Keeping cool in French heatwave

[StevenP]

Bucket of water for your feet, ice cold beer / wine ( delete as appropriate).

Shower B4 bed , leaving hair damp, crack every window

go to be late in cooler conditions. Sleep down stairs with the pop top fully up (headliner) if poss (presume only two of you as only two chairs)

create some shade for the van to reduce full sun (Big picnic blanket in photo, drape it over the van)

mist spray water to cool off (damp sheet cover work wonders )

Raise and lower the roof b4 bed to change the air.

Enjoy you lucky camper

great looking T4

Cheers for the tips!

 

[StevenP]

Just a thought about the fridge - presumably it generates heat that you could avoid by switching it off at night as by morning the contents will still be cool enough when you can switch it back on. ?

 

[Wildcamper]

Just a thought about the fridge - presumably it generates heat that you could avoid by switching it off at night as by morning the contents will still be cool enough when you can switch it back on. ?

Would not dream of doing this. These small fridges heat up quickly, all that will happen is your food will go off faster. Bad stomach in a van on a campsite, does not bear thinking about. My opinion - don't think about it!

 

[Kingfisher]

We decided to sleep downstairs and it’s been fine although good question about the liner in our roof, which was there when we bought the van and we assume it keeps it warmer in cold weather and cooler in hot. But maybe it would be cooler with it out. ??

A roof liner does keep the heat out, to an extent. In my experience this works best if I keep the roof windows (both tent and liner) fully zipped up on the sun side, while keeping the other side(s) open.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

We camped last weekend on a very hot weekend. Parked the van in a good spot when arrived and then was absolutely cooking hot the next morning as the sun hit the canvas next to me at 5am. Unbearable.
Night two I moved the van so the front was facing the low evening sun calculating that would be 180 degrees to where the sun would come up the next morning and then hit the back of the van, the light coloured roof and miss the canvas. That worked beautifully and the roof tent was cool all morning.
I think I’ll use this plan this summer.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

A Misting Fan might be a good addition for hot weather?

 

[66tim99]

some foiled bubble wrap type material to attach to the outside of the van, where, the fridge is to reflect heat so the fridge doesn’t have to work so hard

Great idea!
Attach it with magnets?

 

[pluc99]

Great idea!
Attach it with magnets?

I think I saw such a foil for sale somewhere.
The heat generated from the fridge is trapped under the fridge. I installed a small ventilator to pull heat from under the fridge into the ajacent cupboard, on the theory that the fridge will not have to work so hard and thus generate less heat in total.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Great idea!
Attach it with magnets?

Or use a foil windscreen shade which comes with suckers.

 

[Hetti]

We pondered long and hard about whether to buy a big or small drive away awning, we thought about different layouts and configurations but what we didn’t fully consider was the importance of choosing the right fabric. The heavier cotton based awnings breath and help regulate temp. The polyester awning we opted for was still over £800 but despite the high price we are very dissapointed to realises it’s basically unusable above 25C. It’s like sitting in a greenhouse!! I’d love to know if anyone else made a similar mistake to us!

 

[Perfectos]

In sunny hot climes this type of set up can help make it more comfortable

the awning side shades (Oxford tarps) make a big difference to temperature in the van, if deployed on the most sunny side, creating much need shade throughout the day.

Silver screens reflect the heat effectively.

Hub, shady spot, drop the sides for air flow, retreat from the bugs at night

 

[NessL]

We pondered long and hard about whether to buy a big or small drive away awning, we thought about different layouts and configurations but what we didn’t fully consider was the importance of choosing the right fabric. The heavier cotton based awnings breath and help regulate temp. The polyester awning we opted for was still over £800 but despite the high price we are very dissapointed to realises it’s basically unusable above 25C. It’s like sitting in a greenhouse!! I’d love to know if anyone else made a similar mistake to us!

Couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately there’s very few polycotton awnings for sale. I looked for one earlier this year, but the choice was very limited.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Couldn’t agree more. Unfortunately there’s very few polycotton awnings for sale. I looked for one earlier this year, but the choice was very limited.

Outwell Hillcrest and Fallcrest sheets look to be available?

 

[NessL]

Outwell Hillcrest and Fallcrest sheets look to be available?

Yes, it was a driveway awning we were looking for rather than the side panels. There are a few out there, but choice is very limited.
We had a polycotton tent when we camped. I vividly remember camping on the north Devon coast hearing everyone else’s tent flapping in the wind, whilst ours was silent.
As @Hetti mentioned they’re far better at regulating the temperature. Cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

 

[Elly Swanson]

Great idea!
Attach it with magnets?

I was thinking magnets but the ones I have are too weak and I’m not sure which ones will be suitable. Don’t have time to research so for this weekend will probably duct tape the top end to the window above and use a couple of bull dog clips at the bottom of the van.

 

[66tim99]

I was thinking magnets but the ones I have are too weak and I’m not sure which ones will be suitable. Don’t have time to research so for this weekend will probably duct tape the top end to the window above and use a couple of bull dog clips at the bottom of the van.

These look like they’d be worth having in the van for all sorts of reasons
https://www.first4magnets.com/circu...agnet-1-8kg-pull-p11161#ps_0_11621|ps_1_10626

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

These look like they’d be worth having in the van for all sorts of reasons
https://www.first4magnets.com/circular-disc-rod-c34/15mm-dia-x-3mm-thick-rubber-coated-n42-neodymium-magnet-1-8kg-pull-p11161#ps_0_11621|ps_1_10626

I have two boxes of these in the van. Use them to attach the infill panels of the awning room to the van. Very strong.

 

[Wildcamper]

I have two boxes of these in the van. Use them to attach the infill panels of the awning room to the van. Very strong.

View attachment 96184

Regenbogen-Kegelmagnete - Büro & Kühlschrank - 8 Farben

12mm x 21mm. Hält bis zu 18 Blatt A4-Papier. In verschiedenen Farben erhältlich (weiß, gelb, orange, rot, lila, blau, grün und schwarz). Diese bunten Kegelmagnete sind ein unverzichtbarer Partner für Ihr Zuhause und Ihr Büro.

www.first4magnets.com

I use these, adds a bit of colour.

 

[ThomasHJ]

• some foiled bubble wrap type material to attach to the outside of the van, where, the fridge is to reflect heat so the fridge doesn’t have to work so hard

This sounds like a smart, common sense idea. Does anyone have experience with it? Does it help?

 

[Kingfisher]

VW Campercentrum in Amersfoort (NL) make and sell an outside fridge isolation foil readymade. I used to have one, it does help and it's nicely made, good quality. On my 2010 T5 the EHU charger was under the fridge and would sometimes overheat and switch off, that did not happen with the outside isolation. Haven't bought again for my new van yet, mainly because it's yet another thing to carry and not really needed for road trips.

Of course doing your own with foil and magnets is much cheaper and might be more fun too.

Isolatie koelkast buitenzijde - VW Campershop

Beschermt de koelkast tegen hoge temperaturen van buitenaf!

vwcampershop.nl

and now also for the fresh water tank:

Isolatie watertank buitenzijde - VW Campershop

Koel drinkwater, ook als de camper in de zon staat

vwcampershop.nl

 

[ThomasHJ]

thank you @Kingfisher for the feedback. Good to hear it actually helps. And a nice DIY. I will defenitely see if I have time to do this before I leave.

 

[tedgina]

We were looking forward to some summer sun but weren’t expecting the current heatwave which has been challenging. We are still quite far north but 34c means sleeping tailgate open if possible and the duvet we brought is largely redundant! Awning / canopy hasn’t been necessary either and seems to attract / trap every living creature with wings so camping al fresco mainly. Has anyone got good tips for hot weather camping in a California?

View attachment 96102

View attachment 96103

Just come back from France yes 30+c we tried different options blinds on windows roof liner closed but Found the best option was open all roof zips to let air flow, fly nets on windows and do not cover windows with blinds the opposite of all the great whites.sleep up stairs,do not use awning as said , on campsite leave fly net on sliding door at night it all helps.

 

[altvic]

Great idea!
Attach it with magnets?

I made this up a few years ago. Used the 3D prints that @Bigted makes to attach. https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/french-heat.30752/post-357256

 

[kave]

Just a thought about the fridge - presumably it generates heat that you could avoid by switching it off at night as by morning the contents will still be cool enough when you can switch it back on. ?

We have a waeco compressor fridge, cfx28, we have it set to 2C degrees nd turn it off at night. Might be 8C in the morning. No problem for six years.

 

[66tim99]

I made this up a few years ago. Used the 3D prints that @Bigted makes to attach. https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/french-heat.30752/post-357256

Thanks.
I have one of these Thule sun blinds. Haven’t needed it so far -it hasn’t been sunny/hot enough, but it would work on that side of the van for this purpose I think. If the fridge was going to be baked all day I just need to think on and rig this to shade it.
You can carry so much stuff can’t you?