Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Pat, I've got a small RV. 19 feet, with a small AC as well. Do you have a digital thermostat? If not install one. Generally what I do is keep all the windows and vents closed, as suggested to minimize power consumption. With the digital thermo I can set the temp just how I like it, and when the RV cools down to that level I may open a window for fresh air as long as it's not too hot outside. If it's 100 plus, like you are at, I'd keep all vents and windows closed up. Even with a small RV, I've never felt like I had bad air. Heck people drive for hours in the desert in small cars, with the AC on and no windows open, with no problems.
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
osoab
Park under a tree if possible.
yeppers, in my current space it's mostly shady... but when it's 100 out, it's bloody hot in the shade too. & I don't expect to be here much longer anywho... looking at bugging out to some rural family property in AZ soon.
Another RV life story - until 4 days ago, I'd had a little uninvited RV-mate for prior few weeks -- yep, a RAT got on board, guessing through the water service bay where I can see, it would be possible. Looking to sew that port-of-rodent-entry up presently. Rat decided to make itself comfy & stay awhile...
Finally nailed the destructive, noisy @night little fecker with a basic Victor rat trap last Mon night. Baited it with a hunk of kielbasa beef sausage, dribbled with a few drops of honey... MMMMM :D Skewered the sausage onto the bait tray, so no easy grab&run.
Looked like it nearly got away; the kill bar nailed it right on the eyes, crushing them & its shnoz -- it was bloody. Still remarkable though that it was able to move back from the bait tray as far as it did, after triggering the kill bar, coz that thing moves like lightning... designed to nail the rodent's neck... "humanely" killing it instantly, & most likely bloodlessly. This quick & clever rat met it's match Mon night though - & all it's confident/cocky speed did was get it nailed most painfully/bloodily & death was presumably not instant. Too bad so sad good riddance. :)
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PatColo
I'd had a little uninvited RV-mate for prior few weeks -- yep, a RAT got on board, guessing through the water service bay where I can see, it would be possible. Looking to sew that port-of-rodent-entry up presently. Rat decided to make itself comfy & stay awhile...
Finally nailed the destructive, noisy @night little fecker with a basic Victor rat trap last Mon night. Baited it with a hunk of kielbasa beef sausage, dribbled with a few drops of honey... MMMMM :D Skewered the sausage onto the bait tray, so no easy grab&run.
Looked like it nearly got away; the kill bar nailed it right on the eyes, crushing them & its shnoz -- it was bloody. Still remarkable though that it was able to move back from the bait tray as far as it did, after triggering the kill bar, coz that thing moves like lightning... designed to nail the rodent's neck... "humanely" killing it instantly, & most likely bloodlessly. This quick & clever rat met it's match Mon night though - & all it's confident/cocky speed did was get it nailed most painfully/bloodily & death was presumably not instant. Too bad so sad good riddance. :)
The gun I use to get rid of rodents in the house and snakes outside is the one in this video loaded with .22 magnum birdshot. :)
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
^ I had a chance to shoot one of those, into a paper target just to see what it does... interesting, pretty much no kick, hardly even much of a BANG; showered the paper with pinhole size shot holes. :)
I wouldn't wanna shoot it inside the rig though, messy; 'sides, try to get a nocturnal rodent in ur sites long enough to actually hit it... not happening!
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PatColo
^ I had a chance to shoot one of those, into a paper target just to see what it does... interesting, pretty much no kick, showered the paper with pinhole size shot holes. :)
I really like the one I have. I put a rubber grip on it and that works even better.
Thought I'd add the guy in the video says he uses his for social work with the birdshot so I guess he uses it for "social distancing".:)
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Hitch
Pat, I've got a small RV. 19 feet, with a small AC as well. Do you have a digital thermostat? If not install one. Generally what I do is keep all the windows and vents closed, as suggested to minimize power consumption. With the digital thermo I can set the temp just how I like it, and when the RV cools down to that level I may open a window for fresh air as long as it's not too hot outside. If it's 100 plus, like you are at, I'd keep all vents and windows closed up. Even with a small RV, I've never felt like I had bad air. Heck people drive for hours in the desert in small cars, with the AC on and no windows open, with no problems.
yep digital thermo. What U describe is what I was doing until yest... when I experimented with AC + 1 ceiling vent open. Didn't seem the AC was working very hard; but outside high hit 83 & thermo was set to 77, so not nearly the diff vs that 100+ heat wave this week. Even cooler expected today, 79. :) Those 100+ days, the AC was working non stop to maintain 77, & when I'd check it was 78/79 so it was always chasing that 77 number...
This rig has 3 ceiling skylight/vents, in living space, bedroom & bathroom. The living space vent has a Fan-Tastic™ Fan, basically a "smart fan" - motorized vent lid open/closing, adjustable/temp sensitive, set to blow upward/downward, rain guard -- yep, detects rain, & auto stops & closes lid, re-starts when rain stops! It's da bomb, I'd say an RV essential.
here's their AMZN shop, get a sense of models/prices/etc.
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
it was always chasing that 77 number
Suggest you look into the possibility of setting up a misting system to envelope your RV to reduce heat load on the hottest days when your A/C isn't able to cycle. Also suggest you find a small fan to circulate your 77-79 degree air to improve comfort.
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
another "RV/boat thing" that's come up: first "improvement" I made when I "moved in" last Dec was... replace orig queen spring-mattress with a Casper memory foam one from costco.
RV/boat mattresses sit on a flat ply/wood platform. Enter: the moisture problem. Lift mattress & inspect underside to find... general moisture/mold/mildew spots... coz the inability for the underside to MUH BREATHE... I cringe to think if I were in the hot/humid/muggy Southeast! :o
Solution is: something allowing MUH AIR CIRCULATION between mattress & flat wood platform. Here's at least one product offering a 'cure' - HYPERVENT AIRE-FLOW™ MOISTURE BARRIER
looks like it would be ~$150 for my queen shit... seems kinda spendy, no? But it certainly appears like a smart design; adds a modest 3/4" height, doesn't compress at all, good indy reviews.
any alt ideas, for a cheaper Home Depot DIY solution? I'd prefer said cure raises the overall mattress height as minimally as possible.
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Air conditioner under the bed?
Re: Is a travel trailer a stupid idea for TSHTF scenario?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
midnight rambler
...a misting system to envelope your RV to reduce heat load on the hottest days when your A/C isn't able to cycle.
do expand -- does it have to be 'mist', or can it be something like an evaporative humidifier? I had a Vornado evap humidifier at muh house in CO ~20y ago; I didn't get it for the 'cooling' but more just adding some moisture to the bone-dry winter air there, meant getting static elec "shocked" constantly. IIRC it worked well, though I was annoyed at how fast the moisture-wicks calcified & became useless, needing replacing maybe monthly? Also IIRC, it'd blow through it's 3 gallons/water tank every... ~36 hrs?
also, does higher-humidity air "hold the cold" better, taking some load off the AC? or is it purely a matter of the add'l cooling at the point of the humidifier/mist'er contraption, augmenting the AC's task?
Coz if I understand correctly, AC not only cools the air; it also DRIES it, no? Important in muggy swamps like FL? If true, wouldn't the humidifier/mist'er & the AC be working at odds? ???