A/C in tent trailer

We had a hybrid TT with two tent fold out beds. A/C worked fine although it took awhile to get trailer cooled down when first setting up. We used solar tent covers which greatly helped.

lancekeys wrote:
Will a tent trailer stay cool in the summer with the factory roof a/c? Keep in mind I am talking south texas summers and trying to keep the inside between 76-78. So, will a factory roof top unit do it?

In direct sun at 102 degrees in high Indiana humidity, both my pop ups were good. However the Coleman is the only brand I'd go with. I had the Colemans in the Rockwood and the Jaycos and they've been great. I had a DuoTherm in the StarCraft and it was crap. While it cooled, it didn't cool nearly as much as the Coleman in the same size pop up, and it was unreliable. Had to have it repaired twice.

I'd never buy another DuoTherm unless the camper came with from the factory.

I live in Southern California and it gets pretty hot with the lack of shade trees. The Factory AC unit will work and keep the pup pretty cool. The bunk ends will be hot but the pup it self will stay cool. Put a bucket down where the water will run off the side of the Pup,or you will have a water mess by your pup. Good luck have fun. we do miss our pup.

Ten summers of Texas popup camping here, and no, the roof top unit will not keep it that cool. With Reflectix covering the bunk ends (not Popup Gizmos) and Reflectix in the bunkend windows we were able to keep the insides to mid 80's when outside temp was 103+, full sun, no shade on a recent trip to Inks Lake SP. YMMV. I made my Reflectix bunk end covers myself on the advice of a fellow Texas popupper who had Reflectix, tried Popup Gizmos on one trip, then immediately got more Reflectix. Just MHO. -Dave

We threw a tarp (silver side out) over our RVan when we got caught in the open in 100+ temps last summer. Our little AC wasnt handling the temps it was 92o and the tarp dropped the temp to below 80. This frightened me since we have our little dogs with us. This summer we also dug out our mister system to take along, but I happened to start looking at little air conditioners and found this little portable floor model with a hose that sticks out a window used on Craig's list. It really cools our small van well all by itself. So far we havent needed it, but we are heading to Florida soon.

My personal experience was about a solo, three week stint two years ago in a situation beyond my control. I was parked on a brand new, black asphalt area with an electric hookup. It was August in Arkansas, so hot and humid.

Daytime temps were 100+. I recorded 102 air temp one day but measured 105-106 on the shady side of the asphalt area where the PUP was.

With PUGs and a tarp to try to provide a little afternoon shade on the main body of the PUP only, it would reach mid 80s inside the main compartment of the PUP. I closed the curtains to the bunk end I used just for storage so the A/C had less area to cool. This also made a little difference as I stuck my hand in there and it was quite a bit hotter.

It was bearable but not a chilly 72.

Getting off of that black top and finding some shade would have made a serious impact to the point that even at 102 degrees externally, I might have gotten down into the upper 70s, certainly low 80s. I have no quasi-scientific way to validate that, though.

And from the humidity perspective, I've had condensate run-off before. I've seen it many times, from a slow drip to a steady flow. That summer, it seemed I had placed a hose on top and turned it 1/3 on. It was phenomenal how much was coming off. It was a good thing I had previously made a "gutter" for the condensate, as it would have just dowsed my vinyl bunk ends and have algae growing on it in no time.

We do pretty good using 9X12 tarps installed over both bed ends of our OFF-ROAD POPUP. This is my poor man GIZMO I guess...

Here is a photo of my setup...


Since there are just the two of us I have also sit a small 5K BTU portable window house a.c unit in the unused bed area. Just sit it on a board with the back sticking out a window flap and used duct tape to seal it off. The only downside is to make sure the runoff goes outside the trailer... That helped a bunch the one or two times we did it.

Best bet is to always try to park under some tree cover. Being from the Wichita Falls areas I know that may be hard to find everywhere.

Another solution is to park under a 20x30 tarp over the top of your hole trailer. Mine has a cutout in the tarp for the roof mounted a/c and the power roof fan...

We have done this camping in the Smoky Mtn Natl Park near Gatlinburg where all of the forest parks are like rain forests - always dripping water days after rain storms...

Just make some shade somehow...


something like this maybe...


Just my thoughts
Roy Ken

My first rv was a pup with a roof top air. We always took it down to Corpus Christi to go fishing. This was in the summer months (90+) and no shade on the base or other RV parks where we stayed. Never had a problem keeping the pup cool, it was always around 72-76 degrees inside and we did not use any of the fancy gizmos over the ends.

It is fairly easy to get in high 70s anyway. You can either close off your bunks. (Which I do not because I like my sleeping area cool). Or you can get a custom made bunk cover at popup gizmos They can be ordered right on the website. They have a flowchart with thousands of popups listed. Choose your PUP and model. Spend that money.

No I do not have them. The places we go usually has plenty of shade. and even last summer on our 115 degree days. My A/C kept our PUP down to mid 80s in heat of afternoon, down to low 70s after sundown.

I did go inside a PUP that day (that had the bunk covers) and his was at least 5 degrees cooler.

Sigman is correct, the best thing you can do, is find some shade.

Depending on the size of your P'Up, you may want to see about getting one of those portable awning things, and park the trailer under it. You may even be able to make special fitting for the sides, that will hold the poles, in case there isn't enough height.

Even a smaller tarp or umbrella that will keep the A/C unit in the shade will help some....and you may want to even spray it with the water hose from time to time, to help cool it down.

Happy Camping:)