Insulation in pvc

[dazandandrea]

Recently got back from a chilly week in Brugge.
When in bed there was a distincinct chilly draught from the rear corners of the van.
( Autocruise conversion 2008).
Today i took the internal trim panels off the corner sections and could see straight through to the light units. Not good.
Then removed the rear door trim panels , no insulation whatsoever.
Unfortunately the side panels would be a complete nightmare to remove, but going on what ive already seen, i doubt if there will be any there either.
Ordering adhesive insulation pads and insulation roll tonight so i can do as much as i can before going away for new year.
It would be well woth checking for anyone with panels that come off easily.

 

[Spriddler]

Not unusual it would seem.
Have a look here.

insulation not there at all??

I purchased a motorhome this year it was made from a VW transporter van. It was sold as a camper but i have found it has no insulation and cannot be slept in. The temperature inside is like an oven and it got up to 49 c. The dealers response is tough and try opening a window. I have had it 3...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[dazandandrea]

I supose its possible that ours did have some at some point as it was a " proper" conversion. It is 14 years old now.

 

[Figaro]

I supose its possible that ours did have some at some point as it was a " proper" conversion. It is 14 years old now.

Where do you suppose it's gone then ?
I was shocked when I read the thread linked to above.
I'd always assumed pvc's were properly insulated but it seems not.
It's in my thoughts to go the woosh bang route in the future but I'd need to be sure it's insulated.

 

[Badknee]

The problem is you need to be able to get to the back of the light cluster these days ‘cos they don’t unscrew from the outside any more. We’re not so bad as we don’t have any back doors, much better for insulation.

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[Pugsy]

Not good that,I made sure to fill mine when doing it,50mm kingspan and recycled plastic insulation in all the nooks and crannies .

 

[Just smiffy]

What a coincidence, I investigated my new to me van today and found similar, most of the van has been sprayed with what looks like that expanding foam but it’s not thick and there are some areas that I think should be better insulated especially in some voids…. I shall get the woolly insulation and stuff it in any hole I find including the back by the rear light cluster and if I needed to get the light unit off for any reason then I could just pull the wool out (Badknee ) I think that would be a good solution for me anyway…

 

[Badknee]

You can use as many sheepsies as you like Smiffy. ‘Can’t move in here for sheepsies’

 

[Just smiffy]

You can use as many sheepsies as you like Smiffy. ‘Can’t move in here for sheepsies’

That’s because Anglea likes knitting sheep rather than talking to you…. Besides, she knows you like a good sheep..

 

[Otter Spotter]

What a coincidence, I investigated my new to me van today and found similar, most of the van has been sprayed with what looks like that expanding foam but it’s not thick and there are some areas that I think should be better insulated especially in some voids…. I shall get the woolly insulation and stuff it in any hole I find including the back by the rear light cluster and if I needed to get the light unit off for any reason then I could just pull the wool out (Badknee ) I think that would be a good solution for me anyway…

Careful with the wool insulation, if it gets wet it will rot and smell, look at Dacron which comes in rolls, it’s inert and will not soak water or rot.

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[Just smiffy]

Careful with the wool insulation, if it gets wet it will rot and smell, look at Dacron which comes in rolls, it’s inert and will not soak water or rot.

The one I was thinking about is that shredded plastic stuff that I’ve seen a few use on YouTube… that would be better at not getting so wet surly.. wouldn’t it..?

 

[bigwood]

Our first PVC was insulated were you could see it but inside the doors and behind the lower cupboards there was nothing.
The water pump was mounted touching the outer skin hence it froze. The water pipes between the water heater and pump ran underneath the floor to the washroom on the opposite side with no insulation.
It took us a lot of searching before we tracked down all the drafts. We couldn’t have used it in the winter hence us swapping to the current motorhome. We still have one known draft but a pot towel over the front of the fridge helps.

 

[Otter Spotter]

I am so happy that I regularly attended at my converters to see how he insulated it, with sticky foam sheet and Dacron filling all spaces, even then we found some drafts which I found were from the rear doors where they meet the body. So I fitted more rubber seals and Dee made up draft sausages for the vertical door joint.

 

[gus-lopez]

I shall get the woolly insulation and stuff it in any hole I find

I used sheet 'lana' on mine which is sheeps wool. rammed it in everywhere that i could as what had been used for the rear "cool" box area was sheet polystyrene where it could be fitted.
I have now done all the cab doors when I had the door panels off recently for a reason that escapes me? Side door is another that will need to be done probably as well.

 

[Gromett]

Not good that,I made sure to fill mine when doing it,50mm kingspan and recycled plastic insulation in all the nooks and crannies . View attachment 695231View attachment 695229

I tried multiple different methods for insulation. Kingspan/Recticel etc were good products but inevitably with curved surfaces there were gaps. I had a condensation problem but I didn't find out until it was too late.

I then moved onto 2 part poly spray foam and it is excellent. goes on in minutes and add rigidity, sound deadening and vapour barrier all in one hit.
Here is me stripping the ceiling back and redoing the insulation up there.

Stripping the foam board insulation out and putting full strips of wood in.

Applying the spray foam.

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[Just smiffy]

I tried multiple different methods for insulation. Kingspan/Recticel etc were good products but inevitably with curved surfaces there were gaps. I had a condensation problem but I didn't find out until it was too late.

I then moved onto 2 part poly spray foam and it is excellent. goes on in minutes and add rigidity, sound deadening and vapour barrier all in one hit.
Here is me stripping the ceiling back and redoing the insulation up there.

Stripping the foam board insulation out and putting full strips of wood in.
View attachment 695311

Applying the spray foam.
View attachment 695310

That’s like the stuff that covers most of the van but it doesn’t go in the void around the joints and pillars so I’ll stuff them with the fleece stuff…

 

[Dorwyn]

In my regrettably late departed pvc we would hang a bed sheet over the twin rear doors. It made an amazing difference. The sliding woosh bang door had no insulation, but you couldn't put too much in for the cables so I did what I could. I don't know that it made any difference. For the windows and rooflights you can cut slightly larger templates from plastic bubble silver backed insulation material and simply push it in. It has to be stored though, and is too much of a bother. I just wish I still had that problem. . .

 

[SpeedyDux]

Some PVC conversions are better insulated than others but there are a few areas that are very difficult to do properly. One of the compromises compared against a good coachbuilt.

 

[Guigsy]

For my previous van, the company that converted it (before I owned it) just shoved rockwool in the back door. It was pretty chilly. I replaced it with adhesive foil backed foam. I also did the side door and front doors. When we camped when it was frosty, you could clearly see the bits I'd done as it didn't melt as quickly. It had the added bonus of adding quite a lot of sound insulation too. Quieter to drive, better sound from the radio, and the doors went "klumpf" when you closed them.

 

[Raul]

In this link, post 3 starts with the insulation.
We self built ours, and made sure we insulated every void.

Crafter first built

Here is our take on a self conversion, crafter based.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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[dazandandrea]

Where do you suppose it's gone then ?































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































I was shocked when I read the thread linked to above.































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































I'd always assumed pvc's were properly insulated but it seems not.























































































The







































































































































































































































































































































































































































It's in y thoughts to go the woosh bang route in the future but I'insulated.







Where do you suppose it's gone then ?



I was shocked when I read the thread linked to above.



I'd always assumed pvc's were properly insulated but it seems not.



It's in my thoughts to go the woosh bang route in the future but I'd need to be sure it's insulated.

 

[dazandandrea]

My phone has been playing up , sorry about the above long quote lol.

Anyway insulation ordered, ill make a start next week

 

[jezport]

For my previous van, the company that converted it (before I owned it) just shoved rockwool in the back door. It was pretty chilly. I replaced it with adhesive foil backed foam. I also did the side door and front doors. When we camped when it was frosty, you could clearly see the bits I'd done as it didn't melt as quickly. It had the added bonus of adding quite a lot of sound insulation too. Quieter to drive, better sound from the radio, and the doors went "klumpf" when you closed them.

Rockwool soaks up water so will cause the panels to rot! It's amazing how wet it can get!

 

[Dazzola]

The rear bottom corners of vans have 'slam vents' fitted on purpose, usually with plastic vent covers fitted.
They are there to relieve air pressure when closing the doors, particularly the sliding door, if you insulate these areas be sure air can still pass through a little as you may pop a window with the pressure!

 

[dazandandrea]

I dont think there will be a problem with air escaping through the numerous gaps and vents etc

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[Terry]

Information for all who have pvc and leave voids to get to bulbs
I couldn’t leave access to the rear lights / removed doors and put bathroom across the back / so simply removed lights drilled through the edges and self tapped into the bodywork Dead Simple and you can simply remove a couple of screws to get to the bulbs etc worked for me

 

[Gromett]

Information for all who have pvc and leave voids to get to bulbs
I couldn’t leave access to the rear lights / removed doors and put bathroom across the back / so simply removed lights drilled through the edges and self tapped into the bodywork Dead Simple and you can simply remove a couple of screws to get to the bulbs etc worked for me

I like that idea. Just wondering if an improvement on it might be to use rivnuts? Would that be possible?

 

[the1andonly]

What feels like many moons ago I insulated my Bongo with a wool syntheic mix intended for lofts. The Mix was for structural, condensation and thermal optimization. Good thermal properties of wool and mechanical properties to allow draining.

 

[dazandandrea]

Well, ive got the back doors done , adhesive backed , foil lined foam then insulation wadding.



No idea if its made any difference But the doors close with a thud now rather than a rattle.

 

[Terry]

I like that idea. Just wondering if an improvement on it might be to use rivnuts? Would that be possible?

I don’t see why not Karl. I carefully countersink and used Stainless Steel Philips self tappers simply because I had them. There was a good half inch all around the light If you don’t fancy countersinking you could use Dome headed screws

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