I made a set of window shades from 3 layers, insulation bubble foil, cardboard and vehicle carpet trim, best thing ever! Also used rubber suckers to hold them in place. Carpet facing out in the winter, foil facing out in the summer.
It seems like the best solution for heat rejection is to use a heat rejecting tint on the glass like 3M Crystalline, in conjunction with a white fabric on the insulating window cover, since black is so heat absorbent. Also having the cover sealed as much as possible, such as having a large number of tiny magnets sewn in, creates a sealed air gap between the glass which adds a lot more insulating value. I've been contemplating ways to use foam weatherstripping as a gasket to better seal the air gap when the covers are in place, not just relying on the magnets. This air gap idea has major clout. In the coldest winter in our Pleasure Way Sprinter RV, I used blue masking tape to seal up the vinyl roller blinds to the plastic window frame. This stopped the cold air from flowing down off the glass and dramatically increased the warmth when sleeping at night.
Just use the insulation without cloth covering. As a bonus you can get a roll at the home store cut em yourself and save almost $1000 , I can't believe how much fools pay for this junk.
In areas with low humidity, radiant heat from the sun is enemy #1. Best bet is to reflect it back before it hits the glass (or side of the camper). Best of all is an awning that puts a huge space in between the reflective surface and the camper, so there is no heat transfer by conduction. Next best is to have the camper itself (or the windows) reflect it back into space. (Surprisingly, white is just as good a reflector as silver or mirrored, it just disperses the reflected light more.) But moving inside the camper, reflective surfaces aren't nearly as effective. Putting Refectix inside the windows might reduce the amount of radiant energy being absorbed by the foam backing, but it sends that reflective energy back through the window, giving it a double dose. So, the glass gets hot as it absorbs some of the sun's radiant energy and then gets even hotter as it absorbs the reflected radiant energy on its way out. Reflective window coverings are great for winter camping because they amplify the light inside the space. But the amount of radiant heat they reflect is insignificant and not worth worrying about. For summer camping, reflect the sun in ways that still allow good air circulation (awnings are the best) and for winter camping focus primarily on insulation thickness and preventing drafts. For homemade winter window coverings, a good starting point is a quilted $20 Walmart Thinsulate sleeping bag.
@@koertdubois6781 I made a set with the same 5mm foam material he is using in the video. I painted the outside surface with black paint so I essentially lost the reflective property of the surface facing the light/sun. I also made them 2 layers thick. I have seen someone have them with 3 layers of material but I have not tried that yet. I suppose the best design would be not to have them flat against the glass but to have an air gap for superior insulation, correct?
@@ray32825 the "air gap" would provide an extra layer of insulation, but unless it's perfectly sealed, it would add to convective losses, where heated interior air could leak into the space next to the window.
Great information. So glad someone is challenging or at least checking some of the widely held beliefs in the van life world. This reminded me of a myth buster's episode. Pls do a review on the different types of wall insulation in a van. Seemingly educated and knowledgeable builders swear by one type of insulation over all others, but they all can't be right.
Thanks for the video, very informative. My other concern is keeping heat in during the winter as I live in the north and want to build a van for ski touring. Would you make a video on minimizing heat loss through the windows during the winter?
Just use black foam (closed pored, like yoga mat) with high reflective surface glued on the inside (silver rescue blanket or Aluminium foil). The reflective side reflects the radiation from your body or other warm objects inside while the foam reduce the conductions. The black color on the outside absorbs heat while the sun is shining.
Excellent vid ! I get tired of telling people to stop waisting money on foil backed bubble wrap. , my own shades are foil one side, black on tother, foil facing out n summer, facing in in winter. I'll be pointing people to this vid to back up my advice so thank you for the time and effort you put into this 😎
I compared reflectix vs cheap foam sill gasket by insulating hot water pipe. When built up to the same thickness, the surface of the foam insulation was significantly cooler to the touch than the reflectix. I concluded that the foil bubble wrap is pretty much pointless, when 3-4 layers of it still transmits much heat. I think that the bubble wrap membranes are thermally bridging and conducting the heat between the foil faces.
would love to see, since you did the testing and have a good idea of what a real-world application would require, your own take on what the best DIY solution for window shades would be
Totally agree, also don't forget there will be a sheet of glass in front of the fabric sending convection heat from the black material up the shade into the cab.
Here in Arizona summer heat, putting shade cloth on outside of windows works best, attach with magnets or office clips if raised window frames. Not stealth, but silver in windows isnt either. Insulated curtains on inside, easy. Hang insulated curtain inside door. Also, for cooling, figure double square footage to plan for a/c or mini split unit size.
I just use cardboard cut outs spray painted black and hold them in place with push pins in the window gasket. Makes the van cave dark inside and slows the heat transfer from my heavy black tinted glass when the sun heats them up. Its cheap and it works good enough. For those claiming to be stealth camping with shiny window covers -you’re not fooling anyone.
I really appreciate you doing this experiment even though, for most of us, it's obvious that you don't want to block the reflective side from the sun. But where I suspect you went wrong is that you didn't conduct the test with a piece of automotive glass between the reflective material and the lamp. I say this because, I suspect the function of the reflective side is severely hindered by the glass since it's absorbing so much of the light before it hits the reflectix. So while it may be a good idea to point the reflective side toward the sun, once it's behind the glass all is lost anyway because so much of the sun's energy is converted to convective energy due to hitting the glass first. Once whatever is left hits the reflective material and then reflects back THROUGH the glass and outside, the glass is heated up even more with convective energy. Thus, I suspect, the entire thermal ability of reflectix is rendered moot, or at least mostly useless when placed behind automotive glass. Does this make sense? You see, the glass makes a BIG impact on the effectiveness of reflectix, virtually rendering it as useful as putting a thick cloth in the window. Question: Reflectix is made for attic insulation. It's designed to staple against wooden beams with a large air gap between the inside of the roof material and the wooden beams the reflectix is stapled to. You showed a picture early in the video. And if that's the case, what good is the reflective material in the first place if the sun's radiant energy is NOT shining on it? Instead, once the sun hits the roof and heats up the roof material, it leaks through as convective heat and the reflective material is only an R value of 1 at that point. All reflective utility is lost. So I don't understand what reflectix's primary use is for in the first place.
Great information I use mine for stealth, to keep heat in and to keep heat out depending on the season. Silver on one side, black on the other. Interesting point about the Emmisivity. At night-black faces out. Day/black faces in Nothing says Hey I’m Inside , as much as foil facing out at night when you’re trying to avoid, “The Knock.”
I have several issues with "reflective insulated" covers on the inside of a window. 1. You are heating that plastic which transfers some portion of that heat into the interior. 2. heat is not good for plastic, nor is UV. 3. You're blocking all the natural light, which for some of us might be the point, but for most people - well, that's why they paid extra for windows. Ideally you want to stop the infrared and UV from hitting the window. Awnings have the advantage of reducing the heat load on the entire side of the structure. If you don't have awnings, you might consider attaching the reflective curtain to the outside, ideally with an airgap.
I have a dark gray van. To block IR in roof, I put VViViD Chrome Silver Gloss DECO65 Permanent Adhesive IR detector says it blocks 96% of IR. Today measures 112° on top and ambient inside. I used Thinsulate in roof and walls. 2” air gaps in ceiling and walls. Seems to be working well. Right this moment, Outside is 98° and inside 75° with windows and side door open. I bought some cheap silver window covers at Costco to block that direct sun at my large windows. My windows are factory tinted too. Measuring the inside (black or blue) shows ambient. These covers are very thin. AI Thinsulate is a popular material used in automotive applications for its thermal insulation properties. It is often used in automotive upholstery, headliners, and door panels to help regulate temperature inside the vehicle. Thinsulate helps keep the interior of the vehicle warm in the winter and cool in the summer by providing effective insulation. Overall, Thinsulate can enhance the comfort and energy efficiency of vehicles.D
Heat is inevitable. It may slow the heat down from coming in, but it also slows it down from coming out. That's why an empty cargo van is always cooler than a vehicle with insulation. Thinsulate is best for winter applications. But in the summer, your average user will rue the day he uses it if he doesn't wish to go to sleep at night in a hot van. The fact is that the thermal abilities of an air gap may let the heat in faster, it also lets it out faster. Pick your poison.
@@Justnn What is your solution for summer insulation? Since it's impossible to switch out if you have a wall covering and can't remove it, is there a way to provide optimal insulation for both summer and winter?
@@makeyourfaith That's what makes the topic so fascinating. But, as it turns out, there is a good solution: air. Air is a pretty good insulator and heat dissipator. But without active cooling, the best you can hope for, once heat fully penetrates, is to match the outside temperature. And if you slow the heat down too much, it will penetrate at night while you sleep. I met a woman once in the Arizona desert who was obsessed with this topic. Her solution was quite genius, albeit poorly implemented. I'll never forget it. Instead of attaching insulation to the insides of her van, she hung super thick Indian quilts on the walls and ceiling. This provided an air gap between the quilts and the van walls and held in the heat in the winter. In the summer, she removed them, merely shaded the van, and took full advantage of the lack of insulation. As it turns out, being dynamic and flexible is the best way to live this lifestyle. But you can't stop the heat. You can only slow it down because heat (energy) is insidious. Once your insulated walls get hot, they don't get un-hot very quickly. So, again, pick your poison.
For years I've just been using a piece of foil-foam like that with magnets taped to it. Winter/summer use. Been thinking recently of upgrading, but DIY. Use the foil on one side, and then glue some Thinsulate on the other side (black side out), and hem the two together with fabric with magnets in it. Put the foil facing inside in the winter, reflect any heat back in, with 'proper' insulation against the window. Then flip it in the summer, foil to the window, with insulation to back it up. yeah, gonna be bulky to store, but I'm ok with that.
GREAT video bud, you really proved that those fancy big money shades are total BS. Yeah they look nice but they don't do what they claim. Thanks for your time making this video
My fave black coroplast on one side and something like reflectix on the other. Afix to window by tucking edges into very edge of window. Silver face out in summer. Black face out in winter. I believe silver facing inward in winter increases my radiant heat by approx 6 degrees. Coroplast provides rigidity.
Good informative vid. For my back windows/doors, I use a shower curtain; dark in/white out all year long. All heat/cold is blocked from the interior when closed. Works for the front too, but I usually use widow shades as I try to park with the right side towards the sun.
I'm VERY happy with my WeatherTech shades. Custom made for each vehicle. I got silver on one side, black on the other. The silver side out keeps the vehicle noticeable cooler. Black side out at night or cool days is a little more stealthy. They offer silver and white instead. I wonder if the white side would keep the inside even cooler with it's lower emissivity compared to the black.
We just experienced a heated situation this past camping trip. Our RV was facing the sun in our spot. The AC couldn't keep up. Got up to mid 80s inside 2 days. Reflective foil inside the windshield and the RV curtains didn't help. I'll be making some shades similar to your experiment before our next trip. Great video
This is a hot country problem. 🤪 I use the sun to heat up my car in the morning, for me, window covers are to keep heat inside, and black out for sleeping. I crack up my windows if it gets too hot. 😊
Interesting -- but the video all about keeping radiant heat out in the summer. Clearly, reflection is best for that situation. What about the winter -- that's where the insulation part helps.
Window tint film works well to block heat and UV which will fade colors of fabric and damage plastics. Havlock wool as the insulator in fabric covers works very well too. Putting reflectics inside of fabrics covers the reflective properties.🤔
I made my this way and painted the plastic corrugated side black. It worked wonders in sub 30° temp with black side face out (trapped all the heat inside) and relected heat with reflectic side faced out during summer time!😉
Thanks! I'm just starting to make screens for a new car and I was wondering whether to cover them with material, I have always used reflective foil on both sides and I see that this is the best solution :)
Excellent. Let's lower the hype and raise the effectiveness. Two comments: 1) In the winter I'll take all the solar heat I can get. It seems like our window shades need to capture heat in the winter and reject it in the summer. How to do this? 2) Window shades can only be so effective overall given the amount of exposed metal around doors. Shades (that seal tightly) plus a "blanket" covering everything might be the solution.
Hi! Great job! I like how you don’t trust the advertisements and instead verify for yourself. We should all do more of this. I saw your build video on insulation (interesting background music), and I wonder why you didn’t use lizard skin ceramic insulation? There is a big debate about it and I’d love to hear your scientific explanation. Maybe you could do a video and end the debate? Thanks a lot!
You want reflectix on both sides with thinsulate in the middle. This will provide the best insulation for radiant AND conductive heat. Good for summer (block heat from outside) and winter (keep heat inside).
Excellent testing. I wonder about testing a white backed insulation instead of the silver. I read some place that white has a better reflectivity than the silver. Especially during the summer months it might prove to have improved results. Just a thought. Thanks for all the work you did to set up the tests.
That's good research but you need to use a Flir or infrared camera for more exact results. I found using Owens Corning Foamular 1/2 inch R-3 on my Van windows works great. I even have R-13 fiberglass insulation inside my Van doors.
I think a screen would probably be just as good to decrease light and to decrease heat. #1 reason I'd want window shades is for privacy and safety; to decrease light. #2 is for warmth. I would want warmth at night more than coolness while camping. I'm interested in keeping heat in for sleeping in my SUV at night. What do you suggest. I think the reflective device was originally to protect the dash and decrease fading/breakdown of material from the sun.
... When these (any) covers are in place, has there been any costumer reports about the build up of summer heat/sun/extreme high temperatures damaging the glass, gaskets, etc? Thank you for the video. . Jeff .
this is actually really complicated. most people dont understand anything about emissivity and ironically when were talking about every day temps, emissivity is the dominate mechanism of heat transfer without active air movement/fan. its why most computer heat sinks are painted black, despite adding a layer of insulation, without a fan blowing over them they will actually wick more heat than an uncoated aluminum heatsink. right its why a white or metal fridge will be more efficient than a black one with the same exact insulation. i think in order to measure the claims of these products accurately you will have to take a calorimetry approach and measure energy delta of a closed system. i coated my little 12v dc compressor fridge with aluminum foil tape on the outside and coppre foil tape on the inside and saw a pretty big improvement in its energy use since the cold fridge now flicks away the heat of the room better
The world seems to turn on false fraudulent advertisement. I am so old that I do not give a dam, just need something that works ok Making temporary window shades from cardboard from the nearest dumpster has worked for me for years. Cardboard is not the best but it works well enough for my needs. Good job on showing thermal property's of the covered shade material.
I totally agree. The FIRST thing I thought when I saw the black windshield covers was: "why the hell are they black on the outside to attract the sun in more?? Huh?! Looks like Vanmade Gear now has a choice of silver on inside and reflective silver marine on the outside so looks like they have my vote!
@braxenaeurasiers3474 Have you ever looked at a van with black window shades? It looks like dark tinted windows. For those of us that don’t want to advertise that we’re sleeping in our vans, black window shades work for me. I use mine mainly for privacy and then flip them around to the silver side to reduce the rate of radiating heat. Nothing’s perfect, especially in a black van.
Everyone knows that black absorbs heat. The reason for the black fabric covering is stealth and to cope with condensation water. Can you find a solution to these?
First I found the title of the video a kind of strange bu as it looks: The US sells different stuff than Europe: The most products of that type are "shiny", because of obvious reasons! But: I would like to know who they work in a Van BEHIND the windows. Mine are always fitted with a foil from 35-70% darker and UV reducing. That has surely an impact, doesnt it? Question is: If (lets say) 50% of UV is already absorbed (or reflected?) by the tint of the window... how important is the shiny part still?
Very interesting test. I for one am not too concerned about the reflective qualities of the foil since I really don't use my window covers in the daytime to keep the heat out. My purpose is to add privacy and to keep the warmth in overnight while camping in cold environements. I'd love to see you do a test of the actual window covers from the manufactures mentioned in this video so see how they each compare side by side.
Another great and informative video-Thank you! I made my own window covers. I used silver reflective material that faces out with no cover, then a layer of wool insulation followed by dark cloth material that faces inside of the van. In summer, the reflective side faces out, and in winter I flip them around so the reflective side faces in. I don't have any test equipment other than my hand. In summer, when I place my hand in between the window cover and window, it feels very warm, and when I place my hand on cloth material facing inside of the van it feels cool. I'm not sure what's happening to the heat??? The only issue that I have is that they are bulky. I wish that could think of a way to compress them when not in use.
Sounds great. I’m more concerned with staying warm too. Do you have any problems with condensation with your setup? I like the thought of compressing them for storage - has me picturing some kind of self-inflating sleeping pad hack : )
They should be made reversible, one side white or silver, the other side black. Put the black side facing out in the winter, or when stealth is needed, and the rest of the time, use the reflective side.
What if your stealth camping and only putting up the coverings at night? In this case there is no direct sunlight. Essentially your just trying to keep the heat in the summer air out of the vehicle, would a black surface matter then?
I just made reflectix shades for my van. Now people constantly tell me they are tacky and I need to put black fabric on the window side of the reflectix. Clearly, after watching this I won't do that, but what about putting dark solar tint on the inside of the window? Would that reduce the heat that even gets to the reflectix making it cooler inside?
I made my own, just using reflectix and strong tape. It looks like shit but it does the job! The only advantage to the fabric versions I can think of is that it is more stealth.
What if you used a layer of reflectix and middle layer of plastic cardboard or corflute as we call it here in Australia and another layer of reflectixs on the inside, be interesting to know the results were
So an Airstream trailer would be cooler in the summer and winter, while a black camper would be warmer in the summer and winter. Big decision is can you live with a hot camper in summer or cold in winter, or do you have to weigh in your ability and cost to run an air conditioner or heating to compensate. Best solution , neutral gray exterior with thick insulation, no windows, install computer monitors on the inside where windows would be and small cameras on the outside facing the sunset with the image showing on the screen.
It would be interesting if you built an insulated box that has auto glass on one side and reran the experiment with the temperature probe in the middle of the box. Having the glass between the heat source and the shade could change things a bit.
You just proved the insulation works. You measured an way over 100 deg f drop between the inside and out for the worst case. The reflective bit is a little misleading.
Do they work “as advertised”? Probably not as great as you’d hope. But here’s the deal: I have tested professional window shades. In my case it was Two identical Promaster builds (Winnebago). In one van (my brothers) we covered all windows with the Vannmade custom shades. In my van, NO shades. Vans were parked in same orientation, 30 feet apart. We closed up the vans at 8am at the same internal temperature (68 degrees). At 2pm, it was 93 Fahrenheit outside. My van internal temperature was 88.1 Fahrenheit . My bother’s van.. 78.5 Fahrenheit. That’s over 9.5 degrees. Would a simple curtain have done the same thing? Maybe. Bot don’t fool yourself, ANY window shades will work to a certain degree.
I think the foil backed insulation is itself flawed.. Or, at least it misses some of the benefit of the foil as a radiant barrier. The foil’s contact with the foam means that the radiant heat being blocked by the foil is conducted to the foam. And hence through the foam. A better product would separate the foil from the foam, which is obviously mechanically challenging, which is why it’s not done. I think a better test would be to install the different insulation solutions onto a box with a thermocouple or thermistor on the inside.
You didn't test an actual product - yes you are going to lose some efficiency with the black. But the air gap is extremely important so would be interested to see a real product test. This has to be appealing for people to want to buy it and the black covering appeals for other reasons - aesthetics for instance.
They do work but you have to make them properly ive tested my ute canopy with thermometers with the shade on and eith them off and bare window's which are tinted where my fridge and battery setup is! They need to be reflectix on the outside not in the core then the 2nd layer needs to have an air gap using corflute or something similar. All these people making them out of black carpet and stuff are just idiots 😂
Says he doesn’t know what the benefits are of blocking UV light. Does a Google search that comes up with skin cancer as the first hit. Still says he doesn’t know what the benefits are.
This is good work, thank you. But your own numbers show that S/B is cooler at the thermocouple than S/S. I feel like you are just ignoring that data to tell us that S/S is best. Your logic is good, but the measurements appear to disagree? Maybe an inside facing isn't as bad as one might expect? It certainly seems like further investigation might be needed.
I hate to tell you this, but your tests are not applicable, or a test that creates the applicable circumstances. Regardless of which thermometer you use, you're measuring the heat of the object and not what's being emitted. What's being emitted is the important part. Your taped thermometer is measuring higher because the tape prevents the heat from being emitted from the blind into the surrounding space. Your hand--held thermometer is measuring a lower temperature of the blind in the areas where there is no tape because the those areas are able to emit and dissipate the heat into the surrounding space. In other words, an uncovered blind is not retaining the heat, it's emitting and dissipating more heat into your living space than the covered portion of the blind. And that is bad. Conduct a proper test to measure actual heat dissipated into the living space of your van: -Make a box with a glass window (the smaller the box, the faster each test sequence will progress, but a larger box would make for a more representative test, perhaps a refrigerator box? If the box is representing your van space, make your window fairly proportional in size to to the box to represent the van window. It doesn't have to be exact, the test results will still tell you what you're looking to find out. What effect does the blind, and its condition, have on interior air temperature of my van?) - place a freestanding thermometer inside the enclosed box. -place a freestanding thermometer outside the box suspended in the air between the sun lamp and the window. -place a freestanding thermometer outside the box and away from the sunlamp to measure the outside ambient temperature. (Do not place any thermometers directly against any objects. We're interested in measuring the air temperature, not the temperature of any specific item or any surfaces. Pointing your hand-held infrared/laser thermometer measures the temperature of surfaces and items, not air temperature or emitted heat) You're going to conduct 3 test sequences. It's important that the applications remain the same for all 3 test sequences......the lamp at the same distance and heat setting, the same box, same glass window, same placenent of the same 3 thermometers, same ambient temp outside the box, same starting temp inside the box. -Begin with a control test (don't use the blind at all in any manner). Record the starting temps on all thermometers. Turn on the sunlamp. Record the readings on all 3 thermometers at one minute intervals (or 3, or 5 min intervals, but make it the same for all 3 test sequences). Continue until the air temp inside the box becomes consistent (the heat from the sunlamp should be consistent throughout all test sequences and the lamp's heat limit will determine when the air temp inside the box becomes redundant at the finishing intervals). Once that happens, end the test sequence. -Begin the second test sequence. The only thing that should be different is placing the blind over the window (inside the box, as that is most likely how it will be used). Don't change anything else from the first test sequence. Try to ensure all ambient temps begin the same for every test sequence, the 3 ambient air temps AND the temp of the box material itself, as well as the window itself (this is where you can use your hand-held infrared/laser thermometer). Turn on the sunlamp and record the temps of all 3 thermometers at the same intervals as the first test sequence. Stop when the air temp inside the box becomes redundant. -Begin the third test sequence, ensuring all is the same as the first and second test sequences, except using a blind covered with fabric (covering the window inside of the box) -Compare the resulting inside box AIR temps from all three test sequences. (It is the AIR temps inside the box that will effect our comfort, not the temps of the items or surfaces. You have to measure emitted and dissipared heat within the van, not the item or surface temps). There are two more test sequences you can do. -Test sequence 4. Conduct the same test with the uncovered blind covering the window from OUTSIDE the box. -Test sequence 5. Conduct the same test with the covered blind covering the window from OUTSIDE the box. I predict that test sequences 4 and 5 will result in lower temps inside the box than test sequences 1, 2 and 3. I predict results of tests 4 and 5 fir temps inside the box will be almost identical. (Windows trap sun energy inside vehicles; placing the blind OUTSIDE the window should prevent sun energy from ever entering the window, and the blind being outside the box would be vented to emit and disipate its collected heat outside the box). You could do additional testing on venting. You could install an adjustable vent at the top of the box. Once each of your testing sequences have reached redundant results at its finishing intervals with the vent completely closed, you could open the vent at controled increments and record results to measure the effect of venting on air temps inside the box.
@@projectofscience it took me 10 minutes to write that. I've worked extensively with military testing of equipment, including parachute systems and manual writing. I don't think we have a "shorter" version of anything. I could have made a simpler statement without outlining the experiment at all. The experiment would take at least a day. But I appreciate your humor.
I made a set of window shades from 3 layers, insulation bubble foil, cardboard and vehicle carpet trim, best thing ever! Also used rubber suckers to hold them in place. Carpet facing out in the winter, foil facing out in the summer.
Stealing this! Great idea.
I bet this method works good for condensation on windows during winter months. Thank you for sharing 😊
It seems like the best solution for heat rejection is to use a heat rejecting tint on the glass like 3M Crystalline, in conjunction with a white fabric on the insulating window cover, since black is so heat absorbent. Also having the cover sealed as much as possible, such as having a large number of tiny magnets sewn in, creates a sealed air gap between the glass which adds a lot more insulating value. I've been contemplating ways to use foam weatherstripping as a gasket to better seal the air gap when the covers are in place, not just relying on the magnets. This air gap idea has major clout. In the coldest winter in our Pleasure Way Sprinter RV, I used blue masking tape to seal up the vinyl roller blinds to the plastic window frame. This stopped the cold air from flowing down off the glass and dramatically increased the warmth when sleeping at night.
Just use the insulation without cloth covering. As a bonus you can get a roll at the home store cut em yourself and save almost $1000 , I can't believe how much fools pay for this junk.
In areas with low humidity, radiant heat from the sun is enemy #1. Best bet is to reflect it back before it hits the glass (or side of the camper). Best of all is an awning that puts a huge space in between the reflective surface and the camper, so there is no heat transfer by conduction.
Next best is to have the camper itself (or the windows) reflect it back into space. (Surprisingly, white is just as good a reflector as silver or mirrored, it just disperses the reflected light more.)
But moving inside the camper, reflective surfaces aren't nearly as effective. Putting Refectix inside the windows might reduce the amount of radiant energy being absorbed by the foam backing, but it sends that reflective energy back through the window, giving it a double dose. So, the glass gets hot as it absorbs some of the sun's radiant energy and then gets even hotter as it absorbs the reflected radiant energy on its way out.
Reflective window coverings are great for winter camping because they amplify the light inside the space. But the amount of radiant heat they reflect is insignificant and not worth worrying about.
For summer camping, reflect the sun in ways that still allow good air circulation (awnings are the best) and for winter camping focus primarily on insulation thickness and preventing drafts.
For homemade winter window coverings, a good starting point is a quilted $20 Walmart Thinsulate sleeping bag.
@@koertdubois6781 I made a set with the same 5mm foam material he is using in the video. I painted the outside surface with black paint so I essentially lost the reflective property of the surface facing the light/sun. I also made them 2 layers thick. I have seen someone have them with 3 layers of material but I have not tried that yet. I suppose the best design would be not to have them flat against the glass but to have an air gap for superior insulation, correct?
Do you have a video on how you made yours?
@@ray32825 the "air gap" would provide an extra layer of insulation, but unless it's perfectly sealed, it would add to convective losses, where heated interior air could leak into the space next to the window.
Great information. So glad someone is challenging or at least checking some of the widely held beliefs in the van life world. This reminded me of a myth buster's episode. Pls do a review on the different types of wall insulation in a van. Seemingly educated and knowledgeable builders swear by one type of insulation over all others, but they all can't be right.
Thanks for the video, very informative. My other concern is keeping heat in during the winter as I live in the north and want to build a van for ski touring. Would you make a video on minimizing heat loss through the windows during the winter?
Just use black foam (closed pored, like yoga mat) with high reflective surface glued on the inside (silver rescue blanket or Aluminium foil).
The reflective side reflects the radiation from your body or other warm objects inside while the foam reduce the conductions. The black color on the outside absorbs heat while the sun is shining.
Great science, doing experimentation to answer questions is important. You’re a scientist!
Nice to have a very smart person looking out for us Thank you
Excellent vid ! I get tired of telling people to stop waisting money on foil backed bubble wrap.
, my own shades are foil one side, black on tother, foil facing out n summer, facing in in winter.
I'll be pointing people to this vid to back up my advice so thank you for the time and effort you put into this 😎
I compared reflectix vs cheap foam sill gasket by insulating hot water pipe. When built up to the same thickness, the surface of the foam insulation was significantly cooler to the touch than the reflectix. I concluded that the foil bubble wrap is pretty much pointless, when 3-4 layers of it still transmits much heat. I think that the bubble wrap membranes are thermally bridging and conducting the heat between the foil faces.
You should be more concerned about your editing.
I will make my own with black on the another side and reflective another. Like warm day side and black as stealth side
would love to see, since you did the testing and have a good idea of what a real-world application would require, your own take on what the best DIY solution for window shades would be
YES, please!!
Totally agree, also don't forget there will be a sheet of glass in front of the fabric sending convection heat from the black material up the shade into the cab.
Here in Arizona summer heat, putting shade cloth on outside of windows works best, attach with magnets or office clips if raised window frames. Not stealth, but silver in windows isnt either. Insulated curtains on inside, easy. Hang insulated curtain inside door. Also, for cooling, figure double square footage to plan for a/c or mini split unit size.
I just use cardboard cut outs spray painted black and hold them in place with push pins in the window gasket. Makes the van cave dark inside and slows the heat transfer from my heavy black tinted glass when the sun heats them up. Its cheap and it works good enough. For those claiming to be stealth camping with shiny window covers -you’re not fooling anyone.
Very informative and clearly explained. Great experiment and recording of your data.👍👍
Commenting for the algorithm! Great information. Thank you.
Same!
I like the way you think! By which I mean using logic and basic common sense! 😬👍🏆💯
I really appreciate you doing this experiment even though, for most of us, it's obvious that you don't want to block the reflective side from the sun. But where I suspect you went wrong is that you didn't conduct the test with a piece of automotive glass between the reflective material and the lamp. I say this because, I suspect the function of the reflective side is severely hindered by the glass since it's absorbing so much of the light before it hits the reflectix. So while it may be a good idea to point the reflective side toward the sun, once it's behind the glass all is lost anyway because so much of the sun's energy is converted to convective energy due to hitting the glass first. Once whatever is left hits the reflective material and then reflects back THROUGH the glass and outside, the glass is heated up even more with convective energy. Thus, I suspect, the entire thermal ability of reflectix is rendered moot, or at least mostly useless when placed behind automotive glass. Does this make sense?
You see, the glass makes a BIG impact on the effectiveness of reflectix, virtually rendering it as useful as putting a thick cloth in the window.
Question: Reflectix is made for attic insulation. It's designed to staple against wooden beams with a large air gap between the inside of the roof material and the wooden beams the reflectix is stapled to. You showed a picture early in the video. And if that's the case, what good is the reflective material in the first place if the sun's radiant energy is NOT shining on it? Instead, once the sun hits the roof and heats up the roof material, it leaks through as convective heat and the reflective material is only an R value of 1 at that point. All reflective utility is lost. So I don't understand what reflectix's primary use is for in the first place.
Great information
I use mine for stealth, to keep heat in and to keep heat out depending on the season.
Silver on one side, black on the other.
Interesting point about the Emmisivity.
At night-black faces out. Day/black faces in
Nothing says Hey I’m Inside , as much as foil facing out at night when you’re trying to avoid, “The Knock.”
I have several issues with "reflective insulated" covers on the inside of a window.
1. You are heating that plastic which transfers some portion of that heat into the interior.
2. heat is not good for plastic, nor is UV.
3. You're blocking all the natural light, which for some of us might be the point, but for most people - well, that's why they paid extra for windows.
Ideally you want to stop the infrared and UV from hitting the window. Awnings have the advantage of reducing the heat load on the entire side of the structure.
If you don't have awnings, you might consider attaching the reflective curtain to the outside, ideally with an airgap.
I have a dark gray van. To block IR in roof, I put VViViD Chrome Silver Gloss DECO65 Permanent Adhesive
IR detector says it blocks 96% of IR. Today measures 112° on top and ambient inside.
I used Thinsulate in roof and walls. 2” air gaps in ceiling and walls.
Seems to be working well.
Right this moment, Outside is 98° and inside 75° with windows and side door open.
I bought some cheap silver window covers at Costco to block that direct sun at my large windows. My windows are factory tinted too.
Measuring the inside (black or blue) shows ambient. These covers are very thin.
AI
Thinsulate is a popular material used in automotive applications for its thermal insulation properties. It is often used in automotive upholstery, headliners, and door panels to help regulate temperature inside the vehicle. Thinsulate helps keep the interior of the vehicle warm in the winter and cool in the summer by providing effective insulation. Overall, Thinsulate can enhance the comfort and energy efficiency of vehicles.D
Heat is inevitable. It may slow the heat down from coming in, but it also slows it down from coming out. That's why an empty cargo van is always cooler than a vehicle with insulation. Thinsulate is best for winter applications. But in the summer, your average user will rue the day he uses it if he doesn't wish to go to sleep at night in a hot van. The fact is that the thermal abilities of an air gap may let the heat in faster, it also lets it out faster. Pick your poison.
@@Justnn What is your solution for summer insulation? Since it's impossible to switch out if you have a wall covering and can't remove it, is there a way to provide optimal insulation for both summer and winter?
@@makeyourfaith That's what makes the topic so fascinating. But, as it turns out, there is a good solution: air. Air is a pretty good insulator and heat dissipator. But without active cooling, the best you can hope for, once heat fully penetrates, is to match the outside temperature. And if you slow the heat down too much, it will penetrate at night while you sleep.
I met a woman once in the Arizona desert who was obsessed with this topic. Her solution was quite genius, albeit poorly implemented. I'll never forget it.
Instead of attaching insulation to the insides of her van, she hung super thick Indian quilts on the walls and ceiling. This provided an air gap between the quilts and the van walls and held in the heat in the winter. In the summer, she removed them, merely shaded the van, and took full advantage of the lack of insulation.
As it turns out, being dynamic and flexible is the best way to live this lifestyle. But you can't stop the heat. You can only slow it down because heat (energy) is insidious. Once your insulated walls get hot, they don't get un-hot very quickly. So, again, pick your poison.
Thank you. I had my own thoughts on this and it aligns with your research.
For years I've just been using a piece of foil-foam like that with magnets taped to it. Winter/summer use. Been thinking recently of upgrading, but DIY. Use the foil on one side, and then glue some Thinsulate on the other side (black side out), and hem the two together with fabric with magnets in it. Put the foil facing inside in the winter, reflect any heat back in, with 'proper' insulation against the window. Then flip it in the summer, foil to the window, with insulation to back it up. yeah, gonna be bulky to store, but I'm ok with that.
This is exactly what I am thinking of doing! Have you tried it yet?
GREAT video bud, you really proved that those fancy big money shades are total BS. Yeah they look nice but they don't do what they claim. Thanks for your time making this video
My fave black coroplast on one side and something like reflectix on the other. Afix to window by tucking edges into very edge of window. Silver face out in summer. Black face out in winter. I believe silver facing inward in winter increases my radiant heat by approx 6 degrees. Coroplast provides rigidity.
My new fav channel now!! Great content man
Good informative vid. For my back windows/doors, I use a shower curtain; dark in/white out all year long. All heat/cold is blocked from the interior when closed. Works for the front too, but I usually use widow shades as I try to park with the right side towards the sun.
Thanks!
Thank you!!
I’m so glad I finally made my way to this video. Many thanks! Valuable info
I'm VERY happy with my WeatherTech shades. Custom made for each vehicle. I got silver on one side, black on the other. The silver side out keeps the vehicle noticeable cooler. Black side out at night or cool days is a little more stealthy. They offer silver and white instead. I wonder if the white side would keep the inside even cooler with it's lower emissivity compared to the black.
We just experienced a heated situation this past camping trip. Our RV was facing the sun in our spot. The AC couldn't keep up. Got up to mid 80s inside 2 days. Reflective foil inside the windshield and the RV curtains didn't help. I'll be making some shades similar to your experiment before our next trip. Great video
Excellent video. I enjoy your videos backed with facts, not just marketing. Thank you 🙏🏼
Great video. I like someone who challenges the norm.
Thanks so much for this. Very enlightening
This is a hot country problem. 🤪
I use the sun to heat up my car in the morning, for me, window covers are to keep heat inside, and black out for sleeping.
I crack up my windows if it gets too hot. 😊
Interesting -- but the video all about keeping radiant heat out in the summer.
Clearly, reflection is best for that situation.
What about the winter -- that's where the insulation part helps.
Yes, and regardless of the circumstance, you need ventilation 👌
Window tint film works well to block heat and UV which will fade colors of fabric and damage plastics. Havlock wool as the insulator in fabric covers works very well too. Putting reflectics inside of fabrics covers the reflective properties.🤔
Would adding a piece of Corrugated Plastic Sheet next to the reflective add the necessary air gap? It would, however, add 3/16" to the thickness.
I made my this way and painted the plastic corrugated side black. It worked wonders in sub 30° temp with black side face out (trapped all the heat inside) and relected heat with reflectic side faced out during summer time!😉
Thanks! I'm just starting to make screens for a new car and I was wondering whether to cover them with material, I have always used reflective foil on both sides and I see that this is the best solution :)
Excellent. Let's lower the hype and raise the effectiveness. Two comments: 1) In the winter I'll take all the solar heat I can get. It seems like our window shades need to capture heat in the winter and reject it in the summer. How to do this? 2) Window shades can only be so effective overall given the amount of exposed metal around doors. Shades (that seal tightly) plus a "blanket" covering everything might be the solution.
I used a product called “Warm Window”. Would love to see your experiment done with that product.
Real world experience proves that window covers keep the interior of a van much cooler than would be without them.
Hi! Great job! I like how you don’t trust the advertisements and instead verify for yourself. We should all do more of this. I saw your build video on insulation (interesting background music), and I wonder why you didn’t use lizard skin ceramic insulation? There is a big debate about it and I’d love to hear your scientific explanation. Maybe you could do a video and end the debate? Thanks a lot!
You want reflectix on both sides with thinsulate in the middle. This will provide the best insulation for radiant AND conductive heat. Good for summer (block heat from outside) and winter (keep heat inside).
Thank you for your research, but please do a test with the products behind tinted glass and untinted with an airgap between them.
Don’t want to burst your bubble but IR temperature probes tend to be inaccurate when shone on reflective materials..
Excellent testing. I wonder about testing a white backed insulation instead of the silver. I read some place that white has a better reflectivity than the silver. Especially during the summer months it might prove to have improved results. Just a thought. Thanks for all the work you did to set up the tests.
That's good research but you need to use a Flir or infrared camera for more exact results. I found using Owens Corning Foamular
1/2 inch R-3 on my Van windows works great. I even have R-13 fiberglass insulation inside my Van doors.
What do you suggest instead?
I think a screen would probably be just as good to decrease light and to decrease heat. #1 reason I'd want window shades is for privacy and safety; to decrease light. #2 is for warmth. I would want warmth at night more than coolness while camping. I'm interested in keeping heat in for sleeping in my SUV at night. What do you suggest. I think the reflective device was originally to protect the dash and decrease fading/breakdown of material from the sun.
... When these (any) covers are in place, has there been any costumer reports about the build up of summer heat/sun/extreme high temperatures damaging the glass, gaskets, etc?
Thank you for the video.
. Jeff .
this is actually really complicated. most people dont understand anything about emissivity and ironically when were talking about every day temps, emissivity is the dominate mechanism of heat transfer without active air movement/fan. its why most computer heat sinks are painted black, despite adding a layer of insulation, without a fan blowing over them they will actually wick more heat than an uncoated aluminum heatsink. right its why a white or metal fridge will be more efficient than a black one with the same exact insulation. i think in order to measure the claims of these products accurately you will have to take a calorimetry approach and measure energy delta of a closed system.
i coated my little 12v dc compressor fridge with aluminum foil tape on the outside and coppre foil tape on the inside and saw a pretty big improvement in its energy use since the cold fridge now flicks away the heat of the room better
I have wanderful shades and a 170EXT with all glass windows.
Their shades work well.
Great work, and thank for all your do for the community.
The world seems to turn on false fraudulent advertisement. I am so old that I do not give a dam, just need something that works ok Making temporary window shades from cardboard from the nearest dumpster has worked for me for years. Cardboard is not the best but it works well enough for my needs. Good job on showing thermal property's of the covered shade material.
Stelletek is the only place I’ve found that makes covers with polartek insulation instead of reflectix.
Thanks for the debunk!
Are these more effective than the reflective foil covered items?
Bubble wrap card and fabric insulater . I use suction cups best home made
I totally agree. The FIRST thing I thought when I saw the black windshield covers was: "why the hell are they black on the outside to attract the sun in more?? Huh?! Looks like Vanmade Gear now has a choice of silver on inside and reflective silver marine on the outside so looks like they have my vote!
@braxenaeurasiers3474 Have you ever looked at a van with black window shades? It looks like dark tinted windows. For those of us that don’t want to advertise that we’re sleeping in our vans, black window shades work for me. I use mine mainly for privacy and then flip them around to the silver side to reduce the rate of radiating heat. Nothing’s perfect, especially in a black van.
@@jtheiny ok that totally makes sense. Black on one side for night and silver on the other for day now that is brilliant!
Everyone knows that black absorbs heat. The reason for the black fabric covering is stealth and to cope with condensation water. Can you find a solution to these?
First I found the title of the video a kind of strange bu as it looks: The US sells different stuff than Europe: The most products of that type are "shiny", because of obvious reasons!
But: I would like to know who they work in a Van BEHIND the windows. Mine are always fitted with a foil from 35-70% darker and UV reducing. That has surely an impact, doesnt it?
Question is: If (lets say) 50% of UV is already absorbed (or reflected?) by the tint of the window... how important is the shiny part still?
Very interesting test. I for one am not too concerned about the reflective qualities of the foil since I really don't use my window covers in the daytime to keep the heat out. My purpose is to add privacy and to keep the warmth in overnight while camping in cold environements. I'd love to see you do a test of the actual window covers from the manufactures mentioned in this video so see how they each compare side by side.
Another great and informative video-Thank you! I made my own window covers. I used silver reflective material that faces out with no cover, then a layer of wool insulation followed by dark cloth material that faces inside of the van.
In summer, the reflective side faces out, and in winter I flip them around so the reflective side faces in. I don't have any test equipment other than my hand.
In summer, when I place my hand in between the window cover and window, it feels very warm, and when I place my hand on cloth material facing inside of the van it feels cool. I'm not sure what's happening to the heat???
The only issue that I have is that they are bulky. I wish that could think of a way to compress them when not in use.
Sounds great. I’m more concerned with staying warm too. Do you have any problems with condensation with your setup? I like the thought of compressing them for storage - has me picturing some kind of self-inflating sleeping pad hack : )
@@s-c.. was in van for three months driving to Alaska and back to Texas. No issues with condensation
I'm shocked that these RV accessory companies didnt listen to their full time scientists that they employ to their staff
They should be made reversible, one side white or silver, the other side black. Put the black side facing out in the winter, or when stealth is needed, and the rest of the time, use the reflective side.
This is how the weathertech shades are
What if your stealth camping and only putting up the coverings at night? In this case there is no direct sunlight. Essentially your just trying to keep the heat in the summer air out of the vehicle, would a black surface matter then?
I just made reflectix shades for my van. Now people constantly tell me they are tacky and I need to put black fabric on the window side of the reflectix. Clearly, after watching this I won't do that, but what about putting dark solar tint on the inside of the window? Would that reduce the heat that even gets to the reflectix making it cooler inside?
I made my own, just using reflectix and strong tape. It looks like shit but it does the job!
The only advantage to the fabric versions I can think of is that it is more stealth.
What about keeping the cold out and keeping it warmer inside?
Have you tested the reflex tic brand?
Cool! There are window films with thermal properties such as heat rejection. Have you ever experienced this one? Maybe this could help.
We have this film on our van and it is a game changer for reducing solar gain.
good to know! @@FromShetoMe
What if you used a layer of reflectix and middle layer of plastic cardboard or corflute as we call it here in Australia and another layer of reflectixs on the inside, be interesting to know the results were
That's what I was going to do. Did you end up doing up
'it'
Would white or lighter fabric lower temps
Sooooooooo, what should I buy?
So an Airstream trailer would be cooler in the summer and winter, while a black camper would be warmer in the summer and winter.
Big decision is can you live with a hot camper in summer or cold in winter, or do you have to weigh in your ability and cost to run an air conditioner or heating to compensate.
Best solution , neutral gray exterior with thick insulation, no windows, install computer monitors on the inside where windows would be and small cameras on the outside facing the sunset with the image showing on the screen.
It would be interesting if you built an insulated box that has auto glass on one side and reran the experiment with the temperature probe in the middle of the box. Having the glass between the heat source and the shade could change things a bit.
Yep, that is something I'd love to do, but just not in the budget. Even more so to test the various insulation options out there.
@@projectofscience you might be able to get a free broken piece of auto glass from a junkyard. Thanks for sharing your videos.
The issue I have is it’s too hot, I need to keep the heat out
Where did you buy that insulation roll?
You just proved the insulation works. You measured an way over 100 deg f drop between the inside and out for the worst case. The reflective bit is a little misleading.
Thanks for making this video.
Prety much what I learned in high school sixty years ago.
If you want black out shades with working insulative properties that actually work, use the ones they put in a semi.
Do they work “as advertised”? Probably not as great as you’d hope. But here’s the deal: I have tested professional window shades. In my case it was Two identical Promaster builds (Winnebago). In one van (my brothers) we covered all windows with the Vannmade custom shades. In my van, NO shades. Vans were parked in same orientation, 30 feet apart. We closed up the vans at 8am at the same internal temperature (68 degrees). At 2pm, it was 93 Fahrenheit outside. My van internal temperature was 88.1 Fahrenheit . My bother’s van.. 78.5 Fahrenheit. That’s over 9.5 degrees. Would a simple curtain have done the same thing? Maybe. Bot don’t fool yourself, ANY window shades will work to a certain degree.
Excellent points
I think the foil backed insulation is itself flawed.. Or, at least it misses some of the benefit of the foil as a radiant barrier. The foil’s contact with the foam means that the radiant heat being blocked by the foil is conducted to the foam. And hence through the foam. A better product would separate the foil from the foam, which is obviously mechanically challenging, which is why it’s not done.
I think a better test would be to install the different insulation solutions onto a box with a thermocouple or thermistor on the inside.
Some IR temp guns state in instructions Not accurate on shiney surfaces.
very helpful!
I agree with you.
My brother is an architect, and he says even if covered, it still blocks heat. They use simalair materials in home and office building.
You didn't test an actual product - yes you are going to lose some efficiency with the black. But the air gap is extremely important so would be interested to see a real product test. This has to be appealing for people to want to buy it and the black covering appeals for other reasons - aesthetics for instance.
The only reason for my shades in my van, is to keep on lookers from seeing the jungle monkeys playing inside…
Yurt companies do the same thing.
So... they work is the bottom line? Your clickbait thumbnail is more "deceptive" advertising.
They do work but you have to make them properly ive tested my ute canopy with thermometers with the shade on and eith them off and bare window's which are tinted where my fridge and battery setup is! They need to be reflectix on the outside not in the core then the 2nd layer needs to have an air gap using corflute or something similar. All these people making them out of black carpet and stuff are just idiots 😂
It’s all about making the cartoons for people …
Says he doesn’t know what the benefits are of blocking UV light. Does a Google search that comes up with skin cancer as the first hit. Still says he doesn’t know what the benefits are.
This is good work, thank you. But your own numbers show that S/B is cooler at the thermocouple than S/S. I feel like you are just ignoring that data to tell us that S/S is best. Your logic is good, but the measurements appear to disagree? Maybe an inside facing isn't as bad as one might expect? It certainly seems like further investigation might be needed.
I hate to tell you this, but your tests are not applicable, or a test that creates the applicable circumstances. Regardless of which thermometer you use, you're measuring the heat of the object and not what's being emitted. What's being emitted is the important part. Your taped thermometer is measuring higher because the tape prevents the heat from being emitted from the blind into the surrounding space. Your hand--held thermometer is measuring a lower temperature of the blind in the areas where there is no tape because the those areas are able to emit and dissipate the heat into the surrounding space. In other words, an uncovered blind is not retaining the heat, it's emitting and dissipating more heat into your living space than the covered portion of the blind. And that is bad.
Conduct a proper test to measure actual heat dissipated into the living space of your van:
-Make a box with a glass window (the smaller the box, the faster each test sequence will progress, but a larger box would make for a more representative test, perhaps a refrigerator box? If the box is representing your van space, make your window fairly proportional in size to to the box to represent the van window. It doesn't have to be exact, the test results will still tell you what you're looking to find out. What effect does the blind, and its condition, have on interior air temperature of my van?)
- place a freestanding thermometer inside the enclosed box.
-place a freestanding thermometer outside the box suspended in the air between the sun lamp and the window.
-place a freestanding thermometer outside the box and away from the sunlamp to measure the outside ambient temperature.
(Do not place any thermometers directly against any objects. We're interested in measuring the air temperature, not the temperature of any specific item or any surfaces. Pointing your hand-held infrared/laser thermometer measures the temperature of surfaces and items, not air temperature or emitted heat)
You're going to conduct 3 test sequences. It's important that the applications remain the same for all 3 test sequences......the lamp at the same distance and heat setting, the same box, same glass window, same placenent of the same 3 thermometers, same ambient temp outside the box, same starting temp inside the box.
-Begin with a control test (don't use the blind at all in any manner). Record the starting temps on all thermometers. Turn on the sunlamp. Record the readings on all 3 thermometers at one minute intervals (or 3, or 5 min intervals, but make it the same for all 3 test sequences). Continue until the air temp inside the box becomes consistent (the heat from the sunlamp should be consistent throughout all test sequences and the lamp's heat limit will determine when the air temp inside the box becomes redundant at the finishing intervals). Once that happens, end the test sequence.
-Begin the second test sequence. The only thing that should be different is placing the blind over the window (inside the box, as that is most likely how it will be used). Don't change anything else from the first test sequence. Try to ensure all ambient temps begin the same for every test sequence, the 3 ambient air temps AND the temp of the box material itself, as well as the window itself (this is where you can use your hand-held infrared/laser thermometer). Turn on the sunlamp and record the temps of all 3 thermometers at the same intervals as the first test sequence. Stop when the air temp inside the box becomes redundant.
-Begin the third test sequence, ensuring all is the same as the first and second test sequences, except using a blind covered with fabric (covering the window inside of the box)
-Compare the resulting inside box AIR temps from all three test sequences. (It is the AIR temps inside the box that will effect our comfort, not the temps of the items or surfaces. You have to measure emitted and dissipared heat within the van, not the item or surface temps).
There are two more test sequences you can do.
-Test sequence 4. Conduct the same test with the uncovered blind covering the window from OUTSIDE the box.
-Test sequence 5. Conduct the same test with the covered blind covering the window from OUTSIDE the box.
I predict that test sequences 4 and 5 will result in lower temps inside the box than test sequences 1, 2 and 3. I predict results of tests 4 and 5 fir temps inside the box will be almost identical. (Windows trap sun energy inside vehicles; placing the blind OUTSIDE the window should prevent sun energy from ever entering the window, and the blind being outside the box would be vented to emit and disipate its collected heat outside the box).
You could do additional testing on venting. You could install an adjustable vent at the top of the box. Once each of your testing sequences have reached redundant results at its finishing intervals with the vent completely closed, you could open the vent at controled increments and record results to measure the effect of venting on air temps inside the box.
Holy moly if you've got time to write this novel you've got time to run the experiment. Grab a physics book and learn about emissivity.
@@projectofscience it took me 10 minutes to write that. I've worked extensively with military testing of equipment, including parachute systems and manual writing. I don't think we have a "shorter" version of anything. I could have made a simpler statement without outlining the experiment at all. The experiment would take at least a day. But I appreciate your humor.
Like# 697
Your “study” is legitimate and very helpful. However, calling out individual companies is BS. Do better.
word of the day for me *emissivity*
Thanks!
Thank you!! Much appreciated!!