Heat From Engine Compartment

[JohnLombardozzi]

I am having a difficult time keeping my Coach Cooled while traveling.

Has anyone done extensive work in order to keep the Coach cool. Some suggestions I have heard:

1) Remove the muffler from the rear chase and have it wrapped.
2) Wrap the exhaust pipe coming from the TurboFan to the exhaust Chase.
3) Install Dometic Quick Cool Ducts to improve air flow by bypassing the ceiling vents.

I have already rebuilt the rear engine compartment service hatch door and doubled the insulation area which has improved things but more needs to be done.

Questions I need help with:
1) What is the best Insulation & sound material and where can I buy it.
2) Does anyone know of a spray foam insulation material that will seal the compartment ?
3) Has anyone installed the Quick Cool Duct?
4) Has anyone done work to improve the air flow and cooling of the rear area behind the rear closet.

John

[Trees]

Hi John, I'm no authority on 450's, but I would definitely check you exhaust chase area and make sure everything is sound there, no leaky muffler or pipes and whatever insulation around the compartment is good. Do you try to cool your coach with chassis or engine a/c or do you run generator and house a/c's? We just finished a trip in 90 degree days in our BMC and ran generator and house a/c's. Stayed comfortable but didn't get cold by any means. Good luck

[GEEZER]

Has anyone done an extensive clean and service on your Air Conditionng equipment. If condenser and evaporator coils are not clean it can loose capacity. Just a thought.

[Mike Hohnstein]

Not to worry, it's a heat wave, cooler weather will be around soon.

[DonB]

I have trouble believing that the engine/exhaust heat is making that much difference in the total coach temperature. I'm not saying that you shouldn't be concerned about the chase in particular, just that I doubt it or the engine is nearly the contributor compared with the sun beating down on a thousand square feet of exterior (my rough estimate assuming top, one side, and one cap at any given time).

Have you used a temp gun to measure the inside walls of the chase? With the stock muffler mine was very high, but with a non-baffled muffler it is now near outside ambient. I did that for safety, and am not aware that it made any obvious difference on the inside air temp.

[NoGas]

Have you seen the extensive postings about same subject over on the M380 side? Including:
http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.co...ad.php?t=18321
http://www.wanderlodgeownersgroup.co...ad.php?t=20551
A video of what I did - https://youtu.be/em5apEFKfP0

Before my mod temps were similar as Dons, maybe 15-20 degree temp increase inside the rear closet with the walls getting very hot & some noticeable effect in rear coach living area. My situation was different though in that I had both an exhaust leak and the space around muffler in the exhaust chase was plugged by collapsed (and burned) insulation. The underside of bird grate up top also had evidence of extreme heat (soot). After my mod, which included a straight pipe, lining the chase with sheet metal and wrapping the exhaust pipe, closet walls now run ambient even after long grade pulls. Your 450 results may vary.

[Doubledoc]

Hi,
Two 12" radiator cooling fans, controlled through an adjustable thermostat controller and the associated relay, switches, timer, fuses and wiring were installed in the engine bay area to remove engine, turbo, and exhaust heat as needed during operation and after engine shut down. The system can be operated with ignition control or directly from the batteries.

The controller, relay, timer and switches were installed on the inside of the door of the power distribution box.The fans were installed on the engine bay door up against the grills on both the curb and road sides. Thin mounting tabs (four for each fan and made of brass) were made and attached to the fans and then to inside of the fiberglass frame.

The fans (Spal #30101522) are single speed pusher fans drawing 13 amps at 12 v dc and rated at 1300 CFM. The controller (Derale # 16789) has an adjustable thermostat (150 degrees F - 240 degrees F) with a staggered control for two fans, Each fan circuit is rated at 35 amps continuous. Fan-1 turns on at the thermostat setting and fan-2 turns on 15 F higher than fan-1. Each fan turns off when temperature drops 10 F below the turn on temperature.

Fan-1 can be manually turned on without the thermostat in the circuit by using the AC input on the controller. A timed switch with setting up to 30 minutes was added as well.

The 12 v dc power (battery and ground) was obtained at the inputs to a Vanner unit just behind the power distribution box. A 24 v+ dc ignition activated source and another ground were found inside the power distribution box. The 24 v dc ign is fed to the coil of a relay which turns a 12 v dc battery source into a 12 v dc ignition source for use by the controller.

The 12 v dc + power lead, the 12 v dc + fan-1 and fan-2 leads, and the thermostat sensor leads are fed into the top of the Power box near the hinged door and covered in flexible conduit and sealed with silicon rubber. The fan grounds go directly to the ground on the Vanner unit. The thermostat sensor was screwed into a 3/8" bronze elbow and placed in the area of the turbo's and exhaust. The sensor leads had to be extended and were placed in flexible conduit.

I plan to use trial and error to set the thermostat starting at the lower temperature. The system cost about $400 with most of that spent on the fans and controller.

[dbmotors]

I to have installed the fans on the engine bay door and it made a measurable difference in the bedroom temperature. Have also installed a aftermarket muffler that is much smaller in length and diameter from the stock unit, more area for air to circulate around it which helps dissipate heat.

[rbbuscher]

I also put a after market performance muffler on my 450. Not only did it help with the heat in the bed room. It sound great to. Let that Cat breathe.

[travler]

hi guys
i have put fans in the engine bay and a smaller exhaust system both if i new how to up load pictures i would any one that wants to send me an email at john@jdeco.com i will send picture the 450 guys have an email list that we share info on all the changes that we have made or we are going to make there is a lot of info there
hope this helps John