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Success insulating cabinets?

wopachop
Explorer
Explorer
Have any of you lined a cabinet with insulation so that it doesnt get 90F+ during the summer? Wondering if i should toy around with that idea or just get a cooler and store my dry foods in there during the summer months.

Problem is i have a lot of food/toys/tools/adhesives in all my cabinets. They wont all fit in a cooler.

Maybe a layer of foam insulation just along the back wall of the cabinet would help significantly?
20 REPLIES 20

bucky
Explorer II
Explorer II
Slide toppers work well for us as most of the cabinets are in the slides.
Puma 30RKSS

Naio
Explorer
Explorer
Speaking of wine cellar, if you can increase the thermal mass of the insides of the cabinets, that will slow the temperature changes a lot. Pack them very full :-).
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

wopachop
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks for all the replies. Got some temp gauges setup and yesterday i saw around a 7 degree difference. At 1:30pm the trailer temp was 78F and cabinet was 85F. The sun passes over and shines on the other side of the trailer. Moved the cabinet temp gauge to that side and saw 89F in that cabinet at 7pm. Wasnt even a super hot day yet.

Think i want to go for the wine cellar approach versus venting because of the dusty conditions here. Im hoping the cabinets can remain in the center of the hot and cold spikes. Instead of the cabinets getting hotter than the trailer itself.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Vents at the bottom and top worked for me. I should double the size.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Explorer III
Unless you are reducing the temp inside of the area none of these things will do any good. It may slow the transfer of heat but that's it!
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
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"HeavyWeight" B&W RVK3600

2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable

2007.5 Mobile Suites 36 SB3 29,000# Combined SOLD

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Get this type of material--in 1/2 inch thickness:



https://www.homedepot.com/p/SilveRboard-24-in-x-1-in-x-48-in-R5-Radiant-Acoustic-Insulation-Kit-STC-...
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Naio
Explorer
Explorer
In theory, the little air space between the outside wall of the camper and the reflectix will be hotter than the air space on the other side of the reflectix, inside the cabinet. I'd be surprised if it made a huge difference, though.

I have a similar problem in the winter. I get a lot of condensation on that cold exterior wall, because of the reduced airflow inside the cabinets. I think what I'm going to do is, 1. Make new cabinet doors with an outer frame of wood, and the panel portion is screen. And, 2. Make boxes that fit the inside of each cabinet, including the curved outer walls, but a bit smaller, so there is about an inch air gap between each inner box and the original cabinet.

I'm hoping that if I do both these things, I can put my clothes in the cabinets and they won't get moldy.

If I were concerned about food storage, I think I would do the grill doors and some sort of thin insulation, and not the inner boxes. Reflectix would work.

I think the grills are important, so that cool air from the inside of the living space can get into the cabinets.
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

ernie1
Explorer
Explorer
Okay I understand now that it's Reflectix. That's what I use for my windshield cover and it comes in sheets. Does it like repel or reflect heat from inside the cabinet? I don't understand how a reflective sheet of material will block heat from entering a cabinet when the material is placed inside the cabinet.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
far better to use the foam board that has silver foil fastened onto it.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
The grill idea is interesting, pianotuna.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

rk911
Explorer
Explorer
gbopp wrote:
ernie1 wrote:
rk911: Exactly what is the relective foil? Is it just regular foil backed insulation. Do you have a name?

REFLECTIX

This is from Home Depot. Check around for the best price.


yup
Rich
Ham Radio, Sport Pilot, Retired 9-1-1 Call Center Administrator
_________________________________
2016 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q
'46 Willys CJ2A
'23 Jeep Wrangler JL
'10 Jeep Liberty KK

& MaggieThe Wonder Beagle

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
ernie1 wrote:
rk911: Exactly what is the relective foil? Is it just regular foil backed insulation. Do you have a name?

REFLECTIX

This is from Home Depot. Check around for the best price.

wildtoad
Explorer II
Explorer II
ernie1 wrote:
rk911: Exactly what is the relective foil? Is it just regular foil backed insulation. Do you have a name?


I suspect heโ€™s referring to Reflectix. I use it for windshield and all windows when parking where there isnโ€™t any shade in the summer. I also lined the side, top, back walls of all cabinets that are in slides or just the back wall if it is on an outside wall.
Tom Wilds
Blythewood, SC
2016 Newmar Baystar Sport 3004
2015 Jeep Wrangler 2dr HT

ernie1
Explorer
Explorer
rk911: Exactly what is the relective foil? Is it just regular foil backed insulation. Do you have a name?