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Getting Some Air Flow In Your Bed Area

Discussion in 'Tonneau Covers, Caps and Shells' started by BlackSheep, Jul 26, 2021.

  1. Jul 26, 2021 at 12:51 PM
    #1
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    You guys with caps on your beds who camp in them, what do you do to vent the space? I just camped in mine for the first time, and loved it, all except for how unbearably stuffy it was. I searched around the forum and didn't find much on this topic, even in the camping related threads. Based on pics others have shared of their setups, it looks like a lot of guys just open the cap windows. Mine don't really open...the back 1/3 of the glass just cranks out a few inches, which doesn't let much air in. I've looked online as well and found a few ideas, some of which are really pricey and involve cutting a hole in the roof.

    I think my first attempt at getting some airflow is going to be a little Ryobi 18V fan like the one below since I already have the batteries to run one, and see how well that works.

    upload_2021-7-26_14-49-22.jpg

    If I need more air, I might next take the small glass that cranks open out of mine and build a panel with fans to mount there similar to below.

    upload_2021-7-26_14-51-2.jpg

    If I need still more air, I might try to take the big, fixed piece of glass off it's frame and make it operable with some hinges and a latch, held onto the glass by JB Weld or something, but I don't know how well that would hold up over time. I haven't really found any info on this online, so I don't know if it would even work.
     
  2. Jul 26, 2021 at 1:21 PM
    #2
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

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    I tried a cordless Ryobi fan but the batteries were annoying to deal with and the battery only lasted half the night even on low.

    One thing that I have found cools down the cap is putting a damp towel on the roof.

    I bought one of these a few years back - but they've gone up quite a bit in price :(. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AY2Z6?ie=UTF8. It is a higher flow fan that is DC. I roll down my back window and stick it against my cap's sliding window, facing where it's blowing inside the cap. I don't use it all the time though, only when it's extremely hot. I don't have a picture of it in action.

    This is what i sleep with all the time and I find that it allows plenty of air flow. Worth every penny. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WT1GYQ?ie=UTF8

    Tent.jpg
     
  3. Jul 26, 2021 at 2:32 PM
    #3
    crewmaxlmt

    crewmaxlmt How dare you!

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    Serious question. Why are you camping under the power lines?
     
  4. Jul 26, 2021 at 2:43 PM
    #4
    FrenchToasty

    FrenchToasty The Desert rat, 6 lug enthusiast

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    None
  5. Jul 26, 2021 at 2:53 PM
    #5
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    by 'automotive cooling fan' do you mean like a repurposed radiator fan? googling that term pretty much returned just those as a result.

    ...and this is one of the main reasons for this thread. I thought the battery powered thing would be good in theory but fall short in practice. Pretty small fan, too, at 4" diameter...

    This exact product was one of the exact things I found in searching online for a solution to my problem. Very fancy indeed, but I'm not sure I am quite on the level yet of cutting a square hole in my cap roof lol. Something like this would probably require equipping the truck with a second battery, you think?
     
  6. Jul 26, 2021 at 3:02 PM
    #6
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    I knew a product like this had to exist! I have thought about putting something like it in my truck for when the dogs are in the back, but I guess it could also work for when I'm back there sleeping. Holy hell, though...$177 is a bit steeeeeep for what it is :eek2:

    Might look into that, though it looks like a bit more involved to set up than just opening the back glass and tailgate. But the netting to keep bugs out would be a nice feature. Same price as the little fan above. That's ridiculous IMO. That fan is 3x what I'd consider paying lol.
     
  7. Jul 26, 2021 at 3:02 PM
    #7
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

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    Because these spots are the only option in this immediate area that's away but not too far from the highway and it is free BLM land. Popular with the RVers too.

    Mine might have been a little bigger than 4" so it's possible it may last all night, but to recharge the batteries you'll need to run an inverter.
     
  8. Jul 26, 2021 at 3:06 PM
    #8
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    Reviews are all over the place on how long the fan would run on a fully charged battery. I was eyeing the product below for an inverter. I have a hot 4 gage wire in my bed, I'm assuming I hook up a fuse block to that and connect the inverter to the fuse block, then plug in the battery charger to that...whew! so many steps.
    https://www.amazon.com/Kinverch-Con...6F?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=QCD0KNRS5PRKH625H2HQ
     
  9. Jul 26, 2021 at 3:16 PM
    #9
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

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    The fan is made by Dometic and meant for RVs, but it's really high quality. I spent awhile looking for something like this that operates off DC and it was all I could find.

    Actually it is super quick to setup once you've done it once or twice. There are bungies that you can hook to your frame, running board, or wheels. It has a rain fly. The added space with the tailgate open is a bonus.
     
  10. Jul 26, 2021 at 3:17 PM
    #10
    des2mtn

    des2mtn Third Member

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  11. Jul 26, 2021 at 4:59 PM
    #11
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    des2mtn likes this.
  12. Jul 26, 2021 at 5:02 PM
    #12
    BlackSheep

    BlackSheep [OP] caffeinated member

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    Interesting! I’m all about utility, and definitely less chedda :thumbsup:
     
    des2mtn and Tundratoofun like this.

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