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Airtight door/wall design

Started by cfichter, January 23, 2019, 05:00:39 PM

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cfichter

Hi again folks -
I'm thinking about a diy campervan design where I place the grey water (7gal water jug) and a cassette toilet behind a thick, insulated wall - I'll be venting that area, but I want to prevent any odors to get to the main cabin, and it will double as an insulated barrier to reduce area I'll be heating.

I need door access, and want it to be airtight.

Is there a good write-up/thread anywhere with suggestions how best to go about this?  Vapor wraps floor to ceiling on wall... etc? 

Thanks for ideas.

Camper_Dan

Greetings!

I think you're totally over thinking things, while not completely understanding them.

Done right, neither your grey water nor your toilet should stink.  If they do, you're not doing them right.  Any fumes created while using the toilet, can obvviously be vented out quickly and easily enough.

The necessary constant ventilation in your living area, will totally defeat any supposed advantages of insulation.  Insulation only works in a totally sealed environment, which doesn't work in something the size of a camper van.  What actually works is having enough heat to compensate for the needed ventilation.

A simple privacy curtain is a better choice for your toilet. 

Cheers!
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Pass them on!!!

cfichter

Ok on the smell I guess -
But I'm not going to go soft on the insulation.
This van I want to build is for 4 season, very high altitude photography. We are talking very very bitter cold.
So I want a tight fit on the door to the back. Just looking for walkthrough's and ideas.
Yes, I'm planning on very heavy/dense curtains surrounding the driving area.  Perhaps curtains are the simple way to go in front of this wall/door I'm imaging.

Camper_Dan

Greetings!

Having gone the route that you're attempting, I can tell you first hand that it doesn't work.  The only solution that works is more heat.

It's getting down to -40 where I'm at, and with experience I now have a fully windowed van, with no partitions, and no added insulation, and I don't insulate my windows.  In a heavily insulated cargo van I was freezing to death.  Insulation isn't the answer, more heat is.  The only thing insulation is good for is hiding and trapping moisture, mold, and rust problems.  You need constant ventilation, not insulation.

The next obstacle is you need DRY heat.  Typical RV furnaces are 3 season heaters, and not sufficient for truly cold weather.  My 23k BTU kerosene heater can easily raise the temperature in my van to 70+ degrees, at which point it only requires minimal heat to maintain it.  The raising of the temperature within a reasonable amount of time is the hard part.  Insulation MIGHT help a little in that department, but isn't required.

Cheers!
Smiles are extremely contagious,
Pass them on!!!