Internal silverscreens

[Stuart]

Just opened the pack and found a bag with the screen suckers in. Which side of screen goes to the glass? one side is aluminised, the other plain. Guarantee in Italian but nothing else. HELP pse!!

 

Stuart

[Guest starspirit]

Aluminium reflective side to the screen although I am far from convinced that they make much difference.

If its cold enough to need them it's cold enough to have the heating on all night.

I've not used them but I understand the padded external wrap around ones are much better - but then again they are bulkier and not a lot of fun when wet.

I reckon that good thick curtains tucked or clipped tight against the dashboard and doors to reduce cold air convection are more effective than internal screens.

No doubt there are other views?

[Guest peter]

The external ones are waterproof and only need a good shake before putting away. Put indoors for a few hours when you get home to fully dry out before storing 'till needed again.

[bjphillips]

Ive got internal ones for short term use during better part of the year but I still get a lot of condensation on the windows in the morning.I have a tightly rolled up curtain with some elastic bands around it to lay along the dash at the base of the windscreen to soak it up,this drys out in the coarse of the day.We had to live full time in it for 3 months during last winter in Lincolnshire so I bought a set of external ones for that & they were brilliant for keeping the van cosy & warm.A bit more tricky to put on but they were there for the full 3 months, no condensation at all with them.The justification for using one or the other depends on time of year & length of time you stay put I'd say. :$

[Stuart]

Thanks to all, little job for the morning.

 

Stuart

[Mel E]

We've had both. The external ones are much faster to put up and take down, work better, avoid most of the condensation on the w/s (except when it's super cold outside). Only problem is they get wet in rain! And are a sod to take down when it's raining. But that hasn't happened yet!

 

For me, it's no contest - external every time.

 

Mel E

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[Guest caraprof]

Mel E - 2007-09-29 5:13 PM We've had both. The external ones are much faster to put up and take down, work better, avoid most of the condensation on the w/s (except when it's super cold outside). Only problem is they get wet in rain! And are a sod to take down when it's raining. But that hasn't happened yet! For me, it's no contest - external every time. Mel E ===

I endorse this absolutely. Internal ones are a total pain.

One tip - if you buy external ones make sure that they have a fold-down section over the main windscreen.

If we're staying on a site for two or three days we put the external screens on the first night and then don't bother taking them off. We simply fold down the front section which then lets in plenty of light.

It's then a twenty-second job to fold it back up when you want total privacy.

[Stuart]

Duly installed this am. Seem to be a fairly good fit except that there is a cut-out for the driving mirror which is not fitted.

Going to Dorset next w/e so will have a proper test then.

 

Thanks again

 

Stuart

[MH1]

Hi

 

Like others I much prefer externals however one thought is to consider how much you wild camp. If you need to move off quickly internal screens are much much better as you just pull them off, start up and drive off. Impossible with external screens.

 

 

[michele]

This is my worry I think I would rather have internal just for that reason alone you can pull down and move off if need be.

[Mel B]

As a slight digression, I must admit, in all the time we've been wild camping we've never yet had to make a quick getaway ... honestly, how many of you have?

 

I have used internal and external screens, we have both, the internal ones are mainly used to keep the heat out in the summer, the external ones as night 'blinds' to keep the heat in! :-D

[Usinmyknaus]

I can only comment on the "Van Comfort" internal screens I bought immediately before trying them out for 2 weeks at various points in France from Calais down to the Ardeche and back again a couple of weeks ago.

 

I was intially concerned that they would not be compatible with the fitted Remis blinds but with a little care there was no problem easing the material behind the rails and they seemed to complement each other by providing two distinct layers.

 

In 24-29 degrees C heat in the South they proved excellent at keeping the van cool during the day despite the sun shining directly on the cab windows (the rear bedroom area of the van was tucked under a small tree). They were significantly more effective than just the Remis blinds we had pressed into similar service during the summer.

 

During cold, misty and sometimes rainy nights in the North of France with temperature down to 10C or so the screens appeared to reduce heat loss compared to our experience in similar conditions before we bought them. Condensation was reduced but not eliminated and that is what I expected based on information I had read on this forum. I had to mop the base of the screen and wipe some residual condensation from the main part of the windscreen and door glass each cold/wet day but it was tolerable.

 

I thought very carefully about security, based on what other contributors had said about Aires des Service/wild camping and it was a key factor in opting for internal rather then external screens. I decided to accept the inconvenience of a certain level of condensation and lower thermal performance in exchange for being able, in extremis, to pull off the screens and drive away quickly and without opening any doors should the worse case scenario happen. We used several Aires in France during the trip and intend to make frequent use of them in future. If I had intended to always stay on commercial/club sites then I would have bought the external type of screen.

 

Bob

[MandyAndy]

We have both and have used them for same reasons as given above. It does bother me in certain places that we could want to get off without turfing my 16 year old out of the van (one of the very few tasks that are his).

 

We parked in what we thought was a great car park just by the Humber Bridge, very quiet and out of the way, we were the only ones there. Felt safe so put the chocks under and external screens, started to get the tea cooked. A car came in quite quickly reversed and parked facing us with lights left on, we thought it was a dog walker maybe, he left after 10mins or so to be followed a few minutes later by another, and another , they were all teens and of mixed sexes so don't worry not that kind of car park. It seems it was there turning area for racing up and down the street in their dinky cars, and we plonked a 7.2mtre van right in their way. In the end there where 5 of them in a row all facing us with lights on, poohing myself wasn't in it by this stage and trying to eat tea and stopping everyone from staring out the window was a nightmare.

They pulled off , we pushed 16 year old out of van to grab the screens and chocks , he slung them in van and we bid a hasty retreat. We now tend to sit a while before putting chocks and screens out just to sus the area out first.

The externals where great in the Alps at Easter , kept the van warm and snug, we had no heat on in the van at night while sleeping and none of us where cold.

 

Mandy

[tonyishuk]

Our Fiat cab (2003) seems to have been machine gunned under the door pockets. So cold air comes in fairly easily.

 

Has any one blocked these holes ? and / or suffered from axphiciation )spl ?)

 

Rgds

[Champstar]

we have the fammia internal screens and only tend to use them when parked up for a few days in the winter months...otherwise we use the heavy cab curtains. One major difference is when the screens are up the van looks a lot bigger from the inside as the curtains come around the footwells of the seats so block of some storage space.

 

I dont think I would bother with the externals unless parking up for days and days or in severe winter touring...seems like a lot of hassle for just a small bit comfort *-) *-)

[Mel B]

tonyishuk - 2007-10-01 5:58 PM

 

Our Fiat cab (2003) seems to have been machine gunned under the door pockets. So cold air comes in fairly easily.

 

Has any one blocked these holes ? and / or suffered from axphiciation )spl ?)

 

Rgds

 

I used to put gaffer/duct tape over them to keep the cold out, either that or bung a couple of cushions in front of them, really made a difference. You'll also notice that you get a bit of a breeze through the gap between the bottom of the cab door windows and the plastic, as well as through where the seat-belt comes through the plastic at the sides. Make sure all the cab dash vents are closed as well.

[J9withdogs]

I have a problem with a howling gale round the fridge if the wind is in the wrongs direction.

 

Any tips for that - other than throwing a blanket over the whole thing?

 

When should you use the vent covers, and when should you leave them off?

[rossko]

Digressing here from the original thread but we also are unsure when we should use the fridge vents. Any comments appreciated

[Mel E]

The fridge vents are there to supply oxygen to the burning gas which cools the fridge in an absorption system - and to allow the results of combustion to escape.

 

If you block the lower (inlet) vent then there is a very good chance that the combustion process will not complete properly and instead of producing CO2 as one of the products, you produce CO (Carbon Monoxide), with is lethal. It has no odour so you don't know it's what sending you gently to sleep, a sleep from which you will not awaken.

 

If you block the top (outlet) grill, you are directing the results of the combustion back into the motorhome. Carbon Dioxide (CO2), being heavier than air will gather at floor level and, in the absence of any other way out, will build up higher and higher until it reaches nreathing level, at which point it will gently asphyxiate you.

 

Of course, you will say, why not just PARTIALLY block the grills? Because, while it may be blowing a hooley right now, it may be totally calm in the morning, a calmness that means the grill openings are no longer big enough . . .

 

There are two solutions - throw the absorption fridge away and get a much superior compressor fridge (just like the one at home)! Or make sure that the fridge surraound inside the motorhome is as airtight as possible. Then, you will have separated off the combustion compartment and its grills from the interior of the motorhome, so no gale enters.

 

Mel E

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[ike]

We have Silver Screen externals and they are great. They're now a bit difficult to put on since we had the windscreen replaced and the fitters left some black gunge in the "rail" which transferred onto the screens. Like others we've never felt the need to make a quick getaway - yet. I believe Silver Screens make an external screen which has a see through panel which means you could drive with the screens in place in an emergency.

ike