Bugs getting in T@B 400

DanB

First trip with our 2021 T@B 400.  first night was rainy and we were inside with door open screen door closed.  After a couple of hours playing a game at the  table we noticed the spaces with the accent lights were full of small insects,  mostly gnats but several varieties.  After searching for holes for entry I found that the top of the screen door frame had not been caulked and the top corners had even a larger space.  Next trip a week later with the door shut same results, many gnats and bugs swarming around the accent lights.  I can't find how they are getting in!  All screens were down.  Have not tried with closing all the windows.  Any suggestions?

ChrisFix

@DanB
No suggestions, but I can tell you you're not alone. No matter how careful I think I'm being, we always have a collection of gnats joining us like you mention.
I don't know if they just come in when the screen door is opened and shut, or if they are crawling there way through the various gaps that the screen door and window screens have. Thankfully, the screens do seem to keep out the larger pests, particularly mosquitoes, so some small solice there!!

AirBoss

If found spraying Permethrin on the screen and their tracks cuts down on this quite a bit. 

ScottG

Check all of your shade/screen frames for gaps between the frame and the inside wall of the camper--they were particularly bad on the curved front window of my 2015. They were not at all obvious unless I stuck my head into the opening and looked directly at them. Applying some very compressible foam weather strip to the gap helped a lot.

I also had an issue with bugs getting around the sides of the accordion screens, but that was because the early screen lacked insect brush (a.k.a. "bug fuzz") on those edges. nuCamp provided a retrofit kit and that also helped a lot. That shouldn't be a problem with newer units, but it might still be worth checking to make sure all the windows have the brush as they should.

That said, the really little bugs still seem to find their way in, but usually in numbers that are manageable.

Deb55

I think the bugs get in on the bottom of the screen door. It's loose down there--there's nothing actually blocking access to the outdoors. The screen helps, but doesn't prevent. We had a ceiling full of ladybugs on Saturday night! 

manyman297

One thing that can help is reversing the flow of the fan. It’s not a cure all but the air pushing out of the door and windows can deter pests from entering. 

Da_Birds

We had the same issue with mostly smaller bugs. I assume the few bigger bugs followed us in. I purchased a USB bug trap that is basically a small blue light and fan that sucks the bugs in to the bottom of the trap. Since the bugs getting in seem to very attracted to light, I'm hoping this trap will at least capture them while we sleep or when we have the lights out.

I told my wife we should try and keep the lights out if we are not in the trailer but I'm not sure she can resist "making it look cozy" unless we are boondocking. There were far fewer bugs when we boondocked and used the lights sparingly. So keeping the lights off does help.

I was thinking having the fan blow in could help. Will be trying that and the trap this weekend. If the trap works I will post more details about it. Initial tests were positive. The good thing is that biting insects aren't getting as easily and the bugs that are getting in are more interested in our lights then us!

SweetlyHome

We frequently travel in company with friends that have an Airstream Interstate class B RV.  Part of our morning greeting is to compare our overnight bug collection experience.  

It is our mutual agreement that:

• the extra digit in the cost of their unit vs our unit makes no difference;
• movable screen door and windows do not seal completely (the door particularly);
• turning the lights out certainly helps (TV included);
• if the fan vent is open the fan must run, in or out, (clean the fan blades and screen regularly);
• outdoor lights make it worse:
• and, they are at a disadvantage as the dog must go out later and often in prime bug time.

No real winner or loser but scoring is based on the contents of the filters in our small hand held vacuums.

Da_Birds

SweetlyHome said:

We frequently travel in company with friends that have an Airstream Interstate class B RV.  Part of our morning greeting is to compare our overnight bug collection experience.  

It is our mutual agreement that:

• the extra digit in the cost of their unit vs our unit makes no difference

I'm surprised that RV's don't use a fine mesh screen like the no-see-um screening used in most tents. But even then, some bugs will find their way in. Although my experience is that a decent tent will keep more bugs out. My guess is this is a combination of the finer mesh screens and less need to come and go from a tent as most of your gear is stored outside the tent.

I've been going camping, and for a few years backpacking, my whole life and have had the pleasure of experiencing everything from sleeping under the stars to staying in a "not so rustic" cabin my family owns. You will never be bug free. It comes with the territory. Even after 20 years of attempting to bug proof our family cabin we still have a near nightly ritual of sucking the bugs up with a vacuum around the light fixtures, especially if we come and go out the door often.

One action I've learned is universal to helping with bugs and that's keeping the lights off inside your tent, RV or cabin and keeping light to a bare minimum outside. Of course you can't do much about this if your staying in for the night and need light except for closing doors and windows completely. Also, limiting the number times you open the door will help. As with most things in nature the best you can do is mitigate but don't expect to eliminate.

pthomas745

Here is a "no-see um" tutorial for a window cover.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/47441/?fbclid=IwAR2waB_955b9_YswlRZc1h3rGQDDuEnsCrRXRZ5knal696y2xxcgywJmLAY#Comment_47441

I carry a roll of bug screen material and will hang it over the screens/doors for an "extra layer" of protection for the places where there are a lot of bugs.  Permethrin spray helps on the screens, too.

Da_Birds

We used the new bug trap this weekend and I liked the way it performed enough to share it. We had rain most of the trip but the first night was dry. We had visitors interested in out T@B and gave them a tour. While talking to them I forgot I had the door wide open and most every light on. A good amount of bugs made their way in so I turned off all of the lights besides the trap while we relaxed by the fire. When we went in to go to bed there was only one or two bugs that we could see. It rained the rest of the trip so bugs weren't as much of problem.

At the current sale price I think this trap is worth it. It doesn't have the best reviews but don't let that fool you. It worked well in our T@B. It's USB, uses no chemicals and is super quiet. The light was not too bright either and we left ours on all night since we had electric.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B097K7SKT9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

manyman297

Just picked this up today. On sale. Normally $40 with good reviews. We’ll see how it works.

Deal of the day: Katchy Indoor Fly Trap - Catcher & Killer for Mosquito, Gnat, Moth, Fruit Flies - Non-Zapper Traps for Buzz-Free Home - Catch Flying Insect Indoors with Suction, Bug Light & Sticky Glue (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M8VX4T9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_dl_ZV6GKBP4HD0JCACRWPRN

Da_Birds

Looks to be very similar to the one I purchased with the exception of the glue trap. If the trap is strong enough to suck the bug in it will be strong enough to hold them in. However, I do have to be careful when turning the trap off as some bugs can\do escape once the fan stops. I held my trap out the window before shutting it off. So I can see a benefit to the glue trap but then that's something you will need to replace often otherwise there's not point.

It does get better reviews but I suspect part of that is because the item description is more realistic about it's capabilities. Many of the bad reviews of the one I purchased is because it won't catch flies when they say it will. I'm not sure how much it cost when it was the deal of the day but at $40 it's more than twice the cost of the one I purchased. Maybe it's worth paying double? I'll be curious to see how it works out for you. But basically they seem to be very similar traps with the exception of the glue boards.

manyman297

Yeah, I wasn't about to pay $40 for it. At $27 I think it's worth it if it works. The glue traps are a bit of a turnoff but I found some cheaper versions that work. We'll see how it works. Hopefully it's not too much of a power drain as it'll have to be on all night.

renesadae

Came across this article:

https://greatrving.com/what-is-the-best-lighting-to-help-keep-the-bugs-away-from-your-rv-site/

Any others have experience with color changing LED’s…

-strips or rope?
-battery or solar?
-placement?
-blue under T@B placement? (Doesn’t that invite them to enter in small gaps underneath?)

DanB

Thanks for all the responses.  Last summer I spent 35 nights in my lite weight tent in the wilderness in terrible bugs, except for going in and out there never was a bug in my tent.  Just think that a really  nice camper should do as well.  You've given me a lot to work with and I do love my 400! It's our first camper.

tomtek

The first night we took out new 2021 CS-S out we noticed a heavy bug attraction.   The step light being on all the time when the step was out attracted bugs in an extreme way that weekend.   After figuring out it was unable to be turned off without the step being out (which was dangerous for the terrain) I unplugged the step light and things got back to the same bug count as out 2009 DM. 

Some interesting ideas with lighting color.

rs7971

We took our first expedition with our 2022 Tab 400 to the Everglades last week. One evening was mild enough to turn off the AC, so we opened the windows and deployed the screens. Our camper was soon swarming with little bugs and gnats. As near as we could tell, they were coming in around the edges of the screens in the tracks. I hope there is a solution to this issue. We enjoy having the windows open and feeling the breezes.

Horigan

Maybe spray the sides of the screens with bug repellant?

Denny16

Turn the lights off inside the TaB, and use a yellow bug light for ambient lighting. We did this last year on a lake side camping trip, that had small evening flying insects invading the TaB.  A portable vacuum made quick work rounding up the ones that got inside.  Otherwise, keep windows closed and use the AC.  Their are noseeums fuzzy cord around the screen/shade edges thst nüCamp installs, but small flyers seem to get by these anyway.
cheers

db_cooper

@Horigan  I plan on spraying our screens with Sawyer permethrin this camping season.  we made no see um covers as well to put over the windows on the inside, but they basically stop all air flow.  Hoping spraying will help, we've been chased home from skeeters invading the inside before.

Mack

Hi All,

In our 2022 TAB 400, I discovered gaps all around our windows (that open) and the door, between the inside plastic trim and the trailer walls

I slid a piece of blue plastic into the gap to show how open it is. See photos.

The gap is on the outside of the bug screens, so if the windows are open, bugs can fly up to the window screen and then get into the trailer via the gap.. 

Not sure why these gaps are there?

Anyone else notice this?

I bought 50' of 1/2" compressible foam weather stripping. I'm going to try and seal the gaps, hopefully this will help. Unfortunately I won't know till next summer, since bug season is pretty much done around here. 

Sharon_is_SAM

At least with the front windows, I think the gaps are there because the square shade/screen assembly does not fit tightly to the curved TaB.

Mack

Sharon_is_SAM said:

At least with the front windows, I think the gaps are there because the square shade/screen assembly does not fit tightly to the curved TaB.

Makes sense, but I wonder why they wouldn't put something flexible in the gaps like foam strips to keep the bugs out?

Denny16

Would be nice, but adds yet another step in the build process and added expense.  I guess not all the TaBs are sold to areas with flying wee bug issues.  

Cheers 

kottum

No, but Tabs are travel trailers and travel trailers do travel to areas with wee bug issues.

NuCamp needs to fix this, and not by handing out cans of bug spray.

Douglas

Denny16

I agree Doug, but the fix is somewhat easy, just fill the gaps with foam caulking rope, pushed into the gaps.  It would be nice if nüCamp started adding the foam barrier strips during the build to eliminate the need to fix this.
 Cheers 

bergger

@Mack our 2021 does not have gaps like that. I tried getting something through that area after seeing your pics and could do it. However the bug problem is annoying. It has more to do with the screens they use. They are just not good for keeping bugs out and I too agree with @kottum. NuCamp needs a better solution for the screens and the bug problem. Heck my old  2001 $5,000 coleman pop up and my old 2015 $11,000 StarCraft Aframe campers kept bugs out was better. 

gulfarea

When I bought my 320 the only thing my local dealer had was the tabs with the light bars on the roof! I sure did not want that option as it would atract EVERY insect within 10 miles if Iever turned it on! I have NEVER turned them on, what were they thinking? Art

Mack

Berger that's great if you don't. So not sure why our 2022 does.

However, try going into the trailer with blinds shut and lights off during the day time to see if lights shines through. The light is this picture is coming through the gap. Their is also a gap between the inner door trim and trailer wall where no doubt bugs are flying through as well. 

Also, the gap has a slight ridge that you go over so pushing something straight through might not work. That little blue plastic piece just bent up and over. 

And I hate to say it, but our 2015 little guy silver shadow never got bugs coming through... 

subkron

I just had a weeklong trip and the mosquitos entering the gaps made it miserable. On a previous trip I too had seen a lot of light entering around the screen door, and when I looked there was a large - 3/16" is large - gap in places.  I added foam weather stripping and thought I was done. nuCamp did respond quickly when queried but said there is no gasket that should be there.  On this trip the only thing that helped to keep the bugs out was keeping all 3 windows shut since there are gaps 1) where the screen meets the "fuzz" (the fuzz is not wide enough and, 2) the gap around the internal window frame to the wall.

I respectfully disagree that the answer is that it is an easy fix by the customer or it costs more to put it in at assy time.  For a vendor to get weather stripping at bulk cost and apply during assy would only add a few dollars to a $40k+ price and they could do it right.  Both me and my mosquito magnet wife really can't believe this is not designed in.