved his dust problem.

My trailer has similar vents that I close while driving , but I have not had a dust problem (yet). I am hesitant to open my vents while driving on dusty surfaces because the thought of dust in every nook and cranny of my trailer is frightening.