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Don66bus
Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2006
Posts: 440
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 Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 3:56 pm Post subject: Bubble wrap R-value |
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Clara,
You are correct. When you have a bare, hot, metal surface, and you put insulation against it (bubble wrap, old carpet, cardboard), you are not going to feel the heat as much. The first increment of insulation is the most important. Foil bubble wrap is about R1. So is an enclosed air space (more or less), such as the space between the interior panel and the body. If you want to increase the comfort of a bus in cold or heat, add insulation. The higher the R-value, the less the heat loss. Bubble wrap has the lowest R-value of any product you can buy. That may still be enough for your needs. |
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matt94gt
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2014
Posts: 245
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:00 pm Post subject: Re: Bubble wrap R-value |
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| Don66bus wrote: |
Clara,
You are correct. When you have a bare, hot, metal surface, and you put insulation against it (bubble wrap, old carpet, cardboard), you are not going to feel the heat as much. The first increment of insulation is the most important. Foil bubble wrap is about R1. So is an enclosed air space (more or less), such as the space between the interior panel and the body. If you want to increase the comfort of a bus in cold or heat, add insulation. The higher the R-value, the less the heat loss. Bubble wrap has the lowest R-value of any product you can buy. That may still be enough for your needs. |
Yeah thats my worry as I camp in the bus. Im still going to see how this styrospan works out, its a true R5.
_________________
72' Sunroof Bus - Kansas Beige
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-21257.htm
Build thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7257521 |
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Clara 
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12638
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| Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 11:06 pm Post subject: Re: Bubble wrap R-value |
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| Don66bus wrote: |
Clara,
You are correct. When you have a bare, hot, metal surface, and you put insulation against it (bubble wrap, old carpet, cardboard), you are not going to feel the heat as much. The first increment of insulation is the most important. Foil bubble wrap is about R1. So is an enclosed air space (more or less), such as the space between the interior panel and the body. If you want to increase the comfort of a bus in cold or heat, add insulation. The higher the R-value, the less the heat loss. Bubble wrap has the lowest R-value of any product you can buy. That may still be enough for your needs. |
Don,
Not feeling the heat (or cold) as much is pretty much the point of insulating. 
If the shiny bubble wrap is R1, it is a huge difference. Maybe it works differently in a VW bus than under concrete. ???
You are correct, the first layer was the most noticeable difference. I then added a second layer and then the ceiling panels. These layers were not sandwiched tightly against each other, or even glued to the roof. There was some air space in between each layer.
I guess I could take pics of a thermometer to compare temps, but haven't bothered.
This is one method; it worked well for me so I've used it again. I'm sure there are others that work well also.
I have camped in cold, even freezing weather. Often in a damp climate.
I would not recommend carpet or cardboard for insulating your bus, as they hold moisture. |
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matt94gt
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Joined: April 29, 2014
Posts: 245
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
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Thin Metal
Samba Member
Joined: June 27, 2004
Posts: 135
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| Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:48 pm Post subject: Bubble Wrap Home Depot |
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| Home Depot does not stock the bubble wrap as in the past but you can however order it from them online. |
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Clara
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12638
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:56 am Post subject: |
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from VW technical bulletin:
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matt94gt
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2014
Posts: 245
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
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esde
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2007
Posts: 6370
Location: central rust belt
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 9:55 am Post subject: Re: Bubble Wrap Home Depot |
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| Roger H wrote: |
| Home Depot does not stock the bubble wrap as in the past but you can however order it from them online. |
Any HVAC supply sells it for insulating metal duct work. |
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Clara
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2003
Posts: 12638
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="matt94gt"]
| Clara wrote: |
from VW technical bulletin:
Wow that's crazy what's expansit, looks similar to what I put in. Any stories about it? |
It looks like a hard foam that can be cut with a hacksaw blade. That technical bulletin is from from 1959. Here is the previous page, which says the 'Expansit' insulating boards are 30mm thick.
It also says you can protect your cargo floor against corrosion with 'bituminous paint', which sounds a lot like roofing tar.
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matt94gt
Samba Member
Joined: April 29, 2014
Posts: 245
Location: Victoria BC, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Clara"]
| matt94gt wrote: |
| Clara wrote: |
from VW technical bulletin:
Wow that's crazy what's expansit, looks similar to what I put in. Any stories about it? |
It looks like a hard foam that can be cut with a hacksaw blade. That technical bulletin is from from 1959. Here is the previous page, which says the 'Expansit' insulating boards are 30mm thick.
It also says you can protect your cargo floor against corrosion with 'bituminous paint', which sounds a lot like roofing tar.
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Cool thanks for posting this, I also am putting 3M undercoating on the floors, so its pretty much as if I followed those instructions without knowing. 
_________________
72' Sunroof Bus - Kansas Beige
http://www.vw-mplate.com/mplate-21257.htm
Build thread:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7257521 |
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fwitiw
Samba Member
Joined: May 11, 2011
Posts: 42
Location: Monroe, Ga
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| Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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Matt94gt... How'd it go? Squeaky? Now that its spring, have you camped? Thanks for sharing!
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77 Westy 2.0
78 Transporter (no engine yet!)
71 Beetle |
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