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Old 07-26-2019, 12:56 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
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DIY double pane windows crazy?

I plan to delete the last 3 rows of windows on my 6window international. I was dreaming up cheap ways to make the windows better insulated since I will be mostly around CO.

My first and perhaps best idea is to make simple, modern style window boxes that protrude past the finished wall material by 3/4” so that I could easily put on that window film stuff you can buy real cheap at the hardware store. This traps air between the window and the film, making a poor man’s double pane during the winter when you are less likely to open windows.

My second, perhaps crazier idea, is to use the deleted windows to make interior storm windows. I already plan on furring out the steel studs quite a bit with HardyBreak thermal break strips (or some such similar product) and wood nailers. Then the thickness of my wall material. This works out about perfect to mount the salvaged windows from the back 3 rows sandwiched to the original front row window with butel tape in between. Both windows can still be opened, and I can sorta get in there and wipe up any condensation in between. My passenger windows have a pretty good tint on too, so doubled up, they could keep it pretty cool in winter too.

My third idea which is compatible with either of the first two as an additional measure, is to make really well fitted, refletix and air-gap insulated blackout curtains. Obviously the downside here during the day is the blackout bit. Turns into a feature when urban camping i guess.

I’m interested what others on a budget have done? RV windows just seem a bit $$$

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Old 07-26-2019, 01:08 PM   #2
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Howdy Tawdbb,

Good question. There was a great discussion of this a week or two ago. The consensus was that it was not a good idea.

You may enjoy reading it. Try the search function above and it should be easy to find.
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:13 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawdbb View Post
I plan to delete the last 3 rows of windows on my 6window international. I was dreaming up cheap ways to make the windows better insulated since I will be mostly around CO.

My first and perhaps best idea is to make simple, modern style window boxes that protrude past the finished wall material by 3/4” so that I could easily put on that window film stuff you can buy real cheap at the hardware store. This traps air between the window and the film, making a poor man’s double pane during the winter when you are less likely to open windows.

My second, perhaps crazier idea, is to use the deleted windows to make interior storm windows. I already plan on furring out the steel studs quite a bit with HardyBreak thermal break strips (or some such similar product) and wood nailers. Then the thickness of my wall material. This works out about perfect to mount the salvaged windows from the back 3 rows sandwiched to the original front row window with butel tape in between. Both windows can still be opened, and I can sorta get in there and wipe up any condensation in between. My passenger windows have a pretty good tint on too, so doubled up, they could keep it pretty cool in winter too.

My third idea which is compatible with either of the first two as an additional measure, is to make really well fitted, refletix and air-gap insulated blackout curtains. Obviously the downside here during the day is the blackout bit. Turns into a feature when urban camping i guess.

I’m interested what others on a budget have done? RV windows just seem a bit $$$
like the old fashioned storm windows in houses, it should help - the better the fit and less draft the better - there are better ways of doing it, but with taking a bit of care with fitting and caulking, it will certainly be better than just the normal single pane window - where do you plan to be in the cold weather?
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:18 PM   #4
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I’ll be in Durango Colorado, so hot in summer, cold in Winter. PNW Steve, what keywords for that thread? I’ve looked on google for Skokie.net threads on diy double pane; double pane windows, and double windows. I havn’t found any meaningful discussion.
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:29 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawdbb View Post
I’ll be in Durango Colorado, so hot in summer, cold in Winter. PNW Steve, what keywords for that thread? I’ve looked on google for Skokie.net threads on diy double pane; double pane windows, and double windows. I havn’t found any meaningful discussion.
if you're careful with sealing both the existing window and the storm window, you won't have many days when your windows frost up ( just checked your average and extreme temps for Durango Colorado )
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:32 PM   #6
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I have had factory made double pane windows loose the seal and they fog badly in cold weather.

Unless you can seal and purge the space between the panes you may suffer the same issue.
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:38 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawdbb View Post
I’ll be in Durango Colorado, so hot in summer, cold in Winter. PNW Steve, what keywords for that thread? I’ve looked on google for Skokie.net threads on diy double pane; double pane windows, and double windows. I havn’t found any meaningful discussion.
Now I get to look stupid

I try to encourage the use of the search feature as we tend to see some questions asked repeatedly. Better to engage in the existing discussion than to start another thread on the same thing.

I just tried to use search find the recent thread on this subject......... I can't find it either...
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:41 PM   #8
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I spent almost a week on the Albertsons parking lot in Durango in my first bus.

Parked right on the Animals River. Really was a nice spot. Was quite a while ago though...
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:44 PM   #9
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found these threads when I searched for double pane windows on the forum

https://www.google.com/search?q=doub...ch=skoolie.net
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:48 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleddgracer View Post
found these threads when I searched for double pane windows on the forum

https://www.google.com/search?q=doub...ch=skoolie.net
Same here.

Frustrating....... I was looking at the recent one just last week
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:13 PM   #11
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I used to rent a house from the guy who had built it and tried to roll his own double-paned wall-of-windows in the living room. It was like living in a fish tank with all the condensation.
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:25 PM   #12
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http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/co...ane-27966.html


Found it by searching "Converting windows to double pane."
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:27 PM   #13
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http://www.skoolie.net/forums/f27/co...ane-27966.html


And I could not remember the title, so I found it by putting 2019 in the search terms. The first one was still from 2011 but I did get more results from 2019, and the one I was looking for was high on the list.
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Old 07-27-2019, 08:27 PM   #14
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Sweet, thanks for finding that! So, it seems that two panes’s magic comes from insulating gas, not from any old trapped air. I guess that well fitted, insulation curtains are the best “cheap” solution. That, and I am going to try and install a thermal break of some sort between the steel frame and the aluminum windows, even if its just insulative paint.

How thick are most RV walls/window frames? I have an RV salvage yard I can hit up not too far away
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Old 07-27-2019, 08:58 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawdbb View Post
Sweet, thanks for finding that! So, it seems that two panes’s magic comes from insulating gas, not from any old trapped air. I guess that well fitted, insulation curtains are the best “cheap” solution. That, and I am going to try and install a thermal break of some sort between the steel frame and the aluminum windows, even if its just insulative paint.

How thick are most RV walls/window frames? I have an RV salvage yard I can hit up not too far away
a vacuum between two panes of glass works as insulation - when certain inert gases are used it works better than plain air, both work better under negative pressure, but both work with degrees of efficiency
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Old 07-27-2019, 09:41 PM   #16
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Worked good for us. More to do if I find more projection television for free " plexiglass"
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Old 08-10-2019, 07:28 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tawdbb View Post
I plan to delete the last 3 rows of windows on my 6window international. I was dreaming up cheap ways to make the windows better insulated since I will be mostly around CO.

My first and perhaps best idea is to make simple, modern style window boxes that protrude past the finished wall material by 3/4” so that I could easily put on that window film stuff you can buy real cheap at the hardware store. This traps air between the window and the film, making a poor man’s double pane during the winter when you are less likely to open windows.

My second, perhaps crazier idea, is to use the deleted windows to make interior storm windows. I already plan on furring out the steel studs quite a bit with HardyBreak thermal break strips (or some such similar product) and wood nailers. Then the thickness of my wall material. This works out about perfect to mount the salvaged windows from the back 3 rows sandwiched to the original front row window with butel tape in between. Both windows can still be opened, and I can sorta get in there and wipe up any condensation in between. My passenger windows have a pretty good tint on too, so doubled up, they could keep it pretty cool in winter too.

My third idea which is compatible with either of the first two as an additional measure, is to make really well fitted, refletix and air-gap insulated blackout curtains. Obviously the downside here during the day is the blackout bit. Turns into a feature when urban camping i guess.

I’m interested what others on a budget have done? RV windows just seem a bit $$$
Look for places that wreck buses in cold climates A lot of our buses in Canada come with some double pane windows in the first 3 rows for driver visibility. I would think places like Michigan would do the same.
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