2023 Cougar 5th wheel 364BHL Window-condensation issues

[Rbeasley11]

I have a questions on the interior design of the upper front window, on cold day's condensation is leaking inside and pooling below window?

Appears the factory engineer did not compensate or consider a drain below the window when condensation collects inside the upper window - aka master bedroom (upper window)

anyone else have this issue? and if so is there a fix for this.

Raymond

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

Condensation on the inside of windows is common in RVs in the winter time. How much water will depend on temps, how many occupants ( breathing) and relative humidity. There different ways to deal with it including opening a vent, running a fan and using dehumidifiers.

[Martian]

We roll up a black towel and put it at the bottom of the window. Change it every other day.

[Rbeasley11]

Yeah! That's a no brainer.......not what I'm looking for. I want a solution to the problem like Keystone to have a fix/cure for this issue. Hoping someone from factory would chime in.... thanks' for your response.

[Rbeasley11]

Great to know, I'm hoping a fix/cure from keystone would appear soon! Seems like a design flaw and someone left out a drain in the bottom of the window areas. Just say'n

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Rbeasley11

Yeah! That's a no brainer.......not what I'm looking for. I want a solution to the problem like Keystone to have a fix/cure for this issue. Hoping someone from factory would chime in.... thanks' for your response.

No one from the factory is on or monitors this site as far as I or anyone else knows. This is a site for owners of Keystone products to learn and help each other.

If your issue is "condensation", which I've had in every RV I've ever owned, it's an issue for the owner to control, mitigate etc. The condensation will be caused by human activity whether breathing or cooking. The towels mentioned earlier (if the condensation is just coming off the glass will work). Condensation on the walls is another issue that can cause problems. The fix IMO is never buy an RV with large expansive windows....they always provide one with plenty of condensation. If you do have the windows (which I like) you could/should consider a compressor driven dehumidifier large enough to remove the moisture from your trailer (which I carry/use).

[Stircrazy]

Originally Posted by Rbeasley11

Great to know, I'm hoping a fix/cure from keystone would appear soon! Seems like a design flaw and someone left out a drain in the bottom of the window areas. Just say'n

40 years of rv'ing and no cure has come yet, and none will. its a fact of life the ventilation in a rv isn't good enough to prevent moisture from accumulation on cold single pane windows, what can you do, crack windows to let moisture escape, spend more money and upgrade to double pane windows (helps a lot but you still get some) run a dehydrator like someone suggested

It's not a design flaw by any means, it's a simple fact of life. cold single pane ( or even double pane) window with high interior moisture will cause condensation on the inside of the glass. It will happen at your house if you live in a cold climate and the interior humidity is too high, that's how I know if my humidifier is set too high in the winter. I start getting condensation on the bottom edges of the window. I turn the control down a bit till it stops.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Stircrazy

40 years of rv'ing and no cure has come yet, and none will. its a fact of life the ventilation in a rv isn't good enough to prevent moisture from accumulation on cold single pane windows, what can you do, crack windows to let moisture escape, spend more money and upgrade to double pane windows (helps a lot but you still get some) run a dehydrator like someone suggested

It's not a design flaw by any means, it's a simple fact of life. cold single pane ( or even double pane) window with high interior moisture will cause condensation on the inside of the glass. It will happen at your house if you live in a cold climate and the interior humidity is too high, that's how I know if my humidifier is set too high in the winter. I start getting condensation on the bottom edges of the window. I turn the control down a bit till it stops.

I think a dehydrator is for making jerky and a dehumidifier is for getting excess humidity out of the air... sorry, can't help myself.

[Martian]

Another suggestion would be to only camp where it is warm enough to keep the windows open at night. Seems like Keystone fell down on the job 70 years ago when I was growing up in a steam heated house in NY where we had pans under every windowsill to catch the flood. If human respiration is the flaw there is a fix for that.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Rbeasley11

Great to know, I'm hoping a fix/cure from keystone would appear soon! Seems like a design flaw and someone left out a drain in the bottom of the window areas. Just say'n

I guess every car, truck, bus, or other enclosed motor vehicle has the same "design flaw". The auto industry install a defroster to address the issue. Logically, that would not be a viable solution in a trailer. Just saying. YMMV

[Stircrazy]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

I think a dehydrator is for making jerky and a dehumidifier is for getting excess humidity out of the air... sorry, can't help myself.

that's what I get for being half asleep when I am checking forums before I go to work

[Ewad-29RLI]

Originally Posted by Rbeasley11

I have a questions on the interior design of the upper front window, on cold day's condensation is leaking inside and pooling below window?

Appears the factory engineer did not compensate or consider a drain below the window when condensation collects inside the upper window - aka master bedroom (upper window)

anyone else have this issue? and if so is there a fix for this.

Raymond

3M or Scotch makes a window covering that is taped to the inside window frame and then heat shrunk to tighten/seal. The theory is to create an air (insulated) pocket between the window and covering. Keeps the warm humid air off the cold glass. It could be a little challenging to cover all windows based on each size -- but may be worth a try.

[Cowbell]

Had the same issue, just purchased a small compressor driven dehumidifier. Purchased from Home Depot a Costway model ES10103US-WH. The issue is no more. Perfect size , quiet, easy to empty. I had my doubts about this as a solution but it has proven to be well worth the money.

[kehoe]

We use our Laredo 5th wheel year round on Vancouver Island, multiple times a year of the west coast (Tofino). Heavy rains and very high humidity. I typically install the tape on heat shrink vapour barrier stuff on every window, and use a good size compressor dehumidifier ( though I also have a dehydrator which makes wicked jerky..) With 2 adults and 3 kids in a 34.5ft bunkhouse we’d be swimming without it. I get MINIMUM 2 litres out of it each morning, and the RV is so nice and dry.

[Ddaddyo]

Single Glazed windows and minimal insulation causes that. I don't care what Artic or Polar Decal they placed by the door, these RV's aren't built to be used in Cold Weather.

[Bill-2020]

Design flaws…. My 2020 F250 has had more problems from when I bought it new than either the 2020 Keysotne Passport or the 2023 Cougar we have now. So tell me again about design flaws at Keystone… just saying.

[Alibaddy]

Moisture in the RV can cause serious damage, so it's not just a window issue. If you run heat the interior and bring the temperature up, that should reduce the relative humidity.
Typical cold weather humidity outdoors will be 40-45%, but cooking and respiration indoors will bring the humidity up significantly. When moist air comes in contact with cold surfaces, the dew point will be reached, and condensation is inevitable. Same thing happens in your car or truck.
Opening window coverings to allow air circulation helps too. Running the exhaust fans in the bathroom when showering and in the kitchen when cooking will help.
We had thermopane windows on the last RV, and while we didn't notice condensation, two developed fog between the panes of glass, and that can be a pain and expensive to fix. I would never go that route again.

[TXiceman]

The cure is humidity or moisture control which is up to the user. True dual pane windows would help, but not in Keystones design.

Ken

[kehoe]

We use the 5th all year around and frequently in more remote spots without hookups. Had a custom ‘add a room’ made and use the wall tent wood stove. Leave the rv door open and the dry wood stove heat heats the whole thing and deals with the humidity.


Dean
2005 GMC Sierra 2500hd duramax
2010 Keystone Laredo 305tg

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Rbeasley11

I have a questions on the interior design of the upper front window, on cold day's condensation is leaking inside and pooling below window?

Appears the factory engineer did not compensate or consider a drain below the window when condensation collects inside the upper window - aka master bedroom (upper window)

anyone else have this issue? and if so is there a fix for this.

Raymond

I thought we had an issue with condensation on the front window last year. Turns out it was actually a leaking seal. I was happy that the water was trapped between the window and the fiberglass cap so no damage to anything. I was able to reseal the window last spring so no more "coy pond"