SurberSigns

keeping my trailer cool

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I offer mobile vinyl locally now and I have a set up inside of my 6x10 cargo trailer. There is a small vent up top that opens up a little but over the summer i dont want my vinyl to get all warm and messed up, especially living down here in Florida.

 

Any suggestions on how to keep the trailer cool? Besides just parking it in the shade?

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Reminds me of this joke --

 

 

The Lone Ranger and Tonto walked into the General Store store to buy some supplies. After a few minutes, a big tall cowboy walked in and said "Who owns the big white horse outside?" The Lone Ranger said, "I do, Why?"

The cowboy said, "I just thought you'd like to know that your horse is just about dead outside!" The Lone Ranger and Tonto rushed outside and sure enough Silver was about to die from heat exhaustion. The Lone Ranger got water and soon Silver was starting to feel a little better.

The Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and said, "I want you to run around Silver and see if you can create enough of a breeze to help cool him down." Tonto replies, "Sure, Kemosabe" and he begins running circles around Silver.

Unable to do anything except wait, the Lone Ranger returns into the store to finish buying their supplies. A few minutes later, another cowboy struts into the store and asks, "Who owns that big white horse outside?" The Lone Ranger stands and claims, I do, what's wrong with him this time? The cowboy looks him in the eye and says "Nothing, but you left your Injun running'".

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I used to fix and repair mobile homes for 13 years, you know A.K.A. trailers and the number one thing you can do is a white insulated rubber roof.  It really makes a difference on those tin homes and I bet it would keep your mobile workshop about 15 deg cooler. Maybe some fans and that insulated rubber roof and you would be in business! Any trailer shop or RV place could help you out with that, other than that your looking at generators and ac units I think.

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A solar powered exhaust fan would definitely keep the temperatures lower, but don't know if it would be enough.

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i believe my roof is insulated. the salesman told me the roof i have is a lot cooler than most others.

 

im kind of worried now about leaving it.

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Well I know for sure a basic enclosed trailer at least up here in the north do not come with an insulated rubber roof.  You see that in the RV and mobile industry, you might be right though.  Maybe they did put some rolled fiberglass up in there before installing the luan plywood for the walls and ceiling. What the white insulated rubber roof will do is reflect a lot of that heat before it reaches the inside. Something to look into it really does help. Just ask anyone that lived in a tin roofed trailer home its like night and day difference. those old tin roof trailers have an insulated roof to begin with but with the metal roof and the sun beating down on it, doesn't take long for it to start heating up inside. What we would do is lay 1 1/2" -2' pink foam board down on the roof and then go over that with a one piece white rubber membrane, really does the trick! If I had your problem that would be on my list to do.

 

Brian

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Being an HVAC guy,I say put a small window unit on it and dump some cooling in it? That is if electric isn't a problem? They are pretty economical and quiet. If you shop around, they can be bought reasonably cheap.12,000 BTU 115 Volt ought to do a good job.Seems a little big but I know how hot these trailers get and especially with Florida's heat.

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A lot of the newer model window A/C units have a digital thermostat, so you can set the thermostat to a reasonably warm temp (say 90°-95°) and that way it will only run when the internal temperature exceeds that.

 

If you cool it off too much and then turn it off, all that humidity is going to condense on the much cooler interior and  you'll start running into a whole new type of problems (moisture inside your equipment, backing papers curling, etc.).

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Being an HVAC guy,I say put a small window unit on it and dump some cooling in it? That is if electric isn't a problem? They are pretty economical and quiet. If you shop around, they can be bought reasonably cheap.12,000 BTU 115 Volt ought to do a good job.Seems a little big but I know how hot these trailers get and especially with Florida's heat.

 

Surber has been posting about trying to get his cutter to run on 12v power (with an inverter) so that leads me to understand he has no access to a regular supply of 110v electric.

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It sounds like he's asking for ideas to keep it cool when not in use. Insulate the crap out of it, solar powered fan, and park in the shade when possible.

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Surber has been posting about trying to get his cutter to run on 12v power (with an inverter) so that leads me to understand he has no access to a regular supply of 110v electric.

Why not just get a honda generator very well built and very quiet could mount it on top of the trailer so that way exhaust wouldnt be a problem. Thats what I would do

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Im thinking about mounting a solar powered fan and mount it by the vent at the top so the hot air sucks through the top. And possibly making a vent in the floor so the cool air will go through the bottom.

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