Blocking light through roof vents and door window

Hi all,

I'm looking for suggestions to block daylight from coming through the roof vents and door window in my '04 3023. I'd like to sleep in on occasion when camping, and the daylight shining through before I'm ready to get out of bed can be annoying. I've seen roof vent insulation pads/panels sold at RV stores for "normal" roof vents, but our trailers have 12v lights recessed into the vents, so those panels won't fit. I've also thought about using velcro and some sort of solid fabric to cover the door window, but I'd like something more professional looking if possible.

Are there any creative ideas out there that can help me out? I hope I'm not the only person wanting to "darken" the interior of my trailer when trying to sleep.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Matt

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by mattplatts

Hi all,

I'm looking for suggestions to block daylight from coming through the roof vents and door window in my '04 3023. I'd like to sleep in on occasion when camping, and the daylight shining through before I'm ready to get out of bed can be annoying. I've seen roof vent insulation pads/panels sold at RV stores for "normal" roof vents, but our trailers have 12v lights recessed into the vents, so those panels won't fit. I've also thought about using velcro and some sort of solid fabric to cover the door window, but I'd like something more professional looking if possible.

Are there any creative ideas out there that can help me out? I hope I'm not the only person wanting to "darken" the interior of my trailer when trying to sleep.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Matt

Have you tried just pulling the curtains across the bunk opening?

And if the curtain isn't dark enough, replace it with a darker material. Should be easy to do and would look very professional.

[ThePair]

I took some velcro pads and some blackout cloth and made vent covers that work fairly well at decreasing the incident light into the front of the TM. I'll take pics when its out of storage.

I'm looking into something for the windows that will work better than the factory curtains, too.

Matt, I bought a cheap piece of foil backed foam insulation board, then cut to fit each opening(used cardboard to make the patterns), then stuck 2 or 3 small pieces of velcro to each. works good!

This is what we did.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...3683#post63683

[kempert]

I use the same material as Larry & Pat and it blocks out all light. If you don't like the silver, reflective color you can slip it between the curtain and window. I've also used dull, black windshield screens between the foil & the window so that there is no glare outrside.

Harveyrv & Scott O - I'd close the bunk curtains, but that severly restricts airflow, and in texas summers, I need all of the air movement I can get from the barely-adequate roof a/c unit. Same on cold winter nights - I get no heat in the rear bed unless I run a small fan pointed to the rear of the trailer and leave the curtain open. My other issue is that I have a 1-year old that sleeps in a fold-up crib setup on the couch, so light coming in the roof vents and door window (even parking lot lights at night) pretty much lights up the whole interior.

I like the ideas of blackout cloth, posterboard (a PM reply suggested that), and the foil-backed foam insulation board behind the curtains, or stuck in place (door window) with velcro. I can probably cut something just tight enough to cram in to the roof vents too - that's the same material that Camping World sells "pre cut" for standard 16x16 roof vents that don't have recessed lights like our TM's do.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Matt

[mjlaupp]

Matt - I replaced the white vent caps on my 2003 2720SL with smoke colored ones. Then I installed a translucent white MaxxAir vent covers over the vents. The combination of colors cuts down the light entry, it's a cool blue-grey color now. It also almost completely eliminates the IR heat penetration from the summer sun. Hold your hand up to the closed vent in summer and you will feel the heat.
Mike

Great suggestions Mike - thanks!