Date:         Sat, 13 Jun 2015 08:59:39 -0400
Reply-To:     Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Eric Caron <ecaron1@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: how to cool a poptop?
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2015061303271800@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Hi folks,

        Scientific study is important but I’m sticking with the camp that light colors on the top will help.

        I used to cycle a lot on a tandem bike.  My partner and I purchased the same bike helmet one day and the shop owner said studies showed the color of the helmet would make no difference in the summer.  I purchased white, she purchased dark blue.  for years to come I could tell when she switched helmets on me because the trips were warmer.  Being blind I was not able to see the colors I just noticed the difference! 

Still I’m a purest and whatever color the van top came with I’d be likely to keep it.  I cover the outside of the windows with  magnetic sun screens and that makes a big difference 
in summer camping.

Eric Caron 
85 GL Auto 

> On Jun 13, 2015, at 3:27 AM, Karl Mullendore <tdiguru@WESTYVENTURES.COM> wrote:
> 
> Indirect relation to the color idea: My old 24x48 shop in Maryland - years
> ago I had the rusty steel roof painted dark green, thinking it would look
> nice. It did, but the attic storage space quickly found a nickname of 'the
> sauna'. Then, not as many years ago, the same painter was hired again to
> paint it, this time white. The first hot summer day was remarkable - the
> attic space was almost same temperature as the downstairs. It stayed that
> way for several years, incredibly pleasant to spend time up there in summer
> sorting through boxes of parts. Gradually the white got dirty and stained,
> and the heat started to come back to the attic space. Bright white WORKS
> excellently, in my experience.