Towing a TT with ac

[BarbaraRose]

For those of you who tow a TT, is there a way to keep the trailer cool in hot weather while driving?

Just thinking about when one wants to stop for a break/lunch/nap and it is 90 degrees outside and 100 inside the TT. Especially if one is traveling with pets...(not that they would be in the TT while driving of course!)

[mitch5252]

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Barbie, I've found that my little trailer stays pretty cool while traveling, enough so that I'll leave The Beast in it (with the MaxxFan on) while I go into WalMart for some shopping. However, I can't remember ever having to do that in 100+ degree temps.

Seems to me, mine has never gotten anywhere near as hot as a vehicle.

Once, when George was sick and in the hospital in Paducah, I had brought the trailer up so I wouldn't have to drive back and forth to home to care for Abby. I'd leave Abby in there while I went to the hospital. The electric at the RV park went out on a VERY hot day (I had left the a/c on low). It was REALLY hot in there. But not hot enough to kill her (she had plenty of water). I often wondered how hot it would have been had I left A/C been off and just had the MaxxFan running (it would have run off the battery after the electric went off). Hopefully, I'll never have to find out.

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[VickieP]

Believe me, it can get really hot in there down South! We could run the ac if we ran the generator while towing, but I've just never felt safe doing that. I don't know why, people tell me they do it, but I have this fear of it catching fire or something I guess.

[Cougarfan]

Unless you have a generator and a fuel source, there is no way to run the a/c in a travel trailer while you are driving. My trailer does get a little warm (if it is like 90+ degrees) while driving but cools off fast when I get to my destination, plug into the electric and start the a/c. I just open the roof vents and the door so the a/c will blow out the warm air. After I'm done hooking up the sewer, water and cable, I close up the trailer and it stays cool after that. I travel with my propane on so the fridge stays cool. I try to gas up the Jeep before I leave so don't have to worry about shutting off the propane while fueling.

The dog travels with me in the Jeep so no reason to try to cool off the trailer en route.

Hope that helps.

Laura

[BarbaraRose]

Can you leave the windows and vents open while traveling to keep it cooler?

[Cougarfan]

I have the frameless windows on my trailer so they tip out at the bottom. I wouldn't leave them open while traveling. If the windows slide, you could have them open while traveling. I personally wouldn't do that due to the dust and grime that would make it inside the trailer while on the road. I would have to spend a bunch of time cleaning after I got set up instead of relaxing with an adult beverage.

For the same reason above, I don't travel with my vents open either. The other risk of having the vents open is the cover can get torn off in the wind or even if a semi truck passes you. Not worth it for me. I'll just use the a/c or open the windows when I get to my destination. Making sure the vents are tightly closed is actually something I do before I take off anywhere with the trailer. In fact, one of them had blown open a little with the last storm that blew through here so I need to check them from time to time to make sure they are closed. Too much rain here in Oregon to risk water intrusion. Been there. Done that.

Laura

[Azusateach]

I'm not sure why you'd want to keep the trailer cool while pulling it. If you're thinking about putting your cat in there while traveling I'd think again. There's way too much bouncing going on to make it comfortable for an animal to ride there. And once you get to your destination you'd be able to cool it down quickly enough with hook-ups.

My rule of thumb is that I'd never leave Jed somewhere that I didn't feel comfortable being myself. If the trailer would be too hot for me, it's too hot for him. I don't take any chances, even if it means missing out on seeing something or going somewhere. He's more important than anything I'd want to visit on the road.

My galley window was accidentally left open once when we were coming home. When we went inside the trailer after getting home the roll of paper towels was all over the inside of the trailer. Funny, but a good lesson to check all windows before hitting the road.

[IrishIroamed]

Not that I have a clue yet about cooling down a TT, but I would also bet that the wind thru the open windows or vents would cause major drag, which would decrease gas mileage even more.

[BarbaraRose]

... traveling with pets...(not that they would be in the TT while driving of course!)

No, I know better than to leave a pet inside a trailer while traveling.

Thanks for the info on windows. I suppose a small trailer would cool off pretty quick once the A/C is turned on. Just thinking about stopping places for lunch or whatever, with a pet. I missed out on some sightseeing when driving back from California because I had my cat with me and didn't want to leave her alone in the car (even with it running), and usually went thru drive-thru places for lunch.
I think there would be more of an advantage with having pets in a Class C instead. May have to reconsider that option.

[Colliemom]

I have never noticed my TT getting warm while towing either. If I stop for a lunch break or something, I am usually eating out at a picnic table although have eaten inside with no issues. I have Max-Air vent covers over my rooftop vents and leave them open all the time as the wind won't hurt the vent covers inside the bigger vent covers. I have left one cracked open this winter under the trailers cover just too keep moisture out.

[linann]

For those of you who tow a TT, is there a way to keep the trailer cool in hot weather while driving? Just thinking about when one wants to stop for a break/lunch/nap and it is 90 degrees outside and 100 inside the TT. Especially if one is traveling with pets...(not that they would be in the TT while driving of course!)

I don't travel with a pet, but if I did my pet would be inside the vehicle I was driving with me (and AC if it was hot). We pull a TT and use it at least one weekend every month of the year in Florida. There is no AC in the TT while on the road, the AC will chill the TT down pronto as soon as we are plugged into electricity again. We do have a generator we could use, but have never taken it along because it is so big. Soos has a really neat generator situation she can explain.

If pulling over for a quick lunch, I get what is needed out the fridge (soda, sandwich, etc.) and eat sitting outside at a picnic table. When it's really hot, I buy fast food or something from a grocery store deli. If I plan ahead, I can always put lunch in a small cooler in the van. FYI -- I never drive with the propane on, but have not had a problem with the refrigerator staying cold. It is the last thing unconnected before driving away and the first thing connected at the new site.