B190 Enthusiasts

Hello all!

I recently purchased a 1993 B190 with the intention of doing some traveling with my pup Amos in the next month. We will be mostly in the North West, but my biggest concern now is how well it is insulated, and keeping my pup cool. We'll be boon docking mostly, so I intend to add a solar set up for DC power items. Can anyone advise on how well the roof and walls are insulated?

I am planning to take out the carpet and put down a vinyl plank floor, so I intend to insulate the floor then. As far as i can tell there is no insulation under the subfloor now, is this correct? Also, it would appear that the bottom of the walls, and the wheel wells are also uninsulated. This makes me question how well the rest of the van, the walls and topper, are insulated.

I've searched and read a few threads, but what has everyone found to be the best insulation approaches and materials, and how big of a job will this be, if I only do the floor?

Thanks for the add!

Chris

It’s not well insulated, and the windows are single-pane. Good, heavy curtains would help. But keeping it cool without using the air conditioner is going to be a struggle.

I agree with Skater. Of course, I'm down here in Florida... But I've found it very difficult to keep it cool if you're in the sun - even with the AC sometimes.
One thing I've found that helps is keeping the sun off the windows. Once the glass gets hot, it radiates the heat into the van. Reflective barriers placed over the windows on the inside help to keep the sun out, but still gets the glass hot. Covering the windows from the outside does help! (REEEEALLY wish I had awnings...)

Something else I read, but haven't been in a situation to test out - whichever side of the van the sun is on, close those windows and shades, and open everything on the opposite side. It's supposed to create more airflow...?

slapthecat wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 17, 2019 3:22 pm

(REEEEALLY wish I had awnings...)

The stock awnings (well, optional stock awnings) really only cover the couch window and then the side door windows - though the angle of the sun might still get the front passenger window. There's no cover for the upper windows, driver's window, or windshield (for vans with the shorter top).

Except in a friend's Okanagan-turned-Airstream B190 - that one has semicircular metal covers that go over each of the upper windows. I'm not even sure how to describe them, and I haven't looked closely at them to see how they're attached. Pictures in this thread.

That's awesome!!!! I've been trying to find a way to cover those windows - that makes a lot of sense. It would block the sun, but still allow airflow. I'm gonna work with that idea... how to attach... hmmmm...

You say you are traveling to the NW. Well, here in the PNW, as far NW as you can get in the contiguous USA, we don't get too hot and we don't get too cold. I've run my AC a total of once in the past three years (because of temperature but I do run it every year for maintenance), and turn my heater on at night just to remove the chill, until the calendar turns to May, then the heater probably won't run again until September.

Our first trip of the year is this weekend as our racing season begins...

Safe travels to you