Welcome to the eighth entry in October’s Medium Mod-Ster Contest. One Medium Mod will be published in every Email Alert in October. At the end of the month we’ll hold a reader vote to determine October’s winner. For information about the Mod-Ster Contest, including how to enter, click here.
Neil and Yoly Mullen, Dawsonville, Georgia
Tropi-Cool 100% Silicone Roof Coating
2016 Ram 2500HD
2018 Eureka Camper
Having made extensive successful modifications already to reduce cabin temperatures in our Eureka camper, I still found the cabover area to be warmer than I had hoped for.
One day, on a whim, I placed the palm of my hand on the forward section of the ceiling and found it to be quite warm. In fact, checking this with an infrared thermo device revealed that the ceiling was over 98-degrees on a hot day with no cloud cover.
This led me to investigate the roof temperatures. To my surprise, the roof was actually constructed from sheets of galvanized steel. It was bright and reflective, but still too hot to touch with your hand. I got readings in excess of 114-degrees. I started my investigation for a remedy.
For those not familiar with Henry Tropi-Cool 887, it has been around for decades and is considered the best product for reducing heat on metal roofs from sun exposure.
It is 100-percent silicone, much like the oven mitts made from the same material. Heat just doesn’t pass through it very well. It’s also bright white so it’s quite reflective. Add to the fact that it sticks like glue and is 100-percent waterproof and you’ve got the ideal coating for any RV with a metal roof. It also works on all kinds of roofs including EPDM and conventional rubber RV roofs.
I applied two coats covering the entire roof including the vent covers (after testing). I covered all the existing caulked seams and holes as this protection will extend the life of the original caulk by eliminating heat, UV degradation and water intrusion. Like the silicone oven mitts, it’s a tough, durable surface that could possibly offer protection from hail damage as well. The steel roof is already pretty durable.
I produced a step-by-step video showing how all the comparative data was gathered.
Fundamentally, the interior ceiling temperatures were reduced about 16-degrees while the roof temperatures were reduced 24-degrees.
The roof used to be too hot to touch by noon on a hot day and now it doesn’t evaporate morning dew off the roof after sitting all day in 90-degree heat. The roof always feels cool to the touch. Now that the ceiling heat isn’t working against the air conditioner, the air conditioner can get outside temperature of 92-degrees down to 63 in the cabin (see video above).
The product itself is a bit expensive, but it’s the best on the market. I paid $63.67 at Home Depot for a can containing 0.9 gallons. Be sure to look for the 887 designation as they have quite a variety of similar products. I already had brushes and rollers for application. Wear gloves and old clothes because this stuff is permanent!
It took me three hours to complete this modification and cost me $64. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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