Me&Ma
NW Wisconsin
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I may be the last person to realize this, but I was just reminded again this past week during 90+ degree days: if you turn your vents on the KoolKat air conditioner to point at the ceiling the full length cooling of your van will increase tremendously. It doesn't tell you to do this in the manuals and mine came with them pointed down, so I assumed that was probably the most efficient. The front of the van was always a hot spot and I just assumed the AC unit couldn't keep up at higher temps. One hot day when DW was fixing lunch she complained about the cold air blowing on her legs, so I went back and turned the vents to point up. When I returned to the front seat I was shocked by the cold air flowing around me where previously I was sitting sweating from the warm air encroachment of all the front windows. I also leave the fan running all the time to keep the air circulating so the temp stays more even. You don't get the clunk every time the AC cycles on that way, and it doesn't disturb my sleep at all. We've found the AC can handle any temps we've faced and keep the van extremely comfortable now that we've learned how to use it. YMMV, but I have to think most B's similar to the RT190P would react the same. Stay cool out there  .
07/08 Roadtrek 190P
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Turbo Diesel Dude
Green Mountain, NC
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Hot air rises and cold air falls. Fact of life. JMHO
charles weidman
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Me&Ma
NW Wisconsin
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Thanks for your input, doesn't really have anything to do with my comments, but perhaps I wasn't clear. I was referring to the long tunnel like structure of the Roadtrek being benefited by turning the vents to point up, and leaving the AC fan on all the time. Thus the cooled air flows along the ceiling and down when it reaches the front of the van. You then get a nice circular flow which is much more comfortable and efficient. Maybe this only works in 190P's with cabinets lining both sides of the aisle like mine, but I wanted to mention it if others hadn't discovered it yet.
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OldRadios
Upstate New York
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Quote:Hot air rises and cold air falls. Fact of life. JMHO
Thanks for your input, doesn't really have anything to do with my comments
Actually it does. If the vents are pointing down the hot air just hangs at the top and takes forever to mix with the cool air on the floor. My whole B cools off including the cab area in a few minutes if I leave the vents pointing up. It takes over a half hour or even more if the vents are pointing down and the floor is 20-30 degrees cooler than the headroom area.
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Me&Ma
NW Wisconsin
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I think most of us learned that cold air is heavier than hot air somewhere along about the third grade. The effect I'm talking about is caused by the AC blower pushing the cold air along the ceiling all the way to the front and starting a nice air flow which cools the van much more efficiently, but it sounds like you have already figured it out. My comments were meant for those like myself who didn't know it and hadn't stumbled onto it yet. With the current heat wave I wanted to give everyone a fair shot at some comfort. Not trying to prove I'm smarter than anyone or whatever is bothering y'all. I'm done commenting at this point, so use it if you want, ignore it if you don't.
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1775
NY
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Joined: 09/30/2009
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Me&Ma wrote:I may be the last person to realize this, but I was just reminded again this past week during 90+ degree days: if you turn your vents on the KoolKat air conditioner to point at the ceiling the full length cooling of your van will increase tremendously. It doesn't tell you to do this in the manuals and mine came with them pointed down, so I assumed that was probably the most efficient. The front of the van was always a hot spot and I just assumed the AC unit couldn't keep up at higher temps. One hot day when DW was fixing lunch she complained about the cold air blowing on her legs, so I went back and turned the vents to point up. When I returned to the front seat I was shocked by the cold air flowing around me where previously I was sitting sweating from the warm air encroachment of all the front windows. I also leave the fan running all the time to keep the air circulating so the temp stays more even. You don't get the clunk every time the AC cycles on that way, and it doesn't disturb my sleep at all. We've found the AC can handle any temps we've faced and keep the van extremely comfortable now that we've learned how to use it. YMMV, but I have to think most B's similar to the RT190P would react the same. Stay cool out there .
I have found this the same in my Roadtrek and because the air then can get too cold in the front (hard to figure that with it in the 90's outside you can freeze in the front of the RT), I turn the middle vent up and the two side vents up but on a diagonal partly pointing toward the cabinets. This way the cold air does not hit right at the front seats as strongly.
Roadtrek 190 Popular 2011
Meryl and Me Hit the Road
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dks
Mississauga
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Well I learned something today. I had the vents pointing directly forward, but, now I'm going to try directing them upwards a bit. I am going to keep the fan going all the time. We do it at home, but, we never thought of doing it in the Roadtrek. Thanks for the tip ME&Ma
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PSW
Oklahoma City
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I also crack the vent in the bathroom when the AC is running. That allows a little hot air escape and seems to help some. I also tend to crack the front driver and passenger windows about an 1/4 inch for the same reason. Seems to help also IMO.
PSW
2007 Roadtrek 210 Popular
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kmb1966
Lake Charles
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I can't remember the 3rd grade, so thanks for the help! 
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yizit
Central Wisconsin
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Me&Ma....thanks for posting and sharing your tips and information for those who may be new to RVing and RT's. We all learn something new every day. We learned last year that to prevent the coils from freezing up at different humidity levels, it is best to run it on high. Ours froze up while in Las Vegas, lower humidity and tempts in the low 90's, while running it on low.
Please continue to post and share your discoveries for those of us new to RVing and RT's. Not everyone has the same level of knowledge as some who lurk on here.
Keep cool and safe travels.
Jim & Darlene
Ewok our Llasa...Pickles our Shorkie Tzu
2004 Roadtrek Chevy 190 Popular (aka..Roada)
Wisconsin Dells...Water park capital of the world
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