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Old 07-09-2020, 06:43 PM   #1
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Traveling with windows open

Knowing how hot it is in Texas. When we go to our favorite campground and get set up, it is really hot for a while until the A/C’s get it cooled down inside. My question is has anyone traveled with their windows open on their 5er? Thinking maybe it would circulate some air through so it wouldn’t take so long to cool down in this Texas heat. Thoughts?
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Old 07-09-2020, 07:00 PM   #2
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I would not see a problem with that. We drive with our windows open in our motor home all the time. Just make sure you stow anything that might fly around with the wind when on the road..
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Old 07-09-2020, 07:12 PM   #3
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One time with my Class C I traveled with the front windows only open. When I got home I found that ait got under the linoleum floor and created a large bubble. It went down easily when walking on it. Now if I do that I open the rear ceiling vent to eliminate the vacuum effect.
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Old 07-10-2020, 06:13 AM   #4
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I did that once with a travel trailer. About a 100 miles later I looked in the mirror and wondered why the trailer was so close to the Suburban and pulled over. The pressure had blown the front wall loose and it was laying over on the LP tanks, the jack, and the back of the Suburban.
Never did that again.
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Old 07-10-2020, 06:22 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by bucky53 View Post
I did that once with a travel trailer. About a 100 miles later I looked in the mirror and wondered why the trailer was so close to the Suburban and pulled over. The pressure had blown the front wall loose and it was laying over on the LP tanks, the jack, and the back of the Suburban.
Never did that again.
I am sorry for your experience.

Thanks for the lesson learned, though. I have never felt the need to travel with the windows open. However, if that idea ever pops into my head, I will remember your story.

The least painful way to learn is to listen as someone else relates their pain.

Slightly more painful is to watch as someone else experiences pain.

The most painful was to learn is to urinate on the electric fence yourself.
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Old 07-10-2020, 06:34 AM   #6
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I did that once with a travel trailer. About a 100 miles later I looked in the mirror and wondered why the trailer was so close to the Suburban and pulled over. The pressure had blown the front wall loose and it was laying over on the LP tanks, the jack, and the back of the Suburban.
Never did that again.
Dang, that must have been scary!

We tow with the roof vents open, as they have covers on them. I never had a problem, but never thought of potential issues.
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Old 07-10-2020, 11:15 AM   #7
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I did that once with a travel trailer. About a 100 miles later I looked in the mirror and wondered why the trailer was so close to the Suburban and pulled over. The pressure had blown the front wall loose and it was laying over on the LP tanks, the jack, and the back of the Suburban.
Never did that again.
Thanks for the heads up. You answered all of my questions about this idea that came to mind. Sorry that happened to you. But I’m glad I came here to pick some brains about it.
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Old 07-10-2020, 11:25 AM   #8
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I tow with all windows and vents closed. Open roof vents will exhaust air but how does it get replenished? My theory has always been air gets sucked into the trailer from air leaks between the floor, frame, and sidewalls. Air laden with road dust including rust and fine metal particles.

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Old 07-10-2020, 11:25 AM   #9
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I have towed with either one roof vent or two roof vents (depending on the R/V we had at the time) for the better part of 40 years with never an issue. The roof vents all had a cover over them except an old Dodge conversion van we had.

With opening the roof vents, I never seen a need to open a window.
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Old 07-10-2020, 03:26 PM   #10
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I tow with all windows and vents closed. Open roof vents will exhaust air but how does it get replenished? My theory has always been air gets sucked into the trailer from air leaks between the floor, frame, and sidewalls. Air laden with road dust including rust and fine metal particles.

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You are right. That's why those high-tech, Australian outback trailers are pressurized.
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Old 07-10-2020, 05:32 PM   #11
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our travel buddies lost a bedroom window because it got left open an the wind caused by the vehicle movement sucked the window off the trailer.
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Old 07-10-2020, 06:05 PM   #12
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What I do is turn on the vent fans in the main living area. This helps suck the hot air from the ceiling. Assists the air. Never traveled with window open.
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Old 07-10-2020, 06:53 PM   #13
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We did it once. Then we happened to hit a 'construction zone'. Yeah, that was a bad idea. Dust and dirt "everywhere" and on "everything". Yuck. Never again.

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Old 07-10-2020, 07:57 PM   #14
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If you travel with a roof vent open it acts like a big vacuum cleaner and will suck dirt inside.
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Old 07-10-2020, 10:17 PM   #15
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What I do is turn on the vent fans in the main living area. This helps suck the hot air from the ceiling. Assists the air. Never traveled with window open.
I was not clear, I turn on the max air vent once we are parked and set up, not while traveling. This pulls the hot air that is up at the ceiling. I do this in conjunction with the air conditioning...
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Old 07-11-2020, 07:32 AM   #16
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Yep we got confused 'cuz the topic was traveling with windows or vents open.

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Old 07-11-2020, 08:06 AM   #17
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I was not clear, I turn on the max air vent once we are parked and set up, not while traveling. This pulls the hot air that is up at the ceiling. I do this in conjunction with the air conditioning...
Wish I had a vent fan in the living area. That would be nice to let it run while setting up with the a/c running. But have only got one and it’s in the bathroom and there’s an a/c vent right next to it in the ceiling. So I’d just be sucking cold air out. The DW insisting that I hook up to shore power and turn both a/c’s on before I even unhook from the truck while she takes the dogs for a walk. Lol. It works but slowly. I work in the heat all week so I’m used to it but she owns her own business and she is in the office and isn’t in the heat and hates it. There are enough of wish I hadn’t done that on here to change my mind about traveling with them open.
Happy Trails everyone and be safe.
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Old 07-11-2020, 09:18 AM   #18
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There is 12vDC at the "living room" roof hatch in my Roo 23SS so installing a powered fan would just require connecting to that wiring. Switch would have to be on the fan as there's no provision for a wall switch.

I discovered this when I removed the inside trim of the roof vent to get leaves out of the screening. Red and White pair of of wires runs between the ceiling and roof and around the vent hole. Easy to check if you have power there.

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Old 07-12-2020, 12:16 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by Two dogs and us View Post
Knowing how hot it is in Texas. When we go to our favorite campground and get set up, it is really hot for a while until the A/C’s get it cooled down inside. My question is has anyone traveled with their windows open on their 5er? Thinking maybe it would circulate some air through so it wouldn’t take so long to cool down in this Texas heat. Thoughts?
Not worth it! Dust, and everything else you can think of! Especially, truck exhaust if you are on heavily travelled roads(rush hr?). A reverse-direction fan such as Fantastic Fan works well for this and helps the A/C out once you fire it up. When you park...1)plug it in and 2) fire up the A/C! Shud quickly cool interior and refresh! PS: some people fire up their generator on esp. hot days and turn on their house A/C while traveling to help even out the dash vents(RV). Many do this about 1 hr out, or sooner, prior to the campground!
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Old 07-12-2020, 12:48 PM   #20
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Wish I had a vent fan in the living area. That would be nice to let it run while setting up with the a/c running. But have only got one and it’s in the bathroom and there’s an a/c vent right next to it in the ceiling. So I’d just be sucking cold air out. The DW insisting that I hook up to shore power and turn both a/c’s on before I even unhook from the truck while she takes the dogs for a walk. Lol. It works but slowly. I work in the heat all week so I’m used to it but she owns her own business and she is in the office and isn’t in the heat and hates it. There are enough of wish I hadn’t done that on here to change my mind about traveling with them open.
Happy Trails everyone and be safe.
Don’t turn the fan on, just open the vent to let the hot air out. Heat rises cold falls, try it works for us.
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