Sleeping in large-150 cubic feet -SUV -how can I cool it in 100 degree TX?

phoebeisis · #1 07-10-2008, 04:51 PM

We are driving from NOLA to Flagstaff AZ -1500 miles - Saturday. We normally stop and sleep in a rest stop off Hy 287 in Texas. Quanah TX - town near the rest stop - projects 100/74 degrees for Saturday ,and it will be above 80 degrees when we stop at 11pm Sat.

Does anyone have any idea on how we can cool 100+ cubic feet of vehicle interior with 3 adults and one large dog sleeping in it.?Normally it is cool enough -early May or in Dec, that we just crack the windows a tiny bit, and that is enough.

I've tried those fan blowing across ice coolers - too litle of everything , it doesn't work.

I've used the 250 hp AC -works but it takes 4 gallons for the 6 hours ,and it is tricky getting just the right temp.

Considered bring a 500 watt window unit and a 3500 watt generator -too heavy, too complicated ,too everything .

It is Too humid for a swamp cooler -evaporative cooler.

My plan is to fill 10-20 freezer bags with ice, wrap them in towels and place them "close" to us. I'll test this at home before leaving , but I have my doubts . We also will use a 12 v fan.

Any other ideas out there? The wife requires taking the large vehicle. She has an obscure autoimmune disease that attacks her arteries (PAN) and has to keep her legs/hips/arms relaxed and extended , so the Prius is out .

Plan B is spending $80 for a motel room . Not a bad plan but then I have to unload/load the vehicle .It is a drag spending 20 minutes unloading after driving for 15 hours.

Plan C is to drive another 170 miles WNW to Amarillo .Amarillo projects 84/63 degrees Sat .- This means it will probably be 70 degrees at 1 am Sunday am when we pull in. This would be perfect , just crack the windows and sleep.

I'm aiming for 22 mpg over the 3021 highway miles of this trip.Last trip was 21.3 , but that was with the CC set at 70 mph .This time it will be 66mph ,and we've dropped another 53 lbs by removing part of the second row seats( not much effect on HY mpg). Our carrier will be slightly lower profile also. I am using syn diff lube -tiny effect maybe .

Any cooling ideas I've missed here?.

Thanks,
Charlie

Chuck · #2 07-10-2008, 05:02 PM

I've been on Hwy 287 from Ft Worth to Amarillo at least two dozen times....it's just devilishly hot this time of the year.

There are a couple of state of the art rest areas...will retrieve them, but that does not resolve your main question.

Chuck · #3 07-10-2008, 05:07 PM

This rest area is just east of Quannah - very nice

phoebeisis · #4 07-10-2008, 07:16 PM

Delta -thanks!! Yes, that is the rest area we sleep at on the way to Amarillo. You are right; it is literally the nicest rest area I have ever been in.

We have spent the night at it about 6 times in the last 3 years. In the aerial view I can see exactly where we slept. The car side is the side closest to the highway.We initially parked there, but there was only one other car there. We decided to go around and sleep on the truck side , but next to the curb , not in the actual truck lot.There were at least 20 trucks there ,so it "felt" safer. Phoebe our mutt has very good ears and a big dog bark, so I count on her to wake me up in case of a problem.

It is very noisy on the truck side; they don't have the onboard generators yet,so they run their motors to keep the AC going , just like I had to on my last return trip.

Thanks for that link; I saved it! That rest stop is almost exactly 1/2 way between NOLA and Flagstaff -roughly 750 miles .We arrive about 11 pm, get to sleep by 11:30 pm,sleep until 5;30 am, get back on the road by 6 am. This will get us to Flagstaff by 7 pm Pacific time - 15 hours later.

You are right about the heat along 287. Since 1970 I've driven it roundtrip maybe 20 times ; 10 of the trips have been since about 2000. It has better rest stops than most Interstates .In general TX has excellent rest stops , but 287 leads the pack.I wonder why 287 has so many excellent rest stops ? It dose have very heavy truck traffic.

I'm going to test my ice bags later tonight -plenty of heat here also (but it is actually several degrees hotter along 287 !

Thanks for the tips! I hunted - unsuccessfully - for a web address for rest stops on 287. I saved the site. . Great!!
That rest stop is actually as good as they claim. It is sparkling clean with very, very clean rest rooms. My wife suggested (joking I think) pulling the futon into the lobby and bedding down .

Thanks,
Charlie
PS In 2000 I spent the night in a $23 dump in Childress ( it was supposed to be $18 , but they charged another $5 for the dog) . I checked ,and there don't seem to be any really cheap-under $50 - motels along there anymore.

ATL · #5 07-10-2008, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phoebeisis

Plan C is to drive another 170 miles WNW to Amarillo .Amarillo projects 84/63 degrees Sat .- This means it will probably be 70 degrees at 1 am Sunday am when we pull in. This would be perfect , just crack the windows and sleep.

I like this idea the best if you all agree that 80 is too warm to sleep. I know even I had trouble getting to sleep Monday when it was still 85 in my house when I was trying to fall asleep (and I'm pretty hardcore about not using the A/C in my house... only had it on for a week last summer when the highs hit the mid 100's and lows were in the mid 80's)

JusBringIt · #6 07-11-2008, 03:20 AM

ice packs and fan sound like they'll work great, just stick the packs right behind the fan.

phoebeisis · #7 07-11-2008, 09:03 AM

JusBringit,
Last trip I tried just blowing a fan over/into an ice chest; it didn't work there was just too little air/ice surface contact I think . I'll have the fan and the ice this time , but I'm going to pack us like fish with maybe 20 or so ice packs of 2 lbs each.

The motel would be a better option but for the dog-some take dogs,some don't and it will be late-close to midnight.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.Thanks,
Charlie

hobbit · #8 07-11-2008, 04:58 PM

If bringing in some outside air helps at all, I just detailed
another little camping hack over on Priuschat that might help.
The other thing that can do wonders for comfort while getting
to sleep in a hot place is to shower right before tuckin' in for
the night, so you aren't trying to sleep sweaty. At a minimum,
toweling yourself off with a cold, wet washcloth can help a lot
which you can do in any rest-stop bathroom.
.
_H*

phoebeisis · #9 07-11-2008, 05:47 PM

Hobbit -You're right ; the worse thing for me is trying to sleep while sweaty .I'm very finicky about that and shower 5 minutes before sleeping while home even if I showered 30 minutes before (Louisiana is very humid most of the year). I attempt to wash up a bit at the rest stops ,and I do a paper towel degreasing with alcohol. I will be reaking after 17 trip hours and 6-7 stops in 95 degree heat.

We won't want to pull in much outside air because of the trucks ,the heat and the humidity.-Not many of the trucks have the small onboard generators yet , so there is plenty of noise and some exhaust. We are a good 60-feet from the nearest one , so if we get CO poisoning it will be from our own vehicle. Two or three windows will be down about 1" (not enough for anyone to stick their arm in and open it). This will give some air turnover -the humidity would be 100% if we closed completely.

I'll check your link.

My current plan is to get an early start (8am) and make it all the way to Amarillo (900 miles) where it projects to be about 68 degrees by 1 am or so when we pull in ( projected low of 64).

Plan B is to stop at the rest stop E of Quanah and to use about 20 2 lb freezer bags of ice for cooling. Plan C is to find a cheapo motel that will allow a dog (or sneak her in).

I had hoped to get 22 mpg this time (21.3 last time). Unfortunately , it will be about 20 degrees hotter all along the route, so the AC will be working much much harder. The daytime highs along our route will be about 95 or so until we get to Albuquerque -1200 miles of very high temps.

I dumped another 53 lbs of seats ,and switched to syn diff lube ,and plan to drop 3 mph -to 67 in the 70-75 limit areas, and 60 or less in the 65 mph areas which I'll hit at night -Hy 287). The weight and the lube probably wouldn't make a noticeable mpg difference ,but the 3 mph should have improved the MPG by about 4.5% - roughly 1 mpg. The AC will steal that 1 mpg. If the stations sell 10% ethanol -only one did last trip- I'll lose another 5 %-10%. I'll also start with the oil about 1/2 way up the stick "OK range" ,and with about 44 psi.

Thanks,
Charlie

ILAveo · #10 07-11-2008, 10:04 PM

I'm wondering about how high you keep your windows. Your large dog is probably better than a handgun because he would provide both an alarm and deterrence to intruders who would reach in your car ("sic em boy" should scare off all but the most drug addled criminals. ) If it were I, I would leave the windows open the maximum amount that would still keep the dog from getting out. If you park upwind from the trucks you should be able to minimize concerns about their exhaust fumes, which at 60 feet would not likely constitute a critical hazard anyway.