Condensation - how bad is it really ?

[cheeseheadjim]

Howdy !

After 20+ years in a pop-up, I am anxiously awaiting delivery on a 2017 Shamrock 23IKSS.

I have read several threads that talk about encountering issues with condensation in the bunk ends. Since I have never encountered this with my pop-up, I am not sure I fully understand what the issue is, and if it is different for a hybrid vs a pop-up.

Is this an issue unique to hybrids ? Is this an issue unique to certain climates or outside weather/temperature ? Under what conditions is it worsened ?

THANKS for all the advice !

Jim S.

[rockfordroo]

Surprised you NEVER had any condensation issues in your popup in 20 yrs. You must have only camped in warm temps and/or had a very "leaky" pup.

Condensation is caused by moisture inside condensing on cool bunk ends. Hybrids are more susceptible than pups because they are "tighter."

Prevention: Lots of folks have bought Popup Gizmos (PUGS). These are insulating covers for the tent ends. Insulation keeps the inside of the tent warmer and thus reduces condensation. Cracking open a window/vent and running a fan will also help reduce the moisture inside, and thus reduce condensation.

Cooking, breathing, showering, etc. increases the moisture in the air, so you want to keep this down when it's cool outside, or increase your ventilation accordingly. Note that contrary to popular belief, running the furnace will NOT increase moisture in the TT. While the combustion of propane does create water, this is vented outside of the TT.

Using the fans that clip to your shepards hooks will also circulate air in the tent ends and help to reduce condensation.

[cheeseheadjim]

THANKS, Rockfordroo

I don't think I had a "leaky" pop-up, as I never had any issues with rain entering even during the worst storms I have ever seen (4 inches of rain in a few hours). We have done almost of our camping in the summer in the upper midwest (like WI, MI, MN), so that might have something to do with not having condensation issues. Never did any cooking or showering inside the pop-up either, but I can see where the hybrid would generate more internal moisture.

From what you say, it is worse in colder weather. Now that the kids are gone, we are camping longer into the fall, so I will definitely keep an eye on it. We never fully button up the pop-up (even when it is colder outside), as I keep the door sliding cover open a few inches at night, and normally keep the bunk end windows unzipped a little too.

Jim S

[howie70]

When I had my hybrid I didn't have a lot of condensation on the bunk ends above the beds, mine was under the mattress. I tried a lot of different things and the only thing that stopped it was cutting the 1" foam insulation (like you get from Lowes in 4'x8' sheets) and putting it under the mattress.

[Mainframe]

Originally Posted by cheeseheadjim

THANKS, Rockfordroo



We never fully button up the pop-up (even when it is colder outside), as I keep the door sliding cover open a few inches at night, and normally keep the bunk end windows unzipped a little too.

Jim S

You got it down already, do the same with your hybrid and you won't have any trouble, I just camped for 2 nights in cold weather and I left the max air vent in the bathroom open a little with the fan on the "walking" speed and not a bit of moisture on the bunk ends.

[Flybob]

The foam under the mattress is still a good idea. Quite a bit of warm moisture penetrates the mattress and when it comes in contact with the cool/cold surface on the bed platform, it condenses. Many people are not aware of this until they move the mattress and find mold. You need a temp barrier there.

[Stormrider151]

I live in Georgia and never had an issue winter or summer with condensation with either my pup or hybrid. I just vented it well and also used a dehumidifier.

[cheeseheadjim]

Originally Posted by Flybob

The foam under the mattress is still a good idea. Quite a bit of warm moisture penetrates the mattress and when it comes in contact with the cool/cold surface on the bed platform, it condenses. Many people are not aware of this until they move the mattress and find mold. You need a temp barrier there.

THANKS, Flybob !

I'll try out the foam or other insulation under the mattress. Now that I think about it, my pop-up mattresses were covered in vinyl on the bottom - probably to help stop the condensation.

p.s. - THANKS for your service in Vietnam !!!! All of you vets have my profound gratitude


Jim S.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by cheeseheadjim

THANKS, Rockfordroo

I don't think I had a "leaky" pop-up, as I never had any issues with rain entering even during the worst storms I have ever seen (4 inches of rain in a few hours). We have done almost of our camping in the summer in the upper midwest (like WI, MI, MN), so that might have something to do with not having condensation issues. Never did any cooking or showering inside the pop-up either, but I can see where the hybrid would generate more internal moisture.

From what you say, it is worse in colder weather. Now that the kids are gone, we are camping longer into the fall, so I will definitely keep an eye on it. We never fully button up the pop-up (even when it is colder outside), as I keep the door sliding cover open a few inches at night, and normally keep the bunk end windows unzipped a little too.

Jim S

I didn't mean leaky as in water, but leaky as in air. Popups generally have a lot of air flow through them even when you've zipped them closed. Lots of gaps around the doors, gaps around the tents, etc. Certainly a lot more than in a hybrid. So you get a lot less moisture buildup in a pup than in a hybrid. It can be dealt with, but a lot of new hybrid owners are "surprised" by condensation.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by cheeseheadjim

THANKS, Flybob !

I'll try out the foam or other insulation under the mattress. Now that I think about it, my pop-up mattresses were covered in vinyl on the bottom - probably to help stop the condensation.

p.s. - THANKS for your service in Vietnam !!!! All of you vets have my profound gratitude


Jim S.

Yep, condensation under the mattress is generally on the fabric bottom mattresses and rarer on the vinyl bottom mattresses.

[RCCS]

I added 1" blue foam insulation under our mattress that we sleep on last year and it did help with relieving the condensation problem under the mattress. I am going to do the same under the other one this year, already have bought the foam insulation.

[awhitlow2000]

It's been years since we had a pop-up but in the last 3 5ers I have always put dehumidifiers in them and run it when we were out of the unit. As I am sure you know moisture is an RVs worst enemy. Good dehumidifiers are not expensive especially when you consider the cost of your RV and any damage/work that moisture may cause.

[Flybob]

If you have a vinyl covering on the bottom of the mattress, you should check and air it regularly. While in cold weather the moisture from your body still travels through the mattress but instead of condensing on the bed platform it condenses on the inside of the vinyl. You may not see it there. When I had my popup, I took the mattress out after each trip and let them air out in the truck bed.

Originally Posted by cheeseheadjim

THANKS, Flybob !

I'll try out the foam or other insulation under the mattress. Now that I think about it, my pop-up mattresses were covered in vinyl on the bottom - probably to help stop the condensation.

p.s. - THANKS for your service in Vietnam !!!! All of you vets have my profound gratitude


Jim S.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by awhitlow2000

It's been years since we had a pop-up but in the last 3 5ers I have always put dehumidifiers in them and run it when we were out of the unit. As I am sure you know moisture is an RVs worst enemy. Good dehumidifiers are not expensive especially when you consider the cost of your RV and any damage/work that moisture may cause.

Unfortunately, for those of us who mostly dry camp or boondock, these aren't of any use.
Unless you can run your generator all night.

[Archicamper]

This is really a problem of temperature and humidity. As long as you keep the surface temperature inside the unit above the dewpoint there will be no condensation. If it is 65 degrees in the RV with 30% humidity any surface below 33 degrees will have condensation. Change the relative humidity to 40% and the dewpoint jumps to 40 degrees. Tough to keep the beds warm enough so usually easier to manage humidity by dehumidification or ventilation.

[walk_the_walk]

We dont own a pup, but we do own a 37 ft. Wildwood travel trailer with a bunk in steamy humid Florida. And, when rainy season comes, or if it is really humid outside, condensation is a problem even with a larger TT.

Our solution at first, which may work for you in a pup, is to get those small dehumidifiers like Eva-Dry, some of which are just calcium chloride, and a few of which run on 120V AC, and can be set up for continuous use.

We used to use these plastic bucket passive dehumidifiers for our TT, but found they were not enough, so for the last few years, we have used a 120 VAC powered 45 pint GE dehumidifier, which is left plugged in 24/7 and set to 55% RH.

We set it up in the shower when we leave, with an extension cord (yes, the shower is dry) and the drain hose feeds to the shower drain. So, the interior never gets too humid and no mildew grows.

Before we installed the dehumidifier, one weekend we arrived and found mildew growing on every surface from the floor level up about 2 feet. It took a while to clean up every square inch inside the TT. So, we bought the dehumidifier that weekend. Sure, our monthly power bill is an extra $30 more than it would be at our weekend place, but given the thousands we spent on the travel trailer, it makes sense to keep it clean and dry.

Further on preventing mildew and odor, which can result if condensation builds up in any RV, there are products that contain stabilized chlorine dioxide (sodium chlorite), which when humidity increases releases a mild form of chlorine gas that will prevent odors from developing in your RV, pup or trailer. They are sold in the form of sachets that you hang up inside the RV. When the humidity increases, the chlorine is released and the inside stays fresh. It does not damage any fabric or materials in the RV, and we have used them extensively and often. Here is on the those products on Amazon:

http://amzn.com/B004O0FP4S

hope these ideas are helpful to you. They work in sultry, steamy Florida, and are unnecessary in northern climes where humidity is not an issue. It's an issue here, 10 months out of 12.

[D_B Travelers]

Quite by accident I found that if I left the second A/C unit fan turn to "on", not "Auto" during the cold nights there was no condensation on any of the windows in the morning. The furnace part of the other unit kept us warm but we always had lots of condensation inside the windows, especially in the mornings. I have Tinnitus and sleep with some sort of ambient noise all the time so I don't hear the ringing. I forgot my small noisy fan on a recent trip, so I turned on the bedroom A/C fan to "on" for the noise, and discovered the side effect. Of course this works if you are on shore power and have a second A/C unit. During storage we use DampRid from Home Depot and it works fine here in Texas during the winter; just change them out when needed.

[leefl]

We've always used those refillable DampRid containers, both in our pop-up when we had it, and now in our 5er (use 2 in the 5er, one near the bedroom/bathroom with the doors left open while in storage, and one near the other end)

You just need to refill them every few weeks depending on temps/humidity (esp. here in FL where 90+% humidity is common)
Just make sure to not leave them long enough for the container section to overfill, (the "sticky water" is a pain to clean) and make sure they're secured when travelling.

[ScottandJulieMN]

As I've read in many replies, creating air circulation works the best. We keep the create a breeze fans on low and that helps a lot.

[BamaBob]

Absolutely the best solution to humidity issues I have found in all my years RVing!


amazon Eva Dry

And the best part? no sloppy dessicant to spill (don's ask me how I know about that )