Dometic 10 User Manual download pdf (Page 8)

About Insulation

Before we go any further, let’s talk briey about insulation. Most truck sleepers today are insulated with a

value of approximately R 1 to R 1.25. Compare this to the insulation of R 30 that is required in most new

housing construction. Even the “cold-weather packages” offered with some new trucks only have insulation

values of R 2. TMC recommended practices call for R 4.2 as a standard insulation package and greater

than R 4.6 in a premium package. This standard, once adopted by the industry, will go a long way toward

improving the performance of auxiliary air conditioning and heating systems.

If you are buying a new truck, you should order it with additional insulation. There are also a number of

measures you can take to reduce the heat load in your truck. If you have skylights, cover them. Insulate

the oors with foam under the carpet. Add insulation to the doors. Get heavy-duty curtains to separate the

sleeper from the cab. Cover the windshield and windows with reective shades when parked. Park in the

shade whenever possible. Switch off heat-producing appliances in the sleeper.

Air Conditioning Units

Your rst step will be determining the type of air conditioning units (split or self-contained) to meet your

requirements and space constraints, then sizing the units to meet the expected heat load.

Sizing the system can be a complicated affair, since it depends on a number of factors, such as the size and

shape of the sleeper, the amount of insulation (see above), the size and location of windows, the color of the

truck (darker colors absorb more heat) and the ambient temperature outside. The following guidelines are

based on TMC recommendations under “average” conditions. If you are operating in very hot regions, you

may need to consider extra capacity.

7,000 BTU/hr Day cab or smaller sleeper up to 48 with ﬂat roof

10,000 BTU/hr Mid-size 60 sleeper with low or mid-height roof

14,000 BTU/hr Full-size 60-72 sleeper with high-rise roof

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

No comments

Dometic 10 User Manual Page 8