dennis.l@mccanna.ws

All Monaco and Holiday Rambler Diesels manufactured by Navastar use the Double EGR system including the Cummins engines. I have looked at several and have confirmed this. One of my problems I see with the DEF is storage. If a person does not use up the DEF before it spoils (within a year) the tank has to be cleaned and the old fluid removed. If the computer does not read the fluid is within tolerances than this is required. Dosage for 2011 is a 1% rate meaning for 150 gallons of fuel you would require 1.5 gallons of DEF. In 2013 (I think) they will have to dose the system at 2% to meet the almost zero requirements of the EPA. The tanks I have seen on other brands are 15 gallons which at the 1% rate should last about 10,000 miles or so. If for some reason you don't travel this far in a year then you have the spoilage issue to deal with. Of course you can always put less in the tank but sometimes plans change and you might have a full tank. I realize that this is a new technology, similar to what we had years ago with the catalytic converters but DEF is a PIA for an RV'er. Just another thing to have to watch, monitor and service. Rather than jump through hoops to get zero emissions out of diesel fuel why don't we go to natural gas? I guess we all know the reason for that!

I have reviewed several installations of residential refrigerators and noticed that there is no mention of the outside vents. I have to assume that they have been blocked off or the MH will be sucking in outside air from the vents. Were they blocked off?

I whole heartedly agree with Butler. An acquaintance this year purchased a Country Coach Affinity this past summer and we were parked next to him as he transferred (or tried) to transfer his stuff from his Bluebird into the Affinity. The Affinity is Country Coach's version of the Prevost. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE! They threw out more basement and interior belongings than I probably have. He sat there for the better part of two weeks trying to manage the space issue and every day took a trunk full of stuff to the garbage bin. His coach is absolutely beautiful but has no storage. It also has no upper cabinets which reduces the amount of interior storage greatly (but makes the interior striking because of it) and only two compartments with basement slideouts. They are not full timers but vacationers and did not need all they were carrying anyways but if they were they would be in trouble. Each night as we shared an adult beverage he said he wished he had the storage that I did. Each night after a couple of beverages he actually attempted to retire to our coach (guess he had it on his mind............... LOL.) They actually are now looking for another coach again. It is very important to know how you plan to use your coach!

Hey Sky King! How 'bout a picture or two of what you are using!! I THINK I know what you are talking about as I have seen the folding type in the windshields of some coaches and what looks like aluminum foil in the other windows.

Exterior screens will disperse heat to the ambient air. But I respectfully disagree with your statement that they will disperse to the surrounding air more easily. If the outdoor temp. is 110 degrees and the cover is 130 some heat will be transmitted BUT heat travels to cold and glass is not an insulator, air though is an insulator and if the temperature outside is hotter than the temperature inside where does the heat go? Inside! Check out the R values in your Trane manual. The heat will pass through the windshield faster (and quicker) especially if the coach is colder than to the surrounding air outside. It is all a function of temperature difference and insulating ® value. In your brick and mortar home you may have had lined insulated drapes (similar to the shades) on your windows for the winter BUT the heat will go through the windows and escape and through the walls also. If it didn't happen the stupid furnace would not be burning up our hard earned dollars. The other windows in the coach (depending on the make) are dual pane with a dry air space between. Because of the insulating quality of the air it helps reduce window loss (although not that much, but my toungue won't stick to the window at least <smile>.) Some better windows use a vacuum and some other gases (argon I think but my memory is having a brain f--t as I write this so it slips me at present.) This whole discussion is kind of like what the guy said when I took a tour of Fleetwood. I asked what is the difference between these coaches (Fleetwood Diesels) on this line and the (American Coaches) on this line as I stood in the middle of both. His response ........... $200,000 how much would you like to pay? For all you American Coach guys reading this I know that there is more to them than that, it was HIS statement not mine. Same is for the interior and exterior shades they both limit some heat transfer .............. how much do you want to pay? I .......excuse me, my wife paid (I am not going to take credit) a lot of money for the MCD's and she could have received the same benefit from the exteriors. Again the MCD's are very nice and a nice addition. The bottom line of my post was not start a comprehensive review on the subject but to advise folks that NONE of the methods do a really great job because of what they have to deal with! Or at least they should not spend a lot of money and expect a MAJOR difference. Awnings are really the best defense against the sun for radiant heat but the glass will still conduct the outdoor ambient temp to the inside of the coach, you only have to feel the windows to get the idea on a hot day. I am going back to sleep now!

If I may add.......... check out www.rv.org. Before we bought our first coach, we studied all available and used the ratings guide to help us through the process. we learned plenty and saved 30% off the price of our vehicle! You may have to search a little on their page to find the ratings CD, I see they have changed their site. You will definately save the cost of the materials when you buy your first coach.

Very good article, informative. Would like to add that if you have the space available a de-humidifier will keep the humidity down to resonable levels, which is what we use. Of course if venting you are bringing in cooler drier air (from the open window) but then you have to heat the occupied space back up. Either way we are sucking up utilities to keep the humidity down.

I would like to add some comments regarding the exterior and interior covers. A couple of months ago I purchased a full set of MCD Duo's for the coach along with the wheel covers. They are a nice addition, well made, look good, easy to operate and expensive. I also spent almost 2 weeks at MCD parked directly facing the Southern sun in 110 degree + weather and as I was bored to death most of the time so decided to take heat measurements to test each of these setups during the day. My wife hated the pleated shades which most folks don't like and wanted the upgrade because of looks and reduction in heat intrusion into the occupied space. I have over 25 years in the A/C trades so I knew a bit about the subject and tried to explain that there are 3 forms of heat. Radiant, conductive and convection and the interior shades would do nothing more than reduce the radiant heat waves. The interior shades will actually heat up from convection (hot air currents circulating between the hot windshield and the shade itself) and will give this heat off to the interior of the coach. This was proved by taking temperature readings as there was a reduction in heat but not great. While waiting for our shades to be made I asked MCD to loan us an exterior shade which we installed across the windshield. The temperature on the inside of the glass was approximately 10 degrees warmer than the room temperature within apprximately 1 foot from the windshield. As the temperature drift was up to almost 90 degrees by late afternoon it placed the temp in the cockpit area over 100 degree. The glass was hot enough to fry an egg on, the reason for this is conductive heat from the exterior screen itself. The screen lays directly on top of the glass and transfers this heat to the glass. Without an air space betweenthe two the heat has no place to go but to the glass and into the coach. The radiant heat though does not make it through the screen for the most part. As far as which is better for heat reduction, I would say they are a toss up, they both reduce radiant heat, one conducts heat through conduction (exterior) and the other conducts heat through convection (interior.) Of course the MCD's are nicer. I linked a couple of pictures of an Airstream TT and I took notice of the shades on it manufactured by Airstream. You will notice that there is an airgap between the shade and the front window. THIS WILL DO THE BEST JOB. If someone can figure out an easy way to keep the exterior shade off the window (so there is an air gap) they would then have the best heat reduction method of all.