Dust in Cabin and Kitchen

Jason_C

Any ideas on how to minimize dust intrusion INSIDE the camper?
Last fall I drove for 8 hours on unpaved road in Colorado. I was amazed with the amount of dust that got inside the camper. The amount of dust inside is what you would expect if you left the windows open. I am used to dirt, I have done a LOT of ATV trail riding but I don't like to have my bedding and kitchen dirtier than me! I believe the majority of the dust is coming in from the AC vents on the side of the TAG. If that much dust is getting in through the vents and coating the interior and can only imagine how dirty the cooling fins on the AC would be.

Does the manufacturer make covers for these or a FLAP to minimize air intrusion?? I would stuff a rag in the hole, but due to the bug screen I dought that it would stay in for long. Also, I want a cover that would look tasteful and could be used repeatedly. If I don't come up with a good solution soon, I will tape up the vents prior to the next trip.

If you take the vent covers off you would see a rather large cavity. I am surprised that the space wasn't utilized for more storage or drawers in the kitchen. It seems to me that duct pipes for venting would be more efficient for cooling than an open cavity. Right now they have 3 fans in the cavities (in the 2019 model) to assist in cooling the ac compressor and exhausting the hot air. I wonder how much testing and engineering went in to that?? I don't like to run the auxiliary fans just because of the noise and vibration noise they make. I am going to install rubbers washers where they are mounted to reduce noise from vibration.

WilliamA

Using only my own experience as a yardstick, I will say I had the same problem. I drive more than 50% of the time on dirt tracks and off the beaten path. My trailer inside looked like the roads I drive on (dirty, dusty, etc) until I pulled my A/C unit and blocked the air inlet under the trailer. Even with the A/C out and cowbell vents plugged, it got full of dust until I plugged that bottom vent. I strongly suspect that the low pressure area behind the trailer (within which the cowbell vents ride) creates a low pressure within the A/C false-wall dead zone in the trailer pulling in air from underneath. Even if you plug the cowbell vents, without covering the hole in the floor, you'll have to deal with it. For those who still have the A/C unit and go on dirt roads, the answer would have to be, cover the lower opening if you're planning on going where the nature resides, then uncover it to use the A/C. Plugging up that bottom opening solved my problem. I often run now with the roof vent cracked and the cowbells in their stock configuration (open, not plugged) and have had little or no more issues with dust in the cabin.

WilliamA

LuckyJ

I did have that problem. In my case, I realized that I did forgot to close the roof vent cover. Ounce It got closed, It seams that it was ok.

For the cowbells. i would simply stuff a block of foam in them. They should not reach the screens.

I really like the idea of being able to close and open the vent under the trailer as well. This is aslo to prevent the accidental potentiel flooding if I get surprised by a hole while water crossing. Same with the small vent under the fridge. Remember, all those do connect toogether from inside the trailer.

Draw back, Is the more air tight the trailer, the warmer it gets in the galley, the harder it is for the fridge to operate within specification.

Somemedic

I believe a lot of the Australian trailers that go off road seem to have a positive pressure system for the inside of the cabin. This would not be hard to replicate in our own units. I would use a couple of car wash sponges in the cowbell vents and cover the lower vent with an articulating rod and some sort of handmade cover for the lower vent. Pulling on the rod would open while pushing on the ride would close. While you drove down the road with the tow vehicle in place you would turn on the air conditioning fans at the switch. This should create positive pressure by drawing air through the cowbells which aren't closed off since they have filters on them Ie the car wash sponges which would charge the cabin with air pressure.

LuckyJ

@Somemedic I do beleive that this make sence and it is worth looking into.