Bob C Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Has anyone driven through Death Valley in the middle of the summer? I know that it is hot, but, I will be in the area during my 2016 trip through the western US. My RV is an Escaper with 22RE and automatic. We do not plan on using the A/C to give the engine a little bit of a break. I drive at 55 mph most of the time. I have driven through South and North Dakota in 95 degree days and the RV was able to run at 55 without getting hot. I do not plan on camping in the lowest elevations but will be going to the higher campgrounds. Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Has anyone driven through Death Valley in the middle of the summer? I know that it is hot, but, I will be in the area during my 2016 trip through the western US. My RV is an Escaper with 22RE and automatic. We do not plan on using the A/C to give the engine a little bit of a break. I drive at 55 mph most of the time. I have driven through South and North Dakota in 95 degree days and the RV was able to run at 55 without getting hot. I do not plan on camping in the lowest elevations but will be going to the higher campgrounds. Thanks for the help. http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/death-valley-ca/92384/july-weather/2258469 drive at night time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 carry a full tank of water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 The 22re is gonna fry an egg regardless of whether you are spinning the compressor or not.. Advise rear mounted genny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 If you want maximum cooling take the antifreeze out and just run water. It's summer your not going to hit freezing temps anywhere and running water for just this trip is not going to make everything rust up. Water has a lower specific gravity and can remove more heat from your engine. There are additives that can protect against corrosion and increase the cooling too. http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=74&pcid=10 That said there are a whole bunch of people in places like Vegas and Phoenix who manage to drive every day in similar temps. Last year was an exceptionally hot one with all of California dealing with a massive drought. It's been raining like crazy here this year and maybe Death Valley will be cooler this summer. None the less. If you get stuck in extreme heat find a motel or some place to go. Pour water on your head. Most of us are not young and extreme heat can be deadly Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shibs Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I have driven that route many times, it is hot even at night. You will be very uncomfortable without a/c on that route. even with the a/c on it is uncomfortable for my passengers in the back seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 I am rethinking this part of the trip. I may skip Death Valley. I was looking at the NP site and they day 120 degrees is pretty common in the summer. I will not do that to my wife. I will have to do more research. I have done some research to verify what I thought I knew about antifreeze/coolant. Every article said that same thing-coolant has a higher boiling point and does a better job of cooling than straight water. I will stay with my normal mix of antifreeze/water. A 50/50 mixture of coolant has a boiling point of 257 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Get a supco spp6 (NOT the spp6e though!).... http://www.amazon.com/SUPCO-SPP6-Start-Relay-Capacitor/dp/B0002YTLFE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421677715&sr=8-1&keywords=supco+spp6&pebp=1421677719422&peasin=B0002YTLFE and also a nice inverter generator of 2500 watts or higher and run that sucker off the back. I enjoyed 100% humidity and 98 degrees in NC this summer with that setup (in my case an HF predator inverter genny) ... my rig was 68 degrees during which my dogs were curled like sled dogs and my daughters under blankets.... slept the whole time. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shibs Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 I am rethinking this part of the trip. I may skip Death Valley. I was looking at the NP site and they day 120 degrees is pretty common in the summer. I will not do that to my wife. I will have to do more research. I have done some research to verify what I thought I knew about antifreeze/coolant. Every article said that same thing-coolant has a higher boiling point and does a better job of cooling than straight water. I will stay with my normal mix of antifreeze/water. A 50/50 mixture of coolant has a boiling point of 257 degrees. yes, coolant and plus h2o is better, just clean your grill of all dead insects, straighten bent fins with plastic baking spatula, the air temp is not the issue there, the radiant heat of the sun is. I had my little corolla tinted with 5% limo tint, that made it bit better in the back seat. it is a 2.5 hour drive at 70 mph, I have driven with NO a/c and window down in 114F in my little beater honda in Nebraska many years back, not something I wish to do again :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 I do not have a roof A/C unit on my RV because it was so noisy nobody could sleep when it was running. So no reason to use a generator. We have gone through North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming in 100 + temps and as long as we drink MASSIVE amounts of water, we got through without a problem. I will continue looking at my trip plans. I still have about 18 months before we do it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 good cure for that noise I wear earplugs been in pasco wa 114 official high and the wind was hot hot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 We seldom camp where there is electricity anyway so the A/c was just up there creating drag and adding weight. I have been camping without A/C for 60 years and didn't miss it. I have traveled through the desert on motorcycle and if I drink enough water it has not bothered me. That means drinking gallons of water every day. Compared to sleeping on the ground in a tent, the RV feels like a palace even without the A/C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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