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hvac:insulation [2022/01/21 23:14]
princess_fluffypants [The effect of "Total" R-Value]
hvac:insulation [2023/08/22 21:36] (current)
princess_fluffypants [Insulation]
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 ====== Insulation ====== ====== Insulation ======
  
-Boy oh boy is this a complicated topic. There is no clear solid consensus on what the "best" way to insulate a van is, but there sure are a //lot// of opinions with very little in the way of empirical data.  At best, you're making an educated guess and almost everyone insulates their van differently.+There is no clear solid consensus on what the "best" way to insulate a van is, but there sure are a //lot// of opinions with very little in the way of empirical data.  At best, you're making an educated guess and almost everyone insulates their van differently.
  
 [[https://faroutride.com/insulation/|FarOutRide's guide]] is a good place to start. [[https://faroutride.com/insulation/|FarOutRide's guide]] is a good place to start.
 +
 +Also look at [[https://lennyflank.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/hot-weather-and-insulation/|Lenny's blog article]] on thermodynamics.
  
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 Insulation can help retain heat in cold weather, and reduce transfer from hot body panels in direct sunlight in warmer weather. Insulation will not, by itself, make your van cooler than ambient in the  summer or warmer than ambient in the winter. But it will help when aided with either [[hvac:heating|heating]] or [[hvac:ventilation|ventilation]] to keep the interior more livable. Insulation can help retain heat in cold weather, and reduce transfer from hot body panels in direct sunlight in warmer weather. Insulation will not, by itself, make your van cooler than ambient in the  summer or warmer than ambient in the winter. But it will help when aided with either [[hvac:heating|heating]] or [[hvac:ventilation|ventilation]] to keep the interior more livable.
 +
 +==== The Uninsulated Option ====
 +
 +If you are willing and able to [[camping:snowbirding|move to where the weather is tolerable]], it's possible to skip insulation altogether. Instead, you'll work toward keeping your vehicle cooler hot weather through shade and ventilation, and warm enough in cold weather with personal insulation (clothing, sleeping bags) and additional heating expense.
 +
 +Financial considerations might mean you need to consider your vehicle a [[rv:build#the_metal_tent|metal tent]] as part of a [[opinion:frater_secessus:cheap_build|frugal build]].
 +
 +Temperatures inside an closed uninsulated vehicle can get dangerously hot when the sun is shining, even when it's not particularly hot outside. Keep in mind that water tanks and lines need to be protected from freezing at all times. If the weather takes a particularly cold dip when you aren't expecting it, you need to heat or drain your water first. In hot weather, warm tanks will grow bacteria more quickly
 +
 +[[https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/no-insulation-snowbird-hightop-van-build.47996/|Further discussion of uninsulated builds.]]
  
 ===== Tips and Tricks ===== ===== Tips and Tricks =====
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 4-Way stretch carpet is ideal for this.  Because it has some give to it, it's possible to mold it over and around all the sort of crazy compound curves that makes up the van body. Many videos on youtube showing this process, here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TON7xuJkQs8 or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9TmLn8D8o  4-Way stretch carpet is ideal for this.  Because it has some give to it, it's possible to mold it over and around all the sort of crazy compound curves that makes up the van body. Many videos on youtube showing this process, here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TON7xuJkQs8 or here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9TmLn8D8o 
 +
 +==== Open-Cell vs Closed-Cell insulation ====
 +
 +https://www.secondskinaudio.com/heat-insulation/open-cell-foam-vs-closed-cell-foam/
  
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 **WUT?!** You went bat-shit nuts and lost a ton of interior space, and your van is still leaking heat like a sieve because of the massive loss through those windows. **WUT?!** You went bat-shit nuts and lost a ton of interior space, and your van is still leaking heat like a sieve because of the massive loss through those windows.
  
-BUT. Let's assume we do a bit of insulation on the windows. Nothing crazy, just add some window covers with some basic window coversEven some thick cardboard, wrapped in some $5 fleece blankets that you got from wal-mart and tightly fit into the window openingscovering them completely. This will get the window R-value up to around 3 if you leave a bit of an air gap. Let's see how that changes our calculations, even with our basic lazy van insulation:+BUT. Let's assume we do a bit of insulation on the windows. Nothing crazy, just add some window covers DIYed out of scrap materialSome thick cardboard, wrapped in some $5 fleece blankets that you got from wal-mart and tightly fit into the window openings to covering them completely is a great start. This will get the window R-value up to around 3 if you leave a bit of an air gap. Let's see how that changes our calculations, even with our basic lazy van insulation:
  
 {{ :hvac:therm_4.jpg?direct&600 |}} {{ :hvac:therm_4.jpg?direct&600 |}}
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 Many companies make window coverings for vans, some are available with Reflective coating to help keep the sun out. Others are thickly insulated to help keep heat in. Prices and quality range from very minimal, to very expensive.  [[https://faroutride.com/insulated-window-covers/|Plenty of people DIY these as well]]. Many companies make window coverings for vans, some are available with Reflective coating to help keep the sun out. Others are thickly insulated to help keep heat in. Prices and quality range from very minimal, to very expensive.  [[https://faroutride.com/insulated-window-covers/|Plenty of people DIY these as well]].
  
-Some sources:+Van Essentials has a pretty good [[https://www.vanessential.com/learn|comparison chart]] of costs (biased as it may be). 
 + 
 +Some other sources:
  
   * https://vanmadegear.com/   * https://vanmadegear.com/
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 If you don't have panels, the heat from the sun can easily make the interior sheet metal burning hot to the touch. Covering it with some insulation (and [[hvac:ventilation|ventilating]] the van well) will help keep things more tolerable. If you don't have panels, the heat from the sun can easily make the interior sheet metal burning hot to the touch. Covering it with some insulation (and [[hvac:ventilation|ventilating]] the van well) will help keep things more tolerable.
  
-===== further reading =====+===== Further reading =====
  
 See [[https://www.promasterforum.com/threads/testing-the-value-of-floor-insulation-vs-ceiling-insulation.93574/|this write-up]] of testing floor vs ceiling insulation. See [[https://www.promasterforum.com/threads/testing-the-value-of-floor-insulation-vs-ceiling-insulation.93574/|this write-up]] of testing floor vs ceiling insulation.
 +
 +See [[https://www.buildagreenrv.com/insulation-testing-for-van-conversions/|this test]] of different insulation types compared side-by-side in pseudo-laboratory conditions.
hvac/insulation.1642824875.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022/01/21 23:14 by princess_fluffypants