Keeping Escape cool while on the road?

[The Quilting Lady]

Traveling in the heat of the day it is hard to stop for a lunch in the trailer with no hook ups for ac. Anyone have any tips for keeping the trailer from heating up so badly while going down the road? Anyone leave the fan going to let heat out?

[steve dunham]

We tried cracking open a couple of windows and running the roof fan on low while traveling
It didn’t do much for cooling but it did suck in a lot of road dust
We decided to just eat our lunch in our vehicle with the A/C running

[Eggscape]

With our last trailer we forgot to close the roof vent and a window all the way...went on a dirt road and that will be the last time we do that! Hours of clean up.
Stopping for lunch, nap or overnight in Casino lot, it is a big thing for us to have A/C available. I have built a sliding tray that allows the 3200 watt inverter generator to slide out and be used while the trailer is attached. It has a fob for remote electric start and stop which works from inside the trailer. The red cover keeps it cool in the sun or light rain off. Trailer modifications will be detailed later in the year.

[sclifrickson]

We usually leave the roof vent open to let the trailer breathe, even while driving. To keep the fan from sucking dust in, switch the fan direction from blowing inwards to blowing outwards. This works especially well to expel hotter air in the trailer that’s by the ceiling anyway.

[cpaharley2008]

I recall leaving the vent or window opened while towing caused a negative pressure inside sucking the cold out of the refer. I think ETI recommends closing all openings while towing....

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I recall leaving the vent or window opened while towing caused a negative pressure inside sucking the cold out of the refer. I think ETI recommends closing all openings while towing....

We’ve not experienced issues with the fridge operation or anything else by leaving the vent open under tow. I don’t remember seeing anything in Escape’s Owner Manual about it, but the MaxxFan manual says either full open or full closed is ok under tow.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

the MaxxFan manual says either full open or full closed is ok under tow.

And locked, fully open or closed. My buddy was following me and I hadn't locked the MaxxFan. It was bouncing up and down. Locking it fixed that before something broke.

[Yukon Escape]

A lady put a question to me about Max Fans.
Question? Has anyone had two Max fans installed in the roof of their trailers.
The reason being, that you can have one fan blowing air into the trailer.
The other fan sucking air from the trailer.
A very positive movement of air through the trailer.
Location of the fans, one in the front one in the rear over the bed.

Seems to me this should have a cooling effect.
Doug

[Chotch]

Originally Posted by Yukon Escape

A lady put a question to me about Max Fans.
Question? Has anyone had two Max fans installed in the roof of their trailers.
The reason being, that you can have one fan blowing air into the trailer.
The other fan sucking air from the trailer.
A very positive movement of air through the trailer.
Location of the fans, one in the front one in the rear over the bed.

Seems to me this should have a cooling effect.
Doug

Would not do this while traveling, but what works excellent for us in our 5.0 is have fan on exhaust with all windows closed except back. Pulls a breeze thru the trailer. When time for bed close rear window open windows by bed, or better still if no chance of precipitation open escape hatch instead of window. This pulls a nice breeze across the bed. In over a year we have used the AC maybe 1/2 dozen times. The Max Fan upgrade with the remote, I think is absolutely worth it as we usually have to shut it off before morning. Not sure an extra fan is needed.😎

[Jim Bennett]

We often travel with the MaxxFan open and on a low speed when on the road. If it was dusty though, I wouldn't.

[rubicon327]

I have heard of guys with generators on rear cargo racks running them while driving. Properly secured and level couldn't one just plug in and run the A/C?!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I have heard of guys with generators on rear cargo racks running them while driving. Properly secured and level couldn't one just plug in and run the A/C?!

Yes, we've run the generator and 120 V AC air conditioner in our motorhome while driving, but only in exceptional conditions. I don't know if either a portable generator or an RV air conditioner is really suitable for operation while being jarred by road bumps, but otherwise I don't see an issue.

[cpaharley2008]

I was under the impression that Escape recommends closing the trailer windows and vents while towing to prevent negative air pressure inside the unit that can impact refrigerator performance.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I was under the impression that Escape recommends closing the trailer windows and vents while towing to prevent negative air pressure inside the unit that can impact refrigerator performance.

I've heard that too.



Fwiw, we started closing up tight with our last trailer, it would suck water in from any slight leaks (of which there were many) when driving in the rain. may or may not be valid on an Escape, but we still do it.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I was under the impression that Escape recommends closing the trailer windows and vents while towing to prevent negative air pressure inside the unit that can impact refrigerator performance.

I had never heard that. If there was it would equalize rather quick. What would be the difference between a trailer having open windows or vents, or a car with the same?

[gbaglo]

It was a theory posted here. Not attributed to ETI that I recall.

[cpaharley2008]

If you go back to the refrigerator failure threads a couple of years back, when ETI had the refer switched under warranty, it was posted that was the advice given. There is a venturi effect with the windows open in a vehicle, that is why you open them to expel the stale air inside. The negative pressure inside allows this to happen, and if you open your floor vents in the auto you will feel the air coming in and then out the open windows, Close the windows and the air stops entering.. Thus the same with the refer, any air is sucked in the condensate drain and expelled around the door gasket. But it is your trailer, you can do what you wish.

[gbaglo]

RM2510 doesn't have a condensate drain. Has a tray inside to collect water.

[cpaharley2008]

That was not the one involved in the switch and AFAIK, all these units have some sort of drain to allow the defrost liquid to exit the back into the refer compartment. Otherwise where does it go?

[sunrisetrucker]

When the trailer is too hot to sit in and enjoy a nice lunch, my wife and I have come up with a good solution. We go to a restaurant and enjoy their AC.