Wall vents?

[nrhmaine]

Hey All,

Pine and I got our wall blanks glued up today - 10x5 exterior ply for the skeleton. We’ll lay out the profile and all cutouts tomorrow, and hopefully get it cut and insulated.


We’ll have doors with large opening windows

https://bigwoodycampers.com/teardrop-ca ... refab-door

So I suspect we can keep those open when the vent fan is running to allow air in. But what about when it’s raining. Will we wish there was a more weatherproof wall vent to let air in?

I notice Capebuild put wall vents in, and those seem to be the only options I’ve found for a closing wall vent, but I wonder how well they seal, and if there are other choices.
And, do I need them at all. Thoughts?

Also, how about a small louvered vent for the DC fridge in the galley? I guess I worry that on the highway water and dirt will get sucked into just about any open vent. Thoughts?
Thanks, Nate


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[tony.latham]

So I suspect we can keep those open when the vent fan is running to allow air in. But what about when it’s raining. Will we wish there was a more weatherproof wall vent to let air in?

Nate:

Welcome to the club.

We've never had an issue with water coming in through the side windows in our three teardrops in 18 years. And by the way, I can't recall having to run the fan while it rained. (We hardly ever have to run it anywho.) Just cracking the vent an inch keeps the convection sucking air through the side windows.



But we generally camp in the Rockies so your neck of the woods may be different.

I guess I worry that on the highway, water and dirt will get sucked into just about any open vent.

With my last build, I couldn't figure out where in the hell the dust was coming into the galley. Was my hatch seal not mating with the wall lip??? I finally figured out that I had failed to caulk the 1/8" gap where the propane line came up through the floor to the Propex heater. And just like that, it was fixed.

We do ice instead of a 12-volt cooler, so I can't help you with that issue.

Tony

p.s. Where ya at? I might come steal that bar clamp some night.

[nrhmaine]

Thanks Tony.

I’m in Downeast Maine - somewhat more rain than the Rockies, I’d guess, but not exactly tropical.

I’m inclined to let go of the wall vent idea. I’m not in love with any of the options I’ve seen so far, and it’s another hole in the envelope.

The bar clamps have a story!
I grew up in a suburb of Boston, and our elderly neighbor across the street owned an antique store. He died when I was a teenager, but his daughter moved in, and never cleaned out the basement.

Fast forward about 15 years - I’ve trained as a furniture designer/builder at a traditional craft school, and I’m building one-off furniture. My dad calls and says “They’re cleaning out the basement across the street. Lots of hand tools, old workbenches, and a bunch of bar clamps, some 9’ long!”

Well, as I’m sure that all you teardrop builders are aware, you can’t have too many clamps, so my dear dad lugged a bunch of booty across the street, and the next time down to Massachusetts I filled my truck with clamps, chisels, planes and a couple workbenches.

Another 15 years later, I’ve stopped furniture building, and developed a business doing sea kayak and WW kayak coaching. BUT, I still have an abundance of clamps, and a 24x36 heated shop. While the upstairs space gets used by my business at times, the shop floor lately has been a great spot for projects.

Five years ago my daughter and I built a boat, and now my second kid’s trailer is taking that spot.

I certainly appreciate all the help and knowledge you and others here here have provided. So far, compared to the boat, this project is a bit more daunting!




But both benefit from lots of clamps!

Nate


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[Tom&Shelly]

Hey All,

...

So I suspect we can keep those open when the vent fan is running to allow air in. But what about when it’s raining. Will we wish there was a more weatherproof wall vent to let air in?

...
Thanks, Nate

We occasionally have had rain come in the side windows. Of course, when the wind is blowing, we close the appropriate window, but even with vertical rain, some can get in. Our one experience with the tear and rain in the Rockies was a thunderstorm with lots of wind. That was also true with many storms previously, when we were tent camping in Colorado and Utah. The storms we've encountered in the Northeast tend not to have as much wind, and more vertical rain.

When camping in the Northeast during muggy conditions, sometimes with rain, we've found occasion to run our fan all night long. Our solution is to crack the window (we built a jig to hold the windows cracked; if your window doesn't already have a way to do that, I can post a picture), and to bring spare towels to lay under the window on the bed. Sometimes, when we know that's the type of night we'll have, we put our Easy-up over the tear, which gives us about a foot of awning on either side. We're also considering some sort of other awning, or umbrella arrangement some day.

Yes, I think if I were to do over, knowing what I now know about camping in the Northeast, I'd have looked at putting in vents as well. You'll have to ask Capebuild about how well they prevent dust from coming in.

Tom

[nrhmaine]

Hey All,

...

So I suspect we can keep those open when the vent fan is running to allow air in. But what about when it’s raining. Will we wish there was a more weatherproof wall vent to let air in?

...
Thanks, Nate

We occasionally have had rain come in the side windows. Of course, when the wind is blowing, we close the appropriate window, but even with vertical rain, some can get in. Our one experience with the tear and rain in the Rockies was a thunderstorm with lots of wind. That was also true with many storms previously, when we were tent camping in Colorado and Utah. The storms we've encountered in the Northeast tend not to have as much wind, and more vertical rain.

When camping in the Northeast during muggy conditions, sometimes with rain, we've found occasion to run our fan all night long. Our solution is to crack the window (we built a jig to hold the windows cracked; if your window doesn't already have a way to do that, I can post a picture), and to bring spare towels to lay under the window on the bed. Sometimes, when we know that's the type of night we'll have, we put our Easy-up over the tear, which gives us about a foot of awning on either side. We're also considering some sort of other awning, or umbrella arrangement some day.

Yes, I think if I were to do over, knowing what I now know about camping in the Northeast, I'd have looked at putting in vents as well. You'll have to ask Capebuild about how well they prevent dust from coming in.

Tom

Thanks for sharing your experience Tom.

My doors are delayed a bit so I haven’t had a chance to see exactly how they’re going to vent.

I’m really on the fence - each opinion I get on this one swings me one way or the other!


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[nrhmaine]

I think this is the wall vent I saw on John’s tear. Look right?
Any other options to consider?

https://www.zoro.com/genesis-e-z-open-v ... BAQAvD_BwE


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[working on it]

I think this is the wall vent I saw on John’s tear. Look right?
Any other options to consider?

https://www.zoro.com/genesis-e-z-open-v ... BAQAvD_BwE


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I used "10inch x12inch Side Vents for Enclosed Trailers" from Etrailer back in 2012-13 when I built my 4x8. I bought four, using two as cabin vents, one as the ambient air vent for the closed/sealed galley (tha A/C needed air), and I adapted one to use as a covering lid, not as a vent, for my A/C exhaust to exit the trailer, unimpeded.

side view, rain-proof vents with full-time fans behind.jpg (155.23 KiB) Viewed 1063 times

computer case fan over vents for good, cheap air circulation.jpg (261.75 KiB) Viewed 1063 times

I paid less than $20 each, back then, if I remember correctly, and watched as the price rose into the twenties, but now Etrailer wants $50 each for them. However, R & P Carriages offers a similar vent (maybe identical to the one I used) for $21
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295254892543?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&srsltid=AeTuncpZ-qMxL3VRYGpqYwe-_tYytT41sbGx3Yb6mbcMRzqre3VIHKqCE-U.

They never leak, even in major Texas thunderstorms.

[gudmund]

a simple add-on for more venting is a "Max-Air" roof vent cover for the ceiling fan. Have been using one since day one of owning the 2 teardrops I have had since '12. What is nice is being able to have the roof vent 'open' when raining/stored/or even when running down the road. Just another 'option' suggestion to think about...............

[tony.latham]

Five years ago my daughter and I built a boat...

Classic.

Tony

[MickinOz]

So far, compared to the boat, this project is a bit more daunting!

Fair dinkum?

[philpom]

I also think I want some small 3" vents so I can close the windows in bad weather but still have ventilation. I'm probably going to have my son 3D print something custom and just use basically a plug to close them tight as needed. Jury is still out, we plan on using the camper for awhile to determine what we want for final touches.

[nrhmaine]

Thanks for all the input.

I ordered the vents. The idea of a damp mattress edge convinced me that I’d kick myself later, on some rainy night.

Today Pine and I transferred everything from the drawing board to the plywood wall-blanks.



Tomorrow we’ll cut out all the stuff that doesn’t belong!

It’s amazing how much time you can spend hitting “add to cart” in a week! Tonight’s orders included a baggage door (looked like the parts to build one would be the same price as ready-made), wall vents and eyebrows for the man-doors.
My teen could have been happy with something much simpler (and cheaper!) than what we’ve ended up tackling, but mission creep reared up from two flanks. 1) I hate doing stuff half-way - when I’m puting in a lot of work, I want things to look nice, and to last. 2) My wife has fallen in love with the idea of “borrowing” the kid’s teardrop when they’re off at college, so she’s been eager to finance some nice upgrades.

With any luck, the bank will give us a “teardrop equity loan” against this gem when it’s done, and we’ll put Pine through college with that.

Thanks again for all your input everyone!

Nate


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[tony.latham]

How is the plywood joined?

Tony

[nrhmaine]

How is the plywood joined?

Tony

Biscuits (6” oc) and construction adhesive.

My thinking was that strength here wasn’t a huge issue, since it’ll be laminated to 1/8 plywood on each side, and have bulkheads dados in, perpendicular to each joint.

Of course, I may very well have been justifying the quicker option to myself, since I didn’t want to take the time to plow out dados for splines.

Doing my best to keep moving forward every day.

Nate


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[tony.latham]

Biscuits (6” oc) and construction adhesive.

Gotcha. What caught my eye was the marks on the joints looked like wire stitching.



Tony