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Old 08-10-2022, 05:42 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Tellaro 20L
State: North Carolina
Posts: 279
THOR #26907
Thor Tellaro Insulation and Roof A/C Cooling

I was wondering if any one has any thoughts on the insulation of these vans when they leave the factory and if anyone has done anything to improve this? Even with my Coleman Mach 11000 A/C working properly it seems to have difficulty cooling this small area. It is a given that when you open the sliding door you are going to loose most of the cooling but seems to take longer than it should to cool back down. Granted it is very hot this time of year but the rear of the van will rarely get into the high 70's even when running for quite some time. Have considered adding some insulation to see if that helps? I also close the MaxxAir roof fan when running the A/C and only run it when not running the A/C.
Have not had it long enough to test the heating but fear that could also be an issue in the winter?

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Old 08-11-2022, 10:17 AM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2022 Sanctuary
State: Florida
Posts: 390
THOR #26179
Not sure if there is any insulation for the Roof , except a head liner . The insulation on my Sanctuary is just some Fiberglass mat stuffed in the walls in sections . Not very well done , many gaps & in-between structural there is nothing , so yes , its should have better , but to do that you will have to disassemble most of the Interior of the RV.

I will be adding more at some point later this year when I have the time .Some photos below from behind the Bath rm. , notice how there is no insulation in the structure frame , just in open spots .
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Old 08-11-2022, 12:56 PM   #3
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Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertj1961 View Post
I was wondering if any one has any thoughts on the insulation of these vans when they leave the factory and if anyone has done anything to improve this? .....cut.....
Insulation is one of the most discussed subjects on van forums where many build their own camper because it can be very important depending on how/where camper will be used. Some boondock in desert in summer and others camp to ski in winter. Both extremes have their own issues.

The Tellaro is based on a “window van” chassis so I think right from the start my focus would be to cover and insulate all exposed glass area as good as possible; within reason of course. Window vans like mine are great in providing an open feeling (makes van feel much larger instead of a small cave) but factory glass has very little insulation value. Worse yet, during the day all that glass allows sun light to penetrate through van exterior and turn it into a mini greenhouse.

Covering windshield on outside helps a lot, and is more effective than placing a shield on inside of van. Those stop light and provide privacy, but it is best to stop solar radiant heat outside the van, not after it has gone through glass.

Obviously parking in shade is much better than in sun, and if parked in sun and have an option, try to orient van so awning can keep sun from coming through side windows. Basically, awning on south side of van helps more than on north, though it will give you less shade when sitting outside.

In theory and also in my experience, opening the door to get in and out of van isn’t as bad as it sounds as long as it is not left open for long periods. While outside air is hot, air itself doesn’t take much effort to cool unless it is also very humid. What I never do is open door so long that it allows van interior to warm up.

Another variable that you can’t control after the fact is van color. Regardless of insulation, a white van reflects more light/heat than dark ones (green and dark grey seem popular but outside metal can get hotter).

My van is not a ProMaster but I have the same basic limitations of a window van having too much glass area to be efficient for air conditioning. Keeping it warm in winter has been easier by comparison, but we don’t camp where it gets very cold — about 20 F is coldest I recall.

To me anything below 80 F inside van sounds great and would take it as a win.
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Old 08-13-2022, 01:13 PM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Tellaro 20L
State: North Carolina
Posts: 279
THOR #26907
Thanks for the photos and replies. I will probably work on improving the insulation at some point in time. There is only so much the a/c can do when it is close to 100 degrees outside but think there is some improvement to be made. Thor does a good job of mass producing product but their quality leaves much to be desired. I feel fortunate to not have had any major issues so far.
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Old 08-13-2022, 01:59 PM   #5
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If upgrading, when possible, I would avoid insulation materials that can absorb moisture. This is more of a problem if camping in cold winter conditions since it is very difficult to create an effective moisture barrier.
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Old 08-13-2022, 05:13 PM   #6
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Can you drill small holes or find access points and shoot expanding foam in them? It's a closed cell product and wouldn't hold moisture. I would think (sometimes dangerous) you can also upgrade the A/C to a 15K BTU unit.
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Old 08-14-2022, 08:24 PM   #7
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Tellaro 20L
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THOR #26907
Thanks for suggestions. I will probably just leave the 11000 watt A/C because of cost/labor and it is working as it should. With only a 2800 watt generator, might be pushing the limits unless adding "soft start". Will look into some ideas for the insulation however.
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Old 08-26-2022, 04:43 PM   #8
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Model: Sprinter four winds
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Robertj1961
U Tube , my Rv works has a great video to improve the efficiency of your current unit. Took about an hour with minimum skills and cost that did in fact improve our cooling.

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Old 08-27-2022, 02:39 PM   #9
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Will do! Thank you.
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Old 08-29-2022, 02:18 AM   #10
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Illinois
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THOR #21139
This AC Modification Made a HUGE Different on our Thor Delano TT

Our AC is way more efficient and much quieter after making this modification:

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Old 08-30-2022, 09:57 PM   #11
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2022 Sanctuary
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Posts: 390
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You'all made me look , my newer 11K Btu Coleman has a flexible Duct from the Evaporator fan discharge & it connects to the ( until I look at a parts schematic ) I'll call it a distribution Plenum . It looks like the Boot or Duct connector is removed via the Clamp & the Cover /Plenum is unbolted to the Base.
I may get some Insulation & wrap that Boot duct , but thats about it , interesting .
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Old 09-11-2022, 07:54 PM   #12
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2022 Tellaro 20L
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 42
THOR #25231
Pull shades in All windows, use a good reflective windshield shade. Park in the shade. With all that, my AC is more like a dehumidifier when the temperature hits 90. Turning it on in the morning while it's still cool helps a lot. The 2022 20L has a lot of glass.
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