Rear panel heat slots?

jdargis · November 2014

I am looking at taking the rear panel, which lifts up to check the Alde system, and have heat slots cut in them with a router to circulate the heat better with the sofa back down, in the bed mode. We found that when we were traveling, we used Thermarest mattresses and Travasacks for sleeping, the combination of the two blocked the heating vents in the rear shelf area. We sleep with are heads to the front of the trailer, just for easier access to the bathroom. I think the hot air would circulate out the top panel better, with out the blockage. The slots would be the same thickness and length of the existing slots. What do you think?
Jeff

USWildflowers · November 2014

I like the idea. One slight concern I would have would be whether that would allow more dust/debris to get down onto the radiator. I might consider a few 1-inch holes rather than a slot (no router) to augment the existing slot since it does seem bedding can block that slot. Maybe back the holes with some screen to reduce foreign object infiltration.

Sgtjohn · November 2014

What I did was to put a continuos hinge (piano hinge) on the panel and all we have to do is raise the panel a little bit and the heat "goes up vs toward us. Also, the hinge keeps the panel from flopping around. Due to road bumps.

Sgtjohn · November 2014

Wildflower, that is an excellent idea! The screen would be a great safety measure. The can either be stapled or hot glue gunned on.

Nomad · November 2014

Same problem here - Bedding can block the vents. Am planning on either router slots or a series of holes (haven't decided yet). Also thinking about a shield that keeps the heat directed out the holes. Right now the radiator is just open and fills the whole back compartment with hot air. I lived with radiant heat for 30 years and all the radiators had shields that directed the heat out through the vents rather than into the radiator housing itself.

The shelf itself seemed like wasted space so I added a railing to the front edge (see pic) and thinking about using it as a pantry - it's hidden when the seat is up but easy to get to. If things bounce up and over the rail I may need to add a simple net over the top - wee'll see. Could store other things there as well.

The rail was real easy to do - It's basically bathroom towel racks mounted vertically - Two 18" and one 24" in the center.

Wanderoo · November 2014

I LIKE the railings, PXLated!!! And using towel bars, how clever. I'm going to do the same thing. And the long board is easy to remove and work on for drilling the holes, right? Now I have two winter projects for T@B. Thanks for posting the pic.

>-

Nomad · November 2014

Wanderoo - Should be easy to slot or drill since it's removable. Can do it on a workbench. I'll probably do that Friday when I'm passing close by to a buddy's cabinet shop. Maybe I'll just let him do it :-)

Adding the towel bars was pretty simple - took maybe a half hour. The screws that came with the bars were too long, took me longer to saw those off than actually installing the bars/rails.

mawebb · November 2014

The rails look great. What a simple but effective idea!

jkjenn · November 2014

I really like that space, too. Probably could put little baskets on it to hold stuff while in transit. There must be a way to hold them down, too. It occurs to me that I have not utilized that space to its utmost.

CodeJunkie · November 2014

Very nice installation job, and very clever idea!

Nomad · November 2014

Managed to add the heat slots yesterday - actually, holes as it was easiest with the tools I had. Slept in it last night, much warmer as the bedding didn't interfere. Had to turn the heat down for the first time.

Also found some containers at Wallyworld that fit - have to use sideways but they're sealed. Gonna use them for my commodities (coffee, sugar, flour, cereal, etc). The width to the rails is roughly 5". The big limit is the height as the back wall starts curving forward. Of course, all this is hidden when the back bench is up.

ChanW · November 2014

Nice solution! It looks all tidy and 'like it belongs there'.

I'd like to figure out a way to actually raise that bench seat an inch or two, to fit some insulation between the bed and the Alde.

We found that, if the Alde is on at all, even on low, the bed gets too warm from the excess heat that the boiler itself puts out.

We could only sleep with the Alde off completely, even last winter at 5°F outdoors (our down comforter was just the ticket for cozy, thankfully!).

--

Chan

2014 'S' Maxx

jkjenn · November 2014

I wonder if it wouldn't make sense to add a regular vent to that board sow it could be opened and closed? I think you could probably find one that worked with filters if dust and dirt a re a concern.

I don't generally travel with a lot of stuff like flower and sugar, but do have canned goods and other food that could go back there. I am also wondering if a cargo net to keep everything in place would be a good idea. You could easily use hook eyes at the top to secure it.

jdargis · November 2014

A couple of ideas, which might work for insulating the Alde boiler, from the cushion/bed area, would be the engine compartment foil/insulation material made for the drivers area in class "A" motor homes (also used in commercial vans to keep the engine heat out of the drivers compartment). I have to look at the space between the cushion and Alde system. If I recall the insulation material is about a 1/2 inch thick and would be attached to the bottom of the one cushion over the Alde (could be glued, screwed or stapled to the bottom of the cushion). Another idea, drill a hole and install a small 12 volt refrigerator circulating fan, blowing from the Alde area into the rear heating area, which the heat would be distributed out the back vents(not the best idea for summer, but something to think about).
Jeff

Nomad · November 2014

jkjenn - Added canned goods to the shelf today and no cans jumped the rails even though I was on some rougher roads. What worked the best though was putting my commodity canisters on either side of the cans and that pretty much locked them in.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/ni/ofj4aze9y1tk.jpg

jkjenn · November 2014

This Reflectix insulation, basically Mylar with bubble wrap sandwiched between, looks like a good insulation option. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0022NH3E4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=240H2NSJXK6OI&coliid=I25JVE6BIIXO4B

PXLated. Thanks for the picture. I wonder if you couldn't use a shelf divider to accomplish a similar goal? I am also looking for somewhere to store a bag of chips, package of cookies, things that would get smashed by cans. I also. Came across this, from Ikea, but it only gives a width, not a length.

Nomad · November 2014

Shelf dividers might work. I plan to add cookies (life is not complete without sweets), the canisters will keep the cans from crushing anything. My only concern is that the shelf does get warm so I don't really want to put anything that might melt on there - like chocolate chip cookies. I might add some insulation to the bottom side of the shelf in back of the hole vents to try to cool it down.

jdargis · November 2014

Also, check out thermotec.com for a complete line of insulation options.

Nomad · November 2014

Thermotec looks like the ticket - can probably find it at some automotive or racing supply places I would suspect - or order from them.

ChanW · November 2014

In our Tab, the seat bottom seems to be in direct contact with the top of the Alde. No room for insulation.

I looked into that mylar/bubble-wrap "insulation" pretty thoroughly when I was installing the radiant heat system in our house. The industry has created a false reputation with stories, which spread 'virally' about it. It was touted as having amazing R-value, when in fact it's nothing more than 1/8" or so of air space (it's not even 'dead air' in those bubbles, which is a necessary part of insulating).

It got so bad that these companies were taken to court by the Federal Trade Commission (I think) for making false claims.

They also say that the radiant reflective feature of the mylar really doesn't do much, especially if it gets dirty...

jkjenn · November 2014

Thanks for the info on the bubble wrap stuff, cwebb.

I found some containers at Ikea that will work pretty well. I might even take a drive out tonight to pick some up.

T@Balong · November 2014

I like all the comments and suggestions about putting holes/slots in the rear panel since it would allow more heat into the interior of the T@B. The towel bars are a nice touch as well. We have installed netting and then found small totes with covers that nestle nicely on the shelf. The ones we found are even stackable so with the netting, we can stack them two-high. The totes come in handy for all of those little things that might otherwise bounce around somewhere or get lost in the process of not remembering where one put them.

jkjenn · November 2014

Norm, I would love to see your netting set up. Where did you find it?

I took a trip out toil Ikea and picked up some containers that fit just right. I have a bout 4" that I need to fill so they are tight, but that shouldn't too hard.

Wanderoo · November 2014

PXlated -- If I were to take my long board to someone and ask them to make these "vent" holes, what would I ask for? What specs? Thanks. This all looks like great stuff. You guys are great.

T@Balong · November 2014

Jenn………I got it online somewhere after a Google search, sorry I don't remember where. It came with some stick-on attachments but the stretching of the netting pulled some of those off, so I used the screws that were also supplied. I would send a pic but my T@B is in Sugarcreek until February or so. There was an issue with the flooring, and they are waiting to repair it until after the first of the year when they will have a heated indoor repair area in their new manufacturing facility.

Nomad · November 2014

Wanderoo - Hmmm, not sure how I would describe it, I did it in a buddys cabinet shop - Just measured everything out, grabed a drill with a Forstner bit (looks like this - http://simhq.com/forum/files/usergals/2010/12/full-22745-3665-forstnerbit.jpg). Once I had the holes I took a dinky little router and rounded the edges so they matched the finger hole. I drilled 5/8" holes but if I did it over again I think I'd cut them back to 1/2".

If I was taking the board into a shop for someone else to do I think I'd just print out one of the pics and show them what I want - picture's worth a thousand words :-)

One caution - That top birch veneer layer is really thin and can chip. I found I had to get the drill up to full-speed and ease down into it. The rounded edges then covered any small chips I did get. The back side did get a little chipped and rough though. Maybe a good cabinet guy has a trick for preventing that but I couldn't figure one out. But, ought of sight out of mind and I'll probably cover that with some reflective insulation.

jkjenn · November 2014

Couldn't you use a hole saw, too?

Nomad · November 2014

jkjenn - What's a hole saw? - never heard of one.

Might be able to use a "plunge" router - in fact that might be just the ticket - Didn't think of it at the time :-(

jkjenn · November 2014

A hole saw can be attached as a drill bit, and it cuts a perfectly round hole. They come in many different sizes. http://youtu.be/Td6m_ukCu0A

Nomad · November 2014

Ahhhhh - Now I know what you're talking about. Didn't know they were called "hole saws". Not sure how they would work. On the ones I've used the teeth were pretty rough, not fine enough for finish work but maybe they come in a fine tooth version.

Sgtjohn · November 2014

To alleviate spintering, one way is to drill almost all the way thru the wood and then turn it over and drill the other side. masking tape sometimes works to stop the splintering.

Rear panel heat slots?

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