Getting Some Air Flow In Your Bed Area

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.



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.



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.

 

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 .

Fan-Tastic Vent 01100WH Endless Breeze - 12 Volt Fan

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.

$220 DAC Full - Size Truck Tent for Tailgate

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007WT1GYQ?ie=UTF8

 

Serious question. Why are you camping under the power lines?

 

I’ll be cutting a big hole in the roof for this. These are nice because they can suck……..or blow, remote controlled, can be set to a t stat among other functions.

MAXXAIR Maxxfan Deluxe Vent, Fan and Vent Cover All in One - Powerful 10-Speed Reversible Fan with Thermostat, Built-in Rain Cover, Remote Control, Intake & Exhaust Fan, Smoke (00-07500K)

https://www.amazon.com/Maxx-Air-000...keywords=max+fan+deluxe&qid=1627335726&sr=8-3

 

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?

 

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

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.

 

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.

 

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.

$40 Kinverch 500W Car Power Inverter DC 12V to AC 110V Adapter with 2 AC Outlets and 2A USB Charging Port

https://www.amazon.com/Kinverch-Con...6F?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=QCD0KNRS5PRKH625H2HQ

 

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.

 

Hmm...

$23 RoadPro RP8000 10" Indoor/Outdoor Dual Power Fan - Battery and/or 12V

https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RP80...=1&keywords=12v+box+fan&qid=1627337833&sr=8-2

 

Hmm indeed…decent reviews, wonder what the innards are made of though. Also found this one in the “you might also like” list on that fan’s page
HITOPTY 12V Car Fan, 360 Degree Swivel 2 Speed Electric Backseat Fans for Auto SUV RV Vehicle Boat

HITOPTY 12V Car Fan, 360 Degree Swivel 2 Speed Electric Backseat Fans for Auto SUV RV Vehicle Boat

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VS5K1F8?_encoding=UTF8

 

Interesting! I’m all about utility, and definitely less chedda