Trooper flying insect door

by -mojo- Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:38 am

Having just acquired a 2006 Trooper, we were a bit surprised to find an opening cut out of one of the roof side panels specifically to allow mosquitos, midges, moths and other flying insects free and unhindered access to the inside of the vehicle! (We suspect that this flying insect door may also double up as fixed ventilation for the gas appliances in the vehicle).

There doesn't appear to be any sign that mesh of any sort was applied by Autosleepers - it's just a wide open slot to the outside.

What do other Trooper owners do to reduce the insect-friendliness of this aperture?

by repoort Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:35 pm

....over the years I've had quite a few Troopers with the "box" roof - none of them have folded open with any degree of snug fitting at all - I have improved it by using double sided tape to attach a slim band of foam insulation along the top edges of the side window sections.
As for the ventilation slot, a very easy solution is a piece of normal grey pipe insulation tube, just bevel the ends and it fills the gap entirely - and is easily removable when required.
In fact, I find pieces of tube very handy for all sorts of jobs in the van.

by -mojo- Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:14 pm

repoort wrote:
As for the ventilation slot, a very easy solution is a piece of normal grey pipe insulation tube, just bevel the ends and it fills the gap entirely - and is easily removable when required.

Good thinking - I shall try that. Although it's our first Trooper, we've owned several previous A/S solid sided pop-tops and we too had to take special measures with the (non) sealing. In order to make ours midge-proof in Scotland we used to just buy a newspaper every day and scrunch pieces of it up at night to block all the air gaps!

But this large, unrestricted opening seems a ridiculous design feature to me - you would think that A/S would have made at least some effort to include a mesh covering...

by repoort Tue Sep 22, 2015 8:32 pm

I agree, but perhaps by law there has to be a minimum amount of ventilation available in the living area ?

by -mojo- Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:19 pm

repoort wrote:I agree, but perhaps by law there has to be a minimum amount of ventilation available in the living area ?

Yes - the relevant regulations require a minimum area, but the regs do allow for a mesh. My Celex has a stupidly large vent area, but at least it's mesh covered! It just seems like a lazy, minimum-effort solution by A/S to me...

Anyway, enough whingeing - I shall get stuck in with the pipe lagging!

by repoort Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:35 pm

Anyway, enough whingeing - I shall get stuck in with the pipe lagging!

no, it's not whinging, just common sense not to want gaps all over the place.....and I also cut some long tapered strips for the four vertical corners, too.
Don't know if yours is the same, but on a windy day there's a draught coming from somewhere at the back of the loo cupboard, by the switches. Very difficult to pinpoint where it's coming from 'cos the fridge vents are not far away. I guess when the covers go on soon it may - or may not - make a difference.

by -mojo- Wed Sep 23, 2015 2:16 pm

repoort wrote:[Very difficult to pinpoint where it's coming from 'cos the fridge vents are not far away. I guess when the covers go on soon it may - or may not - make a difference.

Ours is too new (to us) to know whether there are lots of draughts, but one of things on my "to do" list is to remove the fridge vents (because I want to respray them anyway) and while they are off check how well A/S have sealed around the fridge. I know I shouldn't pre-judge, but I'm expecting (based on experience of previous A/S vans) that it won't be that great...

by repoort Wed Sep 23, 2015 8:05 pm

...our van is Wheat Beige, best described as a Gold/Champagne, being metallic it seems to vary according to the light - our fridge vents are white, not too big a contrast...I did consider painting, would need a good primer to stick to the plastic, and there's a lot of small edges and corners which might make it difficult to get an even spray finish - so I went off the idea !
On the other hand, the vent covers are beige, and so looks much better with them on.
After 18 months ownership, my "to do " list is nearly finished, there could be things we both mark down for attention.

Trooper flying insect door

Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door

Re: Trooper flying insect door