Best way to keep the sun's heat from the front away ?

There are no R ratings for sun shade material, I would think you would be aware of that. They are rated as to the percentage of sunlight being blocked up to 100%.
Shade fabric is not made to reflect anything, it reduces or blocks the penetration of sunlight depending on the percentage desired, along with reducing the amount of heat being transferred due to radiation.
I have used Reflectix as insulation for many years for diferent things, but putting it on all the glass must make it very much like being inside a submarine. If that is to your liking, go for it. But if you would like to reduce the heat penetration and also see out, shade material mounted on the exterior is the answer.

Hi,

If it is the same material it has the same R value.

harold1946 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Glass is not magic--but when light hits a surface it changes frequency and becomes heat. Since there are no "perfect" reflectors, quite a bit of light energy becomes heat. Glass is NOT a good transmitter of heat. Remember, too, that light waves of all frequencies will bounce off the surface of the glass. That adds to heat inside the RV if the reflective layer is inside. So it is better to cover the outside of the glass--preferably with an air gap if that can be arranged.

There is a reason why Florida is called the Sunshine State. We get plenty of it and we learned the best way to deal with it a long time ago. If you think you have a better way, go for it. I'll stick with what works the best, after trying the other methods. :B

I guess all of the millions of homes, in the sun belt, with sun shades on the outside of the windows must have wasted their money. Its simple high school science.

Then I also guess that all of the thermal pane windows, used in the sunbelt, that allow sunlight to penetrate the first layer of glass before hitting the reflective surfaces that reflects the heat back out are not engineered properly. They have a few engineers that worked on their design and the R values certainly support the fact that sunlight and heat can go through the first glass surface and be reflected right back out. This may be advanced college science.

This is becomming interesting. Please give me one link with test data that supports that claim.
I would also be interested on how reflective film reduces the heat being transfered through the aluminum window frame of an rv.
With exterior shading that transfer is also greatly redused.
Less heat transfer through the glass and less through the frame.
I might also ask where you got your thermopane windshield.:@

I doubt if you have an aluminum frame around your windshield but my interior foil insulation covers all of the glass and the rubber gasket to reflect all of the heat coming through.
When I use it on the side windows, I cover all of the glass and aluminum frame.
You can also park in the shade all of the time and never have to worry about it. If you are happy with your exterior solution, fine. I'll stick with what works for me and many others that use the interior reflecting foil method. If you have a source for a true mirror exterior reflecting window covering, post it. All that I have seen are white, or some other color, that does not reflect as much light/heat as the aluminum foil coated bubble type insulation. Here is the link with stated R values for the product. Bubble foam insulationBe sure to read the 21 reviews, especially the ones that talk about windows.
Please list the R values for your exterior coverings.

We use these, no snaps, no ladder.

Prompt Sunscreens

Hi,

Actually most windshield glass is a triple layer of glass/plastic/glass. (i.e. "safety glass") It's one reason it costs lots.

If you wish to believe that a sun shield inside works better than a similar covering on the outside, please point me to an experiment that shows that result.

May I point out the OP asked "the best way". Not the cheapest or most convenient way?

If you don't mind being kinda tacky just tape up some Reflectix.

For a better appearance plus being able to see out, Magneshade. ( magneshade.com ) It works very well to keep the heat out and is _very_ easy to put up and take down.

rgatijnet1 wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Glass is not magic--but when light hits a surface it changes frequency and becomes heat. Since there are no "perfect" reflectors, quite a bit of light energy becomes heat. Glass is NOT a good transmitter of heat. Remember, too, that light waves of all frequencies will bounce off the surface of the glass. That adds to heat inside the RV if the reflective layer is inside. So it is better to cover the outside of the glass--preferably with an air gap if that can be arranged.

There is a reason why Florida is called the Sunshine State. We get plenty of it and we learned the best way to deal with it a long time ago. If you think you have a better way, go for it. I'll stick with what works the best, after trying the other methods. :B

I guess all of the millions of homes, in the sun belt, with sun shades on the outside of the windows must have wasted their money. Its simple high school science.

Then I also guess that all of the thermal pane windows, used in the sunbelt, that allow sunlight to penetrate the first layer of glass before hitting the reflective surfaces that reflects the heat back out are not engineered properly. They have a few engineers that worked on their design and the R values certainly support the fact that sunlight and heat can go through the first glass surface and be reflected right back out. This may be advanced college science.

This is becomming interesting. Please give me one link with test data that supports that claim.
I would also be interested on how reflective film reduces the heat being transfered through the aluminum window frame of an rv.
With exterior shading that transfer is also greatly redused.
Less heat transfer through the glass and less through the frame.
I might also ask where you got your thermopane windshield.:@

harold1946 wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Glass is not magic--but when light hits a surface it changes frequency and becomes heat. Since there are no "perfect" reflectors, quite a bit of light energy becomes heat. Glass is NOT a good transmitter of heat. Remember, too, that light waves of all frequencies will bounce off the surface of the glass. That adds to heat inside the RV if the reflective layer is inside. So it is better to cover the outside of the glass--preferably with an air gap if that can be arranged.

There is a reason why Florida is called the Sunshine State. We get plenty of it and we learned the best way to deal with it a long time ago. If you think you have a better way, go for it. I'll stick with what works the best, after trying the other methods. :B

I guess all of the millions of homes, in the sun belt, with sun shades on the outside of the windows must have wasted their money. Its simple high school science.

Then I also guess that all of the thermal pane windows, used in the sunbelt, that allow sunlight to penetrate the first layer of glass before hitting the reflective surfaces that reflects the heat back out are not engineered properly. They have a few engineers that worked on their design and the R values certainly support the fact that sunlight and heat can go through the first glass surface and be reflected right back out. This may be advanced college science.

JimM68 wrote:
ok then, and hopefully this is not changing the subject....

I LIKE a lot of light entering my motorhome, I do not do well in the dark, and it makes little sense to me to have all the lights on all day because my window coverings don't let in any light....

We have the standard light blocking inside the window curtains, and we only draw them at night.

Our RV came with (when bought used) a set of MCD "shades". They are rolled up in a tube, and have never been used. It seems they re meant to be eterior mounted, with perhaps some sort of velchro.
The included directions are not real clear on mounting them.
As MCD is currently concentrating on expensive interior motorized shades, their website is kinda lacking as far as how to best use these exterior shades.

The motorhomes I've seen with these type of exterior shades look really good, the shades are taught on the outside of the windows, they can see out but we can't see in, they look good and seem like they would work good.

But how the heck do you get them up there?

Ours have magnets sewn into the fabric and magnetes adhered to the interior of glass on the windshield. On the side windows I used pieces of steel which I mounted on the aluminum window frames.
To install the shades I have an old pool Q stick and shove them in place, no ladder needed and it takes about 10 minutes to install all 8 of them.
Go to www.magnashade.com and you will see how it works.

ok then, and hopefully this is not changing the subject....

I LIKE a lot of light entering my motorhome, I do not do well in the dark, and it makes little sense to me to have all the lights on all day because my window coverings don't let in any light....

We have the standard light blocking inside the window curtains, and we only draw them at night.

Our RV came with (when bought used) a set of MCD "shades". They are rolled up in a tube, and have never been used. It seems they re meant to be eterior mounted, with perhaps some sort of velchro.
The included directions are not real clear on mounting them.
As MCD is currently concentrating on expensive interior motorized shades, their website is kinda lacking as far as how to best use these exterior shades.

The motorhomes I've seen with these type of exterior shades look really good, the shades are taught on the outside of the windows, they can see out but we can't see in, they look good and seem like they would work good.

But how the heck do you get them up there?