questions about summer heat southeast tx & full timing

[Matt1221]

We are full timers due to economic circumstances. We are tied into a home. Our energy prices are about 13 cents a kw. Our rooftop a/c is a mach 15k btu.
In from about late june till late september we get hot 95+ degrees everyday with high humidity.
The rooftop a/c is basically junk, we sit at about 85 degrees inside the trailer until it get's dark with just the roof top a/c going. Last summer we installed a window unit 8000btu in the master bed & a portable a/c in the bunk house (seperate room) our light bill was over 200 every month pushing some months to $260. I added it up if our roof top a/c runs 10+ hours we are pushing+ $100 on that item alone... this year we are adding a more efficient window unit to the bunk house & getting rid of the horribly not efficient a/c. We are in a 2020 keyston hideout all our windows have reflective insulation & insulating black out blinds... I don't know what else to do to bring down costs.

[Grit_dog]

Tough call. RV's just aren't insulated like framed homes. Presuming "tied into a home" means you're parked at someone's residence to reduce costs (site rental). So up and moving on that basis alone is not maybe a reality.
Shade and insulation are the 2 biggest keys to reducing energy consumption for cooling. Insulation, you can't do much more than you have, reasonably. Shade, cost of that depends totally on your ability, location of RV, what you can do at that residence, but nothing is free.

Any sort of all weather "shade", either stick built or pre-fab rv cover/lean to will cost $1000s or maybe only a couple thousand and a bunch of work. Would take years to break even I'd think.

Bottom line, a "travel trailer" wasn't ever meant to be even close to the most efficient setup for energy consumption. I'd question the cost of a new travel trailer vs the cost of renting a small apartment. Although now you are invested in the RV.

[wanderingaimles]

Since window, (and I assume vent/skylight) covers are already done, shade has been addressed, there are two other items that come to mind,,,,,
Instead of an innefficient window unit, add a mini split unit, more efficient and no huge window opening needed.
Also add a water spray to the rv, wet the roof down with a hose two or three times a day, running water until it comes off the roof cool instead of hot. There are automatic sprinkler controls that may be used. hose timer

[time2roll]

+1 for some type of cover. At least avoid the sun hitting you broadside in the hot afternoon as the sun goes down.

[bgum]

If there is any way to get some shade on the RV do it.

[Lwiddis]

Can you erect a shade over the RV? You had this cooling issue last July too I believe.

[2oldman]

The only other possibility is to move to a cooler summer climate. Most RVs just aren't built to handle either very hot or very cold temperatures.