Hi, we recently bought our first TT (05 Jay Flight 31 BHDS) and are full-timers in it. I am having serious problems sleeping for two reasons. First, our ac is not on a thermostat. We have been turning it off at night and running a fan in the bedroom. It has been getting really hot in there. When we leave the air on, it gets really cold in there. We have Reflectix up on the windows. My second problem is the mattress, it slopes big time in the middle. The mattress is hard on the edges and soft in the middle. We bought a foam topper for it but that hasn't made any difference. We come from a king size Sleep Number bed and I'm a bit of a Princess and the Pea type sleeper. At first I thought maybe the bed wasn't supported well but now I'm wondering if the slope is because it was bent to get it in the room. The mattress brand is Ortho Rest and it seems to be smaller than a short queen unless the actual size is smaller than the numbers (like a 2x4 is smaller than 2 inches by 4 inches.) I am getting quite desperate and even considered tearing down and rebuilding a bed frame big enough for our king size Sleep Number. That wouldn't help the temperature though. I would appreciate any suggestions you have to help me get more and better sleep. Thank you!

I "assume" your AC does not have a control on the wall but is operated by dials/switches on the ceiling unit? if so, a possible replacement is the only solution.you can buy a beter mattress if necessary.bumpy

I don't know why your AC isn't on a thermostat? Is your thermostat non-functional? Maybe some simple repairs could take care of that so you could set it for a temp and leave it on. As far as the bed, is the base of the bed level (platform). If so, then sounds like you need a new mattress along with that topper (HOPE YOU BOUGHT A GOOD QUALITY TOPPER AS THE CHEAP ONES AR HOT TO SLEEP ON). If the platform isn't level, then you better find out why - is the floor under it sloped and why.

1. Buy a new mattress. Why suffer?2. The A/C has either a thermostat on the wall or controls on the unit itself. It does have a thermostat...whether it works or not is another issue.

It's probably one of the cheap (low quality) Ortho mattresses. You need to switch to a sleep number or better quality mattress to get rid of the hole.Try regulating the temp with the A/C on by opening a window or roof vents. More covers on the bed. Flannel PJs....

Sounds like you have a good start on developing a "shopping list" to put into use before purchasing your next trailer. Yes you can rebuild your current one, replace the AC for with with a thermostat or it may be easier to install a closeable vent for the AC and instead of turning the unit on and off, open or close the vent more and eventually you may find a half way setting where it does what you want it to do. Probably the MOST useful thing about purchasing the FIRST trailer is that there is usually a SECOND one where you can correct some of the deficiencies you've found with the first one.Some trailers have nice soft beds and nearly all of them the sleeping platform is level (when the trailer is correctly set up) and it's kind of hard to imagine a non thermostat controlled air conditioner but I'd put all of those things on your shopping list.Good luck / Skip

Sleeping problems in Travel Trailer | Good Sam Community

34 Replies

NorCal_Dan
Explorer
Jun 24, 2013
GrumpyGator wrote:
CW sells a Sleep Number bed in Queen Short. Best price I found anywhere. If you have a regular size bed in your TT, any Sleep Number mattress will fit.

We have the sleep number queen bed in our rig and love it. I read somewhere the newer sleep number RV mattresses have an auto-pressure control that will lower the pressure in the mattress when traveling in mountains or high altitude areas. We always deflate our bed before traveling, don't want to have a blowout.
gotsmart
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
Remember way back when - when people would put a sheet of plywood between the mattress and the box spring to make the bed more firm and give it more life?

Lift up the mattress and examine the deck that that mattress is sitting on. If the deck sags under your own weight then any mattress that you put on it will also sag. If the deck isn't good and solid then firm it up before throwing money at mattresses.
GrumpyGator
Explorer
Jun 23, 2013
CW sells a Sleep Number bed in Queen Short. Best price I found anywhere. If you have a regular size bed in your TT, any Sleep Number mattress will fit.
Aridon
Explorer
Jun 22, 2013
Change the mattress and cover up with the AC running. You can always make yourself warmer.
Slowmover
Explorer
Jun 22, 2013
Texas is pretty hot, to say the least. With a metal-skin TT even more so. As a fullltimer down here in the heat another year my A/C gets plenty of attention. Part of what it is supposed to do is to dry the air, not just cool it. To that end I use a separate floor-standing dehumidifier full-time. At bed-time I dial up the A/C thermostat to the setting where the compressor kicks off. And then dial it cooler one step.

The DeH takes a good deal of burden off the A/C even though it runs up my electric bill. But DRY cool air is mandatory after a day of work. I can almost always hit 50% humidity, and can usualy hit 40% (ideal) by early afternoon. This takes the chill out of refrigerated air at 73F (target temp) and feels absolutely great.

With 90%+ humidity in the mornings I don't turn off the DeH this time of year . . but in cooler late fall and early spring temps I turn it off when going to bed.

Use of an oscillating fan to help return air towards the overhead A/C unit is also recommended.
duncanwoods
Explorer
Jun 08, 2013
After a week or so of sleeping on the bed with support on under the platform, I must say leveling it fixed the problem. I'm sleeping really well. We had a repair guy come out to fix the hot water heater and asked him to check the a/c unit, turns out it's broken. The compressor is not turning on and off based on where we put the temperature. Thanks again for all your help!
tragusa3
Explorer
Jun 01, 2013
I find the temperature knob on our AC to be very touch. We freeze when it's on max and if turned down just one number, it gets warm. But...it's not a $10k plus house system, is it.

We all LOVE the constant running and noise of the fan! It keeps outside noise covered up and allows my wife and I a cup of coffee and talk in the morning without waking the kids.

As far as shutting the unit down to give it a break, I doubt you will ever get halfway through the designed life of a unit if used as a part time camping trailer. Full timing may be a different story.
tomkaren13
Explorer
Jun 01, 2013
Research and find a new mattress. You will not be a happy sleeper until you do. Many places sell mattresses that fit a camper. Many places you can try them out. may take alot of research but please do it!
RoadXYZ
Explorer II
Jun 01, 2013
We have a shorty queen, had a special-order done in Portland, Maine .. had to wait a couple or three weeks, but so worth going into a 'factory', picking out the mattress we wanted, had it delivered, swapped and took old mattress away.

Now sleep without pain. Yes, it does weigh more than the "came with the unit mattress", but so much better, and we tried all the suggestions, foam, etc. suggestions here, but the new mattress was the only 'cure' for me & my upper back.
rvingnana
Explorer
Jun 01, 2013
I use a solid foam mattress as i have fibromyalgia and need firmness forback pain but something without springs of any kind for the fibro. Have even bought one for aged mom and for grandsons beds when they visit. Of course i have one in tt also. Stumbled across them by accident and WON'T sleep without one now. Jmho