3M Crystaline Window film vs Double Pane Windows

Second Chance wrote:
We installed the 3M crystalline in our GD Reflection earlier this year. Check out this thread on the GD forum:

3M crystalline window film

Rob

It was YOUR post on the GD forum that got me thinking of window film :-)

There are more benefits than just stopping condensation. They help with keeping noise out, and noise in. They aren’t that heavy , on my 5er weight added was 65#. They help cool in summertime and help with keeping warm in fall, spring and winter. Ours is dual pane and darkly tinted. I had them in a 2006 Holiday Rambler Presidential Suite. Had the unit almost 10 years, NEVER had an issue with the windows...nothing went wrong with them, never lost a seal, no condensation between the panes. I won’t own a 5er without them. Weight is a non issue , pros outweight the cons and I’m going on 12 years of having them .

Jim

We looked at Cardinal FW late last spring. They had two rear living units, identical to each other with the exception of dual pane glass. One with and one without dual pane Windows. They were parked side by side with the rear window facing south. The unit with the dual pane had to be at least 10° cooler, if not more, and you could feel the a major temp difference at the glass. We were convinced right there our next unit will have dual pane windows.

We installed the 3M crystalline in our GD Reflection earlier this year. Check out this thread on the GD forum:

3M crystalline window film

Rob

You're on the right track if you're a summertime camper. The chief benefit of dual-pane is less condensation in cold weather. When it's cold out our windshield will sweat like a cold drink glass if we don't manage ventilation, while the dual pane windows are always bone dry.

Dual pane are quieter, better insulated, much more expensive, much more prone to failure and much heavier. Unless you winter camp, I think they are unnecessary. I agree that 2 ac units is the way to go. Run the one not in the area you are sitting in.

I've had both, film on an '04 that I even added a second pane of plexiglas to all the fixed glass areas, then dual pane on an '11. Much prefer the dual pane for the extra insulation. Miss them now but my wife's health dictated an in stock purchase.

For "bumpy's" comments the extra weight isn't an issue, around 50 lbs. and no one drives a fiver so reflections aren't a problem.

do a search for issues with dual pain windows. had them on my Bounder. ordered my next Class A without them. when I test drove my bounder the salesman (honest) wondered why bounder had not been sued for them as they could produce a reflection in panes of glass. once he mentioned it I noticed the issue. I would prefer single pane windows with a heavy drape/curtain instead. also found out that thru the glass CB aerials wouldn't work with them. :)
they add weight/cost/and go bad and need repair.
those that spent mega $$$ on them will of course swear by them. I swore at them myself. I also find it amusing when folks say that their current rv with them is so much "warmer" than their old rv without them. not mentioning that the old rv was 20 years old, had lesser insulation, etc.
SEE new post fogged windows
bumpy

Insulation is insulation doesn't matter if it's hot or cold.

Where are you planning to camp? For most purposes, single pane will do fine. Get the 2nd air/con if you are concerned. That will do better than an under powered single air/con. The sound from the air/con will typically drown out most noise unless it's really loud.

In the winter, dual pane does help with condensation on the inside of windows but that's not an issue in the heat.