Thermal insulating car (not van)

[TheFaff456]

Ko Hi folks 

So I have made myself a little converted day car camper. One step up for a boot jump type of affair but very much a DIY situation. What I have found on my most recent outing is that I was really cold ?! I have made thermal window covers and put and extra carpet on the floor (plus lost of blankets of course).

But I wondered if anyone on here had insulated their berlingos?? Not the van version but the full window 5 seat car version?? 

I’ve been daydreaming about taking down the headliner and adding some closed cell foam roll (mainly used for acoustic reasons on the roof and doors.... is this a terrible idea? 

Any suggestions for extra insulation’s tips would be appreciated 

Cheers

[saskak]

Ko Hi folks 

So I have made myself a little converted day car camper. One step up for a boot jump type of affair but very much a DIY situation. What I have found on my most recent outing is that I was really cold ?! I have made thermal window covers and put and extra carpet on the floor (plus lost of blankets of course).

But I wondered if anyone on here had insulated their berlingos?? Not the van version but the full window 5 seat car version?? 

I’ve been daydreaming about taking down the headliner and adding some closed cell foam roll (mainly used for acoustic reasons on the roof and doors.... is this a terrible idea? 

Any suggestions for extra insulation’s tips would be appreciated 

Cheers

I partially did this. I say partially, as I did the whole rear, rear/front doors. I have not done only the roof. I added sound-deadening material and it has been great. There is no insulation of any sort on the metal. I used Noico 80 mil and it has been great. I am not too sure if it does anything in terms of heat-insulation. It is also pretty easy to apply.
On the plastic cowling on the doors I added this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XHYZLMD just so the plastic does not bang on the metal too much. I also replaced the stupid plastic things that hold the door cowling/trim with black oxidized bolts.

One problem was that this added a bit of weight on the rear tailgate and had to buy up-rated struts (5% more than the original). I had posted on the struts before.

Let me know if more info is needed.

[Jakejjt]

Hi I have doen this to my XTR twice ....

I've stuck some of the sticky back foam in the roof, front door panels, bonet, tail gate,  better noise wise - later I added 20mm of fleace insulation (as well) to the same loactions much better noise wise havent had it through a winter yet.
So yes it can be done, you'll need some trim removal tools and spare trim clips, I'd not use the 20mm insualtion again may be just the 10mm as it was a tight fit to get back.
You need to remove the trims just under the roof linining - for some that incudes removing the sear belt top mounting bolts and trims, once that's doen your can lower the headlining and feed the insualtion in with a stick so you don't need to fully drop it down.
For the doors/tailgate I used spray glue to hold the insulation in place.

I hope that helps a bit Jake

[NANO_Vigo]

Hi,

In this video you can see noise and thermal insulation instalation.

Regards


[video=youtube]https://youtu.be/EgbyLLPDNIU[/video]

[Gravity]

Old thread, but I've just dropped in after a long absence since I sold my completed B9 camper (https://www.berlingoforum.com/thread-16358.html). Now starting another one with lessons learned.

One thing to consider when insulating is that however good and thorough the insulation, it does not provide heat. It just buys time. Some people overlook that fact, and think they'll keep warm whatever the conditions if they insulate.

A more efficient way, if you're sleeping in your vehicle, is to insulate the person not the box. Wrapping up to slow the escape of heat at its source (you) is often far more effective than trying to heat and then retain it in large tin box.

Insulation of the whole has other benefits of course, not directly related to keeping warm on a cold night.

[notsofast]

A more efficient way, if you're sleeping in your vehicle, is to insulate the person not the box. Wrapping up to slow the escape of heat at its source (you) is  often far more effective than trying to heat and then retain it in large tin box.

I second that. Five years ago I was working 140-odd miles from home and commuted to work for several days each time, and being a simple sort I slept in my van, even during the winter. The van had no insulation at all (bare metal roof) but I had a good down sleeping bag and just took off my outer layer of clothes before getting in it (was wearing thermal underwear, including longjohns). I put a camping mat across the seats to lie on (and padded out around the handbrake and gearstick with the clothes I took off), and wore a woolly hat to keep my head warm. Although I did sometimes get cold while sat in the van eating etc. in the evening, I was always warm once I'd got in the sleeping bag, even when frost was forming outside.

[Gryffindor]

The space heater in my truck's cabin is like a little nuclear reactor and keeps my toes very toesty. But then i roll over and come into contact with the uninsulated tin back wall of the cab... NOT a pleasant way to be woken up!

[Gadgetman]

Lets face it, the Berlingo isn't an easy car to insulate.
I use 20mm foam, and have the rule that if I remove an inside panel, I insulate as far behind it as I can reach, but that doesn't account for the large windows, the pillars, the roof(getting the liner out whole is an adventure... ) or the floor.
And all of that has an R-value of 'sucks to be you'.
That's an issue with any car really. It's a METAL construction. Metal outside panels, in direct contact with the pillars and the rest of the cabin cage. Not a single thermal break anywhere.

The best way to insulate is to build a new construct inside the car. Thick foam panels and so on.
A 2" thick slab of styrofoam on the floor, 1" or thicker sheets as sides, and taped to the floor slab so there won't be any gaps.

But then you'd also need to look at ventilation...

It can get very humid inside a car that's used in the winter, so make certain your bedding can handle it. A lot of modern sleeping bags doesn't like moisture at all.
I have an old ex-army(Norwegian) sleeping bag with KAPOK filler. This natural fiber will still insulate even when wet. I always bring this if I'm doing any long distance driving in the winter.
(I believe that the SF soldiers we sent to Afghanistan when that mess just started, all had KAPOK bags. )