We have a 2016 Northern Lite camper and have been cold weather camping a few times in the past month. The problem is that a lot of condensation is forming at the head of the mattress on the nose wall. Anyone else experience this? I was thinking about putting a strip of the pink foam insulation between the wall and the head of the mattress. What's your opinion.ThanksJohn

Pull it away from the wall a bit and open the windows. These things have to breath. Condensation is constant. Got to give it somewhere to go...outside.

We have a 2018, NL 8-11 and we haven’t had the issue that you are talking about. However, I don’t know if you have the “ breathing material” that came in our 2018 model.We did the tour of Northern Lite in Kelowna and they showed us ( wasn’t pointed out when be ordered our rig at the dealer) that they have this breathing material that my grandson calls “ichiban soup “ etween the mattress and the floor of the “ bunk area” .We haven’t had an issue yet, however we haven’t camped in the cold yet either. If this material isn’t under your mattress, send NL a note and ask about it. I’m pretty sure it is new to there rigs as they “ insured” that they showed it to us and explained what it was for .Soup.

I made similar topic last spring as we full-timed in our camper in the wettest California winter in history. I recall some members bought special material at marine places, but my solution was cutting piece of 3" drain pipe and drill a lot of holes in it. Actually I used 2 and put them under mattress at window side. That helped a lot, but still had occasionally put electric heater under lifted mattress.

We haven't had the condensation at the head of the bed, but we have had a small wet spot on the carpeted ceiling just above the sink/stove area when we were using the furnace and cooking a lot. When I contacted Keith at Northern Lite, he advised that we must use the stove fan and open something because we can get condensation which is what he believes it was. I'm just hoping that it was really just condensation and not a leak. We're keeping an eye on the area to see what happens over the course of the winter since it's stored outside. We have the Sportsman with the sliding windows so it's easy to crack a window for some ventilation.

You have got to keep that overhead vent over the bunk cracked an inch or so, no matter how cold it is outside. I have had Bigfoot campers since 2002 and never a problem with condensation as long as overhead vents are cracked a bit. Have maxair covers on all vents. Over bunk vent stays open 24/7....Galley one gets opened first thing whenever stove gets turned on no matter the weather. I think your idea of insulating the front wall a bit more could not hurt either. A lot of moisture comes out of you breathing overnight right against that cooler wall. Probably some Reflectix would be good, and tape it in place so no air gets behind it.

Another condensation ? | Good Sam Community

JRJR
Explorer
Dec 19, 2017
Thanks for all of the great information. Looks like we will order the Hypervent for under the mattress.
Wardster
Explorer
Dec 19, 2017
Install Hypervent under your mattress to resolve the issue
markchengr
Explorer II
Dec 18, 2017
We have a 2008 Northern Lite. Initially we had the condensation problem under the mattress in cold weather. Bought some Hypervent online, laid it under the bed so that a bit of it curled up vertically along the head end and no more problem. It was pricey but in my opinion it was money well spent. -Mark.
RamblinAnne
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
SideHillSoup wrote:
free radical wrote:
coolmom42 wrote:
The material that goes under the mattress is called HyVent. It is a firm material that resembles many layers of nylon mesh. Highly recommended for use on any platform bed in a poorly insulated area. Otherwise, moisture from your bodies and breathing will penetrate the mattress and condense under it, resulting in mold growth.

Something like this?

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%257C2276179%257C2276186&id=1818021

That is the stuff we have under our mattress and that Northern Lite now puts under the mattress in their new rigs.
Soup.

x2 - I have had this hypervent under my mattress since day 1 and never had any issues with condensation. (I full time and cook often).
SideHillSoup
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
free radical wrote:
coolmom42 wrote:
The material that goes under the mattress is called HyVent. It is a firm material that resembles many layers of nylon mesh. Highly recommended for use on any platform bed in a poorly insulated area. Otherwise, moisture from your bodies and breathing will penetrate the mattress and condense under it, resulting in mold growth.

Something like this?

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%257C2276179%257C2276186&id=1818021

That is the stuff we have under our mattress and that Northern Lite now puts under the mattress in their new rigs.
Soup.
billyray50
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
coolmom42 wrote:
The material that goes under the mattress is called HyVent. It is a firm material that resembles many layers of nylon mesh. Highly recommended for use on any platform bed in a poorly insulated area. Otherwise, moisture from your bodies and breathing will penetrate the mattress and condense under it, resulting in mold growth.

It is called Hypervent and it is pricy. I purchased a product few years back for a previous TC called Dry mesh that worked good but forgot to remove it when TC was sold. It was much cheaper than Hypervent. Cannot find a U.S. distributor now. I use blue or pink foam board that's works good too for around 10.00 bucks at Lowes.
free_radical
Explorer
Dec 17, 2017
coolmom42 wrote:
The material that goes under the mattress is called HyVent. It is a firm material that resembles many layers of nylon mesh. Highly recommended for use on any platform bed in a poorly insulated area. Otherwise, moisture from your bodies and breathing will penetrate the mattress and condense under it, resulting in mold growth.

Something like this?

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1%257C2276179%257C2276186&id=1818021
coolmom42
Explorer II
Dec 17, 2017
The material that goes under the mattress is called HyVent. It is a firm material that resembles many layers of nylon mesh. Highly recommended for use on any platform bed in a poorly insulated area. Otherwise, moisture from your bodies and breathing will penetrate the mattress and condense under it, resulting in mold growth.
RickW
Explorer III
Dec 16, 2017
As others have noted, moisture from respiration (or cooking and propane appliances) plus cold surfaces with lack of circulation equals condensation.

I built a small air to air heat exchanger (described somewhere in the archives here) to remove moist air and bring in drier air. Basically it has 2 small 12 volt fans, one to bring air in and one to exhaust air out. I have had very little condensation and no condensation problems when using it.

More importantly here, I use a 1-1/4 inch plastic bilge hose to direct the fresh air where I want it. I found I want it near the head of the bed. We are talking about a very small flow rate, maybe 1-5 CFM, that makes all the difference. The hose is easily run alomg the edge of the mattress.

In my opinion, a small forced ventilation system directed to the nose area will improve your situation.
rutzbeck
Explorer
Dec 16, 2017
I had the same problem in my Bigfoot when I sealed the vents. It kept in the warm air but also the moisture. I now almost always have the vents open at least 1 inch. After my shower in the morning I run the exhaust fan for at least 30 with the heater on with the vents opened even more. Hot air seems to carry out more of the moisture. A fan up at the head of the bed helps a lot also.