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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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 Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject: tons of condensation, need help |
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i am sleeping in my van everyday now (got kicked out of parents house) everything is working out great except every morning all the windows are drenched with water. does anyone have any ways of dealing with this? i was thinking a dehumidifier, do they work well enough to handle that much water but not use up to much electricity? i do have a 115 amp hour marine battery hooked up right now as well.
thanks!
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'89 Vanagon GL
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76884
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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The problem is there's too much water inside.... you have a leak.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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errolprowse
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Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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i do have ventilation fans but i would think they would help with it. should i close those up at night instead???
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'89 Vanagon GL
The ultimate kiteboarding/surfing/skimboarding van! |
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errolprowse
Samba Member
Joined: April 18, 2009
Posts: 177
Location: monterey california
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Glenn wrote: |
| The problem is there's too much water inside.... you have a leak. |
also, the water is only on the inside of the windows, just from water that i breath out when i sleep
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'89 Vanagon GL
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RCB
Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005
Posts: 4143
Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| errolprowse wrote: |
| Glenn wrote: |
| The problem is there's too much water inside.... you have a leak. |
also, the water is only on the inside of the windows, just from water that i breath out when i sleep |
Good Lord man, do you have gills  .
Just kiddin, I use a Moisture Absorber from Oxford Hill..its a small container of Charcoal and a whiteish pebble that absorbs moisture and any , after cooking odors.
They suck up water real good, I put one in each of the cabinets and one in the refer.
Toss em out after a few months and just replace them.
Even during the summer monthe Im amazed at how much moisture can build up inside .
Sometimes it helps to leave the side window cracked a bit and with the screen on it you wont have to worry about bugs or critters making their way to the inside while your sleeping.
Damp-Rid is another absorber but for my needs the Moisture Absorb works just fine |
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kshbaja
Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2008
Posts: 476
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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I used to have this problem when camping in a previous non-vw van. Basically you need to vent the humid air. Easy = open the window. Moderate = wire up a PC fan or two to put near a cracked window. Involved = install a powered roof vent.
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BlackDogVan
Samba Member
Joined: December 21, 2007
Posts: 855
Location: Vancouver Island
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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Are you riding Caution gear? That's most likely the problem.  |
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buildyourown
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2009
Posts: 1668
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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2 options:
Ventilation.
Or keep the warm moist air from coming into contact with the cool surfaces. When I sleep under my truck canopy in cold weather, the condensation only occurs on the non-insulated area. Foil faces bubble type insulation is probably enough on the windows. Cut it to size and affix with sticky velcro patches. When you need to move, just yank them down. They also keep ALL of the light out so you can sleep in brightly lit areas. |
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madspaniard
Samba Member
Joined: August 18, 2008
Posts: 3795
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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| buildyourown wrote: |
| Foil faces bubble type insulation is probably enough on the windows. Cut it to size and affix with sticky velcro patches. When you need to move, just yank them down. They also keep ALL of the light out so you can sleep in brightly lit areas. |
if you have a bit of money around
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=J12747
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Jon_slider
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Joined: April 11, 2007
Posts: 5091
Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 10:48 am Post subject: |
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I had JustKampers window pads, waste of time. I still got condensation frozen on the glass. And it was just as cold inside the van as outside by morning. I slept with the vents closed, thinking it would hold heat in, which it did not.
to eliminate condensation, you need to vent the air you breathe, open the skylight, and the door vents, if you have a westy. That may not be enough, you might also need to open the side windows, or crack the front ones.
I use a towel to dry the windows in the morning, after they thaw.
A recent overnight at Squaw Valley Ski area surprised me. I slept with all vents closed, plus a blanket hanging behind the front seats. When I raised the top in the morning, it was so wet, in section behind the folded bunk bed, the water actually dripped off. I used a towel to mop up what I could, and left the top up to dry during the day, while skiing.
Moral of the story, closing the van up to sleep in, traps all the moisture, but none of the heat. You might as well vent the van, since it wont be any colder than unvented. And venting is the only way to remove moisture.. unless you want to mount towels to the windows |
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Steelhead
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2007
Posts: 1791
Location: Kentfield, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:14 am Post subject: |
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| Jon_slider wrote: |
....A recent overnight at Squaw Valley Ski area surprised me. I slept with all vents closed, plus a blanket hanging behind the front seats. When I raised the top in the morning, it was so wet, in section behind the folded bunk bed, the water actually dripped off....
...Moral of the story, closing the van up to sleep in, traps all the moisture, but none of the heat.... |
Another moral of the story: Stay hydrated! nothing like sleeping in a cold sealed box to make you realize how much water you lose while sleeping.
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morymob
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Joined: November 09, 2007
Posts: 4683
Location: east-tn
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Don't exhale. |
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240Gordy
Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2008
Posts: 2354
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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and now you will believe me when I tell you Westy kitchen rot comes from interior moisture production and not leaks around through-hull fittings?
You have got to,
Short term
1. Vent out moist air,
Long term,
2. Prevent moist air from getting into non-heated cavities and contacting cold surfaces.
or you will rot your van from the inside out.
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