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Old 07-16-2019, 08:41 AM   #1
Preyou
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Roof mist cooling system

Has anyone tried to add a water mist for extra cooling on the roof? I have seen these systems at outdoor restaurants and wondering if it would help cooling the 5th wheeler on extra hot days
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Old 07-16-2019, 09:37 AM   #2
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It can help; with a few caveats:
-You are going to have water running down the roof and downspouts that you will need to address.
-RVs are leak prone on a good day. You are going to need to really step up your sealant game and frequency.
-You may get mold or algae growing on the roof and sides.
-You may get hard water "chalk" staining depending on your water source.
-The climate you are residing in will play a big part in evaporative cooling performance. If you're in a very humid climate the cooling effect is almost nil.
Personally I would not put misters on my RV. Maybe find some shade if possible.
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Old 07-16-2019, 09:55 AM   #3
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When we were in Las Vegas last month, I saw a few (more than a couple) of RV's with "sun mesh tarps" mounted over the trailer. There were 6 "tent poles" (3 on each side) that extended about a foot above the trailer and the "solar mesh" was suspended over the trailer, acting as a "sun screen" to provide some partial shade from the sun.

I remarked to my DW that it looked to be a good idea in that it created shade in the middle of the desert where the tallest growing "thing" was a knee high bush......

I don't know if they were a commercial product or just a "self made project" but they did look to be a marked improvement over parking an RV "out in the open sun".....

With all the "water exposure issues" that are listed above and the general upkeep on a "wet trailer" I'd have to agree with the above post about not relying on a misting system as a "win/win" approach to cooling a "too hot trailer"......
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Old 07-16-2019, 12:22 PM   #4
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I think creating some shade is a better way to go too.
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Old 07-16-2019, 12:47 PM   #5
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All of the above^^^

Also I don't believe that any campground will allow it, especially the ones that are in an arid enough environment for it to work. A busy campground needs all of the water it can supply just to take care of basics.

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Old 07-16-2019, 01:09 PM   #6
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Those misters at restaurants, Disneyland, etc. use a high pressure pump and special nozzles ($$$$). I made a system for camping on the desert using a big box home mister system, bucket and a spare water pump. It goes thru 5 gals pretty quick. Plus, you can't control where the mist goes if there's even the slightest breeze.

During WWII in the Desert Training Center at Camp Young, the few buildings constructed had no cooling or insulation. To make the medical wards cooler, they double-roofed the buildings.



I imagined it helped a bit....couldn't hurt.
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Old 07-16-2019, 01:33 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
RV's with "sun mesh tarps" mounted over the trailer. There were 6 "tent poles" (3 on each side) that extended about a foot above the trailer and the "solar mesh" was suspended over the trailer, acting as a "sun screen" to provide some partial shade from the sun.

I don't know if they were a commercial product or just a "self made project
If you have some spare coin, you can always repurpose one of these.
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Old 07-17-2019, 04:35 AM   #8
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One thing that will help is installing slideout awning covers, they not only keep needles and leafs off the slideout, but also direct sun.
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Old 07-24-2019, 09:58 PM   #9
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We bought a mister fan and a length of 15 feet mister line since we winter in AZ but I would not use it on roof for the reasons mentioned. Used to put the line on the awning of our trailer 8 years ago but since you are not actually under the mist it didn't do much. On the other hand the mister fan almost feels like air conditioning.

After removed from our trailer we mounted the awning line on our Gazdbo in Minnesota. It worked great on both days that where dry enough to use it.
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Old 07-25-2019, 04:41 AM   #10
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...
After removed from our trailer we mounted the awning line on our Gazdbo in Minnesota. It worked great on both days that where dry enough to use it.
The OP's location is Panama City, FL. With the "daily 2PM rains" and near 100% humidity all summer long, I'd think a mister system would only add to the "muggy feeling" and increase the potential for mold/mildew, not improve any "evaporative cooling process".
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Old 07-25-2019, 07:33 AM   #11
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Since the OP is in Panama City I didn't feel I needed to mention this but will;

IMO the mister will really cause you more problems than any benefit it will provide. I don't know how long you've been there but just drive around there and the other smaller coastal communities around you and look at not only the long term RV roofs but the roofs and walls of homes. Many, if not most, are covered in algae/moss? The same will happen to the RV unless it is cleaned all the time. Went house shopping with my daughter and then my granddaughter down there (coastal area) and most of the houses had growth on them. Normal to folks down there, a real mess to me.
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Old 07-25-2019, 08:10 AM   #12
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Last time out at the River Bend RV Resort near Kerrville saw several of these:

https://www.shaderv.com/

I would likely buy if I thought I could put it up by myself quickly but it would likely take two people (wife not keen on such activity) and likely take best part of an hour. Guy that makes and sells these said it could be a one person job and take 1/2 hour once you got the swing of it.

There is a video showing the thing being set up. The cover in the video is not the right length for the trailer it is going on? I doubt I would want to put one of these things up when it was triple digits in south Texas unless I was going to be in a spot for a fairly long period. Just for a weekend? No way.

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Old 07-25-2019, 10:14 AM   #13
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So, I live in the Southwestern part of Colorado. Fairly dry here. What works for us is a portable swamp cooler. Not sure they even sell them in parts of the country that have "humidity" as they wouldn't work too well. But it does work way better than just a fan. Wouldn't use it in the trailer though, too much condensation might take place. But great for sitting out under the awning when it is too hot for words.
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Old 07-25-2019, 10:19 AM   #14
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Last time out at the River Bend RV Resort near Kerrville saw several of these:

https://www.shaderv.com/

I would likely buy if I thought I could put it up by myself quickly but it would likely take two people (wife not keen on such activity) and likely take best part of an hour. Guy that makes and sells these said it could be a one person job and take 1/2 hour once you got the swing of it.

There is a video showing the thing being set up. The cover in the video is not the right length for the trailer it is going on? I doubt I would want to put one of these things up when it was triple digits in south Texas unless I was going to be in a spot for a fairly long period. Just for a weekend? No way.

And I would be nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof walking on my roof like that. Looked way too complicated, and just guessing......expensive.
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Old 07-25-2019, 12:13 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge View Post
Last time out at the River Bend RV Resort near Kerrville saw several of these:

https://www.shaderv.com/

I would likely buy if I thought I could put it up by myself quickly but it would likely take two people (wife not keen on such activity) and likely take best part of an hour. Guy that makes and sells these said it could be a one person job and take 1/2 hour once you got the swing of it.

There is a video showing the thing being set up. The cover in the video is not the right length for the trailer it is going on? I doubt I would want to put one of these things up when it was triple digits in south Texas unless I was going to be in a spot for a fairly long period. Just for a weekend? No way.

Well, that's 7 minutes and 43 seconds of my life that I will never get back.

Maybe the short length is intended to leave the A/C uncovered. Although they did cover up the front A/C. I don't see how you could possibly expect the A/Cs to operate for very long if they are totally covered by that thing.
YMMV.
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:48 PM   #16
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I agree, probably "cut short" to keep the rear A/C exposed. It would hardly work if covered and unable to get a good air exchange. Looking at the way the straps (especially the curbside one) wraps around the trailer and lays against the slide cover, I'd suspect that the first good wind, you know, the kind that makes the awning jump and bang, would probably rip the slide cover fabric where it runs through the awning tube.

I'd guess this is one of those, "Good in theory, sucks in practicality" kind of inventions. I wouldn't want to walk on my roof at every stop and I wouldn't want to pack something that big and bulky to only use if staying somewhere for more than a week or two. It would seem impossible to justify setting it up for a one or two day stay.... But, I'd be "forever concerned" with my slide cover being torn.....
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Old 07-27-2019, 03:01 AM   #17
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Wouldn't parking under a tree work just as well? LOL

If I ever even considered that contraption, I'd want it silver reflective, Definitely not black!

Good Luck,
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Old 08-01-2019, 08:01 AM   #18
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The OP's location is Panama City, FL. With the "daily 2PM rains" and near 100% humidity all summer long, I'd think a mister system would only add to the "muggy feeling" and increase the potential for mold/mildew, not improve any "evaporative cooling process".
I used to work at a place in Georgia that had a large manufacturing plant without A/C of any kind. It was brutally hot in the summer, and pretty humid although not quite Florida levels. They brought in a new Health & Safety manager at one point and he had a lawn sprinkler system installed on the roof of the plant. They only ran it on sunny days when it was over 90F, so it ran probably 80% of the time from June 1-October 1. It made a measurable improvement inside the plant, enough that it was cost efficient compared to the free bottled water and workmans' comp they'd pay out for heat stroke.

Now this wasn't "evaporative" cooling exactly, and it definitely wasn't a mist. This was using city water to create rain on the roof. Key was that the roof was rather dark, much more so than a dirty white EPDM roof even though it wasn't black. The water also had to be rather cooler than the air temp, which I would imagine would be a problem unless you could keep your water hose shaded. With the leak risks I doubt it could add enough to comfort to be worthwhile.
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Old 08-01-2019, 09:27 AM   #19
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I was in the HVAC business for 30 years. Every 10 years a “Condenser Mister” would come along to help older condensing units run more efficiently. They would promptly calcify the unit making it LESS efficient. Most outside faucets are not softened, so you can guess what would happen.

Bottom line, don’t do it!
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