Date: Thu, 26 Feb 1998 01:15:59 -0800
Reply-To: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: "Steven X. Schwenk" <sxs@CONCENTRIC.NET>
Subject: Re: Westfalia Insulation
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The foil covered bubble wrap sold as insulation is a relatively cheap
and easy way to insulate windows. it can be cut to size and will stay
in place by itself if you cut it a little larger than the window and
crimp the excess againbst the window gasket. (it is also easy to
insulate the ceiling by lifting the pop top, inserting a pre-cut piece
to cover the exposed portion of the ceiling and closing the top.) I
used it this winter camping in the Sierra when it went down to -6F and
it greatly improved heat retention. I could keep the van 65F inside
without any problem. It also reflects heat in summer.
With respect to the door and body panel insulation, the factory job
leaves a lot of large uninsulated spaces that can easily be filled to
provide better overall insulation. Also, the front doors are not
insulated.
It is worth the time and effort to supplement the stock insulation if
you like to get out in the winter, or live where the winter is cold. It
will make a difference, and it's great being able to camp comfortably,
luxuriously even, in harsh winter conditions (imagine, for example,
climbing out of your nice warm van at dawn with the temp at -6 and two
feet of snow on the ground so that you can watch the sun rise while
soaking in a natural hot spring...so hot in fact that before too long
you end up voluntarily rolling in the snow while completely naked
:-P.steve'90 syncro westfalia
p.s....Steve, can you get those curtains you mention they have in
Germany?
ThingGuy@AOL.COM wrote:
> In a message dated 2/25/98 9:58:56 PM, jag@CS.ROCHESTER.EDU wrote:
>
> <<Note however that improvement is limited by the ratio of glass
> area to insulated area in the Vanagon, unless you start covering
> also the glass. Single pane glass is approx R=1. Heat "resistance"
> in parallel circuits calculates just like in electrical circuits.
> /Martin>>
> You can loose a lot of heat through the glass. There are quilted
> insulated
> window covers available, or you could make your own. Many WV campers
> in
> Germany have insulated windows. These are made of two layers of
> plastic and
> have a brown tint to them.
>
> Steve
> '74 Campmobile
> New Side Tents at http://members.aol.com/tentinfo/index.html
