Front metal hinge sweating

[northshorehenry]

Just got back from camping in 0c (32f) on Vancouver Island BC. Great weather but brisk for sure. Had the furnace on for 12c (54f) overnight, with two top windows peeled back a touch and the dinette window cracked a hair. Mild condensation on the glass window, no condensation on the vinyl BUT the front metal hinge just above the mattress was sweating so much that it dripped down and made the mattress wet. Yikes! This did not seem to be a problem on the rear hinge.

Anyone else encounter this? I know that the top half of the camper is definitely warmer by feel and where the bodies were ( up front) would be even warmer. My wife suggested simply roll up a few towels and place them under the hinge to catch the condensation. I agree that should catch the condensation but thought I'd throw it out to the group to see if there brighter minds out there.


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[Wandering Sagebrush]

My guess is that it is cold enough for your breath or other moisture in the air to condense. I believe the rivets/screws are fastened into the aluminum frame, which is definitely a heat sink. Did you check behind the panel on the vinyl to see if it was damp back there.

You wife has the right idea. A towel to catch it. Prior to bringing the top down, I would also towel off the vinyl in that area to catch any moisture that may have collected there.

 

[northshorehenry]

Didn't check behind the panel. Good point. No longer camping now but will check that next time I am out. I knew about the heat sink as it is obvious that the aluminum is the only part that is transferring the drastic temperature difference.

I believe at some point, it is impossible to prevent condensation, just like a cold beer on a hot day. The glass is going to sweat. There is no way around it.

Home now and have pulled back the mattress entirely, plugged the camper in, and put my small dehumidifier in the camper to dry it out. Only problem is that the ambient humidity is 30% and the lowest setting on the dehumidifier is only 35%. Hmmm.... the sucky part of -2c (28f) is that it's hard to dry things.

 

[Lighthawk]

We just returned from ten days in DV and found the back corners and edge of our mattress and mattress topper to be wet/damp. We run a Wave 3 overnight and use the factory furnace for warmups and drying of towels, etc. We pulled the mattress and brought it inside the house, and kept the top popped and ventilated the camper today.

I assume the condensation we saw on our aluminum window frames and the front hinge is a function of dew point, relative humidity and temperature. I sometimes see frost on the stapled battens on the roof panel, which is another example of condensing moisture. For us, we aren't out long enough for this to be a problem. If we were doing multi-week trips or longer, I would try to lift and pull the mattress free of it's location and open windows and vents whenever the conditions allowed.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

Why not sleep the other direction with your head and torso toward the inside of the camper?

cwd

 

[northshorehenry]

The camper wasn't tipped in that direction. We were sleeping cross ways. I don't think the sleeping side ways contributed much to that but it's a thought. Harmless to try it next time and see if that makes a difference.


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[PaulT]

We sleep cross ways in our Hawk and find keeping the over bed roof vent open a bit allows more moisture to escape while we sleep before it forms dew on the interior walls.

When cooking, running the rear fan with the lid open really pulls a lot of moist air out. Holding your hand near the ceiling between the vent and cook top is enlightening.

Paul

 

[northshorehenry]

Why not sleep the other direction with your head and torso toward the inside of the camper?

cwd

Oh and we didn't slide the bed out. Just in its recessed position so it wouldn't be long enough to sleep with the head inward.


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[northshorehenry]

We sleep cross ways in our Hawk and find keeping the over bed roof vent open a bit allows more moisture to escape while we sleep before it forms dew on the interior walls.

When cooking, running the rear fan with the lid open really pulls a lot of moist air out. Holding your hand near the ceiling between the vent and cook top is enlightening.

Paul

No vent above the bed, just the one over the stove.


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[longhorn1]

+ 1 on Mr. Sage's comments. We have a towel that we wipe the hjnges, vinyl, and roof framing. You would be surprised how much your breathing and body raise the humidity. We learned by experimenting, roof vent cracked, window cracked a little and thermostat set at 50+/- so it cycles on. With Temps in the low 30's we noticed less condensation. We have Marine Vent under the mattress to allow air to circulate. With the Marine Vent we have never had condensation under the mattress. jd

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[Stalking Light]

I get condensation on the hinge and on the ceiling above my head where the framing is. I also get it behind the thermal pack in the corner by my head and in the back corner across from the furnace. I use a towel to dry things off while camping and then pull the thermal pack away from the vinyl and dry things off more thoroughly with towel and fan between trips.

 

[longhorn1]

This is the material I use under the mattress. It comes in a roll. I cut it in half and the 2 pieces fit perfectly North/South on the bed. I pulled the slide out completely and trimmed the material so that it sits only on the overhang and butts up against the backside of the bed slide. The thickness of the Marine Hyper-Vent is level with the thickness of the slide, which makes sleeping better as ones hip is not over the usual half inch difference between the slide and bed. When I close the slide I just lift the Hyper-Vent and push the slide back into place.

http://www.hyperventmarine.com/

You need circulation under the mattress. I check all of the time and haven't found any moisture.

jd

 

[Wallowa]

Longhorn,

Hypervent comes in 39" width and up to 50 linear feet at $12 per linear foot....what size did you buy?

Did I read correctly that you only put it under section that slides out ["only sits on the overhang"]?

Thanks..Phil

 

[DanoT]

If you do a search for Froli bed, several threads come up discussing this plastic spring system which not only allows air to circulate under the mattress, It greatly improves the mattress' comfort. At least that is what I have found using the Froli spring system in my Phoenix camper.

 

[Stalking Light]

I just velcroed some reflectix under the overhang part of my mattress and it stays dry underneath in cold weather and seems warmer as well.

 

[longhorn1]

Phil, can't remember the length but after installing just had seen scrap left. Installed on the cab - over only, trimmed so that when the bed slide is pulled out it butts up to the 1/2" of the slide. Jd

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[snuffy]

i have the same thing happen , the water drips on me in the morning have to start furnace and towel it off. kind of makes me think that fwc are not made for cold camping. i had a northstar tc650 before and had condensation on the windows in really cold temps.. oh well.

 

[northshorehenry]

I just velcroed some reflectix under the overhang part of my mattress and it stays dry underneath in cold weather and seems warmer as well.

Which overhang part? The slide out portion?


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[northshorehenry]

i have the same thing happen , the water drips on me in the morning have to start furnace and towel it off. kind of makes me think that fwc are not made for cold camping. i had a northstar tc650 before and had condensation on the windows in really cold temps.. oh well.

Well, really, the FWC is just a well appointed tent. So, winter camping is as comfortable as you can make it, or as much suffering as you want to handle.


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[Stalking Light]

Which overhang part? The slide out portion?


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The part that overhangs the truck cab.