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I have been looking on the internet for months now for a new 5er. As some of you know we have decided to buy a new 2006 Doubletree Elite Suites.
I have been looking at weights and insulation R factors. Here is what I have come up with, W=wall, R=roof, F= floor. Doubletree W-13, R-23, F-27 Excel W- 7, R-14, F-14 Teton W-10, R-25, F-? Carriage W-7 , R-16, F-30 Big CountryW-8, R-14, F-21 Landmark W-8, R-23, F-38? Montana W-9, R-14, F-21 Big Sky same Cardinal W-?, R-14, F-8 Everest W-9, R-15, F-29 Nu-Wa Doesn't "hype" on there R factors??? AS you can see with the 3-1/4" walls the Elite Suites should keep up warm in the winter and cool in the summer. FYI travelinbob, southwestjudy, and our 2blackdogs
Not to nitpick, but in reading the 2007 Excel brochure it states the following "R" factors apply to their fifth wheel models:
Sidewall: R10 Roof: R17 Floor: R17
Excel offers a Zero Degree Guarantee that holding tanks, water tank, etc won't freeze all the way down to zero degrees. You must have dual pane windows and a working furnace for the guarantee to apply!
As with most claims, I think you have to take a lot of them with a "grain of salt"!
I think I read somewhere that the R factors may be accurate for the insulation before it's installed. During installation and completion of the RV assembly some insulation gets squeezed so it no longer offers the full advertised R factor.
Actually, Excel's newest claim against freezing is down to -10 degrees beginning with the 2008 models, but I haven't looked close enough yet to see how they are getting the better rating over previous year models.
Not to nitpick, but in reading the 2007 Excel brochure it states the following "R" factors apply to their fifth wheel models:
Sidewall: R10 Roof: R17 Floor: R17
Excel offers a Zero Degree Guarantee that holding tanks, water tank, etc won't freeze all the way down to zero degrees. You must have dual pane windows and a working furnace for the guarantee to apply!
As with most claims, I think you have to take a lot of them with a "grain of salt"!
I think I read somewhere that the R factors may be accurate for the insulation before it's installed. During installation and completion of the RV assembly some insulation gets squeezed so it no longer offers the full advertised R factor.
I think you should take them at their claim and expect the unit to withstand the temperature. Excel is a good brand from everything I've read and heard.
We have dual pane windows and bought the extra astrofoil insulation for our Carriage, and we've been in below zero temperatures a number of times without any problems at all.
They can be built to use in any weather, you just have to shop carefully.
I have been lurking for a while, but decided to join to add my .02 to this thread.
One thing we found when hunting for the 5th wheel we are going to live in is that most manufactures don't tell you that their rated R factors do not include the slide outs!!!!. Some do not insulate the tops, floors, and walls that are not exposed to the outside when the slides are in.
Excels numbers are for the insulation only!! their number does not include the fact that the fiberglass roof insulates better than a rubber membrane roof, (no black streaks!) and that the wood construction insulates better than aluminum construction.
I don't know about 0 degree or -10 degree (we don't want to be in places that cold!) but we were in an ice storm last December and our heater only turned on twice that night! We were boon-docking in a Flying J parking lot to wait out the storm, and I am a light sleeper when we are not parked in a campground. Our last trailer (keystone) heater would have been running all night long.
in our well exhausted search for a well built and insulated RV, we felt Excel and New Horizon, and Nu-Wa did it best, but we didn't want to "show the money" while we are driving down the highway, and we found that the Excel line just doesn't stand out like a "flashy" 5th wheel.
We are very happy with our Excel, and we love our 4500 pound carrying capacity! so my opinion might be a "little bit" biased!
Doug
-- Edited by D and J at 07:59, 2007-07-02
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Doug and Jutta Volvo 780 Teton Homes Experince Aspen
Some areas are definitely moving faster than others....I'm at two weeks with one showing. But since where I live is fairly rural, I know it will be slower. Sigh...