Insulation in walls and ceiling of Sunline Saturn

[rivertrails]

Is there insulation in the walls and ceiling of Sunline Saturn T1550 trailers ?

[Sunline Fan]

Oh yes. A 1550 will have less than most Sunlines because it has 1" thick walls vs. 2". But it's still sufficient, like R15 or something.

I believe the floor and ceiling, or at least the floor, has more insulation.

[rivertrails]

Its Wonderful lit has insulation. Thanks.

[bunjin]

Infiltration

Correct attention to air sealing measures and consideration of vapor transfer mechanisms are important for the optimal function of bulk insulators. Air infiltration can allow convective heat transfer or condensation formation, both of which may degrade the performance of an insulation


I believe the fiberglass R-value to be more like 3.4/inch (new). After many years it will deteriorate.
Personally I don't place a lot of value in our (I have a 1983) old T-1550's being very well insulated from heat/cold transfers and actually see some negatives also. I'll explain in a brief manner, which is mostly my opinion, thus may be challenged. I'm talking about my 1983 T-1550 mostly, and that era, as that is all I have as a base knowledge, albeit very limited.


Insulation Pro's: 1) to slow down heat/cold transfer 2) some sound deadening (possibly as important as the insulation value, as aluminum shell and luau panels could sound like a drum otherwise, much like a tint roof in a rain/hail storm)

Insulation Negative's: 1) degrades and looses much of it's R-value. 2) holds water and doesn't allow air circulation needed for evaporation. In this process a water leak can come in contact with the insulation which in turn can redirect the water (capillary action). This moisture lays against wood structure members and panels. The panels which is sealed by a vinyl vapor barrier called "wallpaper" is a whole other can of worms.


I started with a quote from Wikipedia "Infiltration". This is the leaks, air leaks around doors, windows, studs, etc. These items have there own R-values, which is much less then the fiberglass. In short....the 1980 era T-1550 is a sieve...albeit a beautiful one. I love the windows despite the fact they conduct and have infiltration galore. It would be interesting to see a infrared image of one.


Yes it is wonderful that it has insulation, yet I wonder and dream of foam panel insulation.

[bunjin]

Oh, I forgot to suggest that the insulation's value may be more important, or at least as important as to it's R-value is for the prevention of convection within the cavities of the walls, ceiling and floor.

If memory serves me correctly 3/4" is about as large a gap one would want between glass in a thermopane (double glassed) window with air insulating medium before starting to get convection currents in said space. This I think would hold true with the TT construction as well. Being aluminum is a good conductor and the wood panels less so, spaced 1" or greater, combined with differing outside/inside temperatures, the insulation would play an important role in moderating this.

To illustrate what I'm trying to get across here with the convection think of a drafty window. One hangs drapes on the window only to find that they get cold feet. This is because they created a "chimney effect". This is where the space between the window and the drapes is the flue, the opening at the top of drapes acts as the top of chimney and the opening at the bottom of drapes (if off floor) acts as the fireplace/hearth. Warm air rises and cold air is drawn in. Ceilings generally are warmer than the floor area of any given room. The window is a air pump whereas the fire is for the real chimney. In both cases these effects causes convection flow, which in turn is a draft effect. The trick is to have a valance up to the ceiling and the drapes touching the floor. this helps stop the convection flow drawing supply from the room and or living space, house or TT.

The insulation, if well done in the cavities of the TT doesn't allow for any large areas of air to create convection flow/currents.

[OldGrayMare]

Originally Posted by rivertrails

Is there insulation in the walls and ceiling of Sunline Saturn T1550 trailers ?

Rivertrails......I have an '87 Saturn T-1661. Today I ripped out the bathroom fixtures in prep for installing a larger shower tub/pan and had to remove some of the inside walls down to the insulation. Mine does have insulation, at least in the bathroom exterior walls, but I'll have to say it was not installed in every sq in....it had some 'bare spots' I'm guessing from lazy installers @ the mfg plant. The existing insulation was about 1/2" thick and wasn't paper backed as most rolled house insulation is. I'll be replacing the insulation before I resurface the walls but due to construction of the wall structure I'll not be able to put much more than the previous 1/2" back inside the walls. I may go with insulation board if I can find some the correct thickness.

[bunjin]

The paper and esp. foil backed insulation serves as a vapor barrier. The paper works to help install in house with the use of a stapler, etc.

Being the trailer is very easy to install insulation just paperless batts can be used. Also the vinyl "wallpaper" acts as a vapor barrier as well as possibly a thermal block on the living space. Aluminum can have condensation very easily, so vapor barriers became a little tricky I think in our trailers much more so than our homes. My rub with the vinyl (the can of worms I eluded to in my above post) is that moisture behind it is trapped against the wood. This hides staining, etc. and we often don't become aware of damage until the vinyl begins to crawl (wrinkle).

Our trailers go through much more environmental change, stresses & resonance; often in days or hours even than a house, thus they really need to be looked at differently in my opinion.