A class windscreen condensation.

[Just us on Tour]

Hi All
We are considering buying an A Class. We currently have a fiat Ducato coachbuild but use an external silver screen to avoid condensation building up on the inside of the front screen during the winter. During my travels I haven’t seen many people use a silver screen or equivalent on an A Class. Do A Class front screens suffer with condensation if you just use the internal blinds that are fitted?
thank you for any advice.

 

[grasscutter]

Not sure about others but if I don’t use silver screens on my Hymer Exis i588 in colder weather I certainly get condensation.

 

[dawsey]

Yes.

As with all else in life, how much depends. It Depends how much water vapor is in the van, how cold it is outside, relative humidity, ventilation, heating.

Short version - A class are no different to any other van. Water will condense on the large expanse of non double glazed windscreen in winter. How much depends on the factors above.If you have not seen many screens on A class you perhaps haven’t seen enough vans. They are essential in winter if you use the drop down bed.

A silver screen is used to reduce heat loss in winter. A side effect of reducing the temperature differential between the inside and the outside of the screen (which is what the screen does) is reduced condensation. The same is true for all vans.

If you use an A class in winter and you plan to use the drop down bed, you will see significant benefit from using a silver screen.

 

[Just us on Tour]

Not sure about others but if I don’t use silver screens on my Hymer Exis i588 in colder weather I certainly get condensation.

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

 

[JockandRita]

Do A Class front screens suffer with condensation if you just use the internal blinds that are fitted?

In short, yes.

Should your habitation heating be connected to the windscreen demister ports, you may be able to keep the screen clear of condensation.

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

They are retained in position via the cab sliding windows, just as they would be by the cab doors.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Tombola]

few options, some have bungees over mirrors an down to wheels
some do go in door glass depending on van

 

[funflair]

You can get a Swedish insulated screen cover that holds onto the glass with extra strength magnets, obviously you need to fix magnets inside your screen then you just fit the insulation with a long stick.

And to answer the question yes you do get condensation and as has been pointed out already it‘a just down to the physics of cold surface and moist air, as always ventilation will help as will internal screen, but external is better.

 

[Lenny HB]

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

Normally you fit a rail it's like an awning rail along the top and down the back of the side window & the screen has a bead on it that slides in.

Had one on our last A Class didn't bother with this one. We have an insulated aluminium front blind and heating vents between the blind & the screen. Don't get any condensation on the screen until you raise the blind then within seconds it's covered in it, so out with the window vac.

 

[Minxy]

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

They are retained in position via the cab sliding windows, just as they would be by the cab doors.

We've got suckers!

Due to our Compactline having a very deep front windscreen, much deeper than most A-classes, to buy one new specifically for it would have been very expensive so instead we got a good second hand one for a 'standard' A-class and I just adapted it - it hooks over the passenger door and then I have suckers to keep it on outside of the driver's side window (no door) as we found that trying to do it via the sliding window wasn't ideal. It doesn't cover the bottom 6 inches of the screen due to the depth but that's not a bad thing as it means that our alarm activation flasher can be seen outside. The shorter depth also means that if we want we can use it inside too as it can be split into 3 sections (the sides Velcro to the front) with the front section held in place by the blind.

As for needing one, in winter most definitely, hubby sleeps in the front bed and even though he rarely feels the cold he has commented on several occasions that it is cooler there than the rest of the MH.

 

[grasscutter]

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

One side fits over the passenger door as it would on a chassis cab , the other side has a flap with two suckers that fits in the sliding window.
We also have a full mesh privacy screen that fits under the silver screen with the same attachments.
Photo of privacy/shade screen to give you some idea.

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[Manic]

We use silver screens in the winter, they fit over the front door and in sliding window on the other side.

 

[Figaro]

Useful in summer too to keep the van cool, especially if sun is directly on the windscreen

 

[Pausim]

Insulated blind and window vac. I bought an A Class partly because I get a good view so I have no intention of spoiling it with a silver screen. This morning there was a bit of condensation inside and out, a quick swipe with the wipers and less than a minute with the window vac and I am now looking out on a field and watching the wildlife (hares). A bit of sun on a windscreen also soon dries it out, provided it is not covered with a silver screen.

 

[denisejoe]

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

I’ve got 2 doors and a thermal roller blind

 

[ctc]

Stop breathing or ventilate.

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[Pausim]

I didn’t realise you can fit Silver screens to an A Class . May I ask how it is fitted ? Mine currently loops over each of the cabs door but with an A Class ( especially European) there is no drivers door .

Forget the screens. Get an A Class, they are so much nicer domestically and for driving.

Perhaps there should be courses to help with silver screen withdrawal symptoms.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Karcher window vac is your friend. Had silver screens on the Pilote G690 and rarely had condensation. Le Voyageur has alloy electric shutter and double glazed cab windows so did not invest in a custom made silver screen. We used the window vac and all clear in about 30 seconds

 

[Northernraider]

I’ve got 2 doors and a thermal roller blind

I.liked that with my euramobil but still got condensation


I think this mobilvetta will be worse but never seen a silver screen on one of these.

 

[Aspenshaw]

We use our A-Class external 'silver screen' in the late Autumn into the first joys of Spring. Keeps out the condensation and cold weather. We also use it to keep the van cool in the hot weather. When using the silver screen, we don't bother with the internal blinds.

However, we still get condensation from steaming vegetables when the we forget to open roof vents.

 

[Lenny HB]

One side fits over the passenger door as it would on a chassis cab , the other side has a flap with two suckers that fits in the sliding window.
We also have a full mesh privacy screen that fits under the silver screen with the same attachments.
Photo of privacy/shade screen to give you some idea.
View attachment 809080

When we had our Exsis we had the OEM screen fitted as in my post #8, much better on an A Class than trying to secure it over the door and in sliding windows, also it was cheaper than aftermarket ones.

I know you are not supposed to comment on spelling but you might want to look at the name of your van in your profile Graham.

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[Toady]

Got a lovely external screen in the garage of van. Never used it!

The Karcher is great as long as it doesn’t go into flashing green light mode. That’s another story.

 

[Lenny HB]

Got a lovely external screen in the garage of van. Never used it!

The Karcher is great as long as it doesn’t go into flashing green light mode. That’s another story.

You mean you haven't got a spare battery?

 

[bigtwin]

You can get a Swedish insulated screen cover

Tell me more Martin.

Ian

 

[funflair]

Tell me more Martin.

Ian

I looked this morning and couldn't find them so just looked again and, the web site is under renovation (still) https://www.rvmasters.se/sv-SE/english-45760873

They do sunscreens and thermally insulated screens so you have both ends of the temperature scale covered, you stick magnets inside the screen and then their product has magnets sewn into pockets in the screens so very quick to put on and take off.

 

[bigtwin]

I looked this morning and couldn't find them so just looked again and, the web site is under renovation (still) https://www.rvmasters.se/sv-SE/english-45760873

They do sunscreens and thermally insulated screens so you have both ends of the temperature scale covered, you stick magnets inside the screen and then their product has magnets sewn into pockets in the screens so very quick to put on and take off.

Thanks Martin, I saw a guy with the system you described in Portugal and I was very impressed with them. However, this was before I changed van so didn’t take any details. Doh!

Ian

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[Minxy]

You mean you haven't got a spare battery?

Amateur ... we've got a spare Karcher!

 

[grasscutter]

When we had our Exsis we had the OEM screen fitted as in my post #8, much better on an A Class than trying to secure it over the door and in sliding windows, also it was cheaper than aftermarket ones.

I know you are not supposed to comment on spelling but you might want to look at the name of your van in your profile Graham.

Cheers Lenny. Amazing how I keep making the same mistake
Hopefully now amended.

 

[Ridgeway]

This was the reason we added the AMV system to the van when ordering. It copes really well with condensation although yet to do a winter but I believe it will manage well from what I’ve read. The sensor detects the temp and moisture and switches the system on to create enough heat to avoid condensation on the windscreen

 

[Toady]

Amateur ... we've got a spare Karcher!

Anybody with a Karcher knows that the flashing green light is a fault. A check on YouTube shows you how to fix with a zip tie. Karcher should be ashamed!

 

[Minxy]

Anybody with a Karcher knows that the flashing green light is a fault. A check on YouTube shows you how to fix with a zip tie. Karcher should be ashamed!

Can't recall seeing a 'flashing' green light on any of ours ... we actually have 3 ... don't ask!