Cold sleeping test.(UPDATE on page 2)

[kirkman]

happy_camper.......... Yes the heater is 120 here is a pic of it.

I did not get the chance to clean the roof off an try the sleep test with the roof vent open. I don't think I could had been able to tell much any way because there is still ice on the walls from the night before. Hopefully the weather will warm enough to dry out my tear then get real cold again so I can repeat the test.

It looks like the. the consensus is I am crazy! I guess my wife was right!

[Engineer Guy]

The reason Citrus Growers 'like' Ice in otherwise-freezing conditions is that, like Snow, it means the Fruit 'inside' doesn't drop below freezing, thus saving it. Counter-intuitive I know, but true. I grew up in the CA Orange Groves. The same effect is happening on your CT Roof. At least until the internal CT Heater melts the Snow on top. If possible, clear only the Snow around the Vent and leave the rest.

The uninsulated surfaces of the CT are next to 'R-0', offering no thermal resistance to heat flow out of the CT. It's tough to throw enough BTUs at that volume in those temperatures to keep the inside very comfortable. Max out the Insulation if you can to raise comfort level, and reduce energy consumption. The thermal layer de-stratifying Fan ideas above are excellent.

Oh yea I forgot to mention my wife thinks I am crazy.

This statement has a fundamental redundancy. You already wrote 'wife'. Saying she 'thinks you are crazy' is redundant! ;-0 At least in this Household...

[kirkman]

Engineer Guy.......... Your right that was a redundant statement!

[Corwin C]

Department of Redundancy Department
Please Come In Please

If I wasn't a little crazy, I'd just be bored...

[happy_camper]

"kirkman":

Thanks for the information on the heater; I'd looked through your album but couldn't determine if it was 120 VAC or a 12 VDC version.

I asked about the voltage wondering if "boondocking" without the heater, in the temps you tested in, would have been comfortable enough to do again? There seems to be wide agreement that a 12 VDC heater would drain a "house" battery if run full-tilt, all night, as your 120 VAC heater did. Wondering if even a very well insulated trailer would be comfortable enough, without a heater, while "dry" camping at -10°F.

You (and others) mention that using the roof vent to rid the trailer of the warm, moist air exhaled overnight would decrease the accumulated condensation inside. But on the other hand, wouldn't even a slightly cracked roof vent simply be the quickest way for the rising warm air to exit your trailer, requiring even more heat from some source? A conundrum for sure.

Good luck on your next test - keep us posted.

[kirkman]

happy_camper......... Yes having the roof vent open would let some/more of the heat escape but what I did not mention in my test was that I only had the heater turned up one 1/4 of it's over all potential. I very easily could have gotten the temp inside my tear to a temp that would have been unbearably hot. Well in to the 90 degree range. I did not turn the heater up because I don't like it hot when sleeping, plus I have the heater on the top shelf at the foot end of the bed and the hot dry air blowing across the roof and down on my face does make keeping you throat from drying out a pain. I did angle the heater towards the door/open window to help with this.

I do think if boon-docking in temps -10 or so it would be possible with out heat in a insulated tear. I will have to try that next year after I insulate mine using the closed cell foam camping pads. I do do a lot of sub 0 backpack camping now in a hammock (me on the right) so any testing with any kind of heat is a luxury to me. How ever I think you could be VERY comfortable if you had a real good top quilt or sleeping bag that you use as a quilt and a 12 volt heated mattress pad.

[bobhenry]

Sandwiched between 2 elcheapo sleeping bags with a flannel sheet and a heavy wool blanket over us before the top sleeping bag and we are toasty with our little heater. We are good down to zero with a modest wind. The heavy wool blanket is the key element it allowss the mositure to pass but retains the body heat keeping you warm and dry.

[Mightydog]

elcheapo

We have purchased many of their products. If you don't expect much from them, you won't be let down!

[kirkman]

Last night I slept in my tear with the snow cleaned off the roof vent. It was not quite as cold as before, it was only 3 out. Quite the heat wave from my last test. This time I had the roof vent open 1/4" and one window open the same. As I expected there was no frost on the walls as before because all the moisture was transported out the roof vent. Granted it was no where near the -10 as before. But a successful test none the less. I am hoping for one more deep freeze to get one more crazy subzero test.